One way to protect your skin is to keep it out of the sun's rays. When you head outside, especially in the harsh light of summer, try wearing a hat to protect your face. Sun damage makes your skin look older over time. It can make it appear leathery, dry, or discolored. Showers that are too hot or too long can make your skin dry because they wash away your skin's natural oils. Try to take as short a shower as you can. Also, instead of very hot water, stick with warm water to protect your facial skin. Strong soaps, like hot showers, can take too much oil from your skin. These oils keep you naturally hydrated. Without them, your face appears older. Look for soaps that say "moisturizing" or for "sensitive skin." When you get out of the shower, it's tempting to scrub your face and body dry with your towel. However, being too rough isn't good for your skin, plus blotting helps moisture stay on your skin, where it can be absorbed. To protect yourself against the sun, it's important to put on sunscreen every day. Every time you go outside, the sun has a chance to damage your skin, so putting sunscreen on in the morning can help protect you against that damage. Pick one that has an SPF of at least 30 and protects against UVB and UVA rays. Pick a moisturizer designed for your skin type. That is, if you have oily skin, pick one for oily skin; on the other hand, if you have dry skin, choose one that is labelled for dry skin. Apply it to your face after you shower. It can also be helpful to apply it at night. You can also choose a daily moisturizer that has an SPF, meaning you only have to put on one cream in the morning. You already know that smoking is bad for your lungs, but you may not know that it's also hard on your skin. It can make your skin look older because it causes problems with the elastin and collagen in your skin. If you have acne, you may feel like it keeps your face from being fresh-looking. By treating your acne, you'll help your skin look smoother and fresh. To treat acne, you can start by washing your face twice a day with a mild acne cleanser. You can also use acne lotions or creams. If you're still having problems, ask your doctor about prescription creams or cleansers to help clear up your acne. Also, ask about birth control if you have flare-ups around your period. Sometimes, acne is caused by a rise in hormones, so using birth control can help even out your hormones and reduce acne.
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One-sentence summary -- Wear a hat. Take shorter showers. Choose gentle soaps. Blot your skin dry. Use sunscreen religiously. Moisturize your skin. Break your smoking habit. Treat acne.

Before you can tame a gerbil, it's important to learn about their temperament. While they are loving animals, they can also be shy and aggressive if they are scared. Understanding your gerbil can help you successfully tame it. Gerbils are naturally shy but are social, inquisitive, and can bond well with their human family. They don't like to be left alone or isolated. Gerbils are very curious and active. If you have more than one gerbil, they will likely play with each other all day. Gerbils are very territorial and you'll want to be careful introducing a new gerbil to your home or an already existing gerbil community. Gerbils rarely bite and only may exhibit this kind of aggression if they are scared. Unlike other rodents such as rats, mice, or hamsters, gerbils don't produce the same bad odors. Purchase a cage that will fit your gerbil or gerbils before you obtain the animals. Having their "home" prepared and inviting will help you tame them more effectively. Place their cage in an area of the house with medium traffic so that you don't startle your gerbil with too much activity. Gerbils are curious and like to watch and be part of the action. They also need to get used to the fact that humans make noise and motion. Fill the gerbil cage with bedding such as corn cob, hay, or shredded cardboard. You can use alfalfa grass as a filler with any of these bedding options. Gerbils eat a mix of rodent pellets, seeds, fruits and vegetables, and insects. Keep a variety of food for them in the cage. Make sure you also put a water bottle in the cage so that your gerbil doesn't get dehydrated. However, gerbils originated as a desert dwelling creature, so don't expect to see your gerbil drinking a lot. Purchase accessories for the cage that will allow your gerbils to chew, hide, and indulge their curiosity. Gerbils are clean animals and you'll need to keep your gerbil's cage clean to keep him happy and healthy. Buy a pair of young gerbils. If you buy one gerbil it will be more work, in particular since there is less entertainment, so consider getting two. The younger the gerbil is, the more success you are likely to have taming your gerbils. Don't get a gerbil under 5 weeks of age to help ensure that they've had enough time with their mother and are healthy. Buy your gerbils from a reputable breeder if possible. This can also help ensure that your gerbil is healthy and doesn't have any deformities from inbreeding. Check to make sure your gerbil choices are healthy. The coat should be fully and glossy, the eyes bright and shiny, the nose clean, and the teeth straight. If you notice any problems, ask the breeder or decide on another gerbil that appears healthier. Moving a gerbil into a new space from another home is traumatic for the animal. Although your instinct may be to take them out and play, allow them some time to recuperate and settle into their new surroundings. This may help you tame them more effectively as well. Your gerbil may need a few hours to a few days in their new home for a few days before you start trying to handle them. Otherwise, they'll be too stressed to tame. Develop a plan that you can follow consistently since it requires time and patience to tame your gerbil. Making a plan will give you a chance to consider your gerbil's personality and different factors that may affect the process, such as if your gerbil is older or a baby. Keep the training fun for your gerbil and you. Even something as simple as running on your lap can be fun for a gerbil. When developing your training plan, make sure to keep your gerbil's personality in mind. Some gerbil's will naturally jump onto your arm while others may take time to get used to you. Since training is something you need to do regularly and over time, set short- and long-term goals. You can develop your plan by setting daily, weekly, and monthly intentions or goals for your gerbil. For example, you could have the goal one week of getting your gerbil to jump into your hands without smelling you first. Make a plan over the course of the week to expose your gerbil to your scent and your personality. Remember to keep the exposure short and consider giving your gerbil a treat to warm him up.. It's important that you can commit time over a longer period to taming your gerbil. Gerbil taming doesn't happen overnight and requires consistency.
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One-sentence summary --
Understand the temperament of gerbils. Prepare your gerbil's home. Get your gerbils. Allow the gerbils to settle into your home. Make a taming plan.