'I’m a beauty writer. Here are the 7 pieces of skincare advice I’d give my younger self.'

Beauty knowledge and expertise was not as widely shared as I grew up. Teenage years were hard and Instagram, with all the beauty influencers and experts, were not actually around yet. So we did a lot of learning on the fly. Hoping for the best… and not always achieving.

I’ve had a little more skincare practise since and there are now so many things I wish I could go back and tell myself if I could!

So I thought I’d share some of those tips. Here's exactly what I'd tell my younger self.

1. SPF is your best friend. You won’t know it now, but you’ll thank yourself for it.

SPF is booming at the moment, but growing up it was something we reluctantly did when it was forced upon us. Yes, we know it was bad to get sunburnt, but hey… the tan looked great! Oh how I was I could rewrite that past…

SPF also wasn’t enjoyable to use. It was thick, left a white shadow and always came with that iconic sunscreen smell. Not to mention the taste when it accidentally ended up in your mouth.

We’ve come along way, and SPF is now sexy, with brands delivering us options that are comfortable and fun to use. The one step we can’t forget though, is our lips. 

Our lips are often forgotten, and cop the brunt of all the elements: the sun, the wind and the cold. The Blistex Intensive Repair Pot is a lip balm that contains menthol and eucalyptus to instantly cool, protect and relieve dry, chapped lips. It’s PABA free, and designed to prevent further damage from the elements as well, including sun, with SPF 15, wind and the cold – restoring that ideal natural moisture balance to cracked, dry lips in just 24 hours. 

We're good at protecting our face and often our bodies with SPF, but our lips regularly go missed and need just as much protection. An important one I wish my younger self knew a lot sooner (and makes for more hydrated base for wearing lip products on top).

Image: Supplied.

2. Less is more when it comes to exfoliation.

Who else was guilty of over exfoliating? Yep. Me too!

Growing up I believed that exfoliation was the key to solving all my acne problems. So I introduced every acid under the sun, I used all the physical scrubs I could find and boy, my skin hated me for it. 

Exfoliation is good in moderation (like so many things), but not every day. Put the apricot scrub away and pick a good chemical exfoliant instead. Not all physical exfoliants are bad, but a chemical exfoliant is going to work on a deeper level and often be less irritating.

Choose an acid that is designed for your skin type and need (for example, you might choose an AHA if you are wanting to exfoliate dry skin, or BHA if you’re wanting to target blackheads) and use this once or twice a week. Not. Every. Day. 

Also remember that texture is normal. Everyone has it and it’s okay! 

3. Please don’t go to bed with your make-up on.

One of the biggest repeated beauty mistakes I think I ever made. And I wondered why my skin would be dry, breaking out and just generally unhappy.

Please. Stop. Going. To. Bed. With. Your. Make. Up. On. 

Invest in a good cleanser. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it needs to be one that you’ll use. Find a formula you enjoy and use it every night. To step it up, double cleanse to ensure you’ve removed every last drop of make-up and SPF before you apply the rest of your skincare (remembering those lips too!). 

Your skin will thank you for it, I promise. 

4. Moisturise your elbows. And lips. And legs.

This might be something I was just lousy about generally, but I just neglected adding moisture back into my skin completely. It meant sections of my skin were constantly dry, flaky or sore: my elbows, legs... If I’ve learnt anything, it’s not to neglect parts of your body. Care for it all. 

5. Your face ends at your boobs. No, seriously. 

While we are on the train of neglecting parts of your body – let's add in chest, neck and hands. 

These are parts of your body that will show fine lines and signs of ageing more significantly if you neglect them. My hands, in particular, are starting to look dry and aged already and I’m trying so hard now to make up for lost time. Invest in a good hand cream, even better when it has SPF in it.

As for chest and neck, you don’t need to buy skincare dedicated to these areas, just use the skincare products you are already using. One of the best tips I’ve ever received is that ‘your face ends at your boobs’, therefore your skincare should end there too. 

6. Stop picking your pimples. Put down the toothpaste.

I’m still learning this one, I won’t lie. But teenager Laura was a shocker for it. 

When my skin was particularly bad I just couldn’t help myself. I would squeeze and pick every pimple that appeared. Then the tears would come the next morning when I woke up and my skin would be worse than when I’d gone to bed.

Let them follow their natural course. Leave them alone. Ignore the toothpaste tip. Stop picking and squeezing. Just let them do their thing, keep them hydrated and they will be gone in no time, with less of a scar too.

7. Hydration is honestly your best friend. 

Don’t believe them when they tell you that you don’t need moisturiser if you have oily skin. Or you need to let blemishes dry out. Hydration is your friend. Actually, another best friend, along with ol' mate SPF (lookin' at you, Blistex Intensive Repair Pot). It will help your skin look plumper and more refreshed.

I wish I could tell my younger friend that hydration will make so many of my skin issues better. Focusing on hydration, with a touch of exfoliation (rather than the other way round) will help to allow your skin time to recover and restore. Moisture is also great for relieving the angriness of pimples. 

So invest in a good moisturiser, add in a hyaluronic acid, drink some more water, follow with your SPF daily and you’re set. Then wash it all off at night with your good cleanser, of course.

What skincare advice would you give your younger self? Tell us in the comments below!

Try Blistex Intensive Repair, specially formulated to wrap your lips in a protective moisturising barrier to restore hydration and prevent further damage from the elements. Shop now from Chemist Warehouse, Woolworths and more.

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

Feature Image: Supplied/Mamamia.