You have been through this several times. You have a shelf loaded with an array of skincare products and don’t really know what to do with them. It happens to several women and girls across the world. Little do they know that establishing an organized routine for skincare is the first step to taking care of your skin?
No matter how oily or dry your skin is how it behaves in different seasons, following routine skin care comprises so many things. You just can’t do what your co-worker or your friend does simply because the skin textures may be different.
So, even before you choose products based on your skin type, here is the correct order of skincare routine you need to establish:
- Washing your face
Be it the first hours of the morning or when you return from work in the evening, don’t forget to wash your face. However, to make cleaning more effective, you need to use a cleanser. Apply a few drops of it on your face and rub it gently. A minute or even less of rubbing, and you are done with it. Thereafter, rinse your face with lukewarm water. However, if you have make-up on your face in the evening, be sure to remove it completely when cleaning the face.
- Toning the skin
After cleansing comes toning and it should follow the order. Toners are liquids containing water and various active ingredients that are beneficial for your skin. The other ingredient may be something like salicylic acid, which is ideal for acne-prone skin, or Vitamin C which safeguards the skin from pollutants and also lightens the skin tone.
Typically, the toner hydrates your skin. You just have to put some toner on a cotton pad and rub it onto the skin gently. However, you can also apply it on the face directly. If you have normal skin, stick to a toner containing antioxidants. Similarly, for acne-prone and oily skin, choose a toner comprising lactic or glycolic acid. For sensitive skin, a hydrating toner should work wonders. Consult with a skin care routine dermatologist to be sure about your skincare practice.
- Serum application
Wondering what the best time is for applying serum? The best option would be to apply serum in the morning even before you step out of your home. That way, your skin becomes devoid of free radicals that come with pollution. The polluting effects are minimized when you apply serum on the skin in the morning. However, you can also apply it in the evening or at night to prevent it from drying out.
If you apply anti-aging or an anti-acne cream, the skin might become drier. So, just apply the requisite amount of skin serum before going to sleep at night. One tip you need to keep in mind is that the serum needs to be applied before moisturizing the skin if it contains more hydrating agents but those with oil need to be applied over the moisturizer. So, try to check the product you buy based on your skin type and get the best results.
- Apply moisturizer
When following an order to use skincare products, the significance of moisturizing the skin cannot be overlooked. Moisturizer conditions and hydrates your skin and takes in the benefits of the previous steps. If you are applying moisturizer in the morning, try to look for a lightweight cream with SPF higher than 40. That way, you will protect your skin from the harmful sun’s rays. However, if your skin dries out too often, you need to repeat this routine at night as well.
- Apply retinoids
While the points discussed above belong to everyone, there are additional steps one needs to follow with aging. Applying retinol-based creams or lotions reduces instances of breakouts, dark spots, and wrinkles that generate more cells. Don’t apply this lotion if you are stepping out in the sun as it may damage your skin further. Use this lotion as part of your daily skincare routine but only at night.
- Sunscreen lotion
When it comes to your daily skincare routine, you must never skip applying a sunscreen lotion and safeguard your skin from harmful ultraviolet rays. Similarly, you can also rejuvenate your skin with a Sunday skincare routine.
Why do you have to follow an order for skincare? Women usually ask this question as they often engage in a haphazard schedule when it comes to following an order to take care of the skin. A messy routine will not allow you to soak in the benefits of the skincare products you buy especially because skin textures differ from one individual to another. You can consult with specialists to learn more about how staying organized is easy and beneficial for your skin. Skincare specialists can share their insights and write for us in our health and beauty blog and recommend more tips on how a proper skincare routine aids the health of your skin.