1. Drink lots and lots and lots of water

This is the most important one. Drinking water and having healthy, clear skin go hand in hand. To regulate your body and skin, drink a glass of water for every glass of soda/alcohol/tea that you drink. At a restaurant, order your drink of choice and a water, and don't get a refill until you've drank the water as well.

2. Wash your hands before washing your face!!

This may seem minor, but can really make a quick difference in your skin. If you wash your face with your hands/fingers, without washing your hands first, you are pushing around the oil, dirt, and germs from your fingers all around your face. It's really gross when you think about it. Wash your hands with a gentle, unscented soap, and then use your fingers/hands to wash your face and apply moisturizers/serums/creams.

3. Exfoliate.

Finding a gentle exfoliating primer and using it daily will help your pores from getting clogged with the dirt, makeup, oil, and bacteria of everyday life. Put a pea sized amount on your fingertips, (AFTER you wash your hands), and scrub your T-zone. Wash off with warm water or your favorite cleanser. *****This will be especially beneficial after using a black head strip or a charcoal cleanser, that way the blackheads and clogged pores are gone and stay that way!

4. Cleanse your face. 

Cleanse your face. Don't just wash it off with warm water and a hand towel. Find a cleanser that works for you, and use that either with your fingers or a tool and scrub your entire face, then rinse with warm water and PAT dry with a towel, both in the morning and at night. In the morning, you have to get the oil, creams, etc., off your face before moisturizing/applying cosmetics, and at night, you have the oil/makeup off your face before your nightly skincare routine. If you have uneven skin tones, find a cleanser that combats redness/dark circles/age spot/etc. If you have acne-prone skin, find one that combats the acne.

5. Take your makeup off before bed!!!!!!!

6. Moisturize.

This is almost as important as drinking a lot of water! Moisturizing not only moisturizes your skin, but helps balance the oils on your face as well. It can also help to prime and prep your face for the day, or to calm and relax your face before you go to bed. It is imperative for every skin type to moisturize. For dry skin types, cream moisturizers will be the most beneficial. Cream moisturizers should help with flaky, peeling skin. For oily skin, gel moisturizers are a life saver. I personally have oily skin, and for years I thought that moisturizing would just make my face even more oily, until I discovered gel moisturizers! During the day, either alone or underneath your makeup, it keeps the oil at bay. A great gel moisturizer is Tarte's dose of H20 gel moisturizer. (A more affordable one is Garnier's Skin Active Gel Moisturizer, but if you can get Tarte's, I would recommend it. It lasts for a long time!!) For combination skin, it is probably a good idea to have both a cream-based moisturizer and a gel-based one on hand, so that both can be used appropriately depending on what side of the spectrum your face is on that day. (Or, if you have dry patches and oily patches, the gel moisturizer should do the trick all over.)

7. Use a serum before bed.

Due to my oily skin, I also stayed far away from serums for years. Then, I learned what types of oils were good for oily skin, and now, I won't go to bed without my favorite serums. Above is a list that should be helpful to finding which type of oils would be good for your skin! (Pixi has great, affordable serums!!!)

8. Massage your serums, creams, and moisturizers into your skin before bed.

This may seem kind of silly, but taking a minute to really massage and press your skin care routine into your skin will make a difference in the long run.

Bonus tip!!!

If you are able to, invest in a Clairsonic!!!! I had the Mia 2 for about two years, and I now have the Smart Pro version. They are my skin care best friend!! I don't go anywhere without my Clairsonic, and I would recommend it to absolutely anyone. While they are a little pricey, they have a lifetime warranty, and they make inexpensive skin care products work like high-end luxury ones. It washes your face 6x deeper than your fingers can, and honestly, your skin feels clean and tight after using it even one time. There are also brush heads that are makeup brushes, that can be used to blend foundation, concealer, contour, and any of your favorite liquid/cream products!