How to Look After Your Skin
Whether you have a three-step or nine-step skincare routine, there’s one thing everyone can do to improve their skin: apply products in the correct order. Regardless of your skin concerns, start with a clean, toned base, then apply concentrated, active products, and lock in moisture—and, of course, SPF during the day. The steps to a proper skincare routine are as follows:
Clean your face.
Rinse your face with water every morning and night, then rub a tiny amount of gentle cleanser between your clean palms. Face wash should be gently massaged all over your face. Rinse your hands and massage your face with water until the cleanser and filth have been removed. Using a soft towel, gently pat your face dry. If you use makeup at night, you may need to cleanse twice. Cleanse your face with cleaning oil or micellar water first. To make makeup removal easier and avoid rubbing your eyes, try keeping dedicated eye-makeup removers on for a few minutes. After that, scrub your entire face gently.
Toner is applied.
Apply toner after cleaning your face and before doing anything else. Using your palms or a cotton pad, gently swipe a few drops of toner onto your face. Only apply your exfoliating toner at night if it contains chemicals like glycolic acid to exfoliate dead skin cells. Using hydrating formulations twice a day is recommended. Exfoliating toner with retinoids or other exfoliants should not be used at the same time.
Use the serum.
Antioxidant serums, such as a brightening vitamin C serum, are especially beneficial in the morning because they protect your skin from the free radicals that you’ll encounter throughout the day. Use a hyaluronic acid-based moisturizing serum at night to prevent your skin from drying out, especially if you’re using anti-aging or acne treatments that might irritate and dry your skin. Exfoliants like alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) and lactic acid can be found in serums. Always remember, whatever method you use: Water-based serums should be applied before moisturizer, whereas oil-based serums should be applied after.
Use an eye cream.
You can use conventional moisturizer on your under-eye area, but if you want to use a specific eye cream, you should layer it underneath moisturizer because eye creams are often thinner than face moisturizers. To reduce puffiness in the morning, use an eye cream with a metal roller-ball applicator and keep it in the freezer. When you use a moisturizing eye moisturizer at night, it might induce fluid retention, making your eyes puffy in the morning.
Apply a spot treatment.
When your body is in repair mode, it’s a good idea to utilize acne spot treatments at night. Layering acne-fighting chemicals such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acids with retinol might irritate the skin. Make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep your skin calm and hydrated.
Moisturize.
Moisturizer moisturizes the skin while also locking in the other layers of makeup. For the morning, look for a light lotion with an SPF of 30 or higher. You can use a heavier night cream in the evening. Those with dry skin should apply a lotion every morning and night.
Use retinoid.
By accelerating skin-cell turnover, retinoid (vitamin A derivatives like retinol) can diminish dark spots, breakouts, and fine wrinkles, but they can also irritate sensitive skin. If you use retinoid, keep in mind that they degrade in the sun, so only use them at night. They also make your skin more sun-sensitive, so wearing sunscreen is essential.
Apply some facial oil.
If you use a facial oil, apply it after you’ve applied your other skin-care products because nothing else will penetrate the oil.
Use sunscreen.
Although it is the final step, practically every dermatologist will tell you that sun protection is the most crucial aspect of any skin-care routine. Skin cancer and indications of aging can be avoided by protecting your skin from UV radiation. Even if your moisturizer contains SPF, you should still use sunscreen. Allow 20 minutes for chemical sunscreens to become effective before going outside. Look for a sunscreen with a broad-spectrum SPF, which means it protects against both UVA and UVB light.