not one to live by rules, but...

If you haven't guessed by now, skincare means a lot to me. I learned at a pretty early age the importance of a great skincare routine and, even more importantly, sticking to it. An ex-boyfriend once commented on my extensive structured nighttime routing once and his comment made me think (for about five seconds) on whether or not it was a bit much. But then I continued on with the creams and serums and such. Point is: taking care of your skin is good for you, not the opinions of others.

Let's admit it though, you get home from school/work/night out and you're T-I-R-E-D. The last thing you want to do is drag yourself to your bathroom and go through the process. I feel you. It's okay. But you need to be prepared for potential side effects. I've listed out a couple of DO's and DON'Ts that you can keep handy whether you're tired, aren't sure of where to begin, or just need a refresher:

• DO: wash your face when you get home. Doesn't matter if you wore a full face of makeup or just a touch of concealer, remove impurities by using a cleanser great for your skin type
• DON'T: fall asleep in makeup (hello acne!)
• DO: use a gentle cleanser. Products with harsh chemicals can aggravate your skin causing more harm than good
• DON'T: smoke. Yes, it's hard to quit but besides the health risks, smoking ages skin causing wrinkles, discoloration and leaves skin feeling leather-like. 
• DO: drink lots of water. Drinking water flushes out toxins and keeps you running.
• DON'T: take too many showers. I love a good, steaming hot shower, but guess what? That and taking multiple showers throughout the day can wreak havoc with your skin. Who wants to look all pruney and deal with dry skin? Exactly.
• DO: MOISTURIZE
• DON'T: go overboard with moisturizing. Heavy creams can create a barrier on the surface of your face and keep your skin from absorbing moisture. Kin of counter productive don't you think...
• DO: wash your hands frequently because you...
• DON'T: want to touch your face too much with dirty hands. Do I really have to go into detail?

There you have it! Easy, no?

Pin It Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Glam Media. Please don't forget that you can still help the people of Haiti, donate to the Red Cross today. Thank you.