There always seems to be a new product or technique that promises wonderful results to keep skin looking healthy and young. Skin care continues to be all the rage, with people broadcasting their favorite products, types of facials, and routines all over social media. But just because something is trending doesn’t mean it’s really taking hold in everyday life. How many people out there are actually taking good care of their skin on a daily basis? 

To find out, we surveyed 2,307 people about their skin care habits and other habits that impact the health of our skin, to see what people are doing right and where they could improve. 

So, are you living in the state with the healthiest skin? Or does your state’s skin care regimen need adjusting? Read on to find out!

Key Findings

• Utah is the #1 state with the healthiest skin habits overall, followed by Connecticut and New York.
• Surprisingly, sun-saturated states like Florida, California, and Texas are not among the states with the worst sun protection habits — West Virginia has the worst sun protection habits.
• Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nevada have the worst skin care habits of any other states.

An Overview of Skin Concerns and Habits

In general, 78% of the people we surveyed say they need to take better care of their skin. Their top two skin concerns are dryness and acne. Here’s the list of the top skin concerns reported by our survey takers:

• Dryness: 52%
• Acne: 36%
• Under eye circles: 36%
• Wrinkles: 34%
• Sun damage: 28%
• Obvious pores: 24%
• Redness: 22%
• Pigmentation: 19%

Whether it’s because of convenience or cost, Google ranks as the #1 most common place people get their skin care information, followed by family advice and social media influencers. Only 8% of people get their skin care knowledge and tips from the one person who should know the most —  their dermatologist!

On average, women spend 2x the amount of time that men do on their skin care routine, pampering their skin for six minutes versus three minutes for men, and almost 2x the amount on skin care products and services, with an average amount spent of $183 compared to men’s $94.

States That Take The Best Care of Their Skin

Utah is the #1 state with the healthiest skin habits overall. Below, we ranked states’ skincare habits by calculating a score based on how residents from each state answered eleven skincare-related questions.

Here’s Where States Could Improve Their Skin Health

A lot goes into our skin health. It isn’t only what you put on your skin, but also how you take care of your general health that makes your skin bright and beautiful. Factors like sleep, hydration, and stress can greatly impact on how healthy your skin looks.

We were interested to see how skin health habits varied from state to state, so we asked our survey takers about a range of habits to see how well they take care of their skin. 

From dry skin and inflammation to premature skin aging, smoking and drinking can cause some serious skin damage. Ohio is the state with the healthiest consumption habits, with more Ohioans avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol, but Oregon tends to follow consumption habits that may result in negative consequences to their skin. Below are the top and bottom five states for avoiding unhealthy habits that affect our skin:

When it comes to taking proactive measures for skin health, Louisiana is the state with the most healthy consumption habits, like taking fish oil, drinking water, and eating vegetables. Below are the top and bottom five states for these healthy habits:

Although wearing sunscreen seems like a simple task, some states do more than others. When it comes to sun protection for their skin, Pennsylvania ranks #1 with the healthiest sun protection habits, like wearing SPF. Below are the top and bottom five states for sun protection:

Often, your skin can reveal stress levels and the amount of sleep you’re getting, so the more you manage stress and get enough sleep, the better off your skin might look! To that end, New York is the #1 state with the healthiest internal habits pertaining to stress management and sleep. Below are the top and bottom five states for stress management and sleep:

Conclusion

While skin care routines might not be top of mind for everyone, 78% of people do acknowledge that they should be taking better care of their skin. And while some states are ahead of others when it comes to giving their body’s biggest organ the support it needs, states like Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nevada could increase their skin support by simply applying some SPF, drinking more water, and working on their sleep quality. If you need additional skincare support, you can find an esthetician on StyleSeat.

Methodology: We surveyed 2,307 people across all 50 states on their skin care habits. To create our meta ranking, there was a total possible point value of 55 points; 5 points each for 11 questions. The following 11 states were excluded based on a lack of statistically significant responses: Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming.