The Skin{ny} Part I: The Moisture Trifecta

My dear friend, Liz, of It's Unbeweavable! fame has paid me quite the compliment. She recently requested that I do a how-to post on my skin. This was kind of the most fabulous request I've ever received. Her comment went a little something like this:

Can I do a reader/stalker/obsessed fan request?

Your skin is ahhhmazing like O-FACE glow all the time, so gorgeous...

can you do a how-to?

K thxbai.

Don't we all just LOVE her? Yeah, she's just THAT cool.

{moi}

So, I decided to break these skin posts up into a weekly segment. I started writing this and realized I'd never fit everything into one post. So, keep tuned right here for weekly TBF skin tips. Please use the comment section to direct your questions to me. Also feel free to comment with any products you love {pertaining to the post topic}. We all love to know what's worked!

My knowledge is a result of personal trial and error and based on about 20 years of costly research with a sole participant. I am happy to help in any way I can. Without further adieu...

Post One:

The Moisture Trifecta

The moisture trifecta is CRUCIAL for achieving fabulous, glowing, quick romp in the sack skin. I personally believe moisture is the only way to get down to the bottom of problem skin and the way to amp up dull skin.

1) Water, water, water

First and foremost...water. Water is ultimately going to hydrate you from the inside out. I suggest drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily. If you hate the taste of water, add some lemon (slices of cucumber in water actually flushes out toxins and assists in weight loss) or try mixing a teeny bit of juice for flavor. Also, if you're a coffee drinker, you must make sure to drink responsibly: for every cup of coffee you consume, please drink 2x that amount of water. Coffee is great to wake you up, and there have even been some studies that prove caffeine keeps skin cells young, but you must know that it severely dehydrates the body. Make up for lost fluids by drinking lots of water.

2) Moisturizer

In my opinion, A GOOD moisturizer is the best present you can give your skin. If you start young, apply religiously and often, you will end up saving yourself a lot of heartache and botox dollars later on. Over the years I have tried many...too many to mention. Moisturizers are very personal and most target specific skin types. If you have questions about what products to try, I recommend starting with a skin consult with an aesthetician to find out what skin type you have. Allure magazine publishes a top 100 product list every year which I keep in my wallet for quick reference when I shop. Here's a link to it: Allure Best of Beauty 2009. I am currently using day and night moisturizers by Skin Ceuticals {and loving them}. I always order skincare from an online store, skinstore.com. Once you know what you like, stick with it. Order things in advance so you don't run out and have to use year old samples in a pinch. They also give a maj-ah discount to members, 20% off, so definitely take advantage of this!

3) Hydrating Masks

One of life's simplest pleasures. Applying a moisturizing mask 1-2 times a week is something I believe in quite passionately. It's not only incredibly soothing, but also very important to saturate your skin with moisture from all ends. The mask works directly on your cells and really gets that GLOW going. One of my favorite things to do is: shower, put hair up in a bun to dry and apply a mask. It makes me feel so old Hollywood glamour. First clean your skin and dry it. Next, apply the mask, with clean fingers or a clean makeup brush. Then, get comfortable, crank up the Ella Fitzgerald and grab a VOGUE to just relax for a bit. Feel the mask working on your face like a thousand teeny facialists primping and pruning those cells. I love my Ling Moisturizing Mask and while they recommend leaving it on for 20 minutes, I like to sleep in it. If you have oily or acne prone skin, choose a clay or clarifying mask to treat the blemishes.

To sum up:

- Moisturizing your skin is a way of turning back the clock.

- It's never too early or too late to start.

- Find a few products that work and stick with them.

- Too much moisture is never ever enough.

Next week: "Lifestyle Choices That Enhance Your Skin"

pics via: here, miss at la playa, christy turlington by juergen teller, stam on studded hearts