HOW TO CREATE A FULL SKINCARE ROUTINE
So, you know you have skin. You know you’re supposed to clean it. You know you’re supposed to wear sunscreen. Duh. But is that it…? What about the acne, how do you get rid of that? How do you prevent wrinkles or make your skin look younger? What about those brown spots, what’s up with those?
What products or steps should actually be included in your skincare routine so that you can keep your skin in its best condition and make visible steps toward fixing anything about it that you don’t like?
This simple formula works for every single skin type. All you have to do is pick products formulated for your skin type (oily, normal, dry, aging, or sensitive) and your goals. Your goals might be anything from simple age prevention and just keeping your skin as lovely as it is right now, to clearing up that pesky acne, to major corrections from sun damage, or anything in between.
1. CLEANSE
You know the drill. Wash your face every morning and night. And yes, it is important to cleanse twice per day! (You can read more on that here!) Choose your favorite daily cleanser to wash with morning and night. Whatever you like can work, but generally, those with oily skin prefer foaming or gel cleansers, and those with dry or sensitive skin prefer milk or oil cleansers. Then, choose an exfoliating cleanser to use about 3x per week. The amount of exfoliation the skin can handle will definitely vary from person to person, so watch for redness or flakiness, skin sensitivity, or more oil production than usual. These are all signs that you should ease off that exfoliant a bit!
2. TONE
Your toner preps the skin for all the products to follow. Depending on the toner you choose, it can help hydrate the skin, balance your skin’s pH level and bring it back to its baseline, or assist with product absorption. Additionally, it can help remove any excess residue from your cleanser that might be hiding out.
3. TREAT
This step is the step most of us don’t realize we need to include, and the step where you focus on what your personal goals are. Treatments are typically in the form of serums. This is where you choose a product to help get rid of the breakouts, sun spots, wrinkles, you name it! But the general rule of thumb is you PREVENT further damage in the A.M. with one product, and CORRECT the damage in the P.M. with another. Some serums can be used both morning and night, so check the package’s directions before using. In the case of using multiple serums or treatments, layer the products on your skin in the order of the one with the thinnest consistency to thickest. Bonus points for waiting a minute or two between layers to allow them to fully dry and absorb into the skin!
4. MOISTURIZE
Next, we’re moisturizing and hydrating the skin. Remember, even oily skin needs hydration. No matter what your skin type is, this step is important because the goal for every skin type is to balance the oil-water content. Keeping your skin properly moisturized (with oil) and hydrated (with water) will keep the protective barrier on your skin strong. So, if you are oily, you’ll want a moisturizer that is light and focuses more on hydration, which means its adding water to the skin instead of oil. If you’re dry, a thicker moisturizing cream is a better choice because it’ll contain heavier ingredients. And always look for a product that is “noncomedogenic”, which means it won’t clog your pores!
5. PROTECT
You can skip this step at night, but every single day it is important to finish off your routine with a sunscreen. No matter what your ethnicity or what time of year it is, the sun is damaging your skin whenever it is exposed to it. That means, whenever you are outside without a sunscreen! The effects from the sun and environment (things like pollutants, smog, free radicals, etc.) are what causes your skin to age faster than it would on its own. The insane thing to remember is that only 20% of how your skin ages have to do with genetics. 80% is due to how you treat it and protect it. So later up that sunscreen, and don’t forget to reapply!