Excuses Not To Care For Your Skin Busted

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I used to be full of excuses to not care for my skin. My routine consisted of washing my face once a day (during my morning shower) and…that’s about it. Sometimes, if I was feeling fancy, I’d apply moisturizer. I didn’t use sunscreen. I didn’t pay any regard to the skincare aisle of the pharmacy or makeup stores. I felt like getting a facial once a year was all I needed. Then I had a rude awakening: I saw a couple of childhood friends, who I hadn’t seen in years, and I realized that they looked much better than I did. And we are the exact same age. What’s worse is that, if you compare our lifestyles, I get much more sleep than they do, so there was really no reason my skin should look so much more tired and aged than theirs. Oh, right—they took care of their skin and I didn’t. It turns out that goes a long way. So, if you’re like I used to be then you need to hear this: your excuses not to care for your skin, busted.

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I’m too busy

You can literally wash your face, and apply a toner and moisturizer in under five minutes. There really isn’t one thing you can do for five minutes less a day, to free up that time for skin care? How about that Netflix binge-watching or obsessing scrolling through Instagram? Maybe those things can take a little hit, if it means taking care of your skin.

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It’s too expensive

Here’s something I learned when I finally decided to research and buy high-quality skincare products: one little bottle can last three to four months. Some products even last you longer! A little goes a long way with this stuff. My favorite vitamin C serum, for example, costs $28 for a tiny bottle but it lasts me four months. So that’s technically only paying just over six dollars a month for nicer skin.

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I have good genetics

You may think your mom looks amazing because of genetics, and that that means you, too, will look amazing at her age, but you may want to dig deeper. It turns out that my mom looks good because she has taken care of her skin. Genetics play a role, but they definitely need to be helped along with good care.

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Or, I have bad genetics anyways

On the flip side, if you believe you just have bad genetics and are bound to have bad skin, that simply isn’t true, either. Again, genetics only plays a small role in how your skin will look. But if you don’t care for it, it will look much worse. And, if you do care for it well, you could overpower your genetics.

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I forget to pack sunscreen

So dedicate thirty minutes to this errand: go buy a bulk pack (from Costco, Walmart, or Sams Club) of sunscreen that contains several bottles of several sizes. You can keep a little one in your most-used purses, a medium one in the center divider of your car, and a big jug by the front door.

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Sunscreen feels sticky and gross

It doesn’t all feel that way. There are tons of companies that make lightweight, oil-free, non-greasy sunscreen that you don’t even notice on your skin. And if you think that stuff is too pricey, it’s actually another product with which a little goes a long way. Those big, sticky, spray bottles may seem cheap but you blitz through them within a week.

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It’s too complicated

Skin care doesn’t have to be complicated. Yes, there are thousands of products and categories you could get into if you wanted to. But you’d be doing yourself a huge service by simply getting a gentle cleanser, and pairing it with some hyaluronic acid serum, a good moisturizer, and sunscreen every morning. Repeat at night, sans the sunscreen.

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Sunscreen makes me break out

See above about the lightweight, oil-free sunscreen. But furthermore, if you must choose between a few zits and skin cancer, well, the choice should be obvious. Luckily you don’t even have to choose because there is sunscreen designed for acne-prone skin.

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My skin produces its own oil

If that’s your excuse for skipping moisturizer, it’s not a very good one. Maybe under perfect conditions your skin would produce the right amount of moisturizer. But between all the pollution in the air and makeup you use, its sebum production may be messed up.

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I’m too tired at night

Well, we all are. But you’re going to look permanently tired if you don’t take good care of your skin. And, once again, cutting back on the social media binging could probably afford you a little more energy for evening skincare.

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I’m barely in the sun

We all think we’re barely in the sun but you would need to literally work a graveyard shift and have blackout curtains closed around all of your home all of the time for this to be true. Between walking to and from your car, driving in the sunlight, walking a dog, and sitting by windows, you actually get a lot of sun exposure.

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I get regular facials

Facials are not meant to be your sole source of skincare. They are very intense, and really shouldn’t happen more than once a week (and really, twice a month is great). Facials are meant to supplement and enhance your other, daily skincare routine. But they cannot save otherwise neglected skin.

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There’s sunscreen in my makeup

If there is, it probably maxes out at 30 SPF. But, really, most foundation only has 15 SPF. That means you’re relying on 15 SPF to get you through the whole day. I’m assuming you don’t reapply your foundation every 15 minutes.

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I have bangs to cover wrinkles

Okay but, what about the rest of your skin? Do you plan on wrapping your pony tail around your face several times to cover it up?

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It’s just too late

It’s never too late to start caring for your skin. Damage can be reversed. And future damage can be prevented. There is an abundance of products that can tighten, tone, and even out hyperpigmentation and sunspots.

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Your excuses not to care for your skin, busted