The skin is the largest organ of the body and is one of the only visible organs. Your skin can be a great indicator of your internal health and must be taken care of properly.
Skin-care should be a part of your daily life - it’s a routine that should be enjoyable and made just for you!
There’s no single skin-care routine that works for everyone. Each individual is different, everyone’s skin is different, and many internal factors can impact your skin’s health. The human body is significantly complex.
Building an effective skin-care routine takes time, effort, consistency, and patience. You will go through trial and error. Knowing the basics of skin-care will help you navigate the skin-care world much easier, which is what we’re here to help you with today!
Figuring Out Your Skin Type
Knowing your skin type first and foremost allows you to choose products that are formulated for your skin type specifically. Try this simple experiment to determine if your skin is normal, dry, oily, or if you have combination skin.
If your skin isn’t flaky or oily and feels smooth, your skin is normal. If your skin appears shiny and greasy, you have oily skin. If your skin is tight and you’re experiencing flakiness, your skin is dry. Lastly, if your skin is dry in some areas and oily in others, you have combination skin.
Choosing The Right Products
Once you have your skin type down, it’s time to start shopping for some skin-care products. As a beginner to skin-care, it’s imperative that you choose the most basic, simple skin-care products. Products should be free of scents and fragrances.
CeraVe has become a cult-favorite drugstore skin-care brand that certainly lives up to the hype and is one of the best skin-care brands to start with when beginning your skin-care journey!
Cerave contains many beneficial ingredients that help to protect and restore the skin barrier. Research explains that the skin barrier is the outermost layer of the epidermis that protects the skin from outside bacteria, viruses, irritants, and other environmental pollutants.
If your skin’s barrier is impaired, this puts you at risk for skin conditions such as acne, irritation, flakiness, and several other skin concerns. The skin barrier is damaged by using products that are too harsh on the skin, such as facial scrubs and skin-care products full of fragrance and harsh chemicals.
One of the benefits of using CeraVe products is that their products are fragrance-free and very gentle. The gentleness of CeraVe products reduce the risk of skin irritation and promotes healthy skin by helping to repair the damaged skin barrier.
So if you’re looking for great products to start your skin-care journey, start with CeraVe! With this brand, you’ll find great products for every step of your skin-care routine. Each product from this brand is safe, gentle, and effective for the majority of individuals.
The Three Basic Steps To A Simple Skin-Care Routine
Now that you know your skin type and products to start with let’s jump into the actual skin-care routine. An effective skin-care routine should consist of these four simple steps - cleanse, moisturize, treatment, and sunscreen.
You can also use the oil cleansing method to remove makeup gently. Research has shown that the oil cleansing method is useful for individuals with dry, mature skin. This method works by simply choosing an oil of your choice (coconut, jojoba, olive, etc.), massaging the oil on the skin, and gently removing the oil using a clean washcloth soaked with warm water or rinsing with warm water.
After removing your makeup, you’ll want to use your regular cleanser. The CeraVe line has excellent facial cleansers for every skin type. You will need to use your cleanser twice to ensure that you completely remove the makeup and oil.
You need to use a moisturizer if you have oily skin because when your skin is dehydrated, your skin will produce more oil to combat dryness, thus, making your skin more oily. A moisturizer is also especially important for individuals with dry skin types.
Depending on your skin condition, you may need to seek advice and treatment from a trusted esthetician or dermatologist if your skin isn’t improving with over-the-counter skin-care products. A prescription for stronger treatments specific to your skin condition may be necessary. There could also be an underlying internal health issue that could be resulting in problematic skin.
UV rays from direct sun exposure can worsen dark spots and hyperpigmentation, especially for darker skin tones. This is because excess sun exposure can trigger an overproduction of melanin.
Wearing sunscreen daily or a moisturizer with SPF helps protect the skin and evens out the skin complexion. Dermatologists recommend using sunscreen that contains an SPF of at least 30 or higher.
Patience Is Key!
You’ve got all the information you need, and now you’re ready to start your skin-care journey! But before you do, an important tip to remember is to be patient.
When it comes to skin-care, you won’t see results overnight. You must follow your skin-care routine consistently to see results. If you’re trying new products, you’ll want to use them for at least three months before determining whether or not the product is working for you.
But if you notice your skin reacting negatively (redness, burning, stinging, itching, acne, etc.) to any new product, you must discontinue the use of the product immediately. Some skin ingredients, such as retinol, may cause mild irritation or skin purging. These are normal reactions that will lessen as you continue to use a product. However, if these adverse skin reactions are unbearable, you must stop using the product right away.
Slowly introducing new products can help minimize skin irritation and helps determine which products may be causing sensitivity. Skin-care is a lot of work, but once you get to know your skin, it’s worth it in the end!
