Back-to-school is a bittersweet time. It’s a time to say good-bye to the long and lazy summer days, but also a time to reconnect with friends and make new ones. With all the hustle and bustle natural to this time of year, it’s easy to forget to focus a bit on yourself and think of how you’d like to look that first day of school. We’re here to help you plan for your big first day with ten tips sure to get you looking flawless before that first bell rings. Saved by the bell? More like “Saved by Barris!”

1. EXFOLIATE

Skin is continually producing new cells, and as these new cells appear, the dead ones tend to sit on top of the skin, making it look dry and dull. When that happens, there’s not much point in moisturizing- so exfoliate dry skin prior to the start of the school year and stop wasting your moisturizer! You’ll notice a big difference, we promise.

2. USE CLEAN PRODUCTS

Do you know what you’re putting on your skin? Do you ever stop to read the list of ingredients on your lotions and potions before applying them? Because if you answered no, you really should start! You’d be surprised of the number of products with alcohol and perfumes that can cause your skin to freak out. So as a rule of thumb, use “clean products” that are alcohol and perfume free. After all, you may want to be the class clown, but you don’t want to look like one!

 

CCMedicatedAcneLotion

Clear Cell Medicated Acne Lotion, $29

3. DON’T POP PIMPLES

We know you’ve heard this advice, and it’s widely said because for a reason- it works. Instead of touching that pimple and aggravating the situation, take a deep breath, don’t freak, and apply a spot treatment with salicylic acid directly to the breakout. Not sure what product to use on the breakout? We recommend Image’s Clear Cell Medicated Acne Lotion, or a drop of two of tea tree oil.

4. PROTECT YOUR SKIN

Just because it feels like summer is coming to an end doesn’t mean you can start slacking on your SPF game, and the same goes on for moisturizer. So make sure you’re still protecting your skin from the elements and the harsh rays of the sun by applying a moisturizer with SPF daily. And don’t forget that one of the secrets to beautiful skin is consistency- so keep up your daily skincare routine, and make sure that applying an SPF and moisturizing are a part of that routine.

5. WEAR MINERAL MAKEUP

IconcealLine

IConceal Flawless Foundation SPF 30, $59.90

If your skin isn’t exactly where you want it to be, or if you feel the need to cover some of those “imperfections” and you  opt for wearing makeup, make sure you opt for kinder ways to cover up, such as mineral makeup or Image’s super  healing IConceal Flawless Foundation SPF 30. The IConceal foundation will even out skin tone without clogging  your pores, all while acting as a healing balm that will actually help make your skin HEALTHY and not harm it like  thick, heavy foundations that don’t allow skin to breathe. It also comes in 6 different shades for your to choose your  hue!

 6. GROOM YOUR BROWS

It’s been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul- then in that case, the eyebrows are the drapes, framing the room and making it look put together. A properly groomed and shaped brow can make a world of a difference, and having a professional brow wax, shaping, and tint can be that extra step that makes you start the year feeling extra confident.

7. BRIGHTEN YOUR SMILE

It is natural for teeth to whiten with age, but sometimes diet habits like coffee,  black teas, and red wine speed up the staining process. Thankfully, you don’t have to give up any of these if you don’t want to, since today there are plenty of fast whitening treatment and products available. If you want a quick, immediate pearly white smile, we recommend the DaVinci Teeth Whitening System, an hour long teeth whitening session that brightens teeth shades up to 14 shades, and which we offer here at Barris Laser & Skincare. If you’d rather do the at-home approach, DaVinci also offers professional whitening products to use at home.

8. MAINTAIN HEALTHY HABITS

The typical student life is a crazy combination of classes, sports, studying- leaving little time for exercise and relaxation, and this lack of balance is a top trigger for sickness and stress among students. So you want to look and feel you best? Then it is crucial to make time for exercise and sleep and trying your best to stick to a weekly schedule.

9. UPDATE YOUR BEAUTY ARSENAL

Most beauty products, including moisturizers and makeup, have expiration dates. An expired product loses efficacy and harbors dangerous bacteria or other germs, and back to school is a great time to refresh your beauty arsenal and get rid of expired products and update your  beauty arsenal. Plus, if you’re headed out to college, cleaning out old products will help save space in your dorm room or apartment. As you begin your update, consider travel-size kits- they are a great way to either test a new treatment, or have them around in your locker or for weekend trips with the girls.

10. SMILE

After all the brow shaping, whitening, exfoliating, moisturizing… the ultimate beauty boosting tip of all time will always be to smile! A smile opens up your face and puts that twinkle in your eyes. Don’t believe it? Research shows that finding that genuine smile may be a better beauty makeover than a new fancy wardrobe or an expensive hair cut, since a smile makes you look more attractive to others, as well as more sincere and competent.  And according to the “Halo Effect,” if people notice one good quality, they tend to assume that you have a host of other beautiful qualities. It’s simple, really- smile and be beautiful.

 

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