Everyone needs a good skin care routine for healthy skin. If you want a glowing, youthful complexion, you need to know how to cleanse and moisturize the skin properly. But with so many expensive, often unnecessary, products on the market, skin care can become complicated.
And while it’s always tempting to try the latest thing, you could well end up doing more damage than good. Using the wrong products can be a disaster for your long term skin health and create ongoing issues for skin tone and texture.
We all want a flawless complexion but skincare isn’t just about aesthetics. As the body’s largest organ, and its first line of defense, the skin needs our attention and protection. Here are some helpful skin care tips:
Know Your Skin
Only once we understand our skin type, can we put an effective skincare routine in place. And continuing to use ineffective or harsh products will not only exacerbate any issues but could also cause premature signs of ageing.
- Applying the wrong skin care products can strip the skin of its natural oils.
- A dull, sluggish and tired complexion may be the result of dehydration inside and out. Make sure you drink at least 4 liters of water per day.
- Over-exfoliating could be doing more harm than good. Consult with a skincare professional before using harsh exfoliating treatments.
- Consult with a skin care professional to understand your skin type. A specialist will help you develop and manage a suitable skin care plan.
- Regular specialist treatments, such as a chemical peel can help with various skin problems and help maintain skin health. Different peels are recommended for different skin types.
Related: 10 Best Anti-Aging Tips for Youthful Skin
Keep it Clean
We all know how important it is to have a great cleansing product and routine. And that the wrong cleanser can cause problems, such as the sebaceous glands being forced to work overtime. It’s also true that if the product is too gentle you may find that any acne becomes worse due to clogged pores. Skin care is a delicate balance.
Actively maintaining your skin health by ensuring proper hydration and keeping all linen and towels clean to prevent bacteria spreading on the skin, are great ways of complimenting your routine.
Double cleansing has also become a popular technique and can give great results. But again, unless you’re using the best products for your complexion, it may be a pointless practice. Once you know your skin type, it should be much easier to choose the appropriate cleansers.
- For normal skin try a non-abrasive face wash or even wash the face with lukewarm water and an organic cotton face cloth.
- If you have oily or combination skin you may need a foaming cleanser that breaks down the dirt and sebum. Keeping pores clean is important and helps prevent acne.
- Dry, inflamed and eczema-prone skin requires a cream cleanser. These products wash away dirt while adding necessary moisture.
- When dealing with sensitive or mature skin, try an oil cleanser. There are heaps of good ones on the market but unrefined, organic coconut oil is affordable and also effective.
Related: How To Make Your Oily Skin Look Good – 10 Expert Tips
Toner or Not
Those alcohol-based, skin drying toners are a thing of the past. Today’s toners are created to give the skin extra nutrients and help other products absorb more easily into the skin. It’s a great addition to your skincare routine, though for most it’s an optional extra.
- A toner with alpha and beta hydroxy acids helps remove dead skin cells that can clog pores. It can also help with sun damage and brightens the complexion.
- Hyaluronic acid is popular right now. It’s often added to toners to boost hydration, plump the skin and help treat fine lines.
- Rosewater is a natural product that smells amazing. As a toner, it can help reduce any inflammation.
- Vitamin E and C are great anti-aging additives, commonly found in toners.
Hydrating the Skin
Our skin changes with age and, to some extent, with the seasons. So, it’s really important to regularly reassess your daily and nighttime moisturisers. But at the same time, if you’re trying something new, it’s just as important to give a good product time to do its work.
When it comes to applying moisturiser, it’s also a good idea to stay away from comedogenic products. These will clog the pores and cause, or exacerbate, various skin issue.
The wrong product could even dry out your skin or stimulate the sebaceous glands and cause an oily complexion. When choosing an effective moisturiser, the fewer ingredients the less reactive it will be. For your beauty tips there are some great additives to consider adding to your moisturising routine for healthy skin.
- Hyaluronic acid helps prevent moisture loss.
- Vitamin C brightens dull skin and used regularly will deal with dark patches.
- Retinol stimulates the production of collagen. And helps prevent those fine lines and skin sagging.
- Natural oils, like almond oil, protect and moisturise the skin. But there’s less chance of inflammation or other adverse reactions.
Related: 6 Tips to Give Your Skin a New Glance
Protection
Use sunscreen every day. Make sure your sun protection contains both a physical and chemical sunblock. This will ensure you’re protected from both UVA and UVB rays.
- Look for a product label that says broadband spectrum.
- SPF is the sun protection factor and does protect from both UVA and UVB.
- One of the best skin care tips ad sun protections is to cover up as much as possible when outdoors.
- Avoid the middle of the day and help those anti-ageing creams work.
The Bottom Line
Your day time skin care routine is really all about prevention and protection. While the nighttime routine should focus on cleansing and repair. Essentially, it’s as simple as that. The biggest challenge is knowing your skin type so you can provide the most effective and nourishing routine.
Besides these beauty tips for skin let’s not forget the power of a good diet either. A diet packed full of vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables as well as nuts and seeds help promote healthy, glowing skin and prevent premature ageing when regularly eaten as part of a balanced diet.