Put your best face forward

There are so many skin care products aimed at giving us gorgeous, glowing skin but not every bottle, jar or tube can create instant complexion perfection. For that, there are a few can’t-miss skin care steps to add to your routine. We came up with four no-fail ways to get your face looking fabulous.

Get regular facials

Not every skin care step can be done at home, and while facials might seem like an indulgence, they can also provide more of a complexion boost than you might realize. Skin cells renew every 27 days, so it’s a good idea to go for extra cleansing and specific skin care treatments once a month.

While there are numerous at-home treatments aimed at dealing with various skin care concerns, some things are best left to professionals. Things like glycolic peels, microdermabrasion and strong enzyme peels are professional methods of deep pore cleansing and can be too dangerous for at-home use.

Wear antioxidant creams and/or serums

We hear a lot about antioxidants when it comes to getting skin looking great – with good reason. Antioxidants increase elasticity, collagen and firm the skin. They neutralize free radicals and protect against sun and age spots. When it comes to exactly what you get in a skin care cream or serum packed with antioxidants, it’s vitamins A, C and E that work hardest. In an antioxidant cream or serum, vitamin E is hydrating and soothing for fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin C works to reduce photo damage and protect skin from UV radiation. Vitamin A repairs collagen and reduces pigmentation (keeping skin more even toned) and vitamins A and E both repair and renew damaged skin.

Use eye cream morning and night

If the eyes are the window to the soul, think of the skin around your eyes as the window to stress, lack of sleep and visible signs of aging. Make a point to hydrate this area. Hydration around the eyes prevents darkness and fine lines. Not to mention we have no functioning oil glands under the eyes so we need creams to keep the tissue soft. When buying an eye cream, look for vitamins A, E, B5, algae extract, grape seed extract and sweet rose oil, which are all good for moisturizing and soothing the skin. Vitamin K, chamomile, cucumber, horse chestnut extract and soy peptide are good for dark circles while cypress extract and chamomile are good for puffiness.

Apply seasonally appropriate masks

Skin needs extra attention and treatment particularly in the summer and winter months when the extremes in temperature can make it harder to keep skin healthy. Combat the effect of the elements on your complexion with a treatment mask suited to the season. In the summer, it is good to use clay masks and masks with antioxidants. In the winter, it is important to use hydrating and moisturizing masks.

More skin care and beauty tips

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Fight dry winter skin with these skin-saving creams