Now that fall and the dry season is coming, skincare is ever so important to me. I struggled with acne a lot in middle school and high school. My skin was dull and lifeless. I was tired of it, and after doing lots of research, I finally learned how to repair my skin. Through hydration and a routine, I’ve finally found the best products that helped my face look and feel my best. To start, this is just what has personally helped me in my journey. Everybody’s skin is different, and it is especially important to consult a professional such as a dermatologist or a licensed esthetician for your skincare needs.
I have found a couple key elements that help my skin bounce back: double cleansing, hydration, and a solid moisturizer. It really was as simple as that for me. I see things all over social media and in articles talking about expensive cleansers, fancy serums, four-hour long routines, and everything imaginable. However, I found that too many things on my face can cause it to flare up, and it’s best to stay as simple as possible. The skin on my face is extremely sensitive and needs to be taken care of gently. Simple care has helped me repair the skin barrier, which helped to improve my skin’s strength to make it less dull, dry, and susceptible to things like acne and dark spots.
The first step in my face routine is cleansing. I use a nice simple cleanser and make sure it is non-comedogenic and fragrance free. This ensures that the sensitive skin on my face doesn’t get clogged with unnecessary things and isn’t all irritated from harsh chemical fragrances. Another thing I looked for in face washes was built in ceramides. After finding a cleanser that worked for me, I found I like to wash my face twice a day, for at least 30 seconds rubbing it gently into a lather. Rinse off with water (my skin does really well with a shower/sink water filter to get all those contaminants out) and pat dry with a clean towel.
Next, while my skin was still damp, I liked to apply some sort of reparative serum. I found hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, or Vitamin C worked best for me. “Hyaluronic acid attracts and binds to water molecules, and increases the water content of the skin”, says dermatologist Sheri Marchbein. Hyaluronic acid absorbs and retains moisture, adding hydration to my skin, which can improve the look and feel of the skin, as well as repair that super important skin barrier. Niacinamide and vitamin C did the same for me, as well as other things. They are all slightly different, but add a little boost of hydration to your skin. When considering one, ask a professional for their opinion on which would cater to your skin’s needs the most. You can even use all three, but I have found that using only one helps my skin (and my wallet!) the most.
After applying a serum, I like to let it soak into my skin for a few minutes before using a moisturizer. For a moisturizer, looked for similar things as in the cleanser: non-comedogenic, oil free, fragrance free, and filled with ceramides. I like to use a moisturizer that contains SPF (at least 25) for my morning routine. This helped my face stay light and breathable, and still moisturized. After this, my face feels protected and hydrated, ready to take on the day.