Skincare can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. You can be minimal with your routine, or extra with it. Either way, it is important and we’re here to help with some common questions.
What are the most important parts to a skincare routine?
Just a few minutes every morning and night to wash your face is already a key part. It’s important to not forget your body too. Skincare isn’t just about your face. You should always follow up with some type of moisturizer. Moisturizer for your face can be a little different from your face and neck. The main thing to look out for your face and neck is to make sure that the moisturizer you’re using doesn’t have any added fragrance. Other than that during the day, you should use a moisturizer that has at least 15 SPF. SPF is important because sun damage is known to dry out skin, burn it, and increase the risk of skin cancer. Sun damage can also cause premature aging, sun spots, and discoloration.
Recap: Wash your skin twice a day and moisturize with SPF.
What causes acne?
Acne can be caused by a few things. Most of the time it is caused by clogged pores and excess sebum oil. Sebum oil is an oily and waxy substance that our body’s sebaceous gland produces. Your body makes this to moisturize and protect your skin. So just washing regularly can lower how much you have. It is important to not strip your skin of it or dry it out though. As dry skin actually can cause or make acne worse.
Another cause of acne is hormones. This means acne is common in young adults and then stops as you get older. It’s important that you don’t pop any blemishes or touch the affected areas. Doing so can cause trauma to the skin and lead to acne scars. Instead of trying using a drying lotion to help.
Recap: Acne can be caused by excess oil and clogged pores. Wash your skin regularly, but don’t dry it out. And of course, resist the urge to pop pimples. Use a drying lotion overnight to help.
How often should I exfoliate?
There isn’t a set rule on how often you should do it, but it is a must. Depending on how rough or strong the product you’re using is, it can vary. For the most part, it should be at least once a week, but no more than three times a week. This is because doing it does help remove dead skin cells that can cause dry and dull skin. However, exfoliating too much can overexpose your skin causing drying and cracking that can be painful.
Recap: Exfoliate to help your skin, but don’t do it more than three times a week.
How can I prevent aging skin?
As we get older our skin loses elasticity and collagen. Because of this, our skin starts to naturally wrinkle and sag. You can slow this process down or minimize it by taking care of your skin. There are a few ways to do this. Like mentioned before washing your face and using a moisturizer with an SPF is one step. You can also use a derma roller to stimulate blood flow and collagen growth. The derma roller isn’t the only way to get this going. Look for ingredients that can do this such as coffee. It’s also good to start when you’re young. Ingredients that contain antioxidants, such as fruit stem cells, can also aide with aging.
Recap: Wash your face, wear SPF, use a derma roller, and use ingredients that stimulate blood flow and collagen.
How can I fix uneven skin tone?
Depending on what caused it there are various things to try. Sometimes uneven skin tones can be caused by a buildup of dead skin cells. If you don’t exfoliate try at least a week, as mentioned before don’t overdo it with any more than 3 times a week. Uneven skin tone can also be caused by an uneven distribution of pigment. This can be caused by sun exposure and hormonal imbalance. Serums and moisturizers that contain vitamin C can all help even out skin tone.
Recap: Exfoliate, wear sunscreen, and use vitamin C products to even out your skin tone.
What about sensitive skin?
Sensitive skin can still go through the steps mentioned previously. However, some products can be too harsh. Look for products that are targeted for sensitive skin, such as honey and aloe vera. Be sure to also spot test products before applying it all over. Overall, anything you use shouldn’t be too harsh. Just wash it gently and avoid any irritating substances.
Recap: Look for products geared towards sensitive skin and always spot test.
How do I know what product is right for me?
This depends on what you want for your skin, but also how it will react. It’s good to start off with what you’re trying to target for your skin. For example, if you just want radiant skin. Look for products that target that area. Those will be different from those that target stretch marks as an example.
If you’re a skincare veteran you may already know what ingredients you like. So take a quick look at the list of products to get an idea. A good rule of thumb is to avoid anything with alcohol in it (unless it’s a drying lotion) and anything with added fragrances.
The next thing is to try the product. Sometimes we won’t know if we like a product until we try it! Be sure to spot test though to avoid any allergic or sensitive reactions.
Recap: Decide what you want for your skin and look for products that help with that. Glance at the ingredients and avoid alcohol and fragrances. Try products out!
Does my skincare routine need to be different around my eyes?
Absolutely! The skin around our eyes is thinner and needs more support. This is also the first place where we lose our collagen. Look for eye creams that have retinol, antioxidants, and vitamin C.
Does skin buildup a tolerance to products or ingredients?
That is actually a myth. There is only one exception and that is retinol. Skin can build up a tolerance to retinol, but not its effectiveness. Just try not to jump around from too many products, which can actually do more harm. Try to find your routine and stick with it for some time.
What are the skin types and what is my skin type?
Generally speaking there 5 types: normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive skin. Combination skin is where one area of your skin is different for the other. For example, if you have a T-zone you are oily in that area, but normal everywhere else.
Skin types can change over time. This can be due to age, hormones, medication, and even diet.
If you’re not sure what your skin type is gently wash your face and leave it product free for at least a couple of hours. Just pay attention to your skin throughout that time and then examine it closely.
Once you have that down you can try some different products and keep track of how your skin reacts to each one. After that, you’ll set into your routine.
