Pageant Chic 365: 6 Tips for Beautiful Skin

Good skin care is something that you should practice year round and not just during pageant weekend. There is no substitute for good skin care, and even the best foundations can’t make up for years of sun damage, over-drying, and oily skin. Here are a few of my skin care tips, which work pretty well. I haven’t seen a pimple in weeks, maybe even months. Follow these tips all year to make sure your skin looks beautiful for your next pageant:

Photo credit | Modifications by Shanice

1. Wash off you makeup every night for gorgeous skin. I understand the the temptation to crawl in bed after a long day without washing your makeup off, but don’t do it! Not washing off your makeup every night is the recipe for breakouts and ultimately blemishes. Use a gentle facial cleanser every day to wash away the makeup, dirt, and oil from your face. Something that works for me is: since I take showers every night, I keep my face wash in the shower. That way, I never forget to wash my makeup off.

2. Moisturize your skin daily. After you wash your face with face wash, throw on a non-greasy, light, moisturizer so that your skin won’t get too dry. Using moisturizer consistently will help you maintain a natural glow and help you avoid breakouts that can occur as a result of dry skin.

3. Exfoliate weekly.  It’s important not to exfoliate too much because it can and will cause over-drying. However, I’ve found that exfoliating once a week or about once every 10 days will remove dead skin, help you maintain a natural glow, and help you avoid looking dull.

4. Don’t wear makeup everyday. Your skin needs a break! Wearing makeup every single day can cause breakouts. No one likes to think about it, but most makeup has chemicals in it. Wearing chemicals on your face 24/7 will eventually lead to breakouts and even worse, blemishes. Try to go at least one day a week without wearing makeup.

5. Wear a lot of sunblock every single day. I just got serious about wearing sunblock this summer. There is a noticeable difference in my skin this summer and last summer when I wasn’t as diligent. My skin tone is a lot more even. I don’t have any sunspots, and my freckles aren’t as noticeable. Sidenote: over 70% of signs of aging are caused by the sun, so while you’re in your teens and 20s, it’s prime time to protect your skin!

6. Don’t just focus on your face. You have to wear a swimsuit on stage, so you should remember your legs, arms, stomach, and feet need love too. Be sure that you are using moisturizing body wash or soap and exfoliating your whole body regularly as well. It works well to put on moisturizing lotion and creams as soon as you get out of the shower for the best results.