We all like to look our best. If we had the ability to choose to have smooth, beautiful, glowing skin, we would. It’s a no-brainer. Choosing to have a solid skin care routine is certainly one of the ways to ensure that this can be achieved.
But what is a good skincare routine? Is there a one size fits all?… Unfortunately not. We all have different skin types and each skin type will need its own special loving care. So the question is, how do I know what is good for me?
Whether you have dry, oily, combination, sensitive, or acne-prone skin, we’ll try to give you a basic, easy-to-understand guide on how to start your journey into the sometimes overwhelming world of skincare.
Any good skincare routine should combine a cleanser followed by a toner, then a serum, and finally a moisturizer.
The cleanser you choose should be one that matches your individual skin requirements. For oily/combination/acne prone skin, a good place to start would be a gel cleanser or something like Elizabeth’s Arden Visible Difference Skin Balancing Exfoliating Cleanser for combination skin to ensure not too much oil is added. If you have dry skin, something like a cream cleanser would be best for you. StriVectin Comforting Cream Cleanser would be ideal for this.
Next, we would recommend some type of toner. There are three main categories to choose a toner. First of all, if you have dry skin, a toner with little or no alcohol would be best. Alcohol can dry out your skin, so stay away from it if you can. Lancôme Tonique Confort Hydrating Toner would be something we would suggest for this. If you have oily skin, you may want to choose a toner that also exfoliates. This is due to the increased chance of oil getting trapped in the pores and possibly causing breakouts. If you have combination skin, then it’s a bit of a judgment call, but you can go for any type of cleanser, but again, try to stay away from any that include alcohol, especially if it’s a high concentration.
Next comes the whey. People may ask if using a serum and moisturizer is necessary…well, if you want the best results, then yes it is. A serum is designed to give your skin deeper benefits than a moisturizer. They penetrate the epidermis and provide a concentrated boost of essential nutrition to the skin. The various types of serums include brightening serums, exfoliating serums, anti-aging serums, moisturizing serums, and firming serums. Depending on what you hope to achieve and what your skin needs will obviously dictate what you choose.
And finally, moisturizers. There are countless different moisturizers, but for simplicity we have grouped them into 3 main categories. Humectants, Emollients and Occlusives. In a nutshell, moisturizers are primarily designed for people with dry skin and help seal in water to hydrate the epidermis (the upper layers of the skin). They do this by drawing water from the surrounding air and drawing water from the dermis (the layer below the epidermis) to hydrate the surface layers of the skin. These are also great if you have oily skin but still want to moisturize, as they won’t add any excess oil to your skin. Emollients are great because they replicate the action of oils naturally found in the skin. It can also help reduce the amount of insensible fluid loss (we all lose an undetermined amount of water each day, partially through the spaces between skin cells) by filling in the spaces between skin cells. Last on our list are plosives. These are designed for extremely dry skin or people with conditions like eczema. They create a physical barrier between the skin and the environment, sealing in moisture and protecting against further water loss. Understandably, these are very thick compared to other moisturizers.
Whatever your skincare needs, we hope you find what you’re looking for. Never be afraid to ask for help from the experts who work in beauty departments, that’s what they’re here for and I’m sure they’ll be happy to help you.
