Skin care used to be just a matter of vanity. But it can also be a matter of health. Your skin can reflect your health. For example, if you don’t take care to protect your skin from the sun, you can be facing skin damage at the least and skin cancer at the worst. This article can help you to know how to care for your skin.

If you have oily skin, you should exfoliate regularly. Don’t do this though, if you have any breakouts as it could irritate them. Depending on your skin’s needs and the amount of oil it produces, you can do this anywhere from one to three times a week. Check with your dermatologist to see what will work best for you.

If you want your skin care to work for you, it is a good idea to find what skin type you have as different products help with different skin types. The characteristics of dry, normal, combination, oily or even sensitive skin vary, so be sure to tailor your skin care to the skin type.

Avoid tanning booths at all costs. While you may think tanned skin is healthy, it’s really not. Not only that, but the FDA has shown that if you use tanning beds before the age of thirty, you increase your risk for skin cancer by seventy five percent! You’re better off avoiding it and staying healthy.

Use a natural facial mask every other week. A facial mask can help in eliminating dead, flaky skin from your face. It deep cleans your face of impurities that can clog your pores and cause acne. It can also improve the texture of your skin while giving a boost to the circulation.

We want to avoid sunburns as much as possible, but we all know that they happen. If you get a sunburn, take an ice-cold shower for thirty seconds to reduce inflammation. Take two Advil to help with the pain and knock down inflammation. Moisturize with aloe vera gel: the cooling sensation will feel great on your tender skin. Finally, avoid sun exposure until the redness goes away to prevent further skin damage. These steps will decrease the longevity of a burn.

A skin care cream that contains vitamin B3 is very effective for combating blotchy, red skin. Vitamin B3 is a great protectant, locking in moisture and offering a barrier against irritants. After using it for a few weeks, you should notice your skin looking and feeling healthier and more hydrated.

To keep your face looking its best, refrain from picking at blackheads in the T-zone. Skin in this area is especially delicate and prone to scarring. Instead, visit a dermatologist or esthetician, who can administer an in-office or lunchtime chemical peel. These quick and effective treatments improve cell regeneration and remove oil and debris from pores.

Exfoliating your skin will help improve it’s condition by removing dead skin cells. In turn, this makes your skin much more healthy. To exfoliate, massage facial cleanser or exfoliate into the skin gently and then rinse thoroughly with warm water. Only exfoliate once a week because doing it more than that can irritate your skin.

Talk to a specialist and seek their advice on what skin care products to use. Store employees typically can’t give you the information that you need, so visiting an esthetician or dermatologist at least once is very beneficial. They can tell you what types of products would be good for your skin and can help you find inexpensive options.

Protect your lips. To do this, use a UV-protected lip balm. Lips are highly sensitive, so you need to make sure to keep them safe from harmful rays. Not everyone uses lip balm with an SPF in it, and they are left unprotected.

Although it may be surprising to some people, dark chocolate is a good way to give your skin extra protective nutrients. Although milk chocolate is sadly not nearly as good, dark chocolate is excellent in helping your skin protect itself. However, we don’t suggest eat a lot of it in one sitting, but keep this in mind the next time you want to reach for a milk chocolate treat. We suggest the dark instead.

When shopping for baby skin care products, be sure you purchase the ones that have the least amount of perfume and dyes in them. This is important to prevent irritating your baby’s skin and causing rashes.

As the above article warned, skin care can be a matter of beauty and a matter of health. Taking care of your skin promotes beauty and even good health. By heeding the advice in the article and caring for your skin, you will find that your skin will reflect this and you will have beautiful skin for a lifetime.

Love The Skin You’re In: Here’s How! was originally published on Spring