Great skin is always a win

Happy New Year everyone! It's a new year, a new day and a whole new start to anything you want! We wiped the slate clean, and we get to start over in many ways. We all know the standard New years resolutions;
1. Lose weight
2. Create a budget
3. Find the man/woman of my dreams
etc and so on, and while they all are terrific goals to shoot for, most of the time they are hard to stick to, or are out of your power. Women everywhere forget something on a regular basis, that's so easy and necessary to fix, and yet bypass it without a second thought. It's really as simple as this..

 TAKE BETTER CARE OF MY SKIN.

This goes for men too! It's such a simple thing and yet we all, myself included, still go to bed with our makeup on, forget to moisturize daily, and layer on products that clog our pours without a second thought. Girls ask me all the time, how can I know I'm using the right product for my skin? Well this answer is very similar to my answer regarding picking a foundation.
1. Know your skin type.
Am I oily, dry or combination? The easiest way to know this is after you wash your face at night, what does your skin feel like in the morning? Is it dying for lotion, or could you fry an egg on your forehead? Take your finger and wipe across your T-zone (The area across your forehead and down the middle of your face forming a "T") is it oily, or does your skin flake? If you're oily, stay away from any skin care products that are "extra moisturizing" and pick and oil free face wash. If your skin is dry, find a face a lotion that is thicker, and water based if possible.
2. Am I prone to acne, or already have blemishes?
If you are a girl, (guys too) you have a pimple here and there. I wouldn't consider that acne prone skin. People are under the assumption that the best way to avoid acne, is using an acne wash daily. That couldn't be farther from the truth! Acne washes main ingredient is salicylic acid, which is intended to dry out acne, so imagine what it is doing to your natural skin? You are stripping your face of all of the natural oils, therefore causing dry, cracked skin. (And not always just visible on the outside.) If you do breakout regularly, find a gentle exfoliate, and an oil free acne wash, changing every few days. Even if your face is completely covered in blemishes, scrubbing with a harsh acne wash isn't good for you either. Use a gentle wash, a water based lotion, and keep your hands off of your face. (Changing and washing your pillow cases often is a good idea, and well as staying away from washcloths. They just spread bacteria around your face, and when using hot water, your pours are open and allowing those towel germs to fill your pours, causing even more pimples.
When picking a face regiment,  remember the fad skin care lines aren't always the best, so do your research before finding what works for you.

Taking care of your skin seems like a lot of effort, but its really not! Men this goes for you too, your significant other would rather smooch a smooth, soft face so take care of your skin as well! Wash your face with a good face wash everyday, and apply a moisturizer (They even have male skin care lines) and you'll be amazed at the difference!
Ladies because of what we put our faces through daily wearing makeup, your skin care routine should be slightly more involved but still simple. Remember the four R's. Rinse, Renew,Retract Regenerate.
1. Rinse.
Be sure you are wetting your face with warm water first to open your pours! Warm water makes your pours expand, making it easier for your face wash to penetrate the bacteria within them.
2. Renew.
Using a face wash, scrub all of that daily bacteria, makeup, and oil off of your face, bringing it back fresh and renewed. (Add a gentle exfoliate to your regiment 3 times a week to get rid of dead dry skin cells that can build up.)
3. Retract.
Because your pours are open from the hot water, we need to make them retract back to their original size to prevent letting germs in, so when your face is all clean, splash your whole face with a little cold water. This will make them shrink back down and close.
4. Regenerate.
Find a good face lotion, whether it be a wrinkle cream, moisturizer, dark spot corrector, or even acne prone face lotion, and apply liberally. Be sure you go down your neck as well, and that you're careful when applying underneath your eyes where skin is the thinnest. Everyday we can help renew our skin cells by keeping them moisturized, and well maintained.

Do this in the morning, and before going to bed. It seems like a lot of steps, but it really only takes about 5 minutes and you won't believe what a difference it will make with your skin!

Take care of your skin ladies, because without a good canvas, your painting will never be complete :) Happy 2014!