Essential Skin Care Routines

In our twenties and thirties we have great skin and think it will last forever. Despite seeing our mother's wrinkles and skin discolorations, we still take skin maintenance lightly, and never think how it will affect us later in life.

I for one am not terrified of wrinkles, but would prefer as few as possible. I also like the tanned look, but take it from the jar or a spray, and stay away from tanning beds, wearing sunscreen all the time. Is there anything else a girl can do to look great 20, 30 or 40 years from now?

Yes, there are really important skin care routines which can make your face age more kindly, while preventing brake-outs, roughness and other issues in the meantime.

First and foremost: moisturize. I know you all have jars and tubes all over your bathroom, but how often do you really put cream on? You should do it at least three times a day - in the morning, before putting your makeup on, in the afternoon, when you take your makeup off, and before going to sleep. A good moisturizer will act as a filter between your skin and the rest of the world, while giving skin the water it loses because of the heat or the cold.

There are many great moisturizers available right now, don't be shy to try out different ones until you find the one that suits you perfectly. Also, consider getting a special night cream, especially for the colder season, when your skin needs more nourishment.

Second, always take your makeup off. Think about it: how can your skin breathe under foundation, concealer, color, loose powder and everything else? Even if you're really tired, it pays off to spend five minutes removing makeup, if nothing else, you won't wake up with raccoon eyes and late for work.

Third, scrub is your skin's friend. I have noticed that if you scrub your face every day (with a quality mild scrub), you will get rid of all the smog, dirt, pollution and dead skin cells, cleanse your pores and minimize chances of breakouts and black-heads. A good thing is to alternate between a specially anti-acne formulated scrub and a mild, scented one.

These three things, together with sunscreen, will undoubtedly make your skin nicer, less dull, radiant and softer. It will take you round 15 minutes a day to follow these routines, which is not much, wouldn't you agree?