1. Don’t Sleep in Your Makeup

It can sometimes be sooo tempting to fall into bed with your makeup still on - we’ve all been there.  But this just creates more problems you don’t need - old makeup and the build-up of daily grime (think of those nasty little free radicals) settle into pores leading to both blackheads, breakouts and premature ageing.

And no – a quick once over with facial cleansing wipe just won’t give you the results you need. If you don’t already clean your skin thoroughly at night, drop everything and start right now.

2. Clean Your Face Gently

Don’t be tempted to go for aggressive cleansing products to get a squeaky-clean finish (sorry but that includes most soaps that can strip your skin). You don’t want squeaky – you want dewy. A micellar water or simple foaming cleanser which wipes off grime but leaves skin hydrated is perfect.

And if you have an oily skin don’t make the big mistake of over cleansing your skin – this just stimulates the oil glands to produce even more of that unwanted sebum. And more oil means more pimples…

Our product picks: Garnier Skin Active Oil Control Complete Face Wash, Neutrogena Spot Controlling Oil-Free Facial Wash, Garnier Skin Active Micellar Cleansing Water for oily or sensitive skins (that can be used by all skin types) and Nivea Perfect & Radiant 3in1 Cleanser.

3. Avoid Steaming Hot Showers

While nothing is more relaxing than a hot shower, the heat strips both your skin and hair of moisture. Go for lukewarm water and focus on cleaning the skin without stripping it of your natural moisture. Remember that soap can be drying - hydrating cleansing lotions are much kinder to your skin especially in the harsh winter months.

For best results, put on your moisturiser (and body lotion) straight after your shower while your skin is still warm and dewy.  It soaks in better…

Our body moisturiser product picks for dry and very dry skin: Dove Purely Pampering Shea Butter Body Lotion and Dexeryl Emollient Cream.

4. Invest in a Good Moisturising Face Cream

Now for a little bit of the techie stuff so bear with us. Most of us think that moisturisers are for putting back moisture into the skin (these guys are called humectants). But the good ones also lock in moisture to prevent dehydration (the emollients). You actually need both for the best product. For emollients think cocoa and shea butter or mineral oil (even Vaseline), while common humectants are glycerine and hyaluronic acid.

You may need to fall back on trusty Google to check out some of those unpronounceable ingredients in your product to make sure you are getting the best of both worlds. And if you are not sure which products are best for your skin type here’s a handy guide. And please don’t forget to moisturise your neck – it’s the first place to show signs of aging and so needs all the TLC it can get..

Our product picks: Garnier Even And Matte Moisturiser for Normal To Oily Skin or Very Oily Skin, Nivea Light Daily Cream with Vitamin E for normal/combination skin, Nivea Rich Daily Face Cream with natural almond oil for dry or sensitive skin, Olay Complete Lightweight Day Lotion SPF15 Normal Oily and Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturiser SPF30.

Read More. Are You ABSOLUTELY Sure You Are Using the Right Products to Care for Your Skin?

5. If You Only Do One Thing, Use A Sunscreen Every Day

The biggest skin care mistake you can make is skipping sunscreen. Even if you are only outside for 10 minutes a day you still need it. Every. Day. And yes - even when you’re inside. You won’t see the results now but your skin will thank you in 10 years’ time (most importantly, you don’t want to get skin cancer).

And don’t think that a darker skin tone will protect you. It does a tiny bit - but the sun is vicious. Just a few minutes every day can break down collagen and age you faster than you deserve. Use a minimum of SPF 30 for the face and SPF 15 for the body.

Our product picks: Eucerin Photoaging Control Tinted Sun Face Cream SPF50, Nivea Sun Q10 Anti-Age & Anti-Pigments SPF50, BioNike Acteen Sun 50+ Cream Gel for oily skin, and Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture Sun Spray SPF50 for the body.

Read More. 12 Important Things You May Not Know About Sunscreen (But Need To)

6. Use Anti-Ageing Creams Early

It’s never too early to start with anti-ageing products. It’s best to lock your routine down in your 20s rather than wait for later. You don’t need to start with the heavyweight ingredients like peptides but look for products containing Vitamin C for brightening and other antioxidants like Q10 and Vitamin E to ward off free radical damage.

It’s also safe to start using retinol in your 20s. It’s an easy product to use because it helps with dark spots and brightens and evens out skin tone. Try either a night cream or serum so that your skin can get the maximum benefit while you are asleep.

Our product picks: Nivea Q10 Power Anti-Wrinkle and Firming Night Cream or their Day Cream with super antioxidant Q10 and Vitamin C, Nip And Fab Vitamin C Serum, Endocil Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Treatment Crème, and Neutrogena Cellular Boost Dark Spot Corrector with both Vitamin C and Retinol.

Read More. How to Seriously Improve Your Skincare Routine Step by Step for Your Best Skin Ever

7. Don’t Pick Those Pimples

I know. I know. It’s tempting. We see a nasty zit appearing on our chin and we just want to pop it. Don’t touch it. So often this can land up creating a scar and cause more problems than its worth. A scar or dark mark is far harder to get rid of than it is to prevent. Zap on some acne blasting cream and just leave it alone. See some more tips on how to get rid of a pimple fast.

Got a serious acne problem? Go see a derm. The professionals know which treatment to prescribe to keep scarring to a minimum.

Our product picks: Effective spot treatments for unwanted pimples include Benzac AC 5 Gel with benzoyl peroxide to dry out the zit, and BioNike Acteen Quick Pen Anti-Imperfection with salicylic acid to clean out pores and clear up pimples. Use Bionike Acteen Hydramat Sebum Normalising Cream to mop up oil or Garnier Pure Active Matte Control for daily use all over the face.

Read More. How to Treat Different Types of Pimples, According to The Pros

8. Exfoliate to Keep Skin Radiant

A once a week exfoliating session is one of the best kept secrets to keeping your skin in peak condition. Dead cells accumulate on the skin’s surface and need to be gently eased off to keep the skin at its most radiant. You don’t need heavy duty products. Try a gentle acid-based exfoliator with or without natural microbeads.

And if you can afford it, invest in a face brush cleansing system that can make the job super easy, leaving your skin soft and glowing.

Our product picks: Celltone Exfoliating Gel with salicylic acid, Eucerin Dermo Purifier Oil Control Scrub with lactic acid, Nip And Fab Glycolic Fix Scrub with both glycolic and salicylic acids, and Neutrogena Fresh And Clear Daily Exfoliator with citric acids Pink Grapefruit And Vitamin C.

Read More. Want Glowing Skin? You Need to Exfoliate Like A Pro

9. Eye Wise - Add an Eye Cream

Did you know that the skin around your eyes is the thinnest and most delicate of your whole body? That’s why it’s normally the first place wrinkles and those dreaded crow’s feet appear. So you should make a point of investing in an eye cream in your 20s to stave off early signs of aging. And we all know that after a hard night most of us are plagued with either puffiness or dark circles (or both).

Look for an eye cream that will restore moisture and firmness at night, and another one that will reduce puffiness in the morning.

Our product picks: Uriage Age Protect Multi-Action Eye Contour Cream to moisturise, reduce wrinkles and dark circles, depuff eyes and protect against blue light, L'Oréal Regenerist Eye Cream with retinol, and Neutrogena Hydro Boost Awakening Eye Cream with hyaluronic acid to refresh and wake up your eyes.

10. Don’t Skip Your Neck, Chest or Hands

How often have you seen a person with a young-looking face but an old neck and hands? They are usually the first places you can see a person’s age. You don’t realise that these areas are often just as exposed to the effects of the sun as your face.

Stop this from happening by making this part of your basic beauty plan from the start. Extend your sunscreen and moisturising routine into these areas. And don’t kid yourself. Even if the sun is not shining outside you still need protection from those nasty UV rays.

Our product picks: Healing Hands Body Glove SPF15 with moisturising Vitamin E, and Nivea Q10 3in1 Anti Age Hand Cream.

11. Live Healthy

With so many things to do and places to go, it’s easy to get off track while maintaining a healthy lifestyle in your 20s. Remember that beauty actually starts from within. So while you don’t have to be a saint, try to make an effort to keep active, minimise alcohol intake, eat healthy and get at least seven hours of sleep every night. And no smoking if you want to keep those wrinkles at bay.

Pack your diet with lots of those wonderful anti-oxidants. Start snacking on berries, almonds and best of all (yum!), dark chocolate. And for the best (and worst) foods keep your skin all healthy and glowy click here.

Read More. You CAN Improve Your Skin by What You Eat. Here’s How

12. Have Fun - Try Something New

Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it but your skin is the best it’s ever going to be in your 20s. It’s the time when your body is at its oestrogen peak which makes your skin luminous, taut, even toned and beautifully supple and glowing.

Take advantage while you can. Experiment with some of the trendy makeup looks you see on the runway. Try out some shimmering metallic shadows (both pastels and brights are very on trend) or a strong lip. Or sprinkle a little bit of glittery sparkle around your eyes and pair with a glossy lip for fun. You are gorgeous and can do whatever you want.

 

While you now have all the basics in hand, are looking after your skin health and avoiding the nasties such as sun exposure, skin care expert and celebrity aesthetician, Renee Rouleau, still warns “you just might be surprised at some of the ways you are unknowingly aging your skin faster.”

Read “5 Surprising Ways You’re Aging Your Skin” for some really great tips from an expert…