Your Best Guide to Having a Great Daily Routine for Your Skin

We all have our routines when it comes to skincare. Some women, especially when they are younger, tend to just wash their face with a cleanser or other cleansing product in the morning and use the same product for washing their face at night, coupled with the use of a moisturizer. But older women may have a slightly different skincare routine, perhaps involving more products that can also contribute to younger-looking skin.

Whatever skincare routine you have, how sure are you that it’s the best for your skin and skin type? There are certain products that you can incorporate into your skincare routine, for instance, that can make your skin look better and become more vibrant and give you a nice, youthful glow. If you aren’t sure about your skincare routine or would simply want your skin to look more beautiful, here’s your best guide to having a great daily routine for your skin.

Cleansing your skin

For skin cleansing, choose a cleansing product that will not leave the skin too tight once you finish washing. You should also make sure not to clean too much – twice a day is ideal. You can even stick to a once-a-day wash if your skin is dry. Try not to wear too much makeup, either, and avoid washing too much and having your face become ‘squeaky clean’ – it means that you will be stripping your skin of its natural oils. Choose a gentle, non-abrasive cleanser as well.

Using serums

Serums have become increasingly popular, and they come with a lot of benefits if you use them regularly. When choosing a serum, select one which has vitamin C or peptides and growth factors for morning use, underneath your sunscreen. For the evening, choose a serum that has retinol or retinoids, which are readily available at skincare specialists like www.totalbodycare.co.uk.

The importance of moisturizing

Moisturising has been deemed essential for a number of reasons, and even those who may still have young-looking skin can benefit from moisturizing as early as possible. And even if your skin is a bit oily, you still need to moisturize it, although you can opt for a moisturizer that is more lightweight and non-comedogenic; it’s also best to choose one that’s gel-based. If your skin is a little dry, you can benefit from moisturizers that are cream-based.

Don’t forget the sunscreen!

Another essential element that you should include in your daily skincare routine is applying sunscreen. Do this every day before you go out, even if you are just spending a few minutes under direct sunlight. Sunscreens with a high SPF (such as 30 or more) are ideal and apply the sunscreen at least 15 minutes prior to heading outside. If your skin is darker, you may actually need more sunscreen because it is more difficult to correct hyperpigmentation.

Do a proper patch test of new skincare products

If you have just purchased a product for your skin, you would do well to do a patch test first. To do this, apply a tiny amount of the skin care product on a portion of your skin (make sure the portion is a discreet or hidden area, like your inner arm or your wrist’s inner side). Wait and see if you have a reaction in two days. If there is no reaction, you should still wait around 96 hours and recheck the part so you can verify whether you have a delayed reaction to the product or not. So what would be an allergic reaction? Symptoms will often include itchiness and irritation, tiny bumps, or redness. If you have these symptoms, you can wash off the area using a gentle cleanser and water, return the skincare product, and choose another one that’s more ideal for your skin type.

Avoid ‘hacks’

There are many skincare ‘hacks’ on the internet, and you have probably seen some of those where people reportedly praise the wonders of various things such as toothpaste, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and the like for the treatment of dark spots, acne, and so on. But truthfully speaking, those hacks may end up causing more harm than good since they can enhance the risk of damaging the barrier of your skin.

Some ‘hacks’ to avoid include the use of lemon juice, for example, which contains citric acid. The acid is too strong and ‘acidic and this can result in dark spots once your skin is exposed to the sun. It may also irritate and dry out your skin. Another hack is the use of baking soda, which has a high pH level (at least eight), and this can stress out the skin as well. It can also decrease the water content of your skin and make it dry.

Yet another popular skincare hack is the use of toothpaste. Toothpaste is comprised of ingredients that can absorb oil and kill various germs, but it may lead to skin irritation and dryness. The same is true with garlic, which, when applied raw to the skin, can result in allergies and even eczema, blisters, and inflammation of the skin. Whilst sugar may have already achieved some credit as a natural exfoliant, it’s still best not to use it for your facial skin because its texture may be too harsh for the sensitive skin of the face. Vitamin E is another hack that’s gained in popularity apparently; you can break apart a vitamin E capsule and simply apply it topically to your skin. But it can lead to skin irritation as well, and it has not been scientifically proven to improve the appearance of scars. You are definitely better off choosing skincare products that contain these ingredients in a controlled form, which would benefit you more in the end.

You should also choose skincare products that are the proper fit for your skin’s sensitivity and your skin type, and don’t forget to read the product labels carefully. Bear in mind that there are particular products that are best applied only in the evening, such as retinol creams or retinoid prescriptions. And remember: stay as hydrated as possible, practice good hygiene, change your pillowcases every week, and wrap up or wash your hair before going to bed.