Let’s face it. Life can be incredibly crazy and stressful sometimes. With balancing school, internships, work, family and friends, finding time to properly care for your skin and health can seem impossible, but it’s important to remember that self-care should be made a priority in your everyday life. Putting your health first ensures that you have the energy, mindset and confidence to give your best at everything you do. Here are a few tips and tricks for keeping your skin healthy and clear during these hectic times.

Remove your makeup and wash your face

After a long, busy day, nothing sounds better than some Netflix and chill followed by immediately passing out on your bed. However, taking the extra five minutes to remove your makeup and wash your face before bed is so important for your skin. Removing the dirt, oil, and environmental toxins that accumulate on your face throughout the day will help to keep your pores unclogged, which is an important step for preventing breakouts. Not all cleansers are made the same, though. Harsh cleansers can actually lead to an increase in oil production, disruption of the skin barrier, irritation and breakouts, so look for a cleanser that will clean the skin without stripping it dry. And, if you’re feeling extra energetic, follow cleansing with a treatment or toner and some moisturizer!

 Get enough sleep

Sleep is not only essential for proper health and development, but studies also suggest that a lack of sleep can affect skin health as well. When your body is stressed, such as from a lack of sleep, it produces more of the stress hormone, cortisol. Increased cortisol levels cause an increase in inflammation, and interfere with DNA repair, which can worsen your acne and disrupt skin barrier function. Not getting enough shut eye can also affect your mood, make it hard to concentrate, and increase moodiness and psychological distress. Even though everyone knows sleep is important, one third of young adults are not getting the hours of zzz’s they need every night. So, no matter how tempting it is to cram in that last-minute studying or scroll through those last few posts on Instagram, make it a priority to get enough shut eye each night.

Try to keep a (mostly) healthy diet

When you’re busy and stressed, junk food tends to look even more appetizing than usual. However, foods high in sugars, unhealthy oils and fats lead to feelings of sluggishness, mental fatigue and increased inflammation, and this unbalance tends to show itself on the skin. So, while it’s tempting to eat easily-available, processed foods during those busy weeks, remember to try and make it a priority to include some wholesome grains, fresh vegetables and lean proteins into your diet that will energize and fuel your body to help you tackle that to-do list.