One of the most frequent questions I get asked is “How do I start a skincare routine?”. The skincare world is saturated with so many products, good and bad. It can be hard to figure out where to start. Today I am going to share the skincare basics and how to start. Whether you are new to the skincare world, or you just don’t know where to start, this blog post is for you. Once you get the basic steps down, you can start incorporating new things such as treatments, acids, retinol, and masks.
Step One: Cleanser
Cleansing is the most basic step in skincare but it can actually become pretty confusing. Cleanser washes away dirt, oil, dead skin, pollution, and other things that sit on our skin. If you don’t cleanse, these things remain on our skin and clog pores, resulting in breakouts. Some people think that Dove bar soap is the only cleanser your skin needs. Although that may be better than not cleansing at all, I do not recommend bar soaps for your face! If that is currently you, don’t worry, most of us have been there. Generally, bar soaps are too harsh for your face. Harsh cleansers can strip your skin barrier which may result in breakouts and other skin concerns.
There are a few different ways to cleanse your skin the morning. Some people can get away with splashing only water on their face or using micellar water on a cotton pad. This technique is used mostly by people with dry skin. If your skin is overly dry, cleansing twice a day may actually disrupt your skin barrier, causing more dryness. If you lean more toward the oily side, you may want to stick with your regular cleanser in the mornings. I generally use my cleanser in the morning too, but I recommend listening to your skin. If my skin is feeling overly dry and tight, I may just splash with water.
Your skin type should help you determine what type of cleanser to use. Cleansers that work best for people with dry skin are milk or cream in consistency. Gel cleansers work well for both skin types, depending on the ingredients. People with oily skin generally prefer foaming cleansers. If you have oily, acne prone skin, I recommend a cleanser with salicylic acid (an amazing ingredient to treat acne and breakouts). I have combination skin that leans more dry and my personal favorite type is gel.
During your night time routine it is best to use a double cleansing method. This means using an oil based cleanser first, and your regular facial cleanser second. The first cleanse is used to breakup your makeup and SPF from the day. Double cleansing also helps with clogged pores. My favorite way to use an oil cleanser is in balm form. I find these to be less messy than traditional oil cleansers.
Step Two: Toner
In the skincare world, whether or not toner is a necessity is often debated. Toners are used to bring balance back to your skin. However, I have heard some say it isn’t needed as long as your cleanser is pH balanced and non stripping. I personally think toners are important to add moisture back into your skin after cleansing. This is important because when you cleanse your skin goes through something called transepidermal water loss. This is basically just a fancy way of saying that your skin loses water. I would advising staying away from toners with donated alcohol, as it was be drying and irritating. If you want something very hydrating, look for one that contains hyaluronic acid.
Step Three: Moisturizer
If you have a skincare routine you most likely already have a moisturizer. You can think of moisturizers as the step to “lock in” the rest of your routine. Depending on the consistency and ingredients, moisturizers can do different things. Humectants attract water to the skin while occlusives seal in moisture to help prevent water loss.
Step Four: Sunscreen
Sunscreen might just be the most important step, and unfortunately it is the step that most people leave out. I know what you’re probably thinking, “I don’t need to wear sunscreen everyday”. I use to think the same thing. I thought you only needed sunscreen if you were going to be outside for a prolonged period of time, like going to the beach. I also thought suntanning was a good idea, and that it was okay as long as I didn’t get a sunburn. One of the most common misconceptions is that the sun is only damaging your skin when you get a sunburn. The fact is that any amount of color change is sun damage. And even when there is no visible change, there is still damage occurring deeper into the skin.
To answer the question, “Why should I wear sunscreen?”. Ultraviolet light from the sun penetrates our skin causing photo aging, discoloration, wrinkling, and skin cancer, among other things. There are two types of rays, UVB and UVA. UVB rays are the ones we can actually see. When you see the sun shining down, you are seeing UVB rays. UVB is what causes our skin to tan and sunburn. UVA rays are the ones we cannot see. UVA rays cause damage slowly overtime. These rays penetrate deep into our skin causing wrinkles, skin caner, and other things. UVA rays are very bad for skin health and hurts the skin immune system. It is important to find a sunscreen that is labeled as “broad spectrum”, meaning it protects from both UVB and UVA. It can be tricky to find a sunscreen that doesn’t leave a white cast and that works well on top of your other products, so you may have to try a few before finding one you love. Although right now it may seem like a hassle to wear sunscreen every day, your future self will thank you.
Now that you know the four essential skincare steps, I hope that you will go find your perfect routine. Feel free to shoot me a message if you have any questions.
Helpful Links:
Sunscreen Info Videos
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