3 Skin Care Habits A Master Esthetician Wishes She Knew In Her 20s

When it comes to securing firm, youthful skin, prevention is key. It's much easier to delay fine lines and wrinkles than it is to address them once they've settled deep into your skin, is it not? That said, the earlier you can start a consistent regimen, the better. 

Contrary to what you might think, the skin on your neck and décolletage is quite thin, yet it's often overlooked when it comes to daily care and sun protection.

See, many people forget to extend their skin care down to their chest, which makes UV damage, dry weather, and other environmental aggressors leave their mark much faster.

That being said: Extend your serums and moisturizers down onto the exposed chest skin.

When your body has enough vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, your skin literally shines.

It's why experts consider antioxidant serums (like vitamin C) the gold standard of healthy aging treatments—but if you want to really amp up your body's natural antioxidant defenses, you'll want to ingest antioxidants, too. 

"Even if it's just a greens [powder] or a multivitamin—get a good one and stay consistent. Biggest difference," says Leite.

A multivitamin, in particular, can help you meet the daily dietary requirements of vitamins and minerals that are not easily consumed from diet alone.

My personal favorite skin care tip: "Talk to yourself nicely. It will show through your skin how happy you are," says Leite. Look, we're all way too hard on ourselves. It's so easy to become frustrated with your skin—especially if you're struggling with a certain concern—but when you look back on photos years later, chances are you won't even notice the bout of hyperpigmentation on your chin, those fine lines around your eyes, or what have you. Try your best to give yourself grace.