Our skin. It’s the largest organ of our bodies, but is one that we often forget about. Until it’s too late… It’s crucial to take care of our skin. Why, you ask? Besides it helping us to look and feel our best, our skin breathes, removes impurities, and helps regulate our body temperature. It’s surprising how quickly the aging process can speed up if we neglect to take care of it. Prevention is key, ladies and gents — you don’t want to wait and have it be too late.

Whatever you have done to your skin in the past, now is the time to make a change. If you’re wanting better, healthier skin, here are ten tips to help you have a radiant complexion all year long:

Tip #1: Drink More Water

Staying hydrated helps our bodies and minds in so many ways — one of those is hydrating our skin. (Admittedly, this is something that I also need to get better at myself.) We are supposed to drink at least 8 glasses of water (if not more) per day. If our skin is not getting a sufficient amount of water, the lack of hydration will cause our skin to become dry, tight and flaky. Not good! Dry skin has less resilience and is more prone to wrinkling. So in essence, drink more water and prevent those wrinkles!

Tip #2: Protect Yourself from the Sun

No matter if it is summer or winter, we need to be choosing skincare products that protect our skin from the sun year round. Doing so can help reduce the harmful effects of the sun, which (as we know) causes early aging (such as wrinkles and age spots), increases the risk of skin cancer, and other skin problems.

For complete sun protection, use at least 15 SPF sunscreen daily, wear protective clothing, and avoid being out in the sun between the hours of 10am and 2pm — when the sun’s rays are the strongest.

Tip #3: Don’t Smoke

Did you know that smoking actually causes your skin to look older and causes wrinkles? That’s because smoking narrows the blood vessels in the outermost layers of our skin, which then decreases blood flow. This depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are vital to overall skin health. Crazy, right?!

Smoking also damages collagen and elastin, which are the fibers that give our skin strength and elasticity. Also, the repetitive expressions that you make when smoking (such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke) contribute to wrinkles. Smoking in general is bad for you — this is just another reason to quit!

Tip #4: Use Hypoallergenic/ Organic Make-Up

There are so many different chemicals in makeup that can negatively affect your skin. Choose products that are made for your skin type. I recommend using hypoallergenic makeup and/or organic makeup to help avoid any issues. This will help meet the needs of your specific skin type and eye type, especially if you have sensitive skin like me.

Tip #5: Use Safe Products Made for Your Skin Type

The best way to take care of your skin is to find the right products that are specially designed for your skin type. Dry skin does not have the same needs as oily skin. Know your skin type and find the right products for you.

Tip #6: Remove Your Makeup

I personally have dry, sensitive skin. And the first thing to know when taking care of sensitive skin is that it begins with makeup removal. In order to not stress your skin, to allow it to breathe overnight, and to respect its natural balance, you must remove your makeup every night before you go to bed. Make sure to use a chemically-free, pH-neutral makeup remover.

Tip #7: Exfoliate

Exfoliation is huge! You want to exfoliate your skin once or twice a week. Whatever product you choose, it should be effective yet gentle on your skin. Again, choose a chemical-free, pH-neutral exfoliation product.

Tip #8: Moisturize Your Skin

In order to keep the skin well moisturized, it is important to choose a daily moisturizing skin care product that balances the level of water within the skin. I have very dry skin so I have to have a product that I feel confident won’t make me look oily, but will make me feel moisturized all throughout the day. This cream is safe and perfect for my dry skin.

Tip #9: Don’t Forget Your Lips

We always forget about our lips when we think of skincare. We need to be using a restorative cream/balm for our lips throughout the day. Continue to reapply to this fragile area as often as you feel is necessary. I always have some lip balm in my bag for that exact reason.

Tip #10: Get Your Beauty Sleep

Try to get 8-hours of sleep every night if you can. I know, easier said than done. Especially if you are pregnant or have little ones, this will probably not happen. The problem is, if you don’t get enough sleep, your skin will begin looking tired. It will sag and cause you to have bags under your eyes.

If you’re having late nights and early mornings with your little ones, that just makes the rest of these tips that much more important! Let’s do this — for our skin and for ourselves!

What are your skincare tips to radiant skin? Anything that you would add?