What does your skin say about you? Just as our skin tells the story of how we care for it, our skin also alerts us to how we neglect it. With summer months around the corner, many of us put the full-court press on our skincare regime. This summer, instead of the newest lotions, the latest tanners, and overall quick fixes, take a look at these four common skincare facets we tend to neglect.

1. Neglecting Bedtime Cleansing

We’ve all done it, climbed into bed after a night on the town with a full face of makeup. We think it’s okay for one night, well, it’s not. Think about the different environments your skin comes in contact with during 24 hours. Our skin gets exposed to bacteria and pollutants through the air. In addition to air pollutants, we touch our face, arms, neck, and other skin areas multiple times an hour without even knowing it.

Aside from washing away the day’s environment, another reason for a good skin cleansing before bed is preparing the skin’s surface for night-time beauty products like lotions, creams, and serums. If you present acne, a night-time cleansing routine is also an optimal time to care for it, as this allows for the acne treatment to perform its duty without the hindrance of makeup.

2. Neglecting A Consistent Regime

Achieving healthy skin takes effort and time. You’re not getting all the benefits of your beauty products performing a regime only when the mood hits or on special occasions. Time is often a factor in sticking to a skincare routine. When we get pressed for time, we opt for using just one or two products instead of the four or five it typically takes to complete the routine. 

We also skip directions, cut steps, or skimp on the products to save money. In reality, not keeping up with a consistent routine is more costly in the long run. Beauty products work their best when used as directed. It’s a complete waste of money starting and stopping skincare routines as the product doesn’t have time to work its magic. Skincare lotions, creams, and serums also expire from infrequent use, another costly endeavor.

3. Neglecting Sun Protection

As we know, a little sun goes a long way, and it’s vital to our overall health. The benefits behind vitamin D alone are healthy bones, immune function, and blood cell formation. However, we are also aware of the damage the sun does to our skin, from permanent pigment changes to cancer, so don’t neglect protection. Time-tested ways to protect your skin from damaging rays are: covering up exposed skin, using a sunblock containing an SPF of 15 or higher, seek shady areas from 10 am to 2 pm when the sun is it is most potent.

4. Neglecting A Good Diet

Gorgeous summer skin starts from the inside out. Believe it or not, some foods are better for attaining flawless skin than others, and most of us don’t get enough. A diet consisting primarily of high-processed food, ready-made meals, and refined carbs over a long period causes and aggravate skin problems such as acne, clogged pores, and a sallow, ruddy complexion. Skin also ages when deprived of essential nutrients like vitamins, proteins, and minerals. Instead, opt for foods that furnish skin bolstering nutrients. Skin-pleasing superfoods include probiotics (active yogurt cultures), berries (antioxidants), leafy greens (vitamins, A, C, and E), fish (omega-3s and omega-6s), citric fruits (vitamin C), eggs (protein), and green tea (catechins, a natural antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory).
For more information on skin-healthy foods, go to the Mayo Clinic’s Healthy Lifestyle/ Adult Health section.