SkinCare Routines Explained
I recently posted about skin care routines on my instagram page and a lot of you had asked me so many questions about a simple routine, so I thought I’d give you a blog post about everything you need to know regarding skin care routines.
The first thing I would like to say is that, I am not here to tell you what you should or shouldn’t be doing to your skin. This is here to help you in your research for your perfect skin care routine!
If you are serious about changing things regarding how you treat your skin then, you need to understand that if you wash your body everyday, you must wash your face with similar or more care. The reason for this is that your face is more exposed to dirt and impurities throughout the day that it needs the extra love and gentle boost. This does not mean add 20 products to your face, it means you need to understand your skin and how it breathes and changes througout the day. The best way to figure out your type of skin is to leave it without any products on your face, but take note of textures and appearance and where those changes are on your face throughout the day.
Research! You cannot just put anything onto your skin because someone else you like or has great skin is applying it on their face. Your skin care routine will work for you and their skin care routine will work for them, so make sure you know what is best for you. If you’re unsure, seek professional / medical advice.
Some of these steps may not apply to you as this depends on your skin type so that’s where research comes in.
Night SkinCare Routine
You do not need so many steps to a routine. Anything from 3-4 steps is more than fine and on some days it is good to give your skin the rest.
Before we start, it is important to make sure you do your night skin care routine 30 minutes before you actually put your head on your pillow. Otherwise, everything that you have just applied to your face will end up on your pillow and that will just harm your skin and create clogged pores.
Step 1: Double Cleanse
The reason why we double cleanse is that you want to get rid of anything toxic and unpleasant that has been sitting on your face throughout the day as your face is exposed to so much dirt, pollution, germs. Think about how many times your hands have touched your face. So you need to clean that and the best way to do so is to use a gel, balm or oil base cleanser. Massage that into your skin to allow everything to melt off, especially if you have makeup on. With a bit of luke warm water and a face/ muslin cloth (a facehalo, bamboo cloths are great) to wipe all that away.
You then want to wash your face with a good foaming, soap-based face wash to get rid of any excess product or dirt that has been left and your cleanser couldn’t get off.
You don’t want your face feeling dry and stripped once you’ve cleansed as that can add to aging your skin. You just want to feel hydrated but unclogged pores, but you need to bring back some more hydration in your skin to keep that youthful glow…
Step 2: Tone
This is optional and don’t necessarily need but it prepares your face for anything else you want to treat your skin with. It balances the pH of your skin and allows further products to soak in well and work it’s magic a little better. You want to apply this either as a spray/ mist or with a cotton pad (Preferably reusable). Massage that into your skin and let it settle. I use a natural Rose water as a toner with essential oils as it has stimulating and regenerating properties for the skin.
Step 3: Treat
This is where you need to know your skin type and what you want your skin to look and feel like. If you suffer from blemishes, hyperpigmentation, dry skin, oily skin, aging skin, tired or dull skin, sensitive skin etc then you should apply serums/ oils that can help you treat those areas in particular. If you suffer from acne, consult a dermatologist or your GP to provide you with a good treatment tailored to you, to which you could incorporate into your routine.
It is important to know that, when applying these serums or oils you want to apply to the area you specifically want to treat unless it’s a general skin booster or firming oil. Vitamin C serums or oils with hyaluronic acid are great for people of colour or suffer from hyperpigmentation, as these can help draw the water into your skin and get rid of any free radicals. You can always find something like this in your moisturiser too.
The best ways to apply these is gently massage in with your fingertips in circular motions and press the product gently into your face, unless instructed otherwise.
Step 4: Eye creams and Moisturisers
This is the final step.
You have cleansed and treated your skin but your skin still needs the moisture locked in for a youthful and healthy glow. By this I mean that the skin needs moisture to keep it’s elasticity and firmness. Hydration to the skin is so important with vitamins and minerals as these really get absorbed into the skin. They have health benefits and really allow your body to work well.
You want to apply a hydrating moistuiser, in circlular and upward motions on your face. Remember not to drag your face down, as this can give you loose and saggy skin in the long run. Keep circlulating in light motions and just massage it in, to really allow it soak in but also stimulate the blood cells and collagen in your skin layers.
With eye creams it’s entirely optional but I will say that anything with vitamin c or e for the eye region is rejuvinating but also reduce the appearance of wrinkles as you get older. Anything light but anti-wrinkle can be beneficial for your skin as long as there are no harsh and toxic chemicals in the product.
Morning SkinCare Routine
This is a little lighter than the night routine as your face is pretty clean and you just want to protect it during the day. Like I said before, you should be washing your face everyday the same way you would wash your body everyday!
Step 1: Wash and Cleanse
You want to wash your face with something that is gentle yet able to get rid of last nights oils, to clear your pores. It is pretty self explanitory, wash your face with soap or a foam wash whilst you’re in the shower.
You can use a scrub from 3-4 times a week to really cleanse out your face.
Step 2: Tone or Prep
Again, this is optional but, if you want your skin to just bring back it’s balanced pH, use a cleaning milk or toner, that can prepare your skin for any other products you may apply on your face.
I use the same rose toner in my night routine and spray that on like a mist. It’s a quick spritz and your job is done.
Step 3: Treat/ Protect
Similarly to the night routine, you want to treat the areas that you’re concerned about. You should only apply on the affected areas otherwise, you’ll be adding layers to you skin which can make your face look greasy and you’re wasting the product. Only use the products if you need it and in the areas you want to treat. For people who suffer from hyperpigmentation or are of colour you don’t want any active ingredients during the day, so avoid products that are solely one vitamin or acid based. A combination will work much better for pigmentation.
Anything anti-pollutant is perfect, especially if you live in a city or town that is on the go all the time. Pollution can be very damamging to the skin and has a hand in aging the skin so, you want to put on anything that with protect you from that. I know The Body Shop have a good anti-pollutant page that you could have a look into with products that can help.
Step 4: Moisturise and Protect
The final step is to hydrate. As this is getting you ready for the day, it is important you want a moisturiser that hydrates but doesn’t give you dry/oily skin. Look into brands and products that give you what you are looking for and what you want you skin to look like after application and throughout the day! You do not want your moisturiser to dry out your skin regardless of your skin type. It can still hydrate the skin without looking greasy so look carefully into your products. Water based products are usually good for oily skin and oil based are good for dry skin.
“But how do I know what type of moisturiser to use?”
A cream is perfect for normal skin. It can hydrate and lock in the moisture well and not have a great deal of a side effect in terms or how it looks on the skin throughout the day.
A lotion is good for oily skin as water is the main ingredient and it isn’t going to leave your skin with a greasy layer througout the day but, it will hydrate it just fine.
An ointment is great for dry, itchy and flakey skin. It is oil based and will hydrate and lock in moisture through the nutrients that are within the oils.
(I will go in more detail regarding crucial ingredients for a moitsuriser further down)
Finally, in this step you must Protect against sun damage! Even though Vitamin D is great for your skin however, being over exposed to the sun can increase the chemical reactions rapidly in your skin, not leaving enough Calcium to bind to. When Vitamins store in your body they can become toxic if they are not flushed out or digested well, depending on your intake. Over a long period of time, it can damage the layers in the skin and cause skin cancer.
Without boring you with the science, it doesn’t matter what region of the world you are in or what your skin complexion is like, you need a good SPF on your skin.
In fact, for those who have a darker complexion need a higher level of SPF. This is because you have larger melasma cells in your skin that can easily bring out pigmentation.
Easiest thing to do is to, make sure your moisturiser has SPF 15-20 in it but also apply a SPF (30+ ) lotion or cream over it to protect and block against sun damage. If you are not applying Sun lotion then it is advised that your moisturiser should have an SPF of 20-30 for decent protection.
If you are quite a tanned person or a person of colour, or even suffer from hyperpigmentation, your SPF should be around 40-50 for maximum protection to avoid pigmentations and intense sun damage.
All things Moisturiser!
There are so many products out there on the market that when you shop online or go instore, you can’t help but wonder if you really need all these products. It can be overwhelming and you could end up buying something that is useless or even harmful to your skin. When it comes to moitsurisers, there are certiain things you can look out for in the ingredients to help you find a product that is right for you.
How do I know what to use and what to look for?
- Anything with Antioxidants such as a combination of Vitamins, green tea, chamomile or root extracts are great for a healthy looking skin. They help neutralise pH and free radicals on the skin.
- Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, mineral oils and proteins really help with drawing the water to your skin and locking in the moisture. These are best for dry skin. If you are an acne sufferer or have overly oily skin, it is best to take medical advise before applying anything to your face. Dermatologists know what is best.
- If you have sensitive skin, it is best to use hypoallergenic products without fragrance and with less ingredients in as possible.
- If you have itchy skin or suffer from eczema, it is best to apply a thick ointment but again, your doctor or pharmacist will give you the correct cream with the right percentages of products and acids to help your skin.
Avoid:
- Perfumes
- Artificial colourings
- Lots of acids, if it has a list of acids and you have no idea what they are, avoid them.
- If it’s good for the body that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s great for your face too. Ingredients matter.
- If you have normal skin or oily skin, don’t use things that are for dry skin, and vice versa. This will only irritate your skin and cause more issues.
On a final note, this was to not to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do for you skin, it was only to help you have a better idea of what you may want to do. It is better to do your own reasearch as I have done mine and continue to do. This is the only way you will achieve what you want out of your skin. Remember, if you are unsure about something on your skin, consult a medical professional because they will know what is best and where to direct you.
I hope this has helped someone or atleast given you some direction in how to take care of your skin. If you have any questions regarding SkinCare, Beauty or Lifestyle then feel free to message me on Instagram @Divinebeautyig or directly contact me through email here.
Stay healthy, keep safe and love your skin 🙂
Brands that are or have Vegan/ Cruelty Free products that you could look into :
Marks and Spencers Pure Skincare
There are lots more brands out there but these are the ones I have come across so far and like.
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