5 Secrets for Gorgeous Skin

Happy Monday morning all!

I’m pleased to have Amy Goldsmith, a literature graduate from Melbourne, guest post on my blog today. Amy loves to write short stories and reviews, as is a regular contributor at High Style Life. Her passion is beauty and makeup and she loves to spend her free time travelling and of course – makeup shopping!

Read on to learn more about Amy’s top tips for skincare, and be sure to check out her Facebook page and Twitter.

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Let’s be honest here: even though true beauty does come from within, you will still want it to shine through your complexion, hair and curves. If you are one of the few girls on whom Mother Nature bestowed the gift of everlasting youth, you can stop reading now; but if you are just like 99% of women on the planet whose face is occasionally prone to acne, wrinkles and blocked pores, you will probably be interested in the easiest ways to keep your complexion healthy, blemish-free and radiant despite passage of time.

1. Say No to Smoking and Yes to Sunscreen

Smoking and exposure to sunlight accelerate the skin’s natural process of aging and contribute to premature appearance of lines and wrinkles, mottled or rough patches and an uneven skin tone. To keep your complexion youthful long after your prime years are over, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30 or up) even on overcast days and reapply it at 2-3 hour intervals for lasting protection. Quitting smoking is also a great way to counteract skin aging – and such a change will help your entire body stay strong, healthy and toxin-free, too.

2. Consider Retinoids

Another trump card up a gorgeous girl’s sleeve, retinoids combat clogged pores, acne, freckles and fine lines, and they also boost cell turnover, skin texture and collagen production. That is why most dermatologists recommend using retinoid-based topical creams, gels or serums once the complexion begins to lose its rosy sheen. To ensure long-lasting radiance, apply a pea-sized drop of retinoid cream to your face and neck before turning in for the night. For sensitive skin, apply a gentle moisturizer around 30 minutes before the retinoid regimen – this will prevent skin irritation and flaking.

3. Keep Skincare Simple

Using multiple skincare products is a common mistake that can do more damage than good to your complexion. The principle of ‘the more, the merrier’ simply does not apply in skincare: a combination of too many rejuvenating lotions and creams can have an adverse impact as certain ingredients are known to annul each other’s benefits. For a seamless complexion, keep your skincare simple and use only the basics such as a cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen and retinoid cream. I use and recommend ASAP skin care products.

4. Give Products Time to Work

If your anti-aging cream is not working to your complexion’s advantage, you may want to consider changing it. Nevertheless, swapping facial creams and serums too often is counterproductive: most skin care products take time to produce results, so you may want to wait until you have used up the entire bottle or tube before you go on to make conclusions about the product’s effects.

5. A Balanced Life Leads to Your Best Skin

A healthy lifestyle is another factor that plays a major role in the state of your complexion. Ladies who have gorgeous skin are the ones who watch their diet, work out regularly and get their beauty sleep. For youthful looks, structure your diet around antioxidant-rich raw foods, such as blueberries, citrus fruit and leafy greens and swap coffee for green tea or plain water. Regular exercise will help you preserve optimal blood flow and skin tone.

Whether out in public or in the privacy of your home, you should strive to keep your face – both figuratively and literally. Common sense and decorum will help you with the first part of the task, and the other half of face-saving success formula involves regular skincare routines and healthy lifestyle choices. Though life is not always a bed of roses, you should never settle for anything less than a rosy, healthy complexion if you can help it – and you can.

A special thanks to Amy for this great post!

xo,