Needles, Blades & Bristles: How they can improve your complexion

You know what Iowa needs? A really good skincare clinic, and I'm not talking a medical dermatologist.  Nope, I'm referring to a cosmetic skincare clinic.  But since I haven't found one (and if I did, I'm not sure I could afford it) I've had to take my skincare into my own hands.  And you guessed it - my skincare includes needles, blades and bristles! More specifically; shaving my face, dermarolling, and washing my face with a brush.

It wasn't long ago that my skin was dry, kinda scaly, a little red, and wrinkles were showing up (but let's be real about wrinkles; I'm in my mid-30's - there's no stopping them, only slowing them down).  After two people (@radioamy, and Sherry, from Young House Love) sparked my curiosity in a couple of these tools, I did my research and gave them a try and believe-it-or-not these tools worked!   The best part is, none of these things are expensive and they don't require an appointment.

Here's some insight into how these three tools can improve your complexion.

SHAVING YOUR FACE. Sounds totally weird but it's similar to derma-planing.  Shaving your face removes the dead skin that can make your complexion seem dull.  It also removes the "peach fuzz" that can sometimes make your makeup look funky. All-in-all, it helps your skin glow and improves your makeup application.  I use these razor blades every other week.

DERMA-ROLLING also known as microneedling. This seems scarier than shaving your face considering your rolling needles across your face BUT I promise it's not.  What's actually happening is your making little punctures in your skin that are stimulating collagen production and collagen is what gives your face the soft, supple look.  In addition to stimulating collagen production it also helps to reduce acne scars, fine lines and wrinkles, may reduce sun damage and pigmentation, tighten saggy skin and fades stretch marks (calling all moms!!). I use this derma roller 3 nights a week.

FACIAL CLEANSING BRUSH. Washing my face with a facial cleansing brush is one of my favorite ways to give my face a deep clean.  Using a cleansing brush a couple of nights each week helps to clean out your pores which helps to reduce the appearance of pores.  No need to spend your money on an electric one, a manual brush like this one will totally do the trick!

Here are the overall benefits I've found after doing these three things regularly:

• My overall complexion has improved - I know this because I get compliments from time to time.
• Makeup application is much easier and foundation looks so much better.
• I wear less makeup - some days are just bronzer, brows, and mascara.
• I have more confidence.

I leave you with a few final skincare tips...

1. ALWAYS wear a daytime lotion with an SPF.  If it doesn't have an SPF leave it at the store unless your foundation has an SPF.

2. Save money on cleansers, spend money on serums and lotions

3. Invest in a good nighttime lotion, serum, or mask.

4. It's going to take 4-6 weeks, on average, to see results

Give these things a try and report back!