Having great skin isn’t just a matter of genetics. The daily skin care routine will significantly affect the quality of your skin. There are certain steps you shouldn’t skip but it’s tough to differentiate between which piece of advice you read online is useful and which isn’t. Luckily, this is a simple guide that helps you to create a proper skincare routine and tells you how to stick to it.
A proper routine
First, let’s see what the necessary steps of a good skincare routine are, no matter what type of skin you have.
1. Cleaning
The environmental impact on our skin can be damaging – pollutants and dirt can clog your pores and cause acne, so you should clean your face (preferably with a face brush like this) in the morning and in the evening. The trick is in finding the right cleansing formula that won’t remove the essential oils from your skin together with the dirt. Limit the use of exfoliating scrub to once a week, too, due to the same reason.
2. Toning
Toners give your skin extra nutrients, which also helps to absorb ingredients for other products better and balances your complexion. If you want to additionally replenish your skin, here are the ingredients to look in a toner:
- Alpha and beta hydroxy acids – they remove dead skin cells and help sun-damaged skin
- Hyaluronic acid – hydrates skin and smoothens fine lines
- Rose water and green tea – anti-inflammatory effect
Use a toner after cleaning your skin – saturate a cotton pad and apply it on your face or use clean hands by pouring a few drops in your palm.
3. Using a serum
This is a powerful aid to your skin, full of concentrated doses of beneficial ingredients. Even if you don’t have issues with your skin, you will still benefit from using a serum. Pay attention to these ingredients in a serum:
- Hyaluronic acid – hydrates and prevents moisture loss
- Vitamin C – removes dark spots
- Retinol, vitamin B3 and peptides – enhance the production of collagen and elastin.
Don’t try to save time by mixing the serum into the moisturizer because it weakens the serum’s effect. Every product should be applied to your skin individually. Another thing with serums is that not all of them should be applied at the same time. For example, retinol in some of them degrades in the sunlight, so it’s best if you apply that serum at night. On the other hand, the ones with antioxidants are beneficial in the morning because most of us don’t use a sunscreen.
4. Moisturizing
A moisturizer prevents water loss from our skin and softens it. It also complements protective oils in our skin. It is one of the products that should be used throughout the whole year, no matter your skin type. Remember – our skin slowly decreases its moisture level with age. Of course, you must choose the right moisturizer according to your skin type.
You should also differentiate between a day and night cream. The first one protects your skin from environmental factors thanks to antioxidants that block UV radiation and free radicals. The UV radiation is highly damaging to our skin, causing deep wrinkles and even certain skin types. Many of these issues have to be dealt with at clinics like Panthea, where various procedures ease or remove the damaging effects.
On the other hand, a night cream is thicker and repairs the damage that may have appeared during the day thanks to retinol, while also moisturizing the skin that loses water throughout the day.
5. Applying sunscreen
This is your most important skin product throughout the whole year. However, that also means your moisturizer should have a built-in SPF 30 or even higher. You should apply your sunscreen 30 minutes before you expose your skin to sun and continue applying it every 2 hours. In case you’ve opted for a chemical sunscreen, apply it on clean skin directly. If it’s a sunscreen with physical blockers, apply is as the last product of your skincare routine.
How to stick to your skincare routine
To keep up with the routine, you should always keep all of your skin products in one place in the bedroom or bathroom. Make it an appealing place that simply invites you to spend a couple of minutes there. It’s also smart to set an alarm an hour before going to bed so that you leave some time for your skincare routine. Cotton pads should always be easily accessible, as well as the headband. Makeup remover wipes should always be next to your bed in case you’re too tired to do anything else with your skin in the evening. It could also motivate you to move on with routine, as you have already removed your makeup.
In a nutshell….
Taking good care of your skin is a matter of habit and a few clever steps. Give your skin the attention it needs and you will reap the benefits for many years to come.
About the Guest Author:
Mia Johnson is a freelance writer with a ten-year long career in journalism. She has written extensively about health, fitness, and lifestyle. A native to Melbourn, she now lives in Sidney with her 3 dogs where she spends her days writing and taking care of her 900 square feet garden.
Follow Sifa’s Corner on,