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Especially because we live in an arid climate, dermatologist Pamela Broska tops her guidelines for skin health with hydration. She advises desert residents to avoid excessive hot showering and harsh soaps and to apply a body moisturizer immediately after a shower. She prefers cream formulas with ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
What ONE thing should you do every day?
“Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.” — Pamela Broska. M.D.
“You want to protect during the day and repair at night,” Broska says. She recommends sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 applied over an antioxidant base of vitamin C cream for daytime hours and the use of retinol products in the evening.
Though she mentions the benefits of a South and Central American fern extract (Polypodium leucotomos) and vitamins D and E on the skin, Broska identifies “a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables” as an overall smart strategy.
Fitness coach Jay Nixon credits dehydration for a sweeping majority of skin issues. “It’s not just about water, but also electrolytes,” he says. “You need omega-3 fatty acids, like fish oil. They have zero bad side effects and so many benefits.”
Dietitian and nutritionist Courtney Pogue agrees that maintaining hydration is the most important thing you can do for your skin and recommends fish-oil supplements or eating fish a couple of times a week. She notes that vegetarians can derive omega-3 fatty acids from flax seeds (also available in oil supplements)
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ILLUSTRATION BY GREDDY HEN