Skin in the Game
Ready? Set. Glow!
While most 20- or 30-something’s have their lives pretty much together (most of the time), they might need to step up their skincare game. The struggle is never more real than when it comes quarter-life skin issues, aka the annoying changes like enlarged pores, uneven skin tone & rough texture that are suddenly showing up. Don’t stress though! There are tons of quarter-life specific secrets that will calm all your concerns.
Use fresh ingredients and fermented foods to get that lit from within glow. Credit: Jessa Blades
While your quarter-life skin struggles may momentarily cramp your style we spoke with Jessa Blades, the natural beauty expert, herbalist & creator of Beauty by Jessa and millennial, to share a how she glows through them & more:
Lack Of Radiance
“We all aspire to effortlessly healthy, glowing skin,”
says Blades. “But because of the lives we lead—never shutting down, lack of vacation & sleep and constant FOMO—we’re missing out on a lot of self-care, which takes away a natural glow.”
If you don’t perpetually look like you’ve just come back from vacation (read: sun-kissed, healthy & rested), Blades recommends building beauty from the inside with fermented foods.“Eating things like kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut & kimchi helps all our body systems function better, so the effects of stress & fatigue are less apt to show on your face,”
Blades advises. For a quick fix dab on a cream blush that mimics the shade you turn after pinching your cheeks, highlighter on the cheekbones & inner eye, as well as a coat of mascara. Bonus: Using products with fermented ingredients (like Origins Original Skin Essence Lotion with Dual Ferment Complex) will also help you amp up that glow.
Natural beauty expert Jessa Blades. Credit: Alexis Buryk
Rough, Uneven Skin
This is another case where an inside-out approach is key to success. Blades recommends consuming good-quality organic olive oil & oily fish, like salmon. Also avoid dehydrating drinks, like coffee & alcohol. All this helps you stay hydrated which keeps skin looking smoother & healthier. Using serum helps refine texture & restore glow, so think about adding one to your regimen.
Acne
Acne is probably not a major source of angst anymore, but it can still be a problem that requires some extra TLC from time to time. The solution? Listen to your body. “If something you’ve been using on your skin hasn’t been working, give it a rest,”
says Blades. Avoiding inflammatory foods, like processed dairy, sugar, coffee & wheat can also help keep breakouts at bay. At first, go cold turkey; then reintroduce them to your diet slowly, one at a time, to see if the impact is visible on your skin. Your cycle could also be to blame, so keep track of it with apps like Daysy or Kindara or by using your Bellabeat Leaf.
Suncare
To keep glow going for the long game, sunscreen is a must. Blades believes the sooner you make applying sunscreen a habit, the better. Choose one with SPF 15 or higher and—if you’ve got reactive skin—try a lotion with mineral blockers like Zinc & Titanium Dioxide. Our fave? Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Defense SPF 45.