5 Ways To Step Up Your Skincare Game in 2021
With the craziest year of our lifetime is coming to a close, we can confidently say there are brighter (skin) days ahead. From prioritizing clean beauty to introducing live cultures into your routine, there are lots of strategies for switching up your routine this year — and leaving 2020 in the dust forever. Here are five ways to step up your skincare game in 2021:
I. Clean it up.
How many toxins are hidden in your skincare regimen? Chances are, if you’re not using clean or natural beauty products, the answer is several. Give your skin a break by opting for products that are free of harsh synthetics, fragrances, parabens, and other irritants. Your best bet is natural solutions: products that are made with plant-based ingredients, like natural hydrating oils, vitamins A and C, and fruit extracts. Given the rise of conscious consumerism in recent years, it’s almost guaranteed this trend will continue picking up steam in 2021.
II. Keep your maskne in check.
Though 2020 will soon be behind us, masks are likely to stay a part of our lives in 2021. That means dealing with the irritating, but nearly unavoidable, maskne (breakouts caused by wearing a mask).
Treating maskne is a two-pronged approach. You’ll want to make sure you choose masks made from a gentle, natural fabric (cotton tends to fare best). Rough materials like denim or polyester irritate the skin and make maskne worse. It’s also important to update your skincare routine to address this new issue. Adding products with acne-fighting ingredients to your routine, like tea tree oil, green tea, witch hazel, or salicylic acid are great for treating breakouts.
Maskne can also be treated via exfoliation. Buffing away dead layers of skin clears mask-induced clogged pores, and using a sugar scrub made with detoxifying ingredients is an excellent way to do it!
III. Create your own at-home facial routine.
Given that we spent so much of 2020 in our homes, we’ve cultivated a few habits that are bound to carry over. One of these is experimenting with at-home facials. After all, if there’s anything we’ve learned this year, it’s that there’s no reason to leave the house if you don’t absolutely have to!
Luckily, there are tons of products you can use at home that offer up that fresh-out-of-the-spa feeling. From jade facial rollers to sheet masks to microdermabrasion polishes, building a collection of at-home facial goodies versus splurging on spa trips will save you time and money in the long run.
IV. Don’t forget the sunscreen.
If you’ve never gotten in the habit of putting on sunscreen daily, put that on your resolution list! Applying sunscreen every day is extremely important for skin health and longevity, even if you have dark skin. UV rays are strong enough to penetrate and seriously damage the cells if they’re not protected properly. Wearing sunscreen on your face every day will also keep fine lines and wrinkles at bay.
V. Make your routine come alive.
Literally. Adding live probiotic supplements into your daily routine is not only great for your gut — it also helps clear the skin by balancing your body’s natural microbial diversity. Probiotics can also help with healing wounds and scars, as well as inflammatory conditions like eczema. If the thought of swallowing billions of live cultures doesn’t suit your fancy, you can try other natural supplements, like turmeric (a great anti-inflammatory herb) or collagen, which preserves the skin’s elasticity.