I’ve noticed a lot of my girlfriends complaining about how their skin has gotten dry over the years. 

But, it gets really frustrating. Especially when you start spending a lot of money on skin care, and let’s not forget time. 

So, I got on call with a skin expert, and she listed down some really simple, cost-effective and obvious tips - that we overlook.

#1 Protect yourself from the sun

One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. 

It may be difficult since we love going to the beach and getting a good tan. However, over the years - an increase in sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots, and other skin problems. 

So, it’s important to completely protect our skin from the sun. 

A few solid proof plans are: 

• Always wear sunscreen when you’re stepping out. A broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 is vital. Also, if you’re sweating, or swimming - don’t forget to apply it every 2 hours or so.
  
  
• Avoid the sun rays between 10 AM & 4 PM when the sun’s rays are strongest.
  
  
• Wear protective clothing by covering your skin, with tightly woven long-sleeve shirts, long pants, and wide-brimmed hats. You might also want to consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer of UV protection. 

#2 Don’t Smoke

Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. 

How? 

Well, smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow and makes skin paler. This also depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to the skin’s health & hydration.

Additionally, smoking has been proven to damage collagen and elastin. 

This may sound funny - but the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking - such as pursing your lips while inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke - can contribute to wrinkles. True story.

#3 Treat your skin gently 

Daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin. To keep it gentle: 

• Limit bath time. Hot water and long baths tend to remove oil from your skin. Also, use WARM water instead of hot to keep your skin hydrated.
  
  
• Avoid strong soaps and detergents which can strip oil from our skin.
  
  
• Pat your skin dry after washing or bathing so that some moisture remains on your skin.
  
  
• Moisturize your skin if it gets dry. For daily use, consider a moisturizer that contains SPF.

#4 Eat a healthy diet

A healthy diet can help you look and feel at your best. 

Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. 

Also, don’t forget to drink plenty of water every day to keep your skin hydrated. 

#5 Manage stress

To encourage healthy & hydrated skin - and a healthy state of mind - take steps to manage yourself. 

Get enough sleep, set reasonable limits - you can even scale back your to-do list to make time for things you enjoy. 

Trust me, the results might be more dramatic than you expect.

So, here are some obvious ways (which we miss out) to help keep your skin healthy and hydrated. 

Do you have a regime you think has helped you keep your skin healthy & hydrated over the years?