Sometimes our skin can be our best friend. When it feels comfortable and soothed after good weather or showers, then we feel just as comfortable and soothed.
On the other hand, sometimes it can feel like our worst enemy. It can itch, bleed, flake, hurt in several ways and for a number of reasons. The reality is our skin needs a lot of attention, and it needs it regularly. This article will look at the essentials for a good skin care routine and how often you should apply them.
And while these tips are basically universal, everyone’s body–including their skin–is unique to them. Skincare routines can vary depending on the individual, which is why it’s always good to seek the consultation of a doctor.
How Do I Clean My Skin Properly?
The first step in learning how to take good care of your skin is to clean it properly. Face washing is one the easiest yet most important facets of a good skin care routine, especially if you regularly wear makeup.
You will want to find the proper cleanser for your skin. Cleansers are various gels and creams that are meant to help remove dirt, dead skin, oils, and anything else that can clog up your skin.
Wet your face with lukewarm water, then apply the cleanser with your fingertips. Avoid too much scratching or scrubbing since this can irritate the skin even further and destroy your skin’s barrier.
After the cleanser is applied, rinse it off and gently dry your skin. Ideally, you should do this every morning and every night, but as long as you’re washing your face every day, you are on the right track.
Another obvious way of getting clean is taking baths or showers. Getting cleaned up like this is important of course, but it can be overdone.
Your skin contains lots of bacteria, but some of them are used to fight off other external bacteria and infections. Taking a shower will cleanse you of the external bacteria that could break through, but you may also be sacrificing healthy antigens at the same time.
For this reason, doctors recommend showering just a few times a week. If you live in a hot region, workout regularly, or have a physically exhausting job that makes you sweat, taking showers more often is both common and wise.
However, your showers do not always need to be so thorough, and you can target the essential areas that save on time, water, and all that bacteria that is still good for your skin. Hot showers with plenty of steam, on the other hand, can open up your pores and relax your skin.
This makes it a great first step if you’ve decided to take a day to perform more extensive skincare.
How Do I Exfoliate?
The truth is, exfoliating your skin is very important, but the process looks different for every individual. There are a number of different types of skins; some are very sensitive and display scratches or marks after what might seem to be gentle contact to others.
Other skin can appear very dry frequently, or oily, or both at the same time. More mature skin may have fine lines, dark spots from sun exposure, or other specific skin concerns.
Treating your skin is a matter of identifying what kind of skin you have and any specific issues or skin problems you are worried about.
Exfoliating is simply the process of removing dead skin cells from the surface of your skin to boost cellular turnover. These skin cells can sometimes become lodged in pores which can dirty up your skin and cause acne.
To remove all that dead skin, you can either remove them with scrubs and sponges or with the aid of chemicals and creams that dissolve the dead skin so you can rinse it away.
How Do I Moisturize?
Moisturizing is the last step in a healthy skincare routine. You should be moisturizing after a shower or after cleaning your face since this is when your pores have been opened the most. Throughout the day, your skin is exposed to the elements.
Dry or cold air, the sun’s rays, and pollutants can all cause dry and irritated skin. Moisturizing can help ensure your skin stays hydrated and protected, and a moisturizer containing SPF can offer you sun protection during the day to reduce your risk of skin cancer.
Apply Diligently
No matter your type of skin, ideally, you should be moisturizing every morning and every night. Night creams containing active ingredients like retinol, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide are common and may help combat the effects of free radicals and sun damage.
Although the frequency is easy to tackle, the moisturizer you use is very important to keep track of since it depends on your skin type. There are five different skin types: normal, sensitive, dry, oily, or combination skin.
Check the Ingredients
Those with normal skin don't need to worry too much and simply need to find what works best and what feels comfortable. Sensitive skin usually bodes well with a moisturizer, ideally free from additives like fragrance.
Dry skin needs extra hydration to prevent irritation, and oily skin already produces a lot of oils, so look for moisturizers that don’t include many additive oils in the product. Combination skin is a skin type that is both oily and dry in certain areas. You will likely need to find a perfectly balanced moisturizer that hydrates the dry areas without overloading your skin with oils simultaneously.
When choosing skincare products, everyone can benefit from avoiding those containing forms of alcohol or other harsh chemicals. Finding new products to purchase can be a daunting process, but these skin care tips may help you hone in on what you need most.
Conclusion
Taking great care of your skin can help you maintain a youthful appearance and glow. When it comes to skincare, cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing are the three main steps, but your exact skincare routine can vary from the routines of those around you.
Different skin types have different needs, and a dermatologist can work with you to craft a plan if you are unsure. We hope these tips for a good skin routine help you on your way to feeling perfectly comfortable in your own body. Remember to keep up with it, be consistent, and give it plenty of love.
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Sources:
How to safely exfoliate at home | AAD
How often should you shower? Seasons, ages, and more | Medical News Today
The Importance of Moisturizing | UTMC
