Step three of the journey towards healthier and better-looking skin- Taking proper care of it on a daily basis!
If you know how to take care of your skin properly on a daily basis, you will experience:
- Better results from your cosmetic products.
- Fewer skin issues- breakouts, blocked pores, flaky or red patches, etc.
- Your makeup will last longer.
- Your skin will age slower.
The daily basic- skincare procedures are the same for every skin type, but the products which are used in those procedures vary accordingly. Besides, people with particular skin types need to emphasize on certain steps of the skincare routine. Let’s begin!
Basic skincare routine
Cleansing
Cleansing is crucial for beautiful and healthy skin. It gets rid of all bacteria, microorganisms, free radicals, dirt, dead cells, and removes all makeup and cosmetic products residues. No matter what type the skin is, it should be cleansed TWICE a day- morning and evening.
Before starting this “skin ritual,” you will need a cleanser, which is suitable for your skin type. You will recognize if a cleansing product is not ideal for you if after the procedure, your skin feels tight, textured, and if in a few hours, you see some bumps or clogged pores. How to choose the cleanser?
The main thing is to check if the product is foaming or not.
- Foaming products are suitable for skins which tend to be oily or prone to acne .
- But if your skin dries out easily or it is reactive and sensitive, use a non-foaming cleanser (for example mousse or cream).
The next step is to check the ingredients list and see if there are any ingredients which you should avoid (check the previous article to see which ingredients are suitable and unsuitable for you). For example, if your skin is reactive and sensitive, avoid cleansers with parabens, perfumes, sulfates, etc.
The soap strips all your good, natural bacteria off your face. As a result, it dries the skin and causes tightness and flakiness. Keep in mind that liquid soaps are usually produced with sulfates, thus, using a cleanser with sulfates is the same as using soap.
After you have your cleanser, its time to begin!
- Wet your face with warm water.
- Put some cleansing product on your fingers (if it is foaming, rub it to create foam).
- Apply to the face with small circular motions, in an upward direction (this boosts blood flow and helps the skin look firmer). Pay attention that you access all the fine lines, the corner of the nose, the hairline area, and the chin.
- Massage for 2-3 minutes and wash away with warm water until you have no product left on the skin.
Morning cleanse removes night cream residue, dead cells, and potential free radicals. It also stimulates the blood flow in your skin and makes it look more energized and awake (in the long run this will prevent under-eye circles).
Evening cleansing aims to remove all makeup residue, dirt, dead skin cells, and free radicals (dust, pollution, etc.). Also, it reenergizes the skin, makes it more fresh-looking and boosts the penetration of the cosmetic products, which will be applied next (this way, their effect will be more visible).
Exfoliation
It is best to exfoliate the skin in the morning because this way you will have a smooth makeup base, which will make your makeup last longer. On the other hand, exfoliating in the evening once per week will ensure boosted skin cell production and fresh-looking, brighter skin.
- People with oily and mature skin should exfoliate more often, for example, once per day, to prevent the formation of blackheads, boost the oxygen flow in the skin, and support the natural exfoliation process.
- On the other hand, it is best for people who have acne-prone, dry, or sensitive skin to exfoliate once every 3 days. This way, the skin will have time to regenerate.
There are multiple exfoliator types on the market, both harsh and gentle to the skin. Whichever skin type you have, it is not preferable to use harsh scrubs (for example granulated scrubs with sharp edges), because they can damage the lipid barrier of the skin and can cause further problems.
- If you have dry, dehydrated, sensitive, or acne-prone skin, it is best to use buffing powder as an exfoliator. It acts superficially (does not penetrate in the epidermis) and boosts the natural exfoliating process by removing the dead cells from the epidermis, which during the day would fall anyways. It is very gentle, does not cause irritations and leaves the skin refreshed, brighter and glowing. Buffing powder is usually made from natural plant ingredients.
- A facial brush used as an exfoliator is the best option for sensitive and reactive skin because no additional cosmetic product should be applied. This way, the risk of irritations is reduced. Facial brushes usually come with different brush heads, so you can choose which one is the most suitable for you. It massages the skin, exfoliates it gently and keeps the pores clean, without stripping healthy skin cells off your face. The facial brush can be used with a cleansing product for a smoother sensation.
- And just in case you really want to exfoliate your skin very deeply, there are facial scrubs. They are creamy products with granulated particles, which remove the top skin cells of the epidermis. The drawback of those scrubs is that they can harm the natural skin barrier and can make the skin more prone to free radical damage.
- Wet your face with warm water.
- Mix some buffing powder with water to create a paste (or use a ready scrub).
- Put the exfoliating product on your fingers and gently buff the product into the skin, using circular upward motions.
- Massage for 1-2 minutes and wash with warm water.
If you use exfoliating face brush, the method is slightly different:
- Wet your face with warm water.
- Put some cleanser on your fingers and apply it to the face.
- Gently buff the cleanser into the skin with the brush, using circular upward motions.
- Keep massaging for 1-2 minutes and wash with warm water.
Toning
The next step is to tone the skin to balance its pH. You can tone in the morning, in the evening, or in the middle of the day. Whenever you feel the need to.
Toners come in two types of packaging: spray or regular. First, decide which package is more suitable for you:
- Spray toner is easier to use throughout the day if your skin feels dehydrated or tight. Also, it is compact and cost-efficient.
- Regular toner package should be applied with a cotton ball to the face. (Keep in mind that the cotton absorbs some amount of the toner, thus you end up using more product than you need)
There are two types of toner, regarding the effect they have on the skin:
- Humectant. It hydrates, by drawing moisture from the environment to the skin and leaves it energized and moisturized. This is the reason why if you use humectant toner, you will use less moisturizer. It is most suitable for dry, dehydrated, and mature skin types. You can usually find it in spray packaging.
- Astringent. It absorbs the excess sebum from the skin, contributes to matt look, and tightens the pores. It can be usually found in a non-spay package. It is not suitable for people with skin which is prone to drying.
- If you use spray toner, just spray the product on the face and wait for it to dry.
- If you use regular toner, apply a small amount of the product on a cotton ball and use a gentle, tapping/padding motions to apply it to the skin.
Serum
Serums boost the regeneration process of the skin, thus they have to be applied in the evening so that no makeup will cover the serum. This product reduces the visibility of wrinkles, fine lines, dullness, and uneven texture, as it boosts the production of collagen and elastin (those are protein compounds that keep the skin supple and elastic). It should be applied before the moisturizer because the serum penetrates deeper into the very bottom of the epidermis layer due to its molecular structure.
All of the serums act as anti-aging agents, but:
- If you have oily skin, choose a serum that will balance the sebum production and will matt the skin.
- If your skin tends to dry, choose a nourishing serum to smooth any flakiness.
Using a serum is recommended mainly to people with mature skin. If you do not have any aging signs, you can save your money and skip this step in your skincare routine.
Eye cream
Eye cream is the best product to prevent dark circles and bags under your eyes, as well as to make the skin look firm and young. It will help you to get rid of mimic wrinkles or puffiness in the eye area.
It is best to use eye cream twice a day if you have mature skin. If you do not have any signs of aging yet, it is still recommendable to use eye cream, but only once per day (in the evening).
Put a small amount of the product on the tip of your ring finger and tap the product under the eyes and on the eyelids. Do not drag your finger on the skin, because this way, the cream will not penetrate effectively.
Moisturizing
This is the product which you should use, no matter what your skin type is. It makes the skin more elastic, fresh, soft, and vibrant. For maximum results, the moisturizer should be used twice a day: both in the morning and in the evening.
It is essential to choose a moisturizer, which suits your skin type in order to receive proper hydration. As the types of moisturizers are endless, it is best to check the ingredients list and see which one is most suitable for your skin type.
- Put some moisturizer on your fingers.
- Apply the product to the face with circular, massaging motions in an upward direction.
- Wait until the product dries on your skin so that there is no tacky residue.
SPF
Everybody should use SPF daily. It ensures that the skin is protected from free radicals damage caused by sun radiation.