If you want to spend less time fussing over your skin, your goal should be to have the healthiest skin possible. The easiest way to keep your skin healthy is to eat right and stay hydrated. That means drinking at least eight ounces of water a day and eating foods that are anti-inflammatory and contain lots of anti-oxidants, says Perry. "Also, low glycemic index foods such as salads, bright red and green vegetables, omega 3 rich wild salmon, avocados, olive oil, and blueberries are great for your complexion." She adds that your skin is a projection of what is going on internally. Translation: If you're overdoing it on the junk food, your skin will be the first to tattle on you.
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TIP 3: Keep your a.m. routine super simple
Here's the simple, anti-aging skin care regimen Lancer and Perry recommend. It requires four products and takes about three minutes:
"I always tell my clients to watch what they eat when they are traveling or working a lot," says Lancer, as "salt reduction is critically important for healthy skin." Why? Salt decreases the water intake of your internal organs, and when your organs are dehydrated, they suck the water out of your skin and leave you with sallow, dry, cracked skin, he says. So, if you're grabbing quick food while on the run, pay extra attention to nutritional labels.
Protein intake is also essential for healthy, youthful skin, says Lancer. He recommends making protein about 40 percent of your dietary intake. Why? "Amino acids in the blood stream stimulate collagen and elastin production," he says.
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TIP 6: Baby your skin when you travel
If you travel a lot, it can take a toll on your skin. To help your complexion cope, don't wear makeup on the plane, says Perry. "It's also a good idea to pack a small tube of moisturizer in your carry-on and reapply throughout the flight," says Perry.
And speaking of moisturizer, slather on a super-hydrating formula all over your body before your flight. After all, it's not just your face that gets parched at 30,000 feet. We love Vaseline Intensive Rescue Soothing Moisture Body Lotion with Chamomile, $3.99.
While we're not ones to endorse, support, or approve of skin care neglect, we are realists. And that means we're totally with you if you fall in the I-have-too-much-on-my-plate-to-exfoliate camp.
Squeezing in facials and obsessing over a strict anti-aging routine takes serious amounts of "me"-time. Not to mention beaucoup buckos.
And we get it. You're a mom. Or you work insane hours. Or you travel a ton. Or maybe you're just a little lazy (no judgment here!). And because of your insert- excuse-here, skin care just doesn't make its way on your "to-do" list.
That's fine. But just because you've got no time or extra cash, it doesn't mean you're doomed to a lifetime of breakouts and wrinkles. We're here to tell you that with minimal effort, time, and money, you can have clear, soft, healthy skin. It's all about paying attention to what's important.
According to medical aesthetician Susan Perry and Beverly Hills board certified dermatologist Harold A. Lancer, MD, these easy, practical skin care tips are ones even the busiest women can manage.
