How much do you love your skin? Do you treat it to a decent meal, do you take it on dates and whisper sweetly to it? Okay, that may be taking it a tad too far, but treating your skin the way you would your other treasured possessions is something that many of us forget to do.
When we’re twelve the thought that we may one day have wrinkles, crowsfeet or laugh lines seems so ludicrously far off that we do nothing to prevent them happening. Before you know it though, those sneaky bastards have crept up and landed without so much as a how do you do. But what can you do about it?
Let’s rewind a bit, because the secrets to great skin are in prevention not in cure, (although those do help somewhat).
Your skin is alive
If you neglect it, treat it badly and expect it to keep its youthful glow you’ve got a nasty surprise in store. Just like the rest of your body, your skin needs certain things to keep working in tip top order and here is where to start.
Hydrate
Without water, well frankly your screwed. Drinking coffee, tea, wine and cordial all don’t count as water in my book. What you need is just water. It doesn’t have to come in a bottle or have a french name, it just needs to be fresh and plentiful. You can add a little fresh lemon juice or slices of cucumber to help change the flavour, but you need to drink 2 litres of water a day. This is not negotiable. Think of your skin like Judge Judy – if you try and pull a fast one on her she’ll whip around and slap you down. You might think you’re getting away with it, but when the sentence catches up with you there is nothing to do but cry. Harsh? Perhaps. But it isn’t just your skin that benefits from this hydration, but your entire system.
When you drink enough water, your liver works better. Processing fats and toxins like it was born to rather than limping along the way we’ve become accustomed to. Not only will your skin be clearer, more hydrated (read plumper) and softer; but your body processes fats better. This means that as a side benefit to swanky skin you’ll also be loosing the muffin top!
Protect it.
Sun, wind, rain and daily pollutants all contribute to nasty dull skin, but none is worse than the sun. Even on cloudy days the UV levels can still cause imperceptible damage that you cannot turn back. Any kind of tan is actually your skin in distress and it is when we don’t think about our sun exposure that we are most at risk. Driving is one of the worst culprits. Reflected sunlight from the dash, our driving arms even just that quick trip to the shop and back all add up. Now I’m not saying you need to give up daylight and go live in your basement, but you do need to be aware that sunscreen is the skin’s next best friend.
Everyone, (yes, everyone) should wear sun protection daily. I like to keep a big pump bottle of sunscreen on my bathroom vanity and apply it every morning as I get out of the shower. I keep a different formula for my skin so that it stays matt under my makeup. You may not want to go to the lengths I do on a daily basis, but none the less here are my other sunsafe secrets.
Carry a parasol. I keep an inexpensive $5 fold up parasol in each of my handbags. Inevitably I’ll forget to transfer them so if I have a few around it forms a fairly good backup plan.
Wear sunglasses. As you are my audience this probably goes without saying as you’re bound to already have a collection of fashionable shades, but make sure you have them and wear them as they won’t only protect you from squinty wrinkles but also for eye damage.
Wear gloves. This is one tip I wish I had stuck to earlier on. The only part of my body that is a bit sun damaged is my hands. Because sunscreen washes off after a while, even though I apply it all over, by the time I head out it is often gone from my hands. Add this to lots of driving and the Australian climate and you have a recipe for ‘nana’ hands. Now I try to remember to wear lightweight gloves when driving, especially in summer.
Don’t strip off. In Australia, as in the US, it seems that our reaction to the temperature heating up is to get our gear off. Conversely to other sun soaked nations where they cover themselves from head to toe in their attempt to seek refuge form the heat, we peel of and wander about like we have the hide of an armadillo. Well, if we keep that up we will have the hide of an armadillo!
There is just so much I can say on this subject, so I’ve decided to break it up into bite sized chunks. Each week I’ll bring you more information, and yes I’ll let you know if there are any particular miracle products I use too. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section and that way I’ll know if you’d like to hear particular things in the next issue!
Those are some very good tips, particularly for people in NZ who are living under that great big hole in the ozone layer! Most people from overseas always have to find out the hard way that the sun here really is THAT strong and you WILL get burnt in a matter of minutes!
Ah ha! I always knew that water is the food of skin and sun is the most horrible enemy!!!
Very useful info! Do review more on your daily skin care routine! Sometimes different products bring different results or so. Yay! Can’t wait for your next post!!!! <3
I’m totally anal about sunblock. I use to sunbathe when I was younger, so now I’m trying to make up for it by slathering on the 30+ every day, even in winter. And my kids get covered from head to toe every morning before they get dressed, which they do not appreciate.
I really need to drink more water. I’ve been stuck on caffeinated soft drink so long I forget that I’d probably have more energy if I just ate right and drank water.
Oooh yeah, I can relate to this. I have pretty good skin from avoiding the sun; I prefer my moon tan and I burn in 15 minutes on a sunny day.
I’ve also been wearing glasses since I was 5, so at the age of 34 I have NO crows-feet. There. That’s one advantage to wearing glasses ^_^
I have a question Ma’am :]
I have ivory skin; it refused to tan and I dont force it.
However.. On my hands and legs occasionally(especially if I get a chill) You can see all of my blood vessels and it looks like I have spots. :<
Do you know of any way to maybe even this out? Just wondering as I desire a skin tone similar to yours <3
Thanks!
Krista
Great tips! I don’t really have much to worry about, seeing as over half the year pretty much my entire body is covered whenever I’m outside, but still very helpful.
I should point out though that while sunscreen does block UVA rays, it usually doesn’t block the more dangerous UVB rays. Also, healthy exposure to the sun is the best way to produce Vitamin D, which has been proven to help prevent cancer. This isn’t really skin related, but I imagine that skin cancer makes you look pretty nasty.
I loooove your glasses.
I’d be interested to know what formulation you use for your face. How matt is matt?
Currently I use an oil-free moisturiser with sunscreen added underneath my mineral make-up which also has SPF factor in it. I used to wear (and would prefer to still) wear a dedicated 30+ sunscreen on my face but I would end up being a big shiny monster even quicker than normal. I drink around 3-4 litres of water a day but am just prone to keep a shine on, if you know what I mean!
Gloves! That is what I need. Nothing worse than grandma hands. Eep. Scared now!
Great tips. And it’s so true about the stripping off in summer thing here… madness! My arms are brown now, though, whoops :< It's just so hard gere.
Hi Candice,
Do you have any suggestions on where to get some good summer and winter gloves. I’d love to see a post on all the gloves you own.
x
Emma
Fantastic tips! I can’t agree with you more about sunscreen. It’s the one beauty product that I insist everybody use. It’s unbelieveable the difference it can make to the appearance and texture of your skin over time.
I actually wrote a post on skincare this week too!
http://nessbow.webs.com/apps/blog/entries/search?query=get+glowing&x=34&y=18
Look forward to reading more of your rad tips. Nessbow
great pointers and pretty pretty make-up
x
I follow all those tips, and I love my pagoda parasol I got from Bella Umbrella! It goes with me everywhere.
Ok, there’s one tip I might be a wee bit pedantic about – you don’t need to drink 2 litres of water a day. It’s a long-standing myth. Most people need from 1-1.5 litres of water a day depending on the weather and activity levels, but that’s including water in your food and beverages other than water, except strong alcohol. Most food has a pretty high water content, especially fruit and vegetables. I say this because a lot of people are concerned that they don’t drink their 8 glasses a day, when there’s no need to feel guilty or worried about it. If you’re not feeling thirsty, you don’t have to drink something. Thirst is not your body telling you you’re dehydrated, as is sometimes stated, but the signal to drink something before you get to that stage. If you are feeling a real thirst to drink 2+ litres of water in addition to your normal intake it could actually be a sign of illness like diabetes. You can google “8 glasses of water myth” for more if you like.
Harpy:
You’ll read my reply about water in the response to Miss Emmi, but basically I’m talking here about what works for me. It seems that every Dr and specialist has a different opinion on this one too. I’ve also been told that the first small hunger pains one gets is actually the first sign of needing to drink something and that when we think we need a snack we actually need a drink! There are so many schools of thought on the subject, but for me the proof was in the pudding. I imagine that there are also loads of variables like climate, lifestyle, etc.. I know how my body works and looks on 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day and when it isn’t. I know which one I prefer so stick to that. But, thank you for pointing out the diabetes factor as I know several people with this condition (although they persist in drink over 2 litres of diet soda a day!!), and while I know I don’t fit into this basket, rest assured that my methods have my Dr’s approval (for me).
I’m glad it works for you!
I have a tendency to jump right in with my mythbusters opinion because I know quite a few people who really did think they were doing themselves great harm if they didn’t get Lots(tm) of water in and were annoyed at all the running off to the ladies’ room and so on. So it was a relief for them to realise they only had to drink as much as they felt they actually wanted! Sometimes it’s a little, sometimes it’s a lot. I have looked into water a lot because I have a kidney disease, and getting water and electrolytes right is really important. 
Hmm, I’d disagree that about the thirst/hunger signal thing. There are different hormones involved (vasopressin for thirst, ghrelin for hunger), and if you’re hungry, you really are hungry. Unfortunately water can’t trigger our satiety mechanism so it’s better to eat a little something otherwise it’ll be half an hour later and you’ll feel like you want to eat a whole packet of Tim Tams at once!
BTW my favourite skin care products are by Paula’s Choice – for anyone who has sensitive skin, they’re perfect as they have no fragrances, dyes, or irritants and use only proven beneficial ingredients. PC makes the only sunscreen that doesn’t make my skin itchy and horrible. I have a cupboard stacked with nearly-full bottles of various sunscreens claiming to be for senstitive skin, all lies! Well, for my fussy skin, anyway!
Good tips! I am just at the age, where age is starting to show, I’m 43. However as I have always burned very easily I have used sunscreen far more than most people in the UK probably would. My face hasn’t aged too much.
One tip that I would add is don’t neglect your neck! My age is starting to show on my neck and honestly I think I’ve always neglected it, I don’t now, but it’s more like closing the barn door when the horse has bolted ha ha! So young people, treat your neck as well as your face!
Btw I LOVE the new look ;o)
Thanks SKM! Since I went to China and discovered that all the girls carry umbrellas in the sun and I have read more and more about how sun ages your skin, I have started to try to protect my skin, quite obsessively. But it’s really hard in the hot Australian summer, I find myself worrying about it all the time because my skin burns so easily.
I would like to know more about which sunscreen products you use for your body and face. I have extremely oily skin (which I would like to find out how to rememdy in and of itself), which means that wearing sunscreen on my face makes it even worse! I use Clinique City Block, which is supposed to be good for oily skin, but it doesn’t really seem to help. Any ideas?
I just gushed about Paula’s Choice in a previous comment (I swear I do not work for them or get kickbacks or anything!), but the “Skin Balancing Daily Mattifying Lotion with SPF 15 and Antioxidants” from PC has been brilliant for me. It is so light and not shiny like many sunscreen-containing lotions. I also use their BHA liquid to control oil. The shaving gel is also brilliant, especially for those men who always get razor burn. [I can't believe how many awfully irritating ingredients like alcohol, menthol, sandalwood, etc go into men's skin care products. Aftershave is the worst!
]
Oh god…I am starting to see the first signs of wrinkles in my skin…it’s more because I worry too much. About every single little thing!!
You have such evenly toned skin!!!
The body is very good at regulating our water levels – of course, it’s important to replenish the 1-1.5 litres we lose each day, but a large amount of that is actually extracted from the foods we eat – including those things that you say don’t count as water.
The suggested figure from doctors, taking into account the foods that week eat, is only a little over a litre per day – if you need more, your body is very good at recognizing it and cuing thirst, while at the same time saving water by concentrating your urine (sorry if that is considered gross). It’s actually unhealthy to drink too much water – people shouldn’t feel pressured to drink a certain amount everyday. We’re all different, and different fluid intakes will be appropriate for different lifestyles and body shapes. People just have to trust their bodies more, and pay attention to the cues they provide.
Drinking water instead of soft drink when you are thirsty will provide health benefits because it has less sugar and additives, and that’s where the weight loss is going to come from – not from water magically flushing fat out of our systems. I’m sorry if I sound preachy, but one of the things I study as a neuroscience student is how the body and brain interact to regulate fat, nutrient and water levels. Too many people take the ’2 litre’ thing as gospel when the actual science indicates we do just fine doing what comes naturally.
Hi Miss Emmi:
About the water thing, my advice here is not generic medical advice, but only what works for me. When I talk about things that don’t count as water, I am speaking specifically about the rules I have for myself – not any generally accepted medical or scientific definition. When it comes to the whole weight loss thing it worked perfectly for me. It wasn’t due to cutting out softdrinks etc, becuase I actually don’t drink them at all. No cordial, softdrink, soda or anything like that with additives and loads of sugar. I do drink coffee, strong and black, but I certainly can’t do that in place of water. It is true that you can certainly survive on far less than 1.5 – 2 litres of water a day, but for me fine was not enough. It was only when I upped this intake that things started to work the way I wanted them to, like clearer skin, better digestion and more energy. The water doesn’t ‘magically flush fat’ from the system but what it does do is improve liver function, enabling the liver to metabolise it more effectively.
In an ideal world the my body would get more of the water it needed from food, but sadly my diet could do with improvement. I’m nowhere near the rec. levels of fruit and veg a day and I know my body isn’t getting all that much help from a bit of toast for lunch!
Anyway, thanks for your input, it is always helpful to hearmore about different people’s experiences.
[...] Secrets to Perfect Skin « Super Kawaii Mama [...]
Fairly new to your blog and lovin’ it! (I was getting all a squiff thinking I had to be “vintage perfect” but reading your blog has made me ease up on myself a bit and enjoy it more…as that’s the point right?!)
Anywhoo, in my “yoof” I thought I was being oh so better than my friend by not wearing any foundation (with or without SPF) as I thought my skin was perfect.
Roll on 20 years and she has lovely facial skin and I’ve got the eye wrinkles, the joined up freckles (not liver spots yet…surely?!??) Guess who’s the annoyed one now! LOL!
Also, I’m a stupid Brit who slathers on the sunscreen/block when on holidays to Spain etc (almost fanatically so) yet it can be equally sunny here and I don’t bother!! I’m SEH dumb!
Great inspirational post.
This is all so true. I wear really big sunglasses so that I can protect from crow’s feet even more, and cover up a sunspot on my cheek. And we all need to be more careful about sun protection because of skin cancer. I know it’s obvious, but I still don’t think people are getting the message. My brother’s sister in law died last year of melanoma, leaving a one year old daughter behind:(
I’m not at the parasol or gloves stage yet, but you’ve got me convinced on the gloves, if I can find really cool ones!
This was great, thank you!
I love that you mentioned a parasol as a way to protect your skin. I have a couple that I use all summer for just that reason, and yet I get so many comments on how how chic they look! Here’s to ladylike sun protection!
I am 47 and apparently look pretty good for my age. I have virtually no wrinkles and only some slight age spots, which is surprising to most dermatologists as I am a very pale redhead with a history of childhood sunburns.
Rosie correctly points out that you need a block that blocks both UVA/uvb rays. I find the best sunscreens for doing that are ones with titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide. I know there are now some chemical sunscreens that are as good, but tough on my very sensitive skin.
Also, we do need Vitamin D but for some people, like myself, the risk of skin cancer weighs higher than the chance I’ll absorb enough D from the sun. Everyone should discuss this individually with their doctor. Mine feels that a supplement is by far the wisest move and that I should never go outside without sunscreen. I also wear hats and gloves all year, and on very high UV days, yes, a face mask. It sounds crazy but most of my face is covered by my hat and sunglasses, so the face mask is hardly noticeable. I only wear it if we’re outside and absolutely cannot avoid the sun, like when we go canoeing.
Great post, SKM!
Christine: Wow, you really are being careful. You’re right about the vitamin D though. Living in Australia it is a virtual impossibilitiy not to get enough. Just picking up the mail would do it.
hello gorgeous!
what’s your feeling on herbal tea in place of water on those chilly days?
seems like you’re still dealing with some pretty pure liquido..hmmm..what do you think?
-Lisa
Lisa: Herbal tea is perfect! I try and stick to those with the lowest caffine levels and love things like Gen Mai Sen Cha, Rose tea, Buddah’s tears. I try and stay away fromt hings with really sweet artifical flavour becasue they only make me crave deserts. ^-^
I know you said your future posts will mention what products to use, but I would really like to hear about your matte sunscreen. While I still wear sunscreen on my face daily, I would love to hear about yours. I’m so sick of my shiny face!
Fantastic tips, SKM! I have become even more attuned to taking care of my skin since moving to Florida. I’ve become a habitual sunscreen user (spf 45; although my preference is something closer to 80!), and have started carrying a parasol with me during the summertime. Certainly I’m one of the freakishly pale ones around here (being in the “sunshine state”, everyone is seemingly addicted to tanning!), but at least my skin will be all the better for it.
The water tip is a great one that I think many people don’t realize! I know that when I’m not drinking as much water as I usually do (which is a lot), my skin is more prone to breaking out or just looking blotchy. It’s amazing what something so simple will do!
? Casey
blog | elegantmusings.com
I started wearing sunglasses because the glare of the sun gave me migraines. Now I’m glad they’d protecting me from having crow’s feet, too. Gotta work on buying good sunscreen now.
Lovely post! For future skin post editions I was wondering if you could discuss any face masks you suggest/use…homemade ones? store bought?
Can you also suggest low cost skin care products that you approve of? Not ones that require a trip to the cosmetic counters but rather the drug store? Convenience is key for me!
Do you ever have problems in the summer time of sunblock staining things? I always stain my dark leather car interior with my white sunblock! lol
Can’t wait for the next one!
I’m fairly, well, fair, although I tan easily given my Spanish and Italian background, I prefer not to!
When I was around 17, I went sea fishing with my then boyfriend on an overcast day, and didn’t think to put any sunscreen on, I felt I didn’t need to, the day was a typical Scottish day! But I didn’t take into consideration that the sun was still burning bright behind those heavy clouds, and yep, you’ve guessed it, bounced off the sea and onto my face! It was the one and only time I’ve been sunburned!
Come summer, if we’re lucky enough to actually *have* one, I spend and great deal of time at my local park, and my usual choice of clothing is a long cotton skirt or linen trousers, a vest top and a light cardi. Even so, I slather my whole body in sun screen, and keep it topped up – I feel my light clothes still won’t completely protect me, and I’m known to sit with my skirt up around to feel the warmth on legs
I’m a nazi about water too, and very rarely drink fizzy drinks anymore, prefering to stick to water, diluting juice and herbal teas (and my must have black coffee in the morning, of corse!)
I’m 25 now, and still get ID’d if buying alcohol (legal age here is 18!) I wonder how I’ll look in another 25 years?
[...] I can’t wait to try it when my hair gets a bit longer! ? Super Kawaii Mama revealed her Secrets to Perfect Skin. ? Casey posted a wonderful Guide to Sewing all about tools. ? Mozzarella sticks? Yes please. [...]
This post was very informative. Being a women that will turn 37 in 7 weeks but still look like she is 22 – really. Things that you listed are very important especially in this day and age. I also start within and add fish oil tablets and a multivitamin.
[...] Enhancing Gel Cream Liners (what a name!) come in three complementary colors — The Cut Blog3 secrets to getting perfect skin — Super Kawaii MamaMena Suvari sports an, um, interesting hairstyle — The Girls in the [...]
[...] 3 secrets to getting perfect skin — Super Kawaii Mama [...]
So true! Good point about how water helps the liver too. Hydration is so important and so often overlooked – same with sunscreen. Excellent reminder!
Love your tips! Another reason to wear sunglasses is to protect not just your skin, but also your eyeballs. Sunlight exposure may contribute to age-related macular degeneration, which impairs your vision. This is somewhat controversial, but I’m not taking any chances, since my mom has ARMD, and I live at a lower latitude than her. I wear sunglasses year-round, whenever the sun is visible.
I don’t think I would succeed at carrying a parasol — yet another object to juggle in my hands. But I have a cloth hat with a small brim that I carry rolled up in my purse, so I am never without a hat when I need it.
How do you keep your make-up from getting messed up when you reapply sunscreen?
Do you carry around a waterbottle to make sure you get in those 2 litres?
Thank you, I think this is a great post!
Melissa: I don’t reapply my sunscreen on the face during the day. I use a makeup with sun protection as well as the one I put on earlier, as well as all my other coverup methods likle the parasol, so all; those measure are enough. If I’m out in the garden or working like that, I won’t wear makeup for that reason. And yes, I carry around a canteen with me to make sure I am drinking all day.
These are great tips. So easy, with long-term benefits. We’ll all be thanking you in 5-10 years!
I’m pretty strict with myself regarding the sunblock issue as well!! The sun here in Aus is pretty harsh
I’ve been using this sunblock with spf 50 which is pretty good BUT the downside to it is it makes my skin looks very oily/shiny 
any recommendations for matte/not so oily sunblocks?
Sarah: Indeed I do. I have recommendations and product photos coming up this week.
So true, I heard that you can get a special cardigan in Japan that can protect you against UV rays but difficult to come by. Btw LOVE your lashes in the 1st pic<3
G: Wow, I’ve never heard of these. I must do some googling now
[...] 3 secrets to getting perfect skin — Super Kawaii Mama [...]
[...] 3 secrets to getting perfect skin — Super Kawaii Mama [...]
Hey! Great tips, I’ve been getting some bad skin issues lately and will definitely follow your advice. Is it ok, I will share this on my blog too? Of course credited to you, just as a link hehe
Thanks for sharing 
-Lariana
http://www.islandmeetscity.com
Lariana Storms recently posted..Waiting for the boxes
Lariana: Hi there. Yes, you are welcome to link to the piece, or cite excerpts, but not to re-publish the information on your site as all the content here is copyright.