The Perfect 8-Step Skincare Routine for All Skin Types
Cleanse your face
Before you proceed to slather on any products, remove your makeup and wash your face first. As long as your skin is concerned, it is a sin to go to bed without taking off your makeup as it can clog your pores and cause breakouts. To avoid this, remove all makeup using a cleansing oil. Unlike makeup wipes that leave gunky residue on your face, cleansing oils dissolve all traces of makeup without stripping your skin.
Then, use a facial cleanser to rinse your skin of any oil, dirt, or bacteria building up on your face all day long. Facial cleansers may come in a variety of forms - jelly, oil, gel, foam, micellar water, and more. Pick one that suits your skin type especially if you have acne-prone skin. Finish this step by massaging it gently on your face in circular motions and wash it off thoroughly with water.
Apply a toner
Gone were the days when facial toners were these alcohol-based, terrible liquids that irritate your face and even make it sting. Today’s toners are filled with exfoliants to treat bumps and acne or hydrating, gentle ingredients that coddle dry skin. Either way, toners are highly useful and should be applied right after cleansing to soothe the skin and refine pores.
Just pour a few drops of toner into a cotton pad or your palms and pat them onto your face. Instead of sitting on your face, toners are essentially priming your skin to better absorb other products later on.
It’s serum time!
A good serum may be what’s standing in the way of you and flawless skin. Serums are generally packed with nourishing ingredients that protect your skin against early signs of aging, free radical damage, and other skin issues. For uneven skin complexion, you might opt for a vitamin C serum with brightening properties. Or if you have dry skin, look for a moisturizing serum with hyaluronic acid to retain moisture and quench thirsty skin.
Serums are great in leveling up the skincare routine and amping up your skin health. But don’t beat yourself up if you forget to apply serums once in a while as they are totally optional in this 8-step skincare guide.
Use eye creams
You can apply your regular moisturizer to the under-eye area. However, this area is delicate, and not all skincare products are suitably formulated, a specialized eye cream or eye gel is recommended.
The rule of thumb is to apply skincare products in order of texture, from thinner products to thicker ones. Thus, make sure you apply eye creams before putting on a face moisturizer as the former tends to be lighter. Use your ring finger which has the gentlest touch to massage and tap the eye cream or gel into place for better absorption.
Treat your spots
Whether they’re dark spots, scars, or zits, ideally at this stage in the skincare routine you should apply spot treatments. You can perform this step either at night or in the morning, but nighttime is more preferable considering that your body is in its repair mode.
For breakouts and pimples, you may desire acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid. It dissolves skin cells and oil and is therefore suitable with inflamed bumps or clogged pores. Benzoyl peroxide, with its bacteria-killing properties, is another great option for your acne, though you should not use these two ingredients at the same time to avoid skin irritation.
What about dark spots and scars? You can try a spot treatment with niacinamide (also known as vitamin B3) that gradually brightens scars and marks, or hydroquinone - a powerful skin-bleaching ingredient. Hydroquinone can irritate those with sensitive skin due to its strong properties and is not to be used regularly until you are sure your skin is okay with it. On the contrary, niacinamide can be used daily for its gentle effects.
Whichever you choose, remember to dab a thin layer of spot treatments over your spots or zits and wait until it dries before continuing with the application of other skincare products.
Moisturize the skin
Some people are not receptive to moisturizers for fear of excess oil or breakouts. The good news is that there is always a formula for you. Your face needs moisturizing every day because it keeps your skin barrier happy and healthy. Moreover, besides infusing your skin with hydration, moisturizers also lock in all the layers of skincare products that you previously applied.
If convenient, moisturize your skin twice a day in the morning and evening. For the morning, look for a lightweight moisturizer while for the night, you can use something thicker.
Add in retinoids
Retinoids include all vitamin A derivatives among which retinol is the most common. They sink into your skin to boost cell turnover and trigger collagen production. This allows them to reduce breakouts, dark spots, and fine lines, thereby causing your body to nourish smoother and fresher skin.
You are not likely to achieve any significant changes until four to six months of consistent use. As good things take time, be patient to reap the benefits of this so-called “miracle product”. Also, sunscreen is a must if you use retinoids since they make your face extra sensitive to the sun.
Seal in all the goodness with face oils
No products can penetrate face oils but they can easily penetrate serums, treatments, and moisturizers, meaning they need to be applied last. At the same time, they seal in all the layers of skincare products you have just applied and prevent them from evaporating.
Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, face oils are not reserved for dry skin only. Certain oils like aloe and marula oils can soothe sensitive skin whereas jojoba and rosehip can reduce excess oil in acne-prone skin. Just make sure you always apply face oils last.
We know we already described the last step in the perfect skincare routine, but if you follow this 8-step procedure in the morning, add in the 9th step by wearing sunscreen and the 10th one by using our supplement for skin beauty for it to be effective. That way you can keep early aging signs and skin cancer at bay!
