The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) officially designates November as National Healthy Skin Month, and we have some tips from Dr. Michael Gold, dermatologist surgeon of Gold Skin Care Center in Nashville, TN, on how to keep skin fresh, hydrated and healthy all year round.

Face washing should be part of everyone’s daily skincare regimen. The correct way to ensure that your skin gets the proper cleansing it needs:

1. Remove makeup to get rid of oil, dirt and debris build up from the day. Dr. Gold’s expert pick: Dermalogica Precleanse
2. Gently cleanse skin with lukewarm water using a nickel-sized amount of face wash. Gently massage it into your skin using circular motions for 30-seconds before rinsing. Finish with a splash of cool water, which will help to close the pores. Dr. Gold’s expert pick: Clarisonic Skin Cleansing Brush for optimal cleansing
3. Exfoliate your skin biweekly to keep your pores clear and complexion radiant. Dr. Gold’s expert pick: NIA 24 Physical Cleansing Scrub

Dr. Gold also recommends:

• Wearing a moisturizer with a minimum SPF 30 on a daily basis in addition to a sunscreen base to ensure your skin is always protected.
• To keep your skin hydrated, especially when traveling, drink plenty of water, avoiding carbonated beverages and alcohol. Carrying a spray water such as the Avene Thermal Spring Water is also a good idea
• Lots of shut eye! One of the most important factors affecting your skin is the amount of sleep you get, so make sure you are getting enough rest each night to wake up glowing. Dr. Gold is also an expert when it comes to knowing how to care for skin while traveling (he has over 4.5 million air miles!) Here are his tips for keeping skin glowing even when up in the air:

Although jet lag per se does not affect your skin, traveling itself can. Being at high altitudes in pressurized cabins can dry out skin, causing you to look more wrinkled and dull. Jet lag sleep deprivation can also lead to looking more tired from an increase in puffiness around the eyes.

To help minimize the effects of traveling, Dr. Gold suggests the following tips:

• Drink plenty of water during long flights and avoid a great deal of carbonated beverages and alcohol
• Use spray water abundantly such as the Avene Thermal Spring Water
• Sleep when you can and calculate what time it will be when you land, to adjust to that time as quickly as possible