Looking beautiful is every girl’s dream. A glowing skin, with a clear complexion, speaks of the ultimate makeup and inevitably, a skincare regimen goes into getting that perfected look. Skincare though might seem a herculean task at first, can be achieved by knowing the nitty-gritty which every fashionista deserves to know. With umpteen number of products in the market, it can be a perplexing job to understand the steps for a personalized skincare routine. Here is a little guide to help you get started.
Before plunging into the products and the steps of routine care, it is imperative to understand the type of skin one owns. Dry, oily, combination skin all are different from one another and hence require different ingredients to keep them healthy.
How to identify your skin type?
First thing in the morning, use a tissue to wipe your face. Ensure to cover areas such as forehead, nose, cheekbones and jawline. In case you find nothing on the paper, chances are you have healthy skin. Flakiness is indicative of dry skin, while oily marks represent oily skin. It might also happen that some areas in T Zone( nose and lower part of the upper forehead) are oily while the cheekbones and jawlines do not show any oiliness. This generally represents a combination of skin. An extra effort would be required to care for this skin. Once you identify your skin type, the next step is to look for a routine that befits you.
Now though the products used may vary from skin to skin type, the procedure for application of the various categories of the product can be understood and imbibed to get amazing results. Generally, people know of the cleansing, toning and moisturizing steps. Still, here I am delving deep into other products that may come in handy to build a holistic skincare routine for yourself.
Step by step procedure:
Various products are available in the market today as far as skincare is concerned. It is essential to know about the ingredients in each product before using them. We also recommend getting a patch test done to ensure that one is not allergic to any product. Also, read 7 Makeup and Beauty Tips during the Lockdown and Homestay.
Another crucial factor to remember is that the daytime and nighttime routine may vary a little bit depending on the products one wants to use. The only thing to remember is to follow the product starting from the thinnest consistency to the thickest one.
Broadly, here is the order in which the products can be applied during day and night time.
Day time routine:
- Cleanser
- Toner
- Serum
- Eye cream
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
- Nighttime routine:
- Makeup remover
- Cleanser
- Toner
- Serum
- Eye cream
- Hydrating oil/Moisturizer
- Spot treatments
- Night cream
Cleanser- Cleanser is of paramount importance once you start your regime of skincare. It is the very first step that directs at removing any dirt particles from the surface of the face and prepping it for the other actions. Cleansing helps in avoiding dullness by avoiding any clogged pores. Further, it is advisable to cleanse the face twice in a day- once in the morning and once at night. While choosing a cleanser, ensure to go for a foaming liquid one if your skin is dry and for an oily based one in case of sensitive skin. Combination skin can use micellar water-based cleansers that are soap-free and hence are delicate to the surface. Cleaners can be applied with cotton or by clean. Once, appropriately cleansed, one can take a tissue or a dry clean cloth and pat the skin dry.
You might also be interested in knowing about the Winter Skin Care Routine for a Healthy Facial Skin.
Toner- A toner is generally thought of as an astringent. Its purpose is to deliver extra nutrients to the skin and ease in the absorption of other products. Toners vary in ingredients and use. A toner with a dose of Vitamin C and E can aid in anti-ageing, while rose water-based can help to give a soothing feeling to irritated skin. Hyaluronic acid-based toners add in the extra hydration to the surface, while alpha and beta hydroxy acid-based one can help in removing dead cells with ease. The best way to apply a toner is by using the tip of the fingers in a circular motion. Choose a toner as per your preference and use them regularly to see mind-blowing results.
Serum- These are the liquids which have a capacity of going deep into the epidermis layers and hence, showcase results which are skin deep. Serums are not akin to the Indian diaspora; however, with the changing times, it surely has etched a place for itself. Serums are also of different types. An oil-based one can be used by dry skin, while an anti-ageing one can be chosen by one preferring to remove dead cells. Serums can be applied either with a cotton dab or with fingers. Just ensure to keep circulating them till it gets adequately absorbed by the skin.
Eye creams- Eye cream has gained popularity in the recent present, owing to the plumpness it offers to the under eyes areas. Eye-creams are generally gel-based as their primary purpose is to get absorbed and strengthen the underlying collagen. The eye cream can be applied with the help of the tip of fingers under the eye and on top of it. Using it daily, day and night can start showing results in a couple of weeks.
Moisturizer- The must-have product for every type of skin ( yes, even oily) is the Moisturizer. It helps to keep the skin supple and healthy. A moisturizer can be humectant based, emollient based or occlusive. The difference is in their working. A humectant helps in absorbing water particles on the surface of the skin. An emollient, on the other hand, gets a little deeper below the epidermis of the skin to hydrate the skin cells from underneath. Occlusive ingredients help to block and retain the water for that dewy glass finish look. A good moisturizer can have all the three parts too. An important point to remember is that regardless of the skin type, applying Moisturizer is essential as with age, the skin starts losing the natural lipids and hence adding a moisturizer in routine care can go a long way in keeping the skin healthy and supple.
Sunscreen- Sunscreens helps to protect the skin against harmful UV radiations. And while sunscreen is something that one remembers while going out, it is advisable to use it regularly even while staying at home. Sunscreens are powerful as they protect the skin from dullness. Some moisturizers may also contain a sunscreen, and the same can be known if SPF is mentioned on the product. An SPF 15 or more is the safest one to use for all skin types, while sensitive ones can go for higher SPF.
Spot treatments- Spot treatments may include acne creams or skin pigmentation lotions that are targeted for one specific purpose. Depending on the quality of the skin, spot treatments can be chosen and applied during the night time.
Night-creams- Investing in a good night-cream can be one of your best decisions as far as skincare is concerned. Most of our skin cells get replenished during the night time, and hence applying a night cream can prove to be effective. Just dab a little in cotton and apply it all over the face and leave it on.
A proper skincare regime vouches for healthy and beautiful skin, and by incorporating the steps mentioned above and by integrating them daily, one can achieve the dreamy skin worth flaunting.
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