The Basic Guide to Skin Care Routine For Beginners
Though everyone has different skin — and therefore different skin issues, concerns, goals, etc. — there are certain skin-routine rules that generally apply across the board.
If you’re unsure about how to put together a skin-care routine then this basics would help
Step 1: Cleanse
The general rule of thumb here is that cleansing your complexion twice per day — once in the morning, once in the evening — is ideal. Cleansing in the morning will help to remove any evidence of sweat or oil left from your pillow and hair during your beauty sleep.
Cleansing your skin in the evening, however, should never be compromised or skipped. “At the end of the day, it’s important to cleanse to remove not only skin-care products and makeup that you applied in the morning, but also excess oil, sweat, dead skin cells, pollutants, and other debris that collect on the skin throughout the day.
Step 2: Moisturize
Next, use a moisturizer, or a moisturizing product ; an oil-free, fragrance-free moisturizer, as this will be well tolerated in skin types, from acne-prone to sensitive.
Step 3: Protect
Sunscreen is your first line of defense and protection against skin cancer.
When choosing which type of sunscreen to apply, there are two routes to go: Chemical or mineral-based (in some cases, both are combined into one formula.
Step 4: Serum
Facial serums are high-potency, lightweight topicals that are formulated with a higher concentration of active ingredients — such as vitamin C and hyaluronic acid — to target more specific skin concerns. They should be layered underneath your moisturizer — a general rule of thumb is to apply products with a thinner consistency underneath thicker ones, such as moisturizers and oil.
Step 5: Exfoliate
Exfoliating once or twice per week using alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), sloughs off excess buildup on the skin’s surface.
There are also two different methods of exfoliation you can choose between: Physical and chemical. The aforementioned AHAs and BHAs are chemical exfoliants, and they’re excellent for inducing cell turnover, increasing collagen formation, and improving dullness, Shokeen says. Physical exfoliation, on the other hand, is just what it sounds like — manually sloughing away dead skin cells, excess oil, and buildup via a face scrub. Sensitive skin types may want to steer clear of physical exfoliants