Importance of a skincare routine
Whether we know it or not, almost everyone has a skincare routine. It may be as simple as washing your face with water or a more advanced routine that incorporates several skincare products.
Studies have shown that the benefits of using a comprehensive skincare routine significantly outweigh the benefits of a more simpler one.
A skincare routine should be tailored based on your individual skin type, which areas you want to target and what you want to achieve.
For younger people, protecting the skin from the sun and pollution should be their main priority. For someone with more mature skin, their skincare routine might be more focused on preventing fine lines, discoloration and other signs of ageing.
A good routine can help your skin look and feel great — but it doesn’t have to be overly complicated.
Three essential skincare routine steps
The goal of any skincare routine is to tune up your complexion–this is to ensure it’s functioning at its peak capacity, and also target any areas that you want to work on.
These are the three steps that we believe should be in everyone’s basic skincare routine:
- Cleansing — Washing your face.
- Moisturising — Hydrating and softening the skin.
- Sunscreen — protecting the skin from harmful UV rays
By allowing these three steps to become part of your daily ritual, it will help fortify your skin and ground your day.
Step 1: Cleanser
The first essential step in a basic skincare routine is to choose a cleanser that is specifically formulated for the face, rather than the body.
If your skin is acne-prone, focus on finding non-comedogenic products which do not contain pore-clogging ingredients.
For most people, it’s best to keep it simple with a gentle formula. If you have especially sensitive skin, choose a wash which is free of dyes, fragrances and alcohol to avoid further irritation. If you have dry skin, a cream or oil-based face wash may be used instead of a foaming formula. The goal of cleansing is to remove makeup, dirt, oil, and sweat without stripping your skin of the good bacteria and essential moisture that it needs.
Step 2: Moisturiser
After cleansing the skin, you should apply a moisturiser, even if your skin doesn’t feel tight or dry.
Pro tip: moisturiser works best when you apply it to damp skin, so slather it on right after cleansing.
It’s a common misconception that people with oily skin do not need to moisturise. Using a non-comedogenic moisturiser can help reduce the skin’s natural oil production. Skipping this step will allow your skin to overproduce oil to maintain the moisture barrier.
Choosing a moisturiser that feels great on your skin may take a few tries, but there are a few guidelines that can help you find the perfect one:
- For people with dry skin, a richer formula may be preferred. Products with the word “cream” in the description will be beneficial to this skin type.
- If you have oily skin, you’ll probably prefer lighter products, so look for formulas with the word “lotion” in them.
- Choose lighter moisturisers for the daytime and summer.
- Choose thicker products for nighttime and colder temperatures.
Step 3: Sunscreen
The final step in a basic, yet effective skincare routine is sunscreen. Skin cancer has become one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers. This may be due to global warming and more harmful UV rays being present.
It’s not just long days at the pool or beach that put you at risk of skin damage. The more sun exposure your skin gets, be it walking your dog, a short walk from your car into a building, or even spending time sitting by a window-–the more exposed your skin is to the sun, the greater your risk is for developing skin cancer.
Using sunscreen daily, whether you’ll be outside all day or not, is a great way to lower your chances of developing skin cancer.
In addition to preventing skin cancer, wearing sunscreen can also prevent premature ageing.
UV rays from the sun don’t cause sunburn, however they penetrate deep into the skin, causing wrinkles and fine lines. If you want to keep your skin smooth and youthful for as long as possible, then a broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB protection) sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher may just be the very best anti-aging product you can use.
Antioxidants and retinoids
Once you’ve mastered the first 3 essential steps— you can add another product or two if you wish to address any ageing concerns. Adding an antioxidant serum, retinoid or both may be the key to your ageing worries.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant and an all encompassing star ingredient which minimises damage from free radicals, which can cause premature ageing if left unchecked.
Vitamin C also brightens and evens skin tone.
Look for a formula that also has vitamin E and ferulic acid, as the combination maximises the benefits of vitamin C.
Using both Vitamin C and a prescription retinoid will be very beneficial to your anti-aging routine. We recommend using the vitamin C serum in the morning and your retinoid at night. It’s best not to use them at the exact same time because they have different optimal pH levels, so using them together will decrease the efficacy of both.
A complete skincare routine
You can take it one step further by adding a toner, serum and eye cream to complete your skincare routine. This should be in addition to the first 3 basic steps mentioned above. Using this advanced skincare routine will provide long lasting results.
A good toner aids in balancing the skin, while a serum and eye cream aid in targeting sensitive skin areas that grow problematic with age.
The Benefits of following a Skincare Routine
1. Improved Skin Hydration
The key to a healthy and glowing complexion is good hydration.
Hydration plays a vital role in keeping your skin plump and voluminous–which is important if you want to achieve and maintain that ‘rejuvenated’ look.
Your skin is effortlessly hydrated and moisturised, leaving your skin with a more youthful appearance when you use a skincare routine involving a gentle cleanser, lightweight serum and a quality moisturiser.
2. Slows Down Aging
Following a skincare routine best suited to your needs can effectively slow down signs of visible ageing.
Signs of ageing such as dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration, dullness and enlarged pores can be minimised with frequent use of a good skincare routine.
Skincare routines that include beneficial ingredients like hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), retinoids and peptides aid in boosting the turnover of skin cells.
3. Better Skin Condition
The condition of your skin will drastically improve with frequent and diligent use of your personalised skincare routine. Results should be visible from as little as 1 month!
4. Cumulative Results
When you make an effort to take care of your skin, it takes care of you. With an advanced skincare routine, you can expect long-lasting cumulative results.
This is especially true when you utilise skincare products that boost collagen and elastin production, both necessary for a more youthful appearance.
5. Feel More Confident
We all know that when you look good, you feel good. With an advanced skincare routine that improves your overall complexion and helps you achieve younger-looking skin, you will ultimately feel more confident and have higher self-esteem!
Conclusion
A good skincare routine should be a vital component of our day. Curating a personalised skincare routine with products best suited to your skin type will have you feeling rejuvenated and will leave your skin glowing!