Sakshi Jain
Maintaining a healthy skin in your eventful lifestyle is a desire for most women and so pampering your skin with some self love is essential. We have been juggling between work, home, attending events with layers of makeup, chemicals and suntan caked on our face, which is quite harmful. Sometimes we become too ignorant and sluggish to check our skin’s health requirements which results in ultimate damage and a need for repair. To avoid all this in the long run, we should better take care of skin in simple and easy ways included in our routine.
One other concern that we women usually have is the kind of product we can use. There are so many products in the market, promising different benefits and treatments which make us more disorderly because we cannot decide on the kind we should use. What could be done is setting a routine – a simple, easy and a quick routine which you can follow twice a day to get that glowing, young facial skin.
Know Your Skin Type
The first and foremost thing you should be aware before you make a routine is the kind of skin you have on your face. Prior knowledge of it can save you from skin disasters. Skin kinds and a few of their indicators:
- Oily skin: the T-zone of your skin appears shiny and greasy, and your skin produces excess oil; also, your skin is acne-prone.
- Sensitive skin: your skin reacts easily to any product
- Combination skin: here your cheeks and rest of the face is dry except your T-zone
- Dry skin: your skin is too itchy and dry most of the time
- Normal skin: it is not sensitive to any product, a properly balanced skin type, no much dryness or excess oil is experienced.
After understanding your skin, you can now set a routine which mainly has four quick steps
Step 1: Cleansing
Skin accumulates dirt, excess oil and other pollutants throughout the day and also at night. To get rid of all these, cleansing is the first step. Grab a facial cleanser first thing in the morning to begin your simple skincare routine. If you are wondering which cleanser you should use then takes cues from the kind of skin you have. A sulphate free cleanser is ideal if you have a normal skin type, whereas for acne-prone skin, use oil-free cleansing gels or foams.
How to use
Firstly clean your hands properly and then squeeze a suitable amount of your facial cleanser on your fingertips. Wet your face with normal to lukewarm water and then apply with an upward circular motion to avoid forming of wrinkles. Please do not rub it excessively. Lastly, rinse it off with normal to lukewarm water and then dab with a clean towel. Remember not to use hot water; it will harm your skin.
Always remember: At night before going to bed, use a cleansing oil or a makeup remover first to remove the day’s makeup and then wash your face with a cleanser.
Step 2: Toning
If you are still pondering whether or not to include a toner in your routine, it is best if you do. Toning helps your skin to absorb the moisturizer better and helps remove the remaining residue which the cleanser must have left. If you wish to keep your skin ready and lessen the appearance of pores, then toner is a must. An alcohol-free toner would do for all skin types.
How to use
After you cleanse your face, take a cotton pad or a cotton ball and soak it in the toner, apply swiftly on your face and neck (again in an upward manner).
Always Remember
If you feel that the toner isn’t working for you, it is better to remove it from your routine.
Step 3: Moisturizing
Moisturizing your skins give you a hydrated, fresh and pleasant feel. It locks in the moisture on your skin. Now, if your primary concern is that on an already oily skin, is the moisturizer necessary? Yes, it is, you wouldn’t want to skip this part at least. A water-based moisturizer will be of great help for acne-prone oily skin. For a dry skin type, you can use a creamy textured moisturizer.
How to use
After letting the toner to dry, rub the product on your skin in an upward motion or can gently pat on your skin using your palm.
Always Remember
Sometimes, eyes have a puffy wrinkled look. For these concern, you can also include an eye cream which you can apply to your under-eye area right after moisturizing.
Step 4: Sunscreen
Sunscreen should be like the best product you have. It is your protection against the sun and its harmful rays, a major cause for skin cancer. Using an SPF 30 or higher sunscreen is the most effective option. And also, sunscreen can vary with the skin type, so the best one for your skin can be opted.
How to use
This must be the last step before you apply your makeup. If you are going outdoors and the sun exposure is evident, apply the sunscreen on your neck and face fifteen minutes before your leave.
Always remember
There is no need for it in the night time. Also, carry it along, you can use if the earlier one wears off.
Exfoliate
Exfoliating can be done once or twice a week. It helps you remove the dead cells accumulated on your skin. It is to be done between the toning and the moisturizing part. The choice of an exfoliator can be made between a granule exfoliator such as a sugar scrub or chemical exfoliators.
Serums
Serums generally are for specific skin issues, like if you have an extremely dry skin, you can apply serum to hydrate your skin after you use cleanse. Other issues can dull skin, hyperpigmentation, radiance, fine lines etc.
Be sure you follow the routine daily to keep your skin healthy, glowing and radiant. It is still advisable to consult a dermatologist for a thorough knowledge of the kind of skin you have and which products to use. If in case the doctor prescribes you certain products for the above steps, make sure you use them. Sometimes skin issues are too extreme; you can also bend the routine and make additions of certain oils, serums, facial mask and anti-ageing solutions. Creams and chemicals although assure you benefits, but the benefit from a proper diet inclusive of nutrients and vitamins is unparallel. A night of good sleep and exercise should also be on your agenda always. Adjust some time in your schedule for some self-care.
