Maybe nothing. But maybe this will be the one time we take some steps to make our skin feel healthier and look phenomenal. With that hope and with some inspirational photos of the women in Hollywood with the most gorgeous skin, here are some no-duh tips that we've never quite gotten around to implementing but still, just make good sense:
1. Sleep on it.
You know how your face feels sucked dry after one of those too fun, late-late nights? Or how ragged you felt the first year after you were up every hour with your new baby? You're not just feeling the effects of a lack of sleep, they are also showing up on your skin. There's really no other way around making this kind of investment in your skin's health other than setting a bedtime and sticking to it. You might not see the results in the morning, but wait until that 20th high school reunion, friend. It will all be revealed then.
2. Hydrate it.
Yeah yeah yeah, there's always going to be some debate about how much water you should be drinking. No matter where you side on the four glasses vs. eight glasses debate, just drink up! You will feel more alert, which means you will look more alert. Don't be afraid to serve up your skin a nice cocktail of moisturizer, too. If you're really feeling radical (or parched, either way), take a day off of make-up altogether and go on a little water-drinking, moisturizer bender. Think how perked up and pretty your skin will look after all that self-care.
3. Feed it.
If you're going to eat for energy, longevity and to keep up with your busy days, why not also eat for fabulous skin? Making small adjustments -- like adding a cup of green tea to your nightly ritual or using sunflower oil in your stirfry-- might do as much or more for your skin's glow as all the products on your bathroom counter.
4. Protect it.
I admit that as the seasons change, I have a bad and unconscious habit of stowing the sunscreen away as soon as I pack up my sandals. The reality is that we can still get loads of exposure to harmful UVA and UVB rays when it is cloudy and we do need the protection of sunscreen all year round. The two seconds it takes to slather on a bit of block means you will be guarding your skin from sunburns today and from cancer, wrinkles and sunspots in the years to come. And hello! Have you seen Nicole Kidman's porcelain skin? It's gorgeous, even under that giant hat and what has to be a pint of sunscreen.
5. Gently address the sins of your skin past.
Acne scars, sun damage and other skin ickiness is a reality for most of our faces. Sure, I'd love to have the baby-soft, wrinkle-free skin of my 20s, but no product, nap or gallon of water is going to make that happen magically. Rather than worry too much about the little flaws (the worrying, by the way, causes me to make one of those scrunched up faces that cannot exactly be erasing the little lines, can it?), be kind to the body you have now. See a dermatologist (who doesn't yell -- sometimes a trick to find), try some gentle products that will fade scars, clear up dark circles and banish the blemishes making an appearance now. Healing will happen and in the meantime, use a bit of concealer until it's all sorted out.
