Skincare without the price

Look 439412347 years younger!

Yea, you've probably heard that before, and host of other slogans that skincare 'experts' use to coax you into buying their products. Personally, I don't employ a rigorous skincare regiment to keep my skin in the shape that I want it to be in. And while I can't stop consumers from spending umpteen dollars on products (because yes, they can work it's just they probably won't do all that they say they will) I can however advise you on how to keep your skin clean naturally and without breaking the bank.

1. Hormones:
 Sorry young men and women, you're hormones are raging and you're probably going to get acne. It's the way of life. Everyone gets it and it sucks. I know it does. Yes, some products work, but it's going to cost you. In extreme cases, prescriptions are sometimes given out by doctors. Unfortunately, there's nothing you can really do about your hormones but ride it out until your skin clears up.

2. De-stress:
Holy crap! The number of times I have gotten pimples from exam week! Stress is personally my number one cause of pimples. My recommendation is that you take some time to de-stress and you WILL see the results.

3. Sweat:
Yep, sweat is not only your body's way of controlling its temperature, it also keeps your pores clean. Next time you feel a breakout coming on, go for a good cardio workout. It's not only good for your overall health, it'll help keep your skin clean too.

4. You are what you eat:
Foods high in anti-oxidants are great for your skins health. These foods include berries, red grapes, tomatoes, and whole grain foods (just to name a few). Not only are they great lifestyle choices, they also help fight signs of aging and keep skin clear.

5. Swimming in Salt Water:
Swimming in salt water, while terrible on your hair, actually promotes moisture in your skin and keeps the pores clear. Not all pools are salt water, so you should probably check before doing this regularly because it can actually result in negative skin effects if the water is chlorinated.

6. Sunblock.
My mother is a sun-worshiper and her skin has been destroyed by the sun. She has had skin cancer 17 times and her skin looks like it has been through a warzone. Put some sunblock on or seek the shade. I know a tan looks good but too much tan can literally kill you.

8. Wash your fricken face!
This is probably the most important one, to be honest. The number of friends that I have who wear lots of makeup and then just don't wash it off before they go to bed drives me insane. If you're not going to wash your makeup off, don't complain about acne and a bad complexion. It is the easiest thing you can do to promote healthy skin.

When it comes to picking products for my skin, I try to avoid ones with a high price tag because that usually means I'm just paying for their massive marketing campaign rather than the quality of the product itself. I use a generic liquid soap on my skin because I find that products high in chemicals like those blackhead removers and fancy face washes actually cause my skin to breakout rather than prevent it.

One other important fact I'd like to mention is MOISTURIZER. Doesn't have to cost a ton, just pick the stuff that's right for your skin. I personally use a cheap, generic moisturizer with SPF 15 to help stop the sun from aging me beyond my years.

On a final note, your skin is the largest organ in your body. You know those commercials that say "use this get healthy looking skin!"? Personally, I'd prefer if the largest organ in my body didn't just look healthy, but actually was healthy. Also, nobody has perfect skin. Don't worry if you have imperfections, the commercials are all airbrushed anyway.