Five Skin Care Tips for A Healthy Glow

We all want to put our best face forward and flaunt healthy and beautiful skin. Whether you’re at work or out on the town, a healthy glow to your skin makes you feel more confident, allowing you to present yourself and your thoughts in a more self-assured manner. Beautiful, glowing skin is also a reflection of good health. 

Angela Dunlap, Director of VCI Med Spa in Tinley Park, IL, has put together five ways to achieve and maintain a healthy glow. “Regardless of what shape your skin is in, whether it’s looking a bit dull or it’s simply gorgeous, you’ll need to take care of it. These five steps will help rejuvenate tired skin and protect healthy skin to keep it glowing.”

Daily Skin Care For A Healthy Glow

Angela says that squeaky clean skin is the first step in any skincare routine for glowing skin. Cleansing helps your skin ward off dirt, excess oil, makeup residue, and dead skin cells. It also prepares your skin for the remaining steps in your skincare routine. Include cleansing as part of your morning and night skincare ritual. “Your morning routine should consist of removing all the oils that have built up while you slept. And before bedtime, it is imperative to remove all the environmental dirt and pollutants your face has been exposed to as you went about your day.”

Three steps should be the foundation of every skincare routine. “A cleanser to wash your face and neck.” Yes, your neck! Properly cleansing your neck and chest is as important as cleansing your face as it is exposed to the elements and soils just as your face. Rub the cleanser all over your face and neck, massaging your face with gentle circles, taking care to avoid the thinner skin around the eyes. “Rinse your face in tepid water thoroughly to ensure you’ve removed all of the product.” 

The next step is applying a serum, says Angela. “A serum helps smooth pigment, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and relieve acne. Not only that, but a Serum also can benefit dehydrated and compromised skin, and it can also help control vascular issues such as rosacea and inflammation.” Look for serums that contain antioxidants, copper tripeptides, growth factors, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C to help smooth and brighten your face. Angela recommends skipping the cotton pads, as they can actually waste product. “Simply put a few drops of serum in the palm of your clean hand and wipe it onto your face and neck.” 

Moisturizing is the last essential step of a solid skincare routine. “Whether your skin is dry or oily, moisturizing is necessary. For dry skin, moisturizers seal in the water that’s in your skin, especially now that your face and neck are damp, clean, and toned. If you have oily skin, a good moisturizer helps prevent your skin from overproducing oil and causing acne while supporting the natural oils already in your skin. 

While Angela says these three products are the basic foundation to keep skin healthy, she also recommends adding an eye cream or serum. “These products offer a heightened level of protection for the thinnest skin around your eyes and can dramatically reduce wrinkles and heal any damage.” 

Popping into your local drug or discount cosmetic store and buying whatever’s on sale can be a disaster for your skin. “Low-cost skincare products are discounted for a reason. The ingredients may not be as consistent or superior of quality, or you might be paying for more added water than the real product,” Angela also notes that cheap products often cause allergic reactions that can take months and expensive dermatologist appointments to resolve. 

Wear Sunscreen Every Day Will Help Your Skin To Glow

Yes, this is a no-brainer! Angela says it’s essential to wear sunscreen every day. “Even in winter, even if it’s cloudy, even if you’re out just for a few minutes, your skin is getting exposed to damaging UV rays. On a cloudy day, about 80% of damaging UV rays are still getting through to damage your skin. Everyone, regardless of age, should apply both a physical and chemical sunscreen containing zinc, titanium dioxide, and octinoxate every day.”  

Exposure to the sun is the leading cause of skin cancers like melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma, and it’s also a significant factor in aging. “UV rays cause wrinkles, it degrades the skin to cause sagging, and it causes “age spots,” those brown blotches usually found on the face, hands, and arms. Using sunscreen every day, faithfully, will help protect skin from sun damage.”

Angela recommends talking to your esthetician about sunscreen options. “If you’re skiing or going snorkeling for a full day, you want a physical sunscreen like zinc oxide. Remember that you’ll need to reapply any sunscreen about every two hours when you’re outside. We also recommend wearing a wide-brimmed hat and UV protective sunglasses when you’re outside in the sun, and that will give you added protection, plus safeguard your eyes and the skin around your eyes.” Lifestyle factors like exposure to cigarette smoke or eating a high-sugar diet can also damage our skin — do what you can to minimize your exposure!

Deep Hydration Treatment Will Make Your Skin Looks Smoother

While twice-daily moisturizing is essential, a thorough deep hydration every few weeks can make a difference. “Deep moisturizing can actually increase your skin’s water content,” says Angela, “which helps plump your skin, reducing fine lines. Higher water content also helps your skin produce new cells.” 

Hydrated skin looks smoother and fresher. Like moisturizers, hydration is vital for both dry and oily skin. Beyond getting regular professional hydration treatment as recommended by your esthetician, Angela recommends tweaking your daily routine to ensure that hydration lasts as long as possible. “Use lukewarm or tepid water to shower or bathe as hot water sucks the moisture from the skin. Avoid harsh cleansers or aggressive exfoliation. Skip the coffee and tea, which will dehydrate your skin, and replace it with plenty of plain water.”

Get Spider Veins Treated To Glow Your Skin

When cheeks or nose are riddled with spider veins and broken blood vessels, achieving a smooth, even skin tone is just not possible. Veins and blood vessels will prematurely age your look, says Angela. “Ask your esthetician about laser treatments to reduce or eliminate the appearance of these issues. Your skin will look better almost immediately.” At VCI in Chicago’s southwest suburbs, estheticians and nurse practitioners use the Fotona laser, a leading vein reduction tool. 

“Broken blood vessel and spider vein removal are nearly painless, and there are no injections, no downtime, and no surgery,” says Angela. “It’s also extremely effective, with most clients needing just one treatment to see a difference.”

Treat Acne To Keep Your Skin Fresh

“Acne can be a problem at any age,” says Angela. “From the teen year into adulthood, and even as a woman enters menopause, hormone fluctuations and genetics can cause acne. Acne is not just a cosmetic issue; multiple studies show that people with untreated acne are more likely to develop depression and anxiety, low self-esteem, and poor self-image. All this can combine to make people feel less confident at work, feel more alone, and have a lower quality of life overall.” 

Some think that to avoid acne; you need to scrub your skin raw using harsh chemical products. “Using products aggressively actually worsens acne,” says Angela. “Skin that is irritated or too dry will compensate by producing more oil, which clogs pores and causes blemishes and blackheads.” Instead, Angela recommends seeing your esthetician as soon as you notice a breakout beginning. “Gentle laser treatments and facials can help heal existing blemishes. Quality skin care products formulated for your particular skin type can prevent future breakouts.”

Angela also notes that laser treatments can also resurface acne scars and promote new collagen production to reduce acne scars further. 

“Taking care of yourself also means taking special care of your skin,” says Angela. “Establish a daily skincare routine with high-quality products and wear a good sunscreen of at least SPF15 every day. Every few weeks, hydrate your skin deeply. Remove spider veins for a younger, smoother look and if you’re prone to acne, include trusted acne products and treatments in your skincare regimen. When you take good care of your skin, you’ll achieve that healthy glow that gives all of us confidence, assurance, and poise.”