Hey friends!
So I wanted to do a little write up all about skin care, as that's the field that I work in, and I see a large amount of people who just don't understand skincare and what to do to help your skin. I don't blame them, or you if you don't understand where to start with skincare. There's so many different products out there, one YouTuber that I watch has a 27 step skincare procedure. 27 steps. That's a little excessive if you ask me. I mean, her skin is absolutely gorgeous, but it does seem like overkill.
So, let's begin.
We would start at determining what type of skin you have. You can have dry skin, oily skin, combination skin, and the lucky few have normal skin! If you don't know, don't worry, I'm here to help.
What do the different skin types look like?
Oily Skin: Shiny, open/blocked pores. Prone to blemishes, spots and comedones (blackheads), make-up comes off easily. People with oily skin need to be careful not to strip the skin from all its natural oils, otherwise it will overcompensate by producing excess oil! (It's a vicious cycle!)
Dry Skin: Prone to tightness, wrinkles, lines and flaky patches. Dry skin becomes more and more common as we age, and our skin functionality declines.
Combination Skin: A mixture of skin types, typically oily (but less than oil skin type) in some places and dry in other places, usually along the cheeks and the outer frame of the face (but not always!!)
*Please note that "sensitive" is not technically a skin type, you can have any of the skin types above and sensitive skin. Sensitive skin would be prone to redness, rash-like appearance, itchiness, easily irritated, stinging sensation on the skin, as well as break out in rashes/blotchiness easily. If you have sensitive skin, the best practice you can do is look for products that are unscented (no fragrances) and that don't use any harsh chemicals.
SO. Where does one begin with their skincare routine? Well, for starters, investing in a good make up remover is very crucial. But what's even more crucial? Actually using it!! Please don't sleep in your make up. Your skin rebuilds itself while you sleep, it's going to have a very hard time doing that if you're all caked up with make up. Not only will you leave stains on your pillow, the make up left on your face can block your pores which you want to avoid doing. Blocked pores lead to blemishes, your skin will thank you if you make sure to fall asleep bare faced.
This is what I'm using as my current make-up remover, you can purchase it here
Before
After
So after you've taken off all your make-up, you'll want to cleanse your face. This will remove any leftover make-up, as well as all the dirt, sweat & grime from your face. Now I know you might be thinking but Molly, I just used make-up remover. Doesn't that remove everything else too? and to that I say, it's called make-up remover, not dirt-grime-sweat-and-make-up-remover, come on. But no seriously, make up removers are typically quite gentle as they are used on your eyes and lips (fun fact, that's where your skin is the thinnest), so yes they remove make-up, but typically they are not heavy/intense enough to remove everything else. Good try though. Now there are many different cleansers out there, please don't get overwhelmed. The most important thing with finding new skincare products is to listen to your skin. Most places have a really good return policy, so not to fret if you buy the wrong thing. Some places will even give you samples so that you can try before you buy (bless those places). Currently, I am using a foaming cleanser, as all I have to do is dispense 2-3 pumps on my hands and massage into my skin, then rinse off with warm water. Super easy. I do recommend to get something with little scent to it.
This is the cleanser I'm currently using, you can purchase it here
Getting my face all clean and cleansed
So fresh so clean
The next step is one that people tend to overdo and it drives me crazy. Exfoliate. You've probably heard this term before. Exfoliators remove the dead skin cells, dirt & sebum from the surface of your skin, which then reveals a new layer of skin. It's very important that you do not exfoliate daily. UNLESS you are able to find a very mild exfoliator, it would have big ingredients in it, rather than micro sized exfoliating particles in it. I typically exfoliate every other day, and if I'm using a peel rather than an exfoliator I will limit it to 2 times a week. It's also important to be gentle. For an even greater exfoliating experience, when you wash your product off, wash it in small circles, as to add to the exfoliation.
This is the exfoliator that I'm currently using, it can be purchased here
Getting rid of all the dead skin heck yes
After we've worked away all that dead skin, we're going to want to use a Toner. Toner's job is to remove the final traces of grime, make-up, leftover product, basically whatever is left on your face. They refresh, soften and soothe the skin, refine the pores, and prepare it to receive moisture better. Sometimes toners will have additional benefits (the one that I'm using right now helps to even out skin tones, and brighten your skin). Find out that has the things that you'd like to see in your skin, or just find a regular toner. I'm always a fan of using Toner's with Aloe in them, as Aloe tends to not irritate skin.
This is the current Toner that I'm using, it can be purchased here
Lastly, you'll want to moisturize! Bring back that nice plump, healthy happy skin cells. They deserve to be treated. Moisturizers will help protect the skin, while nourishing and hydrating is simultaneously. There are tons of different moisturizers, some of which have different benefits, allowing you to find one that fits your needs. I personally like to find moisturizers that are almost a gel like consistency, as this is closer to your skins natural texture than creams, therefore absorbing faster.
This is the currently moisturizer that I'm using, it can be purchased here
Got my skin feeling to hydrated and refreshed
I will do a post in the future with some other things you can add to your skincare routine if you want a little extra lovin' for your face, but I'll end this post at this. If anything, please try to remember, Cleanser, Exfoliator, Toner, Moisturizer. CETM. That seems easy enough to remember. Your face will thank you.
Thanks for joining me!
Molly the Great