In my late 30s, I’ve learned a thing or two about a thing or two, especially when it comes to skincare. As you can probably tell I’m mildly obsessed with taking care of my skin when it comes to products, facials, treatments, and lasers. I just find it all so fascinating and would pretty much try anything out if I knew it would yield good results. Glowing, clear, vibrant skin is always my goal, and here are a few tips and tricks to get there that I’ve learned in my skincare journey throughout the years.

1. Wear SPF every single day: Sunscreen isn’t just for the beach. Slathering on SPF daily is the single most important skincare tip I can give you and I wish I had taken this advice in my 20s. It’s never too early to start wearing a daily SPF (yes, even on cloudy days). Sunshine on your face not only raises your risk of skin cancer, but can also cause you to develop more wrinkles, lines, and hyperpigmentation. All the things we start fighting against in our 30s and 40s.

2. If you use it on your face, use on your neck, chest, and hands: One of the biggest skincare regrets I have from my 20s is not using skincare products on my neck. I’m now seeing lots of wrinkles and folds that probably could have been somewhat prevented. The facialist I’ve been seeing lately (JoAnn at Greenwich Medical Spa who is a Goddess among us. I think my code JULIA50 still works for $50 off your next appointment) always tells me to take it a step further and use face products not only on your neck but also your chest and the back of your hands, three places that age quickly.

3. Skincare starts on the inside: There are hundreds of articles you could read right now about the best foods for your skin, but I live by the three that make the most difference for me personally…

First, try to drink half of your body weight in water every single day (e.g. if you weigh 160 pounds, you would drink 80oz of water/day). It’s a challenge and not always possible, but definitely a good goal. Second, cut back on sugar. When I eat a lot of sugar, my skin immediately breaks out, seemingly within hours. Third, alcohol is not a friend of your skin. When I stopped drinking I noticed that a lot of the puffiness that I’ve always had under my eyes and around my cheeks disappeared.

4. Sleep with a satin pillowcase: I learned this one from my colorist, Lindsay. A silk or satin pillowcase is important to prevent breakage if you have dry or bleached hair so I started using one for that but have since learned that it is also great for preventing sleep wrinkles at night. I use this one.

5. Use products that work for you: This one might seem obvious but I hear from people all the time that they tried a product because it was trendy or because all the influencers use it or because it’s expensive, and it doesn’t work for them. Everyone’s skin is different so what works for me may not work for you. Test and try different ingredients and brands until you find the perfect routine for you.

6. Everything adds up: One product or treatment isn’t going to be the end all be all for your skin. To have glowing and healthy skin, it takes effort from your diet to your products to your application of said products (tap, don’t rub!) to protecting your skin from the sun.