Given the passing of Mental Health Awareness Week, I think it's important to talk about how beneficial self-care is. Self-care means something different to each individual, but whenever I feel like giving myself a little treat, I always do a face mask. That made me think about how much I enjoy having a skin care regimen. The concept of routine and the mere idea of doing something beneficial for my body helps me with my mental illness. Not only can taking care of yourself be beneficial for your mental health but taking care of your skin is incredibly important. Having a good relationship with your skin helps you get remove oil, dirt, and toxins from your face, maintain its hydration and get rid of acne and breakouts. The basic skin care routine everyone, regardless of age, race, gender, skin type, etc. is the following--cleanse, tone, and moisturize. I am in no way an expert, just a girl who researches a lot!

Cleansing your face is an obvious concept. You should pay attention to what cleanser you put on your face. If you have dry skin, you should try implementing a cream cleanser or one specifically for moisturizing. If you have oily skin, you should try to use a gel cleanser that is made for oil control. If you have combination or normal skin, you should get a basic cleanser that isn't marketed towards oil control or hydration.

Toning is not so obvious. While most people skip this step, it's actually pretty important. Toning your face helps the pH of your skin get back to normal. Some toners contain acne fighting ingredients so they can be helpful particularly if you have acne prone skin. There are different toners for different skin concerns such as redness, acne, discoloration, etc. They're generally inexpensive, and all you have to do is pour some on your clean hands or a cotton round and apply it to your face and neck.

Finally, you should moisturize. Even if you have oily skin, a moisturizer is the key to keeping it under control. Sometimes your skin is oily because it's trying to overcompensate for a lack of moisture. Try a light moisturizer, with a gel consistency, to make sure your skin gets the hydration it needs while not being too thick on the skin. If you have dry skin you can get a thicker moisturizer to keep it hydrated and of course, drink tons of water.

Those are the basics. It's also very important to research what you're putting on your face. I check the ingredients of all of my skin care products online to look for comedogenic (acne-causing) ingredients. You'd be surprised how many products marketed for acne contain harmful ingredients. I use this website. I didn't check the ingredients in a foundation, and I broke out so bad from it. If you feel like you have some urgent skin concerns such as acne, redness, scarring, dehydration, and hyperpigmentation then feel free to read on!

For acne, the trick is to cleanse day AND night. Never sleep in makeup, there are so many reasons you shouldn't but mostly it's just gross. If you feel like you stay on top of your skin and you still have bad acne, definitely see a dermatologist and get a prescription treatment. You can see a dermatologist covered by your insurance or try Curology, which is an online dermatology service where you send pictures of your face and they mail you a prescription. Alternatives to this are tea tree oil, aloe vera, rose water, and witch hazel. There are many natural treatments but these are the most effective ones, in my opinion.

For dehydration, make sure you can recognize the cause of it. If you aren't drinking enough water (you can tell by the color of your urine) then try to get in those 64 ounces a day. If you take hot showers and wash your face with hot water, try switching to lukewarm water. If your showers are too hot, they can actually strip your face of beneficial oils. Also try to find products with hyaluronic acid in them, as they are used to promote moisture.

For scarring and hyperpigmentation, try using a serum in between the toner and the moisturizer that contains vitamin C. You can also try professional chemical peels. These are expensive though, so to treat my acne scars I actually microneedle my face and microneedling has been shown to lighten scars and even out skin tone and texture.

And lastly, for redness, try products containing aloe vera. There are masks, serums and moisturizers specifically marketed to people with rosacea. Always wear sunscreen because UV rays can make redness worse. If you wear makeup, try a green color corrector underneath your foundation.

Not only does obtaining the right skin care products matter, but ultimately how you treat your insides reflects on your outsides. This means less soda, more water. Healthier food choices and exercise also help. Skin care isn't just hygienic, it's a great way to avoid premature aging and once you establish your own routine it's very relaxing and will make you look and feel better in the long run. While skin care isn't a cure for mental illness, it can help on those down days. If you think you're suffering from a mental illness, a good skin care routine isn't enough. Don't be afraid to ask for help.