7 Small Things You Can Do To Improve Your Skin

I hate to admit it guys, but getting older means you have to start investing more in your skincare routine. Luckily, there are small things you can do to improve your skin and the best part is that they're easy to get in the habit of and will hardly take any time out of your day. Your skin has to last your whole life, so don't forget to take care of it!

Admittedly, for being a fashion and beauty writer, I kind of suck at treating my skin the way I know it deserves to be taken care of! There are those nights where I say screw it and fall asleep with makeup on, pop my zits (the horror, I know), and eat so much sugar, I'm practically begging to wake up with pimples. If this sounds like you, I say there's still hope for both of us!

Whereas I could get away with not actively caring for my skin in my teens, a lack of effort definitely shows up on my face now. Sugar and stress turn into pimples, forgetting to wear sunscreen can't straight up lead to skin cancer, and not getting enough sleep means major under eye circles.

Let's all try to incorporate at least a few of these tips to show are skin some love and take care of it!

1. Exercise

I'm sure this comes as no surprise, but if you need to hear it from a professional, here it is. Mauro C. Romita, M.D., founder of Ajune Center for Beauty Synergy in New York City, told Everyday Health, regular exercise "nourishes your skin, bringing more blood flow and oxygen to it. This will help draw toxins out of the body [and] correct the hormonal imbalance that can cause adult acne." Woot woot!

2. Reducing Caffeine

If you're like me, cutting coffee sounds like literally the worst thing ever. But if you're pushing over three cups a day and struggling with acne, Livestrong experts suggest reducing your intake could help clear your skin. Instead of going totally cold turkey, I recommend swapping coffee for green tea after one cup.

3. Meditation

Acne.org recommends trying meditation to reduce stress and help clear skin. I connect most easily with the zen meditation practices of Thich Nhat Hanh and mantra chanting from Ram Dass, but explore to find what feels right for you! There are plenty of meditation apps you can even download to introduce you to the practice.

4. Eating Healthy Fats

Follow the advice of Bustle writers and add healthy fats to your diet like avocado and walnuts to moisturize and hydrate skin! Yes, yes I will have more guacamole.

5. Exfoliating

Refinery29 breaks down the benefits of exfoliating several times a week, including brighter skin, reduced breakouts, and fewer wrinkles. And it just feels really damn good, whether it's your forehead or your lips!

6. Wearing Sunscreen

You wear this every single day, right? No matter what you're doing or where you go? Even in the winter? OK, great. You're all set then.

7. Getting The Proper Amount Of Sleep

You can stack all the cucumbers on your eyes you want, but at the end of the day, sleep is vital to your skin's health. WebMd shared nothing is going to get rid of puffy eye circles like plenty of sleep.

Image Credit: Lindsey Rose Black