I have been taking care of my skin since freshman year of high school. It’s important to start taking care of your skin now, so when you get older your skin is still looking radiant and youthful. Taking care of your skin is something a lot of people don’t do, but it makes a huge difference! It takes time to notice a difference, but once you do you feel great.
The first step is identifying what type of skin you have. This is the most important step because this helps in choosing which products you choose for your routine. I personally have combination skin, my T zone area (forehead, nose, and chin) is oily while the rest of my face is dry. My skin in particular gets dry around the winter time and oily during the summertime. Here is a chart to help figure out what type of skin you have!
Keep in mind YOU DON’T NEED EXPENSIVE PRODUCTS to look and feel great! Let’s begin.
CLEANSER
I personally use cleanser in the shower because I’m lazy and it’s easier, others use cleanser and rinse in the sink and use a towel to dry their face. Cleanser is used to wash your face basically, it helps reduce texture and bumps.
TONER
Toner is used to help clean all the dirt that accumulates on your face throughout the day. Use a cotton pad and apply some toner on it and apply it all throughout your face. You will see all the dirt on the cotton pad.
MOISTURIZER
Apply moisturizer to your face and allow it all to soak into your skin to give it a more radiant glow, this helps in hydrating and smoothing your skin.
** Important: A lot of cleansers use microbeads in their products, these beads are so tiny treatment plants aren’t able to remove them from our water system and they flow into our oceans. Please avoid buying them if you can they are harmful to our environment as a whole.
I personally don’t exfoliate because cleansers are more gentle on the skin. If you want to exfoliate you totally can just keep in mind to do it 1-2 times a week. Exfoliating daily can cause microtears in your skin that cause premature wrinkles.
PLEASE DO NOT USE ST. IVES FACE SCRUBS!
This specific product contains ingredients that are harmful to your skin. They cause microtears in your skin that can make it more prone to infections and can cause premature wrinkling. Please research items before you buy them and try them on your skin.
FACE MASKS
Face masks are used for a variety of reasons, whether you want to detox your skin or moisturize or hydrate, there are different kinds for all different purposes. I suggest using them once or twice a week, treat yourself because they feel great! Lush face masks are great!
LIP MASKS
Lip masks are great for hydrating your lips especially in this cold season approaching! I personally have drying lips and need to use one every night. I use the Laneige lip mask from Sephora, it’s $20. It may seem like a lot but I have used this product every night for almost a year now and I’m not even done with it yet. A little goes a long way!
Taking care of your skin only takes 5 minutes of your night. I promise the effects it will have on your skin will be amazing. I am not a pro, but I have helped many people with their routines and they have all seen positive effects. However if you have sensitive skin I would suggest consulting your dermatologist if there are any issues.
One more important thing, the most important of all, drink water. It’s cliche but it’s true: drinking a lot of water can help improve how your skin looks and feels.