Skincare Hacks to Change Your Life
your words, not mine
Hello!
I hope you’ve all been well. It’s been a while, so let’s not waste any time.
A while ago on Instagram you shared advice that changed my life: put lotion on right after the shower on damp skin. I didn’t know my skin could be this soft! Do you have any other skincare tips/hacks like that?
Wow, way to boost my ego! I love giving life-changing advice. If I give you life-changing advice, tell me! The specific advice this person is referring to has blown the minds of many people and if you’re not familiar, I’m delighted to be the one to let you in on the secret. See below for details, as well as some more non-traditional skincare advice to make the most of what you’re already doing. Upgrading your home care game doesn’t always mean new products. If you do want to shop, tap the green links/buttons throughout for my recs.
Apply your body lotion right after the shower on damp skin.
Not soaking wet, but damp. Do a little dog shake or use a towel to pat down excess moisture before applying your body lotion/cream. It may seem a little strange at first – like you’re rubbing lotion on water – but you’ll find it absorbs quickly, as damp skin absorbs better (sort of like a sponge). The result? Soft, smooth, hydrated skin like a baby seal. Were you going to tell me baby seals are actually furry? Don’t! Ruins the analogy that makes perfect sense in my head.
Consider changing up your toothpaste or hair products.
Do you often break out around your mouth? Get red, irritated or are prone to perioral dermatitis? Your toothpaste might be contributing. Long ago when I began my acne journey, a dermatologist gave me this life changing advice: some toothpastes can cause irritation or breakouts by drying out the skin. If you’re acne prone, this dryness can trigger your skin to produce more oil, leading to pimples. Similarly, some ingredients in hair products can contribute to clogged pores or a cycle of excess drying. If you often break out around your hairline, I’d suggest taking a look at what you’re putting on your hair.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I am always hesitant to share any advice about avoiding ingredients, as much of the advice is way too general to be widely applied. Ingredients are not nearly as important as the overall formulation, so having blanket bans on certain ingredients isn’t always helpful and in fact, can often lead to unfounded fear. The truth is that managing acne, or any sort of skin inflammation, is extremely personal. The only way to know your true acne triggers is to do an elimination test, which is time consuming and difficult.
That being said, when it comes to toothpaste, there are 4 main ingredient culprits: sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, carrageenan and coconut oil. With the exception of coconut oil which never goes near my face, I do not avoid these ingredients all together. I do, however, stick to this specific toothpaste flavor (my other favorite seems to be discontinued!) Hair wise, it’s a similar list to the above, but I’d also look out for comedogenic oils in general, which are more common in conditioners and hair masks. You can make it easy by using acne-safe hair products or by comparing your products to a list of comedogenic ingredients.
Swap your pillowcases at least once a week.
At this point I should tattoo this on my forehead. In the same vein as being mindful of your hair products, your pillowcase is a breeding ground for pretty much everything you don’t want – hair and skin products, oil, sweat, dirt, debris etc. You spend hours a night smushing your face in these things and if you’re using the same pillowcase night after night, you’re continually feeding the acne-causing bacteria on your face. When I am having a bad breakout, I change my pillowcase twice, sometimes 3 times a week. I know this sounds excessive, but I promise it can make a difference. If you only break out on one side of your face, is that the side you sleep on? Insert mind blown emoji.
In addition to ettitude, I love the Silvon pillowcases (infused with silver, an acne-fighting ingredient) and you can get 10% off with the code JOLDEF.
Turn down the water temperature.
Long, hot showers feel nice, but in reality, hot water dehydrates your skin. If you love a hot shower (who doesn’t), make it quick. Otherwise, lukewarm water is your skin’s best friend. Hot water is the main reason why professionals advise not washing your face in the shower (in addition to harsh water pressure). If you do wash your face in the shower, turn down the heat, step out of the way, wet your hands and bring them to your face instead of letting the shower directly hit your face.
Use a mist.
I pretty much always have a mist within arms reach. Mists are a great way to add in lightweight layers of hydration, both to lock it in during your routine and to refresh/replenish throughout the day. If you are prone to dryness, dehydration, tightness or flakiness or just want less on your skin during the warmer months, a mist will help immensely. Spritz between steps (especially before hydrating serums and moisturizer) to increase penetration and maximize absorption. Throughout the day, spritzing can refresh your makeup or give a hydration boost to keep your skin happy before your nighttime routine.
Try double cleansing.
Speaking of your nighttime routine…have you tried double cleansing? Paying subscribers got the full cleansing lowdown a few weeks ago, but briefly: Double cleansing is the concept of using an oil-based cleanser first to break everything down and following up with a water-based cleanser to rinse it all away. While double cleansing isn’t mandatory, it is strongly recommended, especially if you are wearing makeup or sunscreen (so pretty much always).
If you feel like your sunscreen doesn’t fully come off, are acne-prone, or start to break out in uncommon places (especially common in warmer months!), double cleansing might be the solution. Don’t want to buy a new cleanser? You can use the same cleanser twice for a similarly thorough cleansing experience.
Thanks for being here! Have a question? Submit it below and you might see it answered in a future issue.
love & good skin,
Jolie