5 Ways to Take Care of Your skin

Don't have time for a thorough skin care routine? You can still treat yourself by mastering the fundamentals. Good skin care and a healthy lifestyle can help to slow down the aging process and prevent a variety of skin disorders. Start with these five no-nonsense suggestions.

1. Use sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun.

Protecting your skin from the sun is one of the most important aspects of skin care. Sun exposure throughout a lifetime can lead to wrinkles, age spots, and other skin issues, as well as an increased risk of skin cancer.

2. Don't smoke

Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow and makes skin paler. This also depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to skin health.

Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — the fibers that give your skin strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can contribute to wrinkles.

3. Treat your skin gently

Your skin can suffer from daily washing and shaving. To keep it light:

Bath time should be kept to a minimum. Hot water and extended showers or baths strip your skin of its natural oils. Limit your bathing or showering time, and use warm water instead than hot.

Strong soaps should be avoided. Strong soaps and detergents can rob your skin of its natural oils. Instead, choose for gentle cleaners.

Carefully shave. Apply shaving cream, lotion, or gel to your skin before shaving to protect and lubricate it. Use a clean, sharp razor for the closest shave. Shave against the grain of the hair, not against it.

Allow to air dry. After you've washed or bathed, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel to retain some moisture.