There is not “one ultimate skin care routine,” but one skin care routine that works for yo.. It may take some trial and error to find the perfect beauty routine, but starting with recommendations based on skin type and concern is the best place to begin.
Social media has introduced us to so many options and trends, from cold plunging to a 10-step regimen, it can be hard to navigate. At this point, we’d be willing to apply serum in a toga by the light of a full moon in order to recapture the glowing bouncy skin of our youth, but in reality, the best thing to do is start simple.
There are 3 basic steps to starting a skincare routine: cleanse, treat, moisturise. You can find a lot of extras when it comes to things like essences, toners, double cleansing products, sheet masks, weekly and monthly additions. But to get started, stick to a routine of cleanse/wash, treat, moisturise so you can find what works best for you. There is a 4th step to add and we will call it “protect” – everyone, regardless of age or skin type, needs to wear broad-spectrum SPF daily to protect the skin.
RESPECT THE RIGHT ORDER TO APPLY PRODUCTS
After doing the research and spending your hard-earned dollars on skincare products, the last thing you’d want to do is undermine their effectiveness. Usage is important whether it’s how much to apply of each product, or what order they go in. Does eye cream go on before or after moisturiser? Typically, it is recommended to apply formulas from thinnest to thickest consistency so that they penetrate the skin. For example, serums are thinner than creams and oils.
HOW TO APPLY SKIN CARE PRODUCTS FOR YOUR MORNING ROUTINE
To get the most out of your routine, it’s important that products are applied in the right order. The texture of the products, weight and active ingredients all affect how efficiently products work on your skin. During the day it is recommended that you apply products in the following order:
- Cleanser: can be oils, gels, creams, or milky formulas that remove dirt, oil and in some cases makeup from your skin so that it leaves skin completely clean after use.
- Toner: These are usually fluid, water-like formulas meant to remove excess dirt and oil and help balance skin pH levels.
- Serum: highly concentrated, lightweight formulas that do the heavy lifting in a routine, thanks to smaller molecules that are absorbed deeply into layers of skin.
- Eye cream: skin under the eye is thinner and more delicate than the rest of the face, so eye creams target the specific concerns there: dryness, darkness, bags, lines, wrinkles, and more.
- Moisturiser: the skin care all-star! These can come in the form of creams, gels, lotions, or milks and will be hydrating and replenishing moisture in the skin. Oily or dry, everyone needs a moisturiser!
- Sunscreen: the ultimate skincare MUST HAVE. Many studies show that the biggest factor in skin ageing comes from the sun. There are a lot of numbers and terms like “chemical vs. physical”; Sunscreens can be a spray, lotion, powder, or gel. Do your research to find out what your preferences are but regardless of age or skin type, everyone should apply a broad-spectrum SPF daily.
HOW TO APPLY SKIN CARE PRODUCTS FOR YOUR NIGHTTIME ROUTINE
As we sleep our body goes into major repair mode. This is when your skincare can do some additional heavy lifting for you, and you can use more powerful ingredients (like retinol) since there isn’t any sun exposure. For a nighttime routine recommendation, you’ll see some of your daytime products make a second appearance, with some added helpers. At night, it is suggested to apply your products in the following order:
- Cleanser
- Toner
- Serum and treatment
- Eye cream
- Spot treatment: these are not for use all over the face, but instead for specific concerns, acne treatments, brightening options for hyperpigmentation, or neck creams.
- Moisturiser
- Face oil: Facial oils have really had a glow up in the past few years; they can be sourced from some natural sources (nuts, fruits, plants and more) but they are really amazing hydrators because they penetrate deeply into the skin.
KNOW YOUR SKIN TYPE
Every person has a genetic skin type. Most people are born with smooth, firm, blemish-free skin. It is important to remember that things like sun exposure, stress, and humidity can affect your skin.
As we each age, external factors (extrinsic) combined with our genetic predisposition(intrinsic) and hormones around the time of puberty, will begin to reveal our true skin type. Some people have balanced skin with no special concerns until the natural ageing process starts. However, it is much more common to have one of the following 3 skin types:
KNOWING YOUR SKIN TYPE
STEP 1. Cleanse and dry your face and leave it bare for 2 hours.
STEP 2. Press a piece of blotting paper against your nose.
- If there is no oil, tightness or flakes, your skin is normal.
- If there is no oil but your skin feels tight or flaky then you have dry skin.
- If there is oil on your nose and cheeks, you have oily skin.
- If you have oil on your nose but not your cheeks, then you have combination skin.
FIND THE SKIN CARE ROUTINE FOR YOUR SKIN TYPE
- The best skin care routine for balanced skin
- The perfect regimen for sensitive skin
- The best skin care routine to get rid of dry skin
- The ultimate skin care routine to get rid of oily skin
- The best skin care routine for combination skin
- The best skin care routine to prevent ageing skin
THE BEST SKIN CARE ROUTINE FOR BALANCED SKIN
Lucky you – your skin is balanced! (some people say “normal” but all skin is “normal”) You are likely not to have visible pores, blemishes, and your moisture and oil levels are well balanced. Stick to basics that won’t irritate your skin or get too aggressive.
MORNING ROUTINE
- Cleanse: Clean Biotic
- Treat: C Scription Brightening Serum
- Moisturise: Hyaluronic Facial Cream
- Protect: Liquid Sun Shield