The Correct Skincare Routine To Follow

Skin health

Do you own dozens of skincare products but have zero clues on how to apply them in the correct order? Well, applying them in the correct order is important because if not, this could render the supposed benefits ineffective, and even worse, it might cause skin irritations. However, not to worry, this is what the article is here for — below is the detailed order for applying your skincare products. We also state which are the best products tailored for your skin type. Without further ado, let’s begin!

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Step 1: Use Cleanser

First and foremost, your skincare routine should kick start with a face clensing balm. Cleansing your face is important to get rid of dirt and residue leftover from your makeup. Only when your skin is clean will your skin then absorb the ingredients from skincare products. Start by using a cleansing oil to dissolve the makeup and follow up by using a creamy and gentle cleanser, especially for those with acne-prone skin.

Step 2: Prime Your Face With Toner

Next, here comes the use of a toner, which is to prime your face so that the skin can better absorb ingredients from other skincare products. Not to mention, toners boast chemical exfoliants and hydrating ingredients that are key to treating acne and provide moisture for the skin.

For people with acne, we recommend toner with BHA or AHA, as they work well to unclog pore, dissolve blackheads, and also prevent breakouts. For those with dry skin, we suggest the use of toners with water-soluble AHAs. On the other hand, people with oily skin should use toners filled with oil-soluble based BHAS. 

For the remaining people who fall into other categories of skin types, we recommend a hydrating toner as the more moisture it provides, the better it is for the skin.

Step 3: Get Some Nutrients With Serum

Moving on, it is time for serums to work their magic. For those who are clueless about the use of serums, think of them as shots containing concentrated nutrients, antioxidants, and hydration, all of which would boost your skin health.

In the morning, it is best to apply vitamin C serums as it helps to protect your skin from the damage caused by the free radicals coming from the sun while it also brightens your skin up and lightens dark spots in the long run.

Later on at night, apply serums that have the ingredient hyaluronic acid, which works to transfer moisture from the air into your skin and keeps it hydrated as you sleep.

Step 4: Put On Some Eye Creams

The concept of applying skincare products is to go by the order of thickness, first apply thinner products, and then followed by thicker products. Since eye creams are usually thinner and lighter than face moisturizers, do remember to apply them first before products like oils and other creams.

In the morning, it is ideal to find eye creams with rollerball applicators. The steel ball can help with fluid retention, plus it contains a caffeine-filled formula, which claims to minimize puffy under-eye skin by constricting and tightening them within 20 minutes.

At night, simply use a hydrating eye cream as it would protect the delicate under-eye and repair skin barriers overnight.

Step 5: Apply Spot Treatments

Spot treatments are to be applied at night most of the time because our body works the hardest to repair itself at night. However, if you have already applied acne-fighting toner or plan to apply retinol, you may want to consider applying spot treatment in the morning instead, so that the skin would not be irritated.

For acne scars and dark spots, you may use spot treatments that have either niacinamide or hydroquinone. However, for those with sensitive skin, do note that hydroquinone should be used in moderation, about once every three days as it can cause potential skin irritations due to a skin-bleaching ingredient. 

For pimples, use benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, albeit not together, as combined use would irritate your skin. Benzoyl peroxide works best for whiteheads as it is functioned to kill acne-causing bacteria. Salicylic acid, on the other hand, dissolves skin cells and oil, which targets inflamed bumps and small clogged pores.

Step 6: Moisturize Your Skin

When it comes to the best skincare product, the moisturizer has got to be the holy grail because not only does it saturate your skin with moisture but it also helps to contain all the products you have applied underneath, making the ingredients effective. Also, It keeps your skin barrier together, and hence, this allows for healthy and good-looking skin.

In the morning, we recommend a hyaluronic-based moisturizer, which is light and gentle as it helps to keep the skin feeling hydrated without an ounce of greasiness. If possible, do try to find one with a formula containing sunscreen of at least SPF 30.

At night, moisturizers should be filled with what our body produces naturally and could need more, such as proteins, lipids, and hyaluronic acid. 

Step 7: Retinol

Retinol, which is also known as vitamin A derivatives, penetrates into the skin and accelerates the speed of cell turnover, which supports less wrinkled and smoother skin over time. Retinoids also stimulate cellular exfoliation and collagen production, meaning it would help to clear pores, prevent breakouts, brighten skin, lighten your dark spots, and scars.

Step 8: Oil Up

Oils work the best when they are layered over products as it helps to increase the efficacy of the skincare routine while leaving them smooth and soft. As no other products can penetrate oils, they are meant to be applied last.

Step 9: Apply Sunscreen

Finally, sunscreen is the last step as although we mentioned oils should be applied last. This is because, technically, sunscreen does not penetrate anything, and instead, we apply them to protect our face against the UV rays from the sun. Hence, we have listed applying sunscreen as step 9. While at it, we strongly encourage the use of sunscreen with a bare minimum of SPF30.

Conclusion: Step 10 is to celebrate

With that said, it is the end of the routine. We hope that you are now more informed about the different functions of skincare products and how they should be applied. It is time to shout hooray and celebrate for healthy and radiant skin to come! Cheers!