Publisher’s note:  In our ongoing effort to give our teenagers and young adults space for their writing, My Edmonds News is pleased to present “Edmonds Beauty,” a column written by a recent Meadowdale High School grad.

By Aygin Ghorbani

Summer is coming to an end, meaning our skin probably has more damage than ever. It’s time to leave harsh sun rays, sunburns and chlorine behind and get your skin back to its normal self in no time. Regardless of whether you are feeling radiant, these four easy tricks will make you look the part:

Exfoliate daily

Use an exfoliating brush, whether an electric Clarisonic or a manual brush from a place like Sephora — depending on how much you are willing to spend. Apply a dime-size amount of cleanser onto your brush. This will create a smooth surface. Do this once a day; more often will strip away the skin’s natural oil, which is not a good thing, even for those who have combination to oily skin.

Self masks at home

Whether it is a peel or a mud mask,  do a deep clean on your face. Self-made ones are acceptable, too — no one ever said that they have to be a brand name. Two of my personal favorite masks are made from ingredients in everyone’s refrigerator.

If you have acne, sensitive or dry skin, put three tablespoons of plain yogurt in a bowl and whisk them with a couple drops of lemon juice. Lemon has lots of alpha hydroxy acid, great for acne-prone skin! Apply a thin layer all over the face, and let it dry for 10-15 minutes (If you would like, you can always add a second layer to it too!) Rinse with warm water– the yogurt is not only great for inflammation of any kind, but will leave your skin baby soft.

The second is for tightening those pores and helping prevent wrinkles. It’s simple: All you have to do is take an egg  yolk, whisk it in with one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and apply with a face brush. Now be careful, this one is watery so it can be quite messy. Lie down when applying, and let it dry for 15-20 minutes. Follow up each week. Remember to always wash with warm water, but finish off with cold to close those pores.

Pick a moisturizer

Most people with oily skin might read this and think, “Well, I don’t need that, my skin has plenty!” That’s where you are wrong. Your skin is only oily because you’re stripping its natural, essential oils from it, causing it to produce more! If you moisturize at night, apply it after you put on the toner. However, always make sure your night cream is richer in texture for the PM, not AM. In the morning before you apply your makeup, not only should you use a light moisturizer, but after that a primer to help lock in your makeup. My advice? For night I use MAC cosmetics Studio Moisture Cream, which helps give me a glow — it also helps my acne scars! For the morning, however, I use Dr. Brandt’s Pore Thing T-zone Pore Tightener, which helps minimize pores, discoloration, and lines. Try these out! I guarantee a good moisturizer will be your best friend!

Get a glow

Living in the Northwest doesn’t always guarantee sunshine, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get tan without it. Cheat a glow! Once a week, apply a self-tanner onto your face. But remember, you always need to exfoliate! Try St. Ives apricot scrub, or Olay’s Total Effects Refreshing Citrus Scrub. My personal favorites for face are Jergens Natural Glow daily moisturizer, and also Smashobox’s Halo Highlighting Wand.

Our fashion choices we made when we were younger might be something we might regret, but taking care of our skin will never be. Whether in high school, or at home with the kids, it doesn’t matter. We should all devote time to take care of ourselves. After all, it’s a part of who we are.

Aygin Ghorbani is a 2012 graduate of Meadowdale High School, where she wrote a beauty column for the high school newspaper. Aygin is attending Edmonds Community College and plans to transfer to the University of Washington.