9 Skin Care Tips and Routines for Your 20s

This year, I made some New Year's resolutions to take better care of my skin and develop a skin care routine for the 2 years I have left in my twenties. Although I don't wear a ton of face makeup -- eye makeup, yes ... heavy foundations, no -- I have never been the kind to remember to wash my face before bed. It's terrible, I know. Plus, my Mom and Grandma both started going grey at 28, so I figured it was time to take better care of my skin seeing as I'll be grey any day now! Here are some skin care tips and routines for your 20s that I've embraced to keep my skin as youthful as possible!

1. Avoid sulfates 
I first learned about sulfates when I was doing marketing for a chain of salons in Tennessee. We would have continuing education classes about lotions and products. Sulfates are a cleaning agent in soaps and shampoos that strip your skin of essential oils, leaving you with dry, itchy, flaky skin. Sulfates are also found in most shampoos, and have the same negative effects for your hair as they do your skin. Look for a shampoo and body wash that doesn't contain the word "sulfate" in the ingredient list.


2. Use baby shampoo and conditioner to clean your makeup brushes
I buy inexpensive makeup brushes (think $1 to $3 from ELF) and throw them away after a few months. Or General sometimes eats them, and I take that as a sign that I need to move on and find new brushes. If you prefer expensive brushes that aren't quite as disposable, take care of them with weekly washes.

3. After a day at the pool, get straight to the shower
I'll admit it, on multiple occasions, I've spent a day at the pool and then proceeded to lounge around the house socializing in my coverup. That lingering chlorine can absolutely wreck your hair and skin. Don't be lazy, go shower. Rinsing your hair with one part vinegar to four parts water is a good trick to getting all of the chlorine out of your hair.

4. Keep hair spray far away from your face
I once had a makeup artist spray my face with hair spray to set my makeup. I thought this was genius at the time, but later learned that setting your face with hair spray can clog your pores and completely dry out your skin. Do not set your makeup with hair spray, it isn't worth it for one night.

5. Switch your pillow cases to silk and keep them CLEAN
Cotton pillow cases strip moisture and can leave sleep lines and wrinkles. Cotton can also tug at your skin, encouraging wrinkles. Makes sense, right? Silk pillow cases are expensive, yes, but the benefits extend past just skin deep, your hair will thank you too.

6. Sleep on your back
This one is easier said than done for me. I always wind up on my side -- cuddling with my man is more important than waking up flawless, sorry not sorry. If you can sleep on your back, rather than on your stomach or side, you're less likely to have fluid buildup or puffiness under your eyes in the morning! Personally, I'll just use an eye cream and call it a day night.

7. Give your face a break during the week
Having a full face of makeup for work is really not important to me. I like to give my skin a break Monday through Thursday and just do a bit of mascara and some blush.

8. Never go to bed without a glass of water
I constantly wake up in the middle of the night and feel the need to chug water. If I go to bed without a glass of water, I'll be too lazy to get out of bed in the middle of the night to get some, and end up waking up with bladder pains and depleted skin from being dehydrated. I'm very lazy at 3am, sad but true. Anytime you feel the need to drink water, drink.

9. Invest in a great moisturizer or serum
Yes, I said invest. If you can justify dropping $50 at the bar on a round of cocktails for all of your friends (guilty), then you can justify a really nice moisturizer. My friend Magen has always been my go-to for skin care advice, so when I got back from a work trip where I  spent 10 days on a boat and returned with destroyed, peeling skin, she recommended switching to a serum. She was spot on with this recommendation. I have been using a serum ever since and it has made the biggest difference.

I recently started using a few items from the The VivierSkin Wrinkle Relief System, which is a complete all-in-one anti-aging system.  The Serum 20 Rejuvenating Antioxidant Serum legit leaves my skin feeling so soft and bright.

The full wrinkle relief system contains six full-sized premium products and combines key ingredients with patented formulations proven to help reverse signs of aging, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Prepare, Revitalize and Protect your skin by following this simple skin care regime and start seeing visibly younger-looking skin with a more radiant complexion.

Best part? We've got THREE to give away today, a $272 value!!
Any skin care tips you'd recommend I add to my routine?

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