FashBlog.com

By Brandi M. Seals

It does not matter how much money you spend on your clothes or how much makeup you wear. They will not look as good on you if your skin is in poor condition. Well treated skin is the ultimate accessory. It automatically gives your face a fresh, young look that cannot be achieved even with a few makeup tricks and designer duds.

The key to having great skin is taking care of it. Each day your face goes without being properly treated is another day that damage can happen.

Whether you are male or female does not matter. Everyone must properly wash and care for their skin. There are some people out there that feel that men who use cleanser and moisturizer are being a little too feminine. Those people are probably those with skin that feels like it came off the back of a hog. There is nothing feminine about being clean and taking care of yourself.

If you do not already have a skin care regiment, you will want to adopt one. Skin care is very easy. All it requires is cleansing and moisturizing. If you are prone to acne you will need to add extra steps, but for most, a little cleanser and moisturizer is all it takes.

If you do not own a cleanser, you need to buy one. Go to your local Target, Wal-Mart, or drugstore and pick one up. There are nearly hundreds to choose from. If you have sensitive skin, pick a cleanser designed for your skin type. If you have acne problems, buy a skin cleanser designed to help prevent future outbreaks. It is not confusing. Everything is labeled. You never want to use regular soap on your face. I know a lot of guys who do this, but honestly, it is way to drying to be used on delicate facial skin.

You will want to wash your face at least once a day. Do it in the evenings so you can wash away the grime you have picked up through out the day. Women, you should already be washing your face in the evening if you wear makeup. Never leave makeup on. It clogs the pores and can result in an outbreak of blemishes.

If your skin is oily, consider stepping the washings up to twice a day. Do it once in the morning and once at night. To make it easy on yourself, do one of the face washings in the shower. Just remember to turn the water down. Never use hot water on your face. You should be using lukewarm water.

After washing your face, pat the skin dry. Make sure it is dry and then add a thin layer of moisturizer. Washing your face can be drying and you want to reverse that affect. In addition, dry skin tells your pores to step up their oil production which can lead to more break outs.

Like cleansers, moisturizers can be picked up just about anywhere and they come in a variety of consistencies. Some are very light and thin, others are thicker. Again, read the labels. Those with problem skin should get a moisturizer with an added acne fighter. Those that have dry skin may do better with a thicker moisturizer while those that have oily skin will be pleased with thinner formulas.

Never use excessive amounts of moisturizer. Approximately a quarter-sized amount is perfect for most people. Be sure to apply the moisturizer gently and pay special attention to the area around the eyes and mouth. These areas tend to show the first wrinkles. A little extra moisturizer there cannot hurt.

If you have blemishes, you will want to add another step to the process. Pick up a toner for use after the cleansing but before moisturizer. Toner is applied to the face with cotton ball and does wonders for blemish control.

That is pretty much all there is to skin care. There are people that have problem skin and will require more attention. But, for most people, this minimal skin care regime will work wonders and lead to a lifetime of healthy, happy skin. The earlier you start a skin care regime the longer your skin will retain its youthful glow. However, implementing skin care at any age will be helpful. Remember, healthy skin is the ultimate accessory. Take care of it and do not forget the sunscreen.