A Skin Care Routine has to be effective, affordable and simple. In the facial skin care routine here, I propose just 4 to 5 products that you would need for healthy glowing facial skin. This saves you time and money. And also prevents any reactions and damage to your skin from overusing of products and ingredients that might be too harmful.
Cleanser
A gentle cleanser will help remove the dirt that has accumulated on your face due to pollution and sweat/oil production. It also helps to remove makeup and products such as sunscreen. Choose a gentle foam cleanser for oily skin, and a cream cleanser for sensitive, normal and drier skin.
Moisturizer
The purpose of a moisturizer is to protect the skin barrier, nourish, hydrate, and restore. Look for ingredients such as niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, glycerin. I particularly love the CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion on my skin as it is light, and I often apply throughout the day when I do not have makeup on. For drier skin, the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream works best.
Sun Protection
A sunscreen is vital in any skin care routine – even on a cloudy day, even if spending the day indoors, even in winter. A sunscreen protects the skin from the damage that the sun rays cause on the skin, causing premature ageing, cancer, thick leathery skin, pigmentation, etc. There are chemical and mineral sunscreens to choose from. The key is to find one that works for you, your skin colouring, your skin condition. Once you find the right one, make sure you apply every morning on top of your moisturizer, and reapply throughout the day.
Treatment
Usually at night, you would choose a product that has active ingredients to treat your skin. If for instance you are looking to boost collagen in the skin and an age management product, then you would choose a product that might have retinol such as the Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair with Retinol (fragrance free), or prescription Tretinoin. If you are looking to acne control, you might try a product with prescription Azelaic Acid. You might want to add an acid, such as BHA or AHA. Usually the treatment is done at night before your moisturizer if using.
Morning Routine
In the morning you would cleanse, apply moisturizer. Wait a little bit and then apply sunscreen. If you are applying makeup, it would be applied on top of the sunscreen. Just wait a little bit for the sunscreen to dry. For the sunscreen make sure you reapply suncreen throughout the day – even on top of makeup. Check out some powder sunscreens such as the Colorescience All-Mineral SPF 50 Brush that are easily applied over makeup.
Night Routine
In the evening, double cleanse to make sure you remove the morning products, sunscreen, sweat and pollution. Apply your treatment product. If need be can apply a moisturizer over the treatment product once the treatment product has penetrated – this could be the same moisturizer you use in the morning.
Products that are not needed
Some products that have been marketed repeatedly are not needed. Such products could be a separate eye cream, scrubs, masks, serums. These are a waste of your time and money, as they are not effective and do not achieve anything more for your skin than a simple routine that has been explained above.
Also watch out for ingredients that are too harsh on the skin and harmful, such as perfume, apricot stones in some scrubs. Other ingredients might again be a waste of your time and money, such as collagen (too big to penetrate).