The article below was written by Melissa Carraro and edited by Anna Bastos. Liked this type of content? Check out Her Campus Cásper Líbero for more!
A few weeks ago, I started a new job. Actually, my first job ever, which is very exciting for me! But that also means that I am now a part-time journalism student in college, and part-time journalism intern at a communication agency, so I barely have time to breathe these days… If I’m not studying, I’m working. If I’m not doing any of those, I’m sleeping, cause a girl’s got to sleep, right?
As I was trying to adjust to this crazy new schedule of mine, I realized something: how in the world was I supposed to have some ‘me time’ in this situation? I couldn’t simply cut myself off from the equation here, so I had to figure something out.
Ever since last year, I started taking better care of my skin, and it quickly became a very important part of my “me time”. I know a lot of you guys also try to keep your skin healthy, but we don’t always have time to do long skincare sessions, do we? With that in mind, I’ve decided to come up with 5 skincare tips for those of us who barely have time to breathe.
Keep it simple
I feel like sometimes the internet gives us the wrong impression when it comes to skincare… If you’re looking for a tutorial on how to take care of your skin, I’m pretty sure you’ll find a very complex and long video of a girl who uses 10 different products on her skin twice a day – and they’re probably very expensive products.
Let me tell you a secret: skincare doesn’t have to be that complicated! As long as you’re keeping your face hydrated, you’re already doing a great job!
The key is to keep it simple. Sometimes less really is more. Wash your face with facial soap, use a facial moisturizer, put some tonic on and there you go!
If you use any special products for your skin, like an acne treatment product or something similar, add that to the process. But you shouldn’t worry about face masks that take forever to have an effect, dozens of products that probably won’t even have big results or magic pills that promise to give you more collagen – if it takes more than ten minutes, it’s not really essential.
Have a solid routine
Establish a specific moment of the day to do your little skincare routine, and stick to it! If you’re a morning person, maybe you could wake up ten minutes earlier to take care of your skin in the mornings. If not having those ten extra minutes of sleep will really affect you, you can always do it before you go to bed. If you keep it simple, it will be really quick and you won’t feel like you’re wasting time.
But despite the moment you proclaim it as “skincare time”, you should always wash your face properly in the mornings and before you go to bed. That’s really important for your skin, and it’s way faster than doing the whole routine!
Have a balanced diet
I’m pretty sure you’ve figured it out by now that what you eat really affects your skin. So I’m just here to remind you about it!
I’m not saying you must eat healthy all the time – I could never do that myself. The key here is to keep a balanced diet because balance is everything! Fruits that contain vitamin C are great for the skin! Oranges and avocados are a great choice when it comes to that. Both of them stimulate the collagen production in your body, giving you a healthier skin. Because they’re rich in Omega 3, fish is also an amazing option for a meal – especially salmon!
Paying attention to what you’re putting on your plate, and choosing foods that are somehow good for your skin also counts for a skincare routine, since it’s benefiting your skin.
Get your body moving!
I have a confession to make: I’m a very sedentary person, so it’s a little bit ironic for me to be writing this topic in the first place. But lately, I’ve been managing to exercise every day! And I started doing that after I got this new job. I know, it doesn’t really make any sense since now I’m busier than before, but it’s working.
Do you want to know my secret? YouTube workout videos. They’re so good. Not any random one of them, okay? I always do my research before I blindly start a new workout tutorial, because there are a lot of people on the internet who act like they know what they’re talking about, but don’t really. And since we are talking about working our bodies out here, it’s very important to check if you’re doing the right exercise!
But with that being said, I’m addicted to Emi Wong’s workout videos. They’re usually 10 minutes long, and that’s perfect for a busy woman! My favorite one is the standing arm workout, I do it every day. There are a lot of different quick workout videos out there, and getting your body moving is going to improve the quality of your skin! Sustaining a healthy body will result in healthy skin.
Go to a dermatologist
There’s no one better to tell you how to take good care of your skin than a dermatologist. If you have the chance to go to one, do yourself a favor and go! Once you know what type of product your skin really needs, it will be way easier for you to maintain a functional skincare routine.
Putting random products on your skin might do more harm than good. You might be moisturizing your skin with a cream that’s making your skin oilier, or making it dryer because you’re using the wrong product.
When you actually know what your skin needs, you’ll be able to focus on a more practical and directed skincare routine!
Taking care of our skins doesn’t have to be a burden! It can be fun, quick and effective if you’re doing it right. Following these tips, you’ll have happier skin, a happier body and a happier schedule. I know life can be really busy sometimes, but finding some ‘you time’ in the meantime will make things easier!