While makeup can help you achieve the looks you desire, there are other things you can do to ensure that you have great skin both with and without the aid of those layers and layers of concealer(hopefully it's just one or two layers though!). After all, the business of beauty is a lifestyle, and not just cover up!

Now, some of these may be tips that seem too simple to be effective, but we’re talking the long haul here, not just some quick fixes...and for that, all these practices will prove successful in attaining truly great skin!

Let’s dive right in, shall we?

1. Drinking Plenty Of Water - This may seem like a no brainer to some, but if you’re anything like me, it may be difficult to remember to drink the water you need in that space between the hours that call for coffee and the hours that call for a martini. I’ve tried to have a cup with me at all times, but it usually just ends up being forgotten and with some floating cat hair in it. So I got one of those fancy(and covered) BKR bottles with the spikes on it. I know I have to drink two to three of the full glasses of the 1L size, and it makes it fun, stylish, and easy to do so!

Drinking water is an essential to beautiful skin for many reasons. Your skin is the biggest organ in your body, and since it’s mostly made up of water and loses large quantities of it every day, it’s important to replenish that loss of hydration(not just for beauty reasons, but also to, like, you know: stay alive and stuff).

As for beauty reasons, some benefits of drinking water include: hydration for dry skin, fewer wrinkles(because hydrated skin stays nice and plump!), combating issues like eczema, reducing puffiness and swelling of the skin due to water retention(bye bye puffy undereyes!), promotes faster healing which especially helps with acne prone skin, is anti-aging since it slows the process down, helps with blood flow, balances your pH...the list goes on! So if you’re on the fence about not really needing more water, hopefully this helps motivate you to up your intake! BKR Water Bottles($38-$58) are available at www.mybkr.com

2. Changing Pillow Cases Often - On average, a 2018 study found that Americans change their sheets every 24 days. According to the study, talked about in Business Insider, your pillowcase has more bacteria than your toilet seat if not washed often...EW! You might be wondering how this is possible. Well, each night, your body sheds around 15 million skin cells, not to mention the sweat you produce in beta sleep, so fungi and bacteria build up on your sheets. Even if you’re always on top of your skincare regimen, it builds up on your pillowcase, making it equivalent to one giant(and USED!) makeup wipe that you’ve been sleeping on. So it’s recommended that you change your pillow cases every three days, at minimum, and your bed sheets once a week to make sure you actually do get some beauty sleep and not...well, bacteria sleep!

The type of material that your pillow case is made of is just as important as how frequently you change/wash them. You may think a silk pillow case is a fancy extravagance and unimportant when it comes to beauty, but it really does make a difference! Using a silk pillow case can improve hair and skin hydration, prevent fine lines and wrinkles due to less friction as you toss around, and result in frizz free hair in the mornings. Silk fibers also help to regulate your temperature, unlike cotton pillows that absorb the moisture, keeping you cool and dry all night long. And, of course, it feels so soothing to lay your head on that smooth fabric at the end of a long day...and who doesn’t love a smooth pillow? Face Case Silk Pillowcase($50) is available at www.us.gotoskincare.com

3. Using Sunscreen For All 365 Days - There’s a belief that sunscreen is only necessary to use when it’s bright and sunny out, and not in the winter or when it’s cloudy. Clouds filter out sunlight, but not UV rays, which is the cause of cancer as well as aging. Cloudy days can block out as little as 20% of harmful UV rays, which means you’re still at risk for extensive damage to your body.

Choosing the right type of sunscreen, and knowing how to use it effectively to fit your lifestyle, involves some necessary research in order to ensure you get the protection you really need. But that’s okay, because I’ve done that part for you and you can find all the information you need right here!

You may think the SPF in your tinted moisturizer or your mineral powder may be enough, but it’s not. If you’re outside for a better portion of the day, or even close to a big window where sunlight can bounce off of the pavement or other buildings, the SPF in makeup won’t suffice as essential protection needed for your skin, or for your overall health. Plus, sunscreen needs to be reapplied as recommended, which you can’t really do with your makeup.

When choosing a sunscreen, it’s important to pick one that has a minimum 4 star UVA rating as well as a SPF rating of 30 and over because you want to make sure you’re protecting yourself from not only UVA rays(what penetrates the inner layer of skin, also called the “dermis”), but also UVB rays(what penetrates the outer layer of skin, also called the “epidermis”). So choose wisely! La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Milk SPF 60 is available at www.laroche-posay.us

4. Eating Skin Healthy Foods - This is, perhaps, my favorite category: getting some yummy in the tummy! However, it’s important to get the RIGHT yummies in your tummies, no? Some key things to look out for in your diet are:

• Healthy Fats with Omega-3(like walnuts, spinach, and oysters) to help make your skin’s natural oil barrier, which helps prevent blemishes as well as dryness
• Vitamin C(in red bell peppers, citrus fruits, and vegetables like broccoli and brussel sprouts) that helps undo the sun damage to elastin and collagen
• Antioxidants(found in things like berries, sweet potatoes, and beans) to assist in preventing and slowing down free-radical damage
• Vitamin A(contained in foods like carrots, eggs, and leafy greens) which can help with not only dryness, but can also help with wrinkles and hyperpigmentation in the skin

5. Catchin’ Those ZZZs - You know the term “beauty sleep”? Well, it actually makes sense that a certain number of hours of sleep is necessary not only for health reasons, but also to get the ideal skin you want. Per the CDC, the average adult should get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep nightly. This tip may be difficult for some to achieve, especially if you suffer from lifelong insomnia like I do. But there are both natural remedies as well as techniques and practices you can implement to try to help you sleep better at night. Here are some things that will help you get the quality sleep you need: 

• Try to be consistent in your sleep schedule. When you go to bed at similar timeframes and wake up around the same time everyday, your body adjusts and “gets used to it”, making it a little easier to get the sleep you need.
• Limiting screen time is an absolute must before bed. I know this is rather difficult to do in the age we live in, as well as with the busy work days we have when we just want to unwind in bed by looking at cat videos on Instagram, but I promise you it helps! Light from televisions and cell phones suppress melatonin and affect the quality of your sleep, so it’s important to “unplug” at least two hours before you plan on getting all tucked in.
• Avoiding large meals and alcohol before bedtime helps a lot. I know it may seem like that entire bottle of wine helped put you to sleep, but the quality of sleep is very important and you won't get that with your favorite Sauvignon Blanc.
• Making sure your bedroom is relaxing and at a comfortable temperature is also important. This tiny practice may not seem like much, but it can make all the difference between a night of quality sleep, and a night you ended up wondering if penguins have necks or not at 3:43 AM.
• This tip is very personal for me: writing! As someone who suffers from anxiety, I find that what keeps me up at night are thoughts and emotional situations that are all pent up inside. Keeping a journal can be very therapeutic in getting all your feelings out, allowing you the possibility of being free of pondering over them in the wee hours of the morning. I definitely notice a difference in my quality of sleep when I remember to write more, and I hope you do too!