When it comes to a skincare routine, it is important to keep two points in mind: one, you work hard for your money, so you can’t waste it on a bunch of products that you don’t really need. And two, the products you purchase must be used in a certain way so they can be as effective as possible.
With this advice in mind, here are some tips to get you started:
1. Know Your Skin Type
The first step in building a skincare routine is to understand your particular type of skin. One of the easiest ways to learn more about your body’s largest organ is to observe what your skin looks like a few hours after you bathe or shower. If your skin looks shiny, chances are you have oily skin. If it feels dry or looks flaky, you have dry skin. Many people have combination skin, so you may see a shine on your forehead but flaky skin on your legs. If none of this applies, then you have “normal” skin—but you can still benefit from a daily skincare routine.
2. Identify Any Skin-Related Issues
In addition to oily, dry or combo skin, you may also have some specific skin-related issues like brown patches, acne or a tendency to blush and flush really easily, which the American Academy of Dermatology Association says is a sign of rosacea. It is important to keep these concerns in mind as you select the proper skincare products. Remember, unless your family member or friend has the same type of skin, his or her product recommendations are likely moot to treating your individual issues.
Knowing your skin type and addressing the issues can help you be more selective when it comes to your daily skincare products. For instance, if you have acne-prone skin, chemically driven drugstore products can make your skin conditions worse and cause more inflammation. In this case, try implementing gentler face washes that are naturally hypoallergenic and anti-inflammatory such as acne-treating goat milk soaps and organic avocado face washes which are both Ph friendly and anti-bacterial.
3. Get Acquainted with the Ingredients
Some of the common ingredients in skincare products include alpha-hydroxy acids, retinol, peptides and beta hydroxy acids. It is important to understand how each of these ingredients works on the skin, which in turn will let you know if you need it in your products. For instance, alpha-hydroxy acids are typically included in skincare creams that are designed to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and beta-hydroxy acids are there to help improve the color and texture of sun-damaged skin. So if you have noticed that you are developing crow’s feet around your eyes but you have been great about using sunscreen and don’t have any sun damage, you can focus on products that contain alpha-hyrdroxy acids but skip the ones with beta-hydroxy acids.
4. Order Does Matter
For your skin to get the most benefit out of the skincare products you have carefully researched and purchased, they must be used in a certain order and/or time of day. For instance, anything with retinol as an ingredient should be used at night, as it can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Read the instructions, and then remember that in general, you will want to cleanse your skin first, followed by clarifying with an exfoliating product before adding any products that are specific to any skin issues you have. Finish up with sunscreen in the morning and you will be good to go.
Research Your Way to Great Looking Skin
Having healthy and amazing skin involves much more than buying and using random products. By getting to know your skin, identifying any issues, researching ingredients and following label directions, you will create a custom skincare routine that will really work.
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