I'm talking about you young folks. Yes, you're young and now is the best time of your life to establish a great beauty care routine. OK, I'm not exactly old. Just turned 31 so I have plenty of young years to enjoy (wink, wink). But thinking on how drastically our faces and bodies change as we age I am realizing now more than ever how important it is to keep my skin healthy. Also, there are many small things that when we're still very young may think are not that important. So I figured a few tips on how to stay on track while your skin is in its best shape could be enlightening.

I've said it before but I just adore the phrase "Less is more". It's just so true. This goes for cosmetic or any product you're going to place on that precious face of yours. Gentleness is the key. Many of those harsh active ingredients in adult skin care products are too much for young, sensitive skin and can end up irritating or cause allergic reactions. A good gentle cleanser twice a day and following with a light moisturizer will do the trick. Don't overdo exfoliation. Usually once a week with a soft washcloth is plenty.

When is OK to go outside without an spf? Never, ever, ever! No matter what your age you are always exposed to the same risks and damage from the sun. It's best to get in the habit of wearing as spf now. You'll thank yourself in the future, believe me. I like to use a moisturizer with that has an spf already in it so I don't have to add an extra step to my daily skin care routine. The easier your beauty routine, the more likely you are to be loyal to it.

Then there's makeup. I won't go into all the details, again less is more, but I would like to touch on the subject of foundation. This is the time in your life I'm just going to say skip it. Your skin is young and beautiful and if you have any flaws at the moment due to acne foundation is just going to gunk things up and make it so much worse. Then you'll end up having to cover up even more. Forget the foundation and just use a concealer in targeted trouble areas. Keeping your pores clean and unclogged will contribute to healthier, more radiant problem free skin.

My last tip would be eat right and drink water. I sometimes feel like I bring this up in every beauty article I write but it is the number one way you can consistently have beautiful, healthy skin. Remember, with age comes health problems including those also involving your skin. You may have to do more later in life to nurture your face and skin, but now is the time to enjoy the blessings of your youthful complexion. So take it easy with how you treat your face and it will love you for it!