The Beauty Tips I'd Tell My Younger Self...

If only our wrinkles could be as cute as these...

In two months I'm going to be 30.

Wow, just writing that number makes me slightly nauseous.  Please don't think I'm one of those oh-man-I-hate-birthdays-and-want-to-permanently-stay-25 kinda gals because I'm honestly not (though being 25 forever sounds awesome.)  What's freaking me out about being 30 can be summed up in one word: wrinkles.  It's isn't that I have a lot, I don't, but we all know that as you age, you face ages too.  This is why I am worried.  (Which adds to wrinkles, I know, but I can't stop.)

However, what I would LOVE to be able to do is go back in time to chat with my 17 year old self and explain all the little things one should never do in their teens and early twenties....

1.  Never EVER go to sleep with your makeup on

This, my friends, is a classic no-no that I perfected while in my twenties.  Oh, who's fooling, I still do this after an extremely late night.  (Bad Christina.)  We all know the repercussions of being lazy but, unfortunately, this lack of cleansing leaves your skin dry, dirty, oily and clogs your pores to no end.  If you find yourself in this predicament, keep a container of Oil of Olay Daily Facial Wet Cloths (my favorite) on your bedside table and wipe as you're falling in to bed.  Trust me, you skin will thank you!!

2.  It's NEVER to early to start using an eye cream

I give props to my mom for starting me on an eye cream at a very early age (16) but I also curse myself for not using it as often as I should.  I always say this till I'm blue in the face but, seriously, if you begin a regimen that includes anti-aging early on, you're less likely to have a face load of wrinkles.  Some, yes but a face load, no.  My favorite eye cream is Clinique's All About Eyes.  It's the one I use myself every morning and evening.

3.  Water really does prevent blemishes

I grew up in a household where we ate well-balanced, healthy meals and junk food was almost never allowed through the front door.  When I moved out at 17 and began living on my own (and eating things like pop tarts for breakfast), I thought I'd disprove the theory that problem skin was directly related to junk food.  As it turns out, your skin does not like things like fried food, pop, sugar and tons of coffee.  Though having the odd bad-for-you meal out isn't going to affect your skin, a steady diet of these items will.  This is why it's important to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables AND drink 8 glasses of water a day.  The water flushes out the toxins in your body and your skin will be extra hydrated.  Plus, you'll have a natural glow.

4.  Sleep isn't for lame-o's 

It's called beauty sleep for a reason.  Your body needs downtime to revive and refresh itself for another strenuous day.  Now, being the odd sleeper I am, 7 hours is a good sleep for me but you should really be aiming for 8 hours, no more and no less.  They say that any more than 8 hours can actually make your body more tired.  So, aim for 8 hours and your skin will thank you.

5.  Picking pimples will make them scar

I never believed my mom when she used to say this to me.  I actually thought that by ridding my skin of the "white goo" I was doing myself a favor.  Ummm, this is really not the case.  Picking a pimple with your fingers can cause the blemishes to spread, will make the pimple area bright red and make the blemish the worse since your fingers carry germs of their own.  IF you need to be rid of a whitehead, grab a tissue and place it in between your fingers.  Cover your fingers with the tissue prior to placing them around the pimple and slowly press on either side.  Once the whitehead is gone, wipe the area with the tissue and STOP PICKING.  It may seem like there is more to pick at, but there actually isn't.  If you follow this rule, you skin shouldn't be as red, if at all.

Whew, so many tips for my younger self.  Are any of these tips you were doing when you were younger?