Determine your skin type. You must do this before taking action to improving your skin so that you can choose the appropriate products, and so that you know what problems you have to tackle, and how to treat them. Develop a good skin care routine which is suitable for your type of skin. It’s important to stick to a routine as strictly as you can, this is because it can take a while for the routine to start improving the appearance of your skin, and can sometimes take time for your skin to adjust to the new things you are doing to it. Generally you should include: a gentle day to day cleanser, a twice weekly exfoliating facial scrub, an appropriate daily moisturizer, treatment for when spots pop up, and a face mask to use once a week/whenever needed. Don’t be too harsh on your skin. Try to avoid strong products, and choose natural or sensitive products instead to prevent your skin from becoming irritated or dry. You could even try out DIY methods by making your own face masks to avoid harmful chemicals. If you have any specific problems, such as acne or scars, then it’s recommended that you approach a specialist such as a dermatologist or your doctor to help you to develop a treatment that is right for you. Avoid all fragrances in products and detergents. Limit makeup and hair products. Choose a sunscreen that has only zinc oxide and or titanium dioxide as the protectant (non-chemical sunscreen). Avoid acids like glycolic, hyaluronic, and retinoic.
Try tinted moisturizer if you want some cover up, but want to avoid foundation. It’ll help to even out your skin tone and tone down any blemishes which you may be feeling self-conscious about, without looking as if you are wearing a cover up product, and without and caking or streaks. Mascara is a great way of making your eyes look bigger and more awake. Many girls consider mascara to be their make-up necessity as it defines your eyes, widens them, and emphasizes the length of the eyelashes which makes the eye appear more feminine. Opt for a brown/clear mascara, (preferably a lengthening brand rather than a volumizing one to avoid clumping), and apply one or two coats to your upper lashes, and one quick coat to the bottom lashes. If you have fairly straight eyelashes, you may want to curl them for better emphasis without adding any more products. Blush should be chosen by using a colour which is similar to the colour your cheeks go when you pinch them lightly, (click here for more advice on choosing blusher for your skin tone) . To apply the blush use a fluffy brush and sweep onto the apples of your cheeks to give your face more of a glow and to make you look less washed out. If you have a golden skin tone, or if it is summer, a bronzer may be more appropriate, and this should be applied in the contours of your cheeks (beneath the apples). Lipstick or lip gloss shouldn’t be necessary if your lips are well looked after, but if you would like a bit more colour or definition on your lips, then you could either go for a nude lip, or a slightly rosy coloured lip stain. You could get away with a pale or clear lip gloss, and still look naturally pretty, because the rest of your face is so minimal.
