Skin Care

Making Skin Care Part of your Self Care Routine

It’s no secret that there are times when life can get crazy. When everything is stacking up, and you just don’t have the time to do everything you need to do, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed.  It’s difficult to prioritize everything on our lists, and it can be especially hard to prioritize ourselves over our work, our hobbies and all the other obligations we have. It’s times like these, and in times of crisis in our lives and in our world, that we need to make an effort to focus on ourselves, and to take care of our mind and body. In other words, it’s the time to practice “self-care.”

As humans, we’re comfortable following a routine. Having a regimen can help us feel like we’re in control when we might not feel in control of other things happening. It helps us cope with change and have something to rely on when other things are happening. Any drastic changes in the routine can seriously mess with our equilibrium.

Part of your routine should be taking care of you and your body, whether that’s making the same smoothie every morning, hitting the yoga studio every afternoon, or following your skin care routine religiously. When things are threatening your daily life, try to keep up the parts of your routine that you can control- like your skin care.

Skincare looks different for every person, depending on skin type, specific needs and concerns. You may not realize it, but your skin gets used to a regimen, too. You start and end your day with specific products and ingredients, and your skin gets used to relying on those products for hydration, unclogging your pores or helping with exfoliation.

Your skin is your body’s largest organ. It is the largest protection against infection that our body has, and taking good care of your skin means taking care of your overall health. When we take steps to keep our skin clean, healthy and moisturized, it keeps our barrier against the environment strong and able to protect the rest of our body. Skincare should be one of the most important things you do to protect and take care of yourself.

How can you stay on top of your skincare routine when it seems like everything is piling up on you?

Set an alarm.

Make a conscious effort to remind yourself to take care of your skin. Set an alarm for after your morning workout and one around the time you start to settle down for the night. Take the time to thoroughly cleanse your skin of dirt and impurities with a luxurious facial cleanser like the DefenAge 1-Step Multi-Cleanse and apply a moisturizer with antioxidants and powerful hydrating ingredients, like Allies of Skin Triple Hyaluronic Antioxidant Hydration Serum,

Make your routine something you look forward to.

Set aside some time before you crawl into bed for some “you” time. Take a warm shower, light a candle, run your diffuser and dim the lights to create a sleepy and relaxing environment for yourself. Perform your skincare routine slowly and with purpose. Detox your skin with a mask like ClarityRx’s Down + Dirty Mask or the Revision Skincare Black Mask.

Add it to your to-do list.

For some of us, keeping a list of our tasks and obligations is what keeps us on track throughout the day. You might plan every hour of your day and leave little room for interruptions, so add in 15 minutes to your day to focus on you- make a cup of tea, give yourself a mini facial with a peel like Glytone’s Rejuvenating Mini Peel Gel, and settle in to catch up on your favorite shows.

Taking care of yourself, especially in times of crisis in your life or the world, is important. Keep up your workouts, maintain a healthy diet, get some fresh air (with sunscreen, of course), and stay on top of your skin care routine!

About Dr. Alan J. Parks

Dr. Alan Parks is a board certified dermatologist. Dr. Parks founded his practice, Eastside Dermatology, in 1986 and has been practicing there ever since. In 2016 Dr. Parks launched DermWarehouse, an eCommerce website selling professional strength skin care products to customers across the United States.

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