8 Ways To Get Your Glow Back After A Season Of Dry Skin

I consider myself to be a fairly low-maintenance girl, and I’ve never thought of myself as having perfect skin. But as I’ve gotten older and seen my skin go through plenty of fits, I decided to start applying some of the time-tested tips from family, friends and experts.

You know what? They were all right. Here are eight skincare tips I've learned:

1. Wash your face only at night.

Your skin doesn't get dirty at night, and it needs those oils to be reproduced. Your body does its thing, so trust it.

The less soaps you use, the less dry it will be, and your skin will be able to regulate itself. Just rinse your face with water in the morning, and then continue with your normal routine.

2. Drink water.

It’s annoyingly true. Your skin is the largest organ, and if you’re dehydrated, it’s going to react.

Being dehydrated doesn’t just mean not drinking enough water. It also means drinking things like coffee or soda in excess. The caffeine sucks up water from your skin, and it can show what you think are wrinkles.

3. Wear sunscreen.

I personally can already see that I’ve developed more freckles in the past five years than I used to have in my entire life. My skin used to be perfectly clear, with just a few beauty marks.

4. Eat clean.

Not only is it great for all of the other reasons you’ve been lectured about, but it really does effect your skin. Eating vegetables will show up on your face, just like eating sugar-heavy products like delicious, creamy ice cream or salty, oily chips.

5. Moisturize.

When I was 24, a doctor told me he would give me a discount on Botox. I was horrified, but I was about to have him immediately inject me right then and there. When I happened to mention this to my waxer, she scoffed and said those lines were just from my parched skin.

Yes, drinking water helps, but so does using a high-quality moisturizer. I’m 30, and those wrinkles I thought I had a few years ago magically disappeared with a few tweaks to my skincare routine.

6. Experiment.

No one brand is going to be the be-all and end-all for your skin. It might have a face wash that works great for your skin type, but its face mask could stink. Don’t be afraid to mix and match brands or to switch if a product isn’t working for you like it did when you were 16.

7. Don’t pick.

It’s tempting to do it. Heck, even people like Dr. Pimple Popper has created quite the following for herself doing just that.

But unless you have someone who knows what he or she is doing and is using clean instruments, it will only cause blemishes to fester. They will also often get worse or cause scarring.

Do whatever it takes to resist: cut your nails short, don’t look in the mirror for 24 hours, take a steamy shower, spot treat it or treat yourself to a facial. But just leave it alone.

8. Urinate on yourself.

This one was a shocker. It came from a well-respected esthetician in Los Angeles. She said if you’re breaking out, the next time you’re in the shower, pee into your hand and dab it on the area you’re breaking out.

It’s about helping your skin regulate itself and restore its pH balance. Of course, if you’re not eating great, your urine won’t be balanced, so there’s even more motivation to eat that spinach and carrot side dish.