S.O.S- Save Our Skin – Ways to Take Care of Your Body’s Biggest Organ

In your 20′s your skin is going through all kinds of changes. I think of it as a kind of second puberty. As you transition from 20 to 30, your skin is going through everything from the last throes of teenage acne, to the beginning of thirtysomething concerns such as fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and more. I’ve spoken before about what I refer to as the grown woman’s skincare regimen - you start seeing more and more signs that tell you when it’s time to start creating one.
Here’s how you know when it’s time to S.O.S, when it’s time to start adopting a grown woman skincare regimen of your own, and the products that you can begin using to combat these issues – part of my ongoing #HealthySkin posts with Aveeno and Glam!

4 Signs You Need to Save Your Skin
#1 – dryness out of nowhere all of a sudden. When I was in my 20′s, my skin never seemed to be dry — it was always oily, shiny, slick and sweaty. As I’ve grown older what I’ve noticed is that I still get oily and I still get sweaty, but the internal moisture that made my skin consistently juicy is no longer as apparent. Your skin may not actually physically look dry everywhere, but there’s certain tell-tale areas where you can notice a change — under your eyes and around your mouth, for example. Or you might notice a general feeling of tightness where your skin just feels kind of less elastic than it used to. That’s a telltale sign that your skin needs to be replenished with topical moisturizers and day and night. This is where Aveeno’s Positively Radiant daily moisturizer and Intensive Night Cream can come in.
#2 – Wrinkles? What? When I was growing up, I very foolishly thought that wrinkles would never be a concern for me, having believed all of the traditional clichés about black skin. Some people still do say that “black don’t crack,” but it definitely can fissure and crease. I started noticing more and more expression lines around my eyes and my forehead as I crept more and more into my 30s. Now I make sure to take special care of those sensitive areas with targeted moisturizers and serums, and I make sure to remove ALL my eye makeup at night, as the products tend to inhabit and enhance the appearance of my under-eye crevices. No bueno!
#3 more skin sensitivity. I never had particularly sensitive skin when I was growing up, but now that I’m older I’ve noticed that certain skincare items will result in stinging or burning. I recently burned the bejesus out of my chin area, trying to combat the rough skin there. I’ve come to realize I need to be gentle and I can’t just slap any old products on my face — which is why I’m thoroughly enjoying the Aveeno products that I have been reviewing along the way in this healthy skin challenge. Aveeno is all about gentle, effective skin care ingredients that are specially chosen for those particular needs. The soy complex is doing me right.
#4 – A need for increased protection. I never thought about my skin needing protection from the elements, until I realized what the elements were doing to my skin. Sun exposure was exacerbating my hyperpigmentation. Harsh  winds and brisk air was sapping my internal moisture levels. I now make sure to wear a moisturizer with SPF protection in it every day. Aveeno’s daily moisturizer is one of my favorites!
Those four skin care factors led me to start taking my situation much more seriously. Now I don’t leave the house without moisturizer to protect me from the elements, and at night I make sure to cleanse and moisturize again to replenish my skin. The goal is to keep it tight and right well into my twilight years!