When it comes to skin care, you probably have the basics down: Wash your skin daily, don’t go to bed with makeup on, wear sunscreen on cloudy days and keep your hands off your face.
While all of this is great advice, there are plenty of other relatively unknown tips that can help keep your skin looking great. As a major bonus, these skin care tips are also convenient and effective. For instance, check out the following tips that you might not be aware of.
1. Sleep on a Silk Pillowcase
You might be familiar with the advice to wash your pillowcase frequently if you have a problem with blemishes. But did you also know that the material from which the pillowcase is made can make you more prone to getting wrinkles?
Unless you are sleeping on your back all night long, your face is pressed up against your pillow for 40 winks a night. The friction from most fabrics can cause creases in your skin that, over time, will develop into full-blown wrinkles. As for the best fabric for your pillowcase? Silk is hands-down the best choice. Because silk is so smooth, your skin will slide on the pillowcase and remain crease-free.
Treat yourself to a few new silk pillowcases (especially recommended the hypoallergenic and machine washable ones), and go to bed knowing you are doing great things for your face with virtually no effort on your part.
2. Acne Face Wash is Not Just for Teens
If you have a son or daughter between the ages of 13 and 19 living in your home, you may already be familiar with acne treatment for teens. Many teenagers are plagued with acne and blemishes, and your kiddo may routinely ask you to stock up on acne face wash.
But here’s a little-known tip: those acne products for teens can also work for adults who are prone to breakouts. For instance, the Spotless Regimen from Rodan and Fields is an acne skincare routine that is designed to deep clean your pores, control the appearance of oil and eliminate acne, all in two easy steps. This dermatologist-approved product doesn’t know or care if you are 14 or 44; it will go right to work on all faces killing acne bacteria from the get-go.
3. Petroleum Jelly: Cheap and Effective Remedy for Dry Skin
For people who have issues with dry skin, you might have an army of moisturizers waiting to help plump up your skin—and that’s fine. But did you know that petroleum jelly like Vaseline is also an effective way to relieve dry skin?
While you might understandably think that petroleum jelly is too thick or difficult to apply, the AAD.org notes that applying small amounts will help to moisturize and protect the skin. For best results, apply it when your skin is damp; it can help soothe dry lips, eyelids and help reduce flaking, itching and even bleeding.
4. Use Headphones When on the Horn
Here’s a nasty statistic: your smartphone has an average of a whopping 25,127 bacteria per square inch. As State Food Safety notes, this is more than a toilet seat, which has a relatively low number of 1,201 bacteria per square inch. When you use your smartphone to make a call, you are pressing all of that icky bacteria onto your face.
To keep your skin as clean as you can, switch to headphones or AirPods when making a call; this will keep breakout-inducing bacteria from harming your skin.
Healthier Skin Does Not Have to Take a Lot of Time
Fortunately, you do not need a six-part skincare routine that takes up tons of time to have great-looking skin. By switching to silk pillowcases, using your teen’s acne product for your own blemishes, buying a cheap tube of petroleum jelly and applying it your skin and using your smartphone for anything but calls, your skin should reward you by looking smoother and healthier—all with very little effort.
