by Lynette Alice

Created on: October 16, 2009

Women in their twenties have the advantage of youth on their side when it comes to great looking skin, for the most part at least. The years have yet to take their toll creating wrinkles, frown lines, or puffiness. For the most part the biggest problems women have with their skin during this period of their life is the on and off cycles of a minor zit breakout associated to their menstrual cycle or the pill. The key to skin care at this age is not so much how to make it look great now, but how to lay the foundation to keep it looking great for years to come.

For women in their twenties two of the biggest enemies are the sun and partying when it comes to skincare. The impact the sun can have on skin is now well documented, yet most young women are still at that age when they feel invincible or don't think that just a few years of roasting under the rays in pursuit of the perfect bronze is going to have any ill effects on them in the future. partying is of course another huge skincare enemy. The fact is at most parties there are two things which are almost always present; alcohol and smoke.

Prolonged exposure to smoke, even secondhand smoke on a regular basis, can set the stage for looking like an alligator bag down the road. Smoking constricts blood vessels which in turn means oxygen and blood aren't being delivered efficiently which leads to early onset wrinkles due to the loss of elasticity in the skin. Alcohol dehydrates a person which leads to redness and swelling. Combine the breakdown of collagen with puffy red skin and it doesn't take a genius to know that is not a good look.

Now that you know what the major stumbling blocks most women in their twenties can trace their skincare problems to, what can you do to lay a good foundation for healthy skin in the future? The first step is to kill the zits! Even if you are not currently having a breakout it is a good idea to treat your skin as if you were each and every day. Use a cleanser that has 2% salicyclic or glycolic acid. This is enough to help keep breakouts at bay but nor enough to strip away all of your natural oils and cause a problem. if you have oily skin try a cleanser with a very low benzoyl peroxide content, but be careful to not overdo it.

Take it easy on the cosmetics. in your twenties it is easy to go overboard, but you have to remember that everything you put on your face can potentially clog pores. You are young and your skin is at its best already, there is no need for heavy foundations and

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