Your Daily Skincare Routine
Sure, we all know a quick and balanced daily skincare routine is a good idea. But, with so many lotions, creams, and tips out there, its hard to know where to start! Plus, time is of the essence – no one wants to spend hours in the bathroom. Well, weve got you sorted! From why we should use a toner, to tips on how to streamline your face skincare routine .
Heres everything you need to know to create an easy skincare routine that gets your skin cleansed, refreshed and prepared for each morning, and cared for each night.
Revealed: Your Daytime Skin Care Routine Order
Yes, you really need a different morning and evening skin care routine. Think about it: When you care for your face in the a.m., your goal is to protect it from the elements youll encounter once you walk out of the house. So your morning skin care routine needs to shield your face from bad guys like pollution and UV rays.
If You Want Results Consistency Is Key
Once youve nailed those three basic steps, you can add in other products or fine-tune your selections to target more specific skin issues, like hyperpigmentation or fine lines. But it’s more important than anything else to use those three simple steps consistently.
“Ideally, you’re creating a regimen that you can feel comfortable using daily so that you really have consistency, because that’s how you’re going to see the benefit,” Elbuluk explained. That means you should only take on a routine that you know youll stick with and that you should resist the urge to add new steps until youve mastered those basics.
Adding too many products in too quickly may put you at risk of irritating your skin , Elbuluk said. And if you do see irritation, it will be challenging to figure out which product is the culprit.
Hu also urged people who are new to skin care to be patient. “There’s really no quick fixes,” she said. “If you build a new regimen, and give it at least six to eight weeks before you give up and start buying other products.”
If you’re not seeing the result you want with your skin care routine or your skin is frequently getting irritated or breaking out, see a dermatologist for guidance, Elbuluk said.
Above all, remember that skin care doesn’t need to be expensive, complicated or in fancy packaging to be effective, Hu said. “Don’t fall for the hype.”
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What If I Want To Do More
You may be surprised at how, after a few weeks of getting down these basic steps, your other skin concerns calm down. But if they dont, your next steps will depend on your skins specific needs, Dr. Newsom says.
If you have acne, you may want to swap in a cleanser with salicylic acid, a gentle chemical exfoliator, or the occasional spot treatment with benzoyl peroxide. For wrinkles, fine lines, or sun damage, you may want to add in an over-the-counter retinoid to start with . Interested in managing hyperpigmentation? Brightening agents like hydroquinone or vitamin C may do the trick.
But be sure to add just one product at a time, Dr. Newsom says, and give it at least two weeks before adding something else. If you add multiple things at once and have a bad reaction to something, it will be impossible to know which product was responsible without patch testing, Dr. Ogunleye points out. Or if you do see positive results, you wont know which product was responsible for the change.
Its also important to avoid adding too many products that do the same thing. If you already have one retinoid or exfoliating acid in your lineup, you may find that adding another one doesnt help and is actually just more irritating.
The Difference Between A Day And Night Cream
Creams you apply in the morning are equipped to protect your skin from the environmental aggressors youll face when you leave the housemany contain antioxidants to minimize pollution-based free radicals and sunscreen to shield you from ultraviolet radiation. They typically have a lightweight consistency. Night creams, on the other hand, focus on repairing any damage you might have picked up with ingredients like retinol to speed cellular turnover and counteract dark spots. These creams also replenish moisture levels, which naturally dip in the evening, with emollients that often create a rich, thick texture.
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Daily Skincare Routine Step : Cleanse
What it does:
Cleansing the skin removes sweat, oil, dirt and other pollutants that your skin naturally collects throughout the day and night. Its the first step in your new simple skincare routine.
How to do it:
Cleanse your skin in the morning and in the evening to keep your pores clear and your face fresh. Your cleanser may vary based on skin type, but with all cleansers, the general consensus is to apply them using an upward, circular motion so as to prevent wrinkles from forming. Make sure your hands are clean in order to prevent excess dirt from entering your pores. If you have very sensitive skin, using only water would also do the trick!
Word of wadvice:
Its best to steer clear of harsh bar soaps when cleansing your face, as they tend to dry out your skin and cause it to overproduce sebum, the natural oils your skin produces for protection which also contribute to clogged pores and breakouts.
Try A Toner To Pre Skin For Moisturiser
To tone or not to tone? Its a personal preference but we like to sweep a soaked cotton pad across skin to help remove excess oils and dead skin cells . Its great to help pep up and refresh skin especially if yours includes ingredients like Witch Hazel and calming Chamomile. Running short on time? Save this step for the evening to remove any last traces of make-up at the end of the day.
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Step 6 For A Night Skin Care Routine: Retinol
The final step in a night skincare routine is retinol cream. Also known as vitamin A, retinol offers valuable skin care benefits. Retinol stimulates cellular turnover and the production of collagen which enables firmer and stronger skin, making it an important ingredient in any skin care routine. However, UV exposure can decrease retinols efficacy while also making skin more sensitive to the sun for these reasons, retinol products are primarily used as part of an evening skin care routine. An optimally concentrated cream for your evening skincare routine, we recommend the SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3 Cream. Retinol 0.3 is suitable for normal, oily and combination skin types. While selecting the right products to address your skin concerns is the essential first step, understanding the correct skin care routine order of application is key to curating a regime that delivers effective results. Keep to the golden rule of thinnest to thickest texture in mind when applying skin care to ensure you adhere to the right order of application.
Your Night Skincare Routine Steps
You’ll want to switch up your skincare routine at night â and not just because you don’t need SPF while you sleep! Your nighttime routine is the perfect time to make sure your skin is getting as many nutrients and active ingredients as possible, since your skin regenerates and repairs itself while you snooze, Dr. Magovern says . You’ll still follow the same basic three steps â cleanse, treat and moisturize â but at night, the routine will look a little bit different.
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Hydrating Mist Or Toner
- What is it? A hydrating mist or toner marks the end of your nighttime cleansing routine. DermNet NZ says you should look out for humectant ingredients lactic acid, hyaluronic acid, and glycerine to really give skin a moisture boost.
- How to use it: Spritz mists over your face. For toners, apply the product to a cotton pad and swipe over the skin.
- Products to try:can be sprayed at any time of day or night. Dry and sensitive skin types may find Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Sprayworthwhile.
- Be sure to: Avoid overuse of toners with high levels of alcohols, as they may cause irritation or damage to your skins barrier.
- Pros: Toners can help remove leftover residue from other steps in your routine and balance your skins pH.
- Cons: Alcohol-based products may cause irritation in individuals with sensitive skin.
What Is A Skin Care Routine
Skin Care Routine is an industry term that sounds much more complicated than it really isat least the way we do it. A routine is really just a series of steps. Like when you get in the shower, you probably do everything in the same order each time. First shampoo, then conditioner, then soap or body wash, for example. Maybe you brush your teeth in the shower before you wash your body. The point is, you dont really think about it, you just do it out of habit. Thats a routine.
Our philosophy at Tiege Hanley is to develop routines that include the fewest number of products and take the least amount of time possible. Simple. Speedy. Successful. You should have no doubt about what youre using and what its doing.
So lets take a look at a few routines.
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Why Korean Skin Care Became So Popular
Understanding the popularity of Korean skin care is understanding the relative lack of skin care options available to American consumers before 2011. The market was often divided by price point. Options at Sephora and department stores were expensive the products available at drugstores were cheaper but not exactly enticing.
Korean skin care products tended to be more affordable than what one can buy at Sephora while seeming cooler than drugstore products available anywhere, Tracy E. Robey, a journalist who writes about and reviews Korean skin care products on fanserviced-B, a K-Beauty blog, told me. In part, K-beauty was tied to a desire for distinction: having the taste and resources necessary for having something special.
She adds, These days, Korean skin care is so easily available that it no longer confers the same distinction it once did .
What Robey refers to as special are products containing ingredients that have been found to clear, refine, exfoliate, or smooth skin. Skin care brands have always made these promises, but K-beauty offered the results in a way that was accessible by price and by way of education while also giving consumers a cool product.
Cho and her fellow K-beauty enthusiastsmade what has traditionally been a complicated and intimidating process blazingly simple.
Additional Tip: Always Use Spf
Forget everything you thought you knew about sunscreen: it ain’t just for holidays in sun-drenched corners of the planet. Everys single day ultraviolet rays from the sun mutate the cells in your skin, which lead to sun spots, wrinkles, sunburn, dry patches, moles, and even cancer. Therefore, the final step in your skincare routine should always to shield your skin from these rays with SPF, whether its packed inside your daily moisturiser or added as an additional layer atop your chosen cream.
Your best bet for ultimate protection? Always opt for something higher than SPF30, and if you’re planning to hit the beach or be outside in direct light for extended periods of time , then you should consider a dense SPF50.
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Determining Your Skin Care Needs
Night Cream Or Sleep Mask
- What is it?Night creams are a totally optional last step, but they can be worthwhile. While day creams are designed to protect the skin, these rich moisturizers help cell repair. Sleep masks, on the other hand, seal in all your other products and contain hydrating ingredients mild enough to be kept on overnight.
- How to use it: Warm a small amount of product in your hands before distributing it evenly across your face.
- Skip this step if: Your skin already looks and feels its best.
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Step : Facial Moisturiser
Applying an effective facial moisturiser is a key step in any skincare routine. Moisturisers deliver optimal hydration to the skin to replenish lost moisture. To gain the most benefit, choose a moisturiser that aligns with your skin type, or concerns. Facial moisturisers are typically formulated to align to different skin types, be it normal, dry, oily, combination and sensitive skin. When applied in the correct skincare routine order, a moisturiser will seal in the ingredients delivered in the serums, ensuring they deeply penetrate the skin. SkinCeuticals Daily Moisturiser has a lightweight, non-greasy formula making it an ideal cream for your morning skincare routine, it should be applied daily and is suitable for normal, oily and combination skin. In the evening, we recommend the SkinCeuticals Renew Overnight Dry Moisturiser which contains rich botanical extracts to restore a radiant complexion. It is suitable for normal to dry skin types.
The correct next steps in your skincare routine will differ depending on whether it is your morning, or evening, skincare routine. Your morning skin care routine should always include sun protection, while products with active ingredients that may increase sun sensitivity should only be used at night.
The Basics Of Using Skincare
When it comes to looking after your skin on a daily basis and curbing any unexpected breakouts, a comprehensive skincare routine should be on your to-do list. It may seem like a daunting task to pick the right products , but its as easy as identifying your skins key concerns and going from there.
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How To Layer Your Skin Care Products Plus Why Order Matters
So which product goes on top of what, you ask? An easy rule of thumb to follow is to apply your products with the thinnest consistency to thickest, or from liquid to cream. In general, think thin-to-thick, but you also want to first use the products with the ingredients that are most important to penetrate into the skin and finish with the products that need to sit on top of the skin , says Dr. Rogers.
Skin Care Routine For Aging Skin
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For Morning
1. Cleansing
Irrespective of your skin type, you need to use a good quality cleanser every morning and evening. Mature skin needs more nourishment, so use a cream cleanser instead of a foaming cleanser. A cream cleanser helps to retain moisture and maintain a fresh look.
2. Toning
Avoid alcohol-based toners. As mature skin loses moisture fast, it is best to use a hydrating toner. Use water-based toners that contain soothing ingredients like chamomile and cucumber extracts, panthenol, and vitamin B.
3. Serum
A light, non-greasy, and anti-aging serum is what your skin needs. Pick one that contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin C.
4. Moisturizing
A moisturizer that worked in your 20s is not going to work now. Use hydrating moisturizers that contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, glycerin. Pick one that is specially formulated for mature skin, fragrance-free, and hypoallergenic.
5. Sunscreen
Mature skin needs overall protection. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that guards your skin against both UVA and UVB rays. Pick one with high SPF and PA+ rating and that is water-resistant.
For Night
Use the same cleanser as in the morning.
2. Toning
Use the same toner that you use in the morning.
3. Serum
Use a serum that contains anti-aging ingredients, such as retinol, glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C. Look for targeted serums that work on issues like fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and skin brightening.
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How To Have A Good Face Care Routine
This article was co-authored by Mohiba Tareen, MD. Mohiba Tareen is a board certified Dermatologist and the founder of Tareen Dermatology located in Roseville, Maplewood and Faribault, Minnesota. Dr. Tareen completed medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. While a dermatology resident at Columbia University in New York City, she won the Conrad Stritzler award of the New York Dermatologic Society and was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Tareen then completed a procedural fellowship which focused on dermatologic surgery, laser, and cosmetic dermatology.There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 331,431 times.
Taking care of your face is important for the health of your skin. Getting into a good routine is a great way to ensure your face gets the attention and care it deserves, and that you dont miss any steps along the way. Developing your daily, weekly, and monthly routine starts with figuring out what kind of skin you have, and what your face care needs are.