Too many people leave the job of taking care of their skin until it is too late, speaking from a beauty standpoint. When wrinkles, age spots, irremovable eczema patches and sagging skin are staring back at you from the mirror, you have already passed the point of no return and if you want to change what you see, you will have to resort to drastic measures.

The time to begin a skin care regime is now, before those wrinkles take over, before your cheeks are sagging and before you look like you remember your grandmother looking! Putting off skin care is no better than putting off quitting smoking or exercising, so if you care about your health you need to realise that today is the day you can prevent unwanted skin conditions!

Most skin problems are rooted in one of two things: improper daily routines and poor diet. Both of these factors are easily put right, assuming that you have the willpower to succeed with your skin care plan and retain that youthful exuberance.

First, stop for a moment and consider the way you have been treating not only your skin, but your entire body. Have you been eating well, incorporating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, healthy oils and pulses into your diet? Or have you been lazy when it comes to cooking, usually calling out for take out or heating up a packaged dinner?

What about when it comes to hygiene, are you usually structured about washing and caring for you skin? If you have not been doing your best to take care of the whole of your body, your skin will suffer in the long run. If you want to protect it from the effects of aging, you will need to make some lifestyle changes.

Foremost, your diet needs seeing to. You know full well which foods are good for you and which are not, so stop making excuses and throw out all the junk in your cupboards.

No more junk food, hydrogenated fats, processed sugars or microwave dinners for you! From now on when you go to the grocery store, head directly for the fresh produce section and stay there until you have selected as many different colours of vegetables and fruits as you can. Pigmentation represents different vitamin and mineral contents in the foods, so have fun with the shopping and be sure to load up on the fresh stuff. Next, get yourself some brown and wild rice, whole grain pastas and granary bread.

Vitamins are essential for all the chemical reactions that occur inside your body, and without them you will have a difficult time digesting your foods and extracting energy from them. Fibre is important for bodily cleansing and once you maximise your intake you will notice great improvement in the condition of your skin.

Once you have paid due attention to your diet, it is time to think about the way you topically treat your skin. Harsh soaps are to be avoided, because they strip natural oils from your skin and leave it dry, itchy and flaky. Select a PH balanced soap, and be sure to wash your face at least twice a day. Keeping your skin free of grime and bacteria will ensure that you develop fewer imperfections that can scar and look embarrassing. After cleansing, apply a rich moisturiser that will lock the water into your skin cells and stand up against sagging, wrinkling and other signs of aging.

Skin care is simple, but it starts from the inside out. Today is the day to start caring for your skin, so stop putting it off! Tomorrow may be a day too late.