The Investment You Should Be Making In Your Skin

Whether we're swiping right to line up a date or streaming last night's episode of our favorite show, we're a generation that demands instant gratification. But wish as we might, there's still no magic potion that can whip up amazing skin in as little time as it takes to order lunch. By nature, skin care is a long-term investment. The effort you put in might not yield an immediate difference, but if you adopt a few healthy lifestyle habits now, we promise the gratification will come later. Of course, taking care of your skin involves more than just slapping a few products on it. You know you need to drink water, but L'Oréal Paris RevitaLift and Beverly Hills-based aesthetician Vanessa Hernandez recommend committing to eight glasses a day to really hydrate and flush out toxins. It's also important to add colorful veggies to your plate — they're packed with antioxidants that help skin fight off harmful pollutants. And, according to dermatologist Dr. Flor Mayoral, you should wear an SPF every day (not just in the summer) and seek out products with reparative antioxidants and retinols to double down on good skin from the outside in. While you might not see results as fast as your latest Insta is racking up Likes, the earlier you adopt a well-rounded skin-care regimen that incorporates healthy habits, like the ones that L'Oréal Paris RevitaLift recommends here, the sooner it'll pay off down the road — and the longer the benefits will last. Knowing that, delayed gratification doesn't sound so bad now, does it?