When you’re caring for kids, it’s easy to let your own beauty routine fall by the wayside. But it’s important to invest a few minutes in your own health and skincare. And that’s all it takes — a few minutes — to take care of your skin and let your inner beauty shine through.
For most moms, a typical morning routine is tooth brushing, maybe a quick splash of water on the face, and away we go. But in just a minute or two more, you can start the day with a more polished look — and keep your skin healthier.
“One of the biggest mistakes women make is thinking they need tons of products to care for their skin. As long as you’re picking the right products, with multi-tasking active ingredients, your skincare regimen should not take much time at all,” explains Dennis Gross, M.D., a practicing dermatologist and board certified dermatological surgeon in New York City.
For moms with truly hectic schedules, Dr. Gross recommends EZ4U, a 4-in-1 facial treatment that cleanses, tones, firms, and moisturizes on the go — no water required, which means you can even treat your skin while you’re in the carpool line.
To streamline your routine even more, pay attention to ingredients — some are “inherent multi-taskers,” says Dr. Gross. ” Genistein is a soy extract produces collagen and reduces collagen breakdown; Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that builds and stimulates collagen; Retinol also helps reduce collagen breakdown. Knowing what proven ingredients do and looking for them in your skincare products will help cut down on unnecessary steps,” he says.
“Keep it simple. Streamline your routine with two in one products, and keep your facial cleanser in the shower to make it easy on yourself,” agrees mompreneur, esthetician, and Cielo Day Spa owner Rozanne Zbinden.
And no matter how pressed for time you are, never skimp on removing any makeup you put on. “Not taking your makeup off can clog pores, irritate skin, and leave skin looking dull,” cautions Zbinden. “One tip for moms to make this easy is to take your makeup off when you come home” for the day instead of waiting until just before bed. “Cleanse, apply your favorite night cream or serum, and you’re done,” she says. “In a pinch or at the gym, you can use facial cleansing cloths — and cut them in half to last twice as long.”
Dr. Gross offers a few more easy ways to maintain youthful skin, including switching to satin pillowcases, which reduce friction on the face. “Persistently pressing our faces into a pillow causes trauma to the skin. Over time, this trauma, aggravated by the friction of a cotton pillowcase, can create permanent creases as our collagen breaks down,” he says. And make sure you spend enough time enjoying that pillow. “Getting enough sleep is absolutely the number one thing you can do for your skin,” says Dr. Gross. Yep, that’s right: you have to sleep — doctor’s orders!
No matter how busy you are, you can find five minutes for your skin each day — and that’s all you need.
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