What Makes Up a Good Skincare Routine?

When it comes to skincare, there are various steps involved in creating an effective routine. An ideal routine includes cleansing, exfoliation (both physical and chemical) and moisturization.

Navigating all the new products and TikTok trends may seem daunting, but dermatologists agree that all you need are only three or four products for beautiful skin.

Cleanse

Cleansing should be your first step in any skincare regimen, removing makeup and other products from your skin and smoothing its surface so any future treatments have a better chance at penetrating into it.

Your skin is exposed to many external aggressors throughout the day, such as makeup, sweat, oil and pollution. Regular cleansing helps prevent breakouts, dehydration and ageing in addition to keeping breakouts at bay.

A good cleanser should contain ingredients that provide maximum benefit to the skin and shouldn’t be too harsh; harsh cleansers can disrupt the acid mantle and force skin cells to produce more oil to compensate. When rinsing off with water, be sure to use lukewarm temperatures; hot or cold waters could strip your natural oils while shock can occur from either extreme. Therefore it is wise to opt for gentle milk-based cleansers like Biologique Recherche’s Cleansing Milk as they’ll ensure optimal cleansing conditions for maximum efficacy and performance.

Exfoliate

Your skin naturally sheds dead cells every 30 days, but speeding this process up can make all the difference for an even skin tone and reduced discoloration, giving you that “baby-faced glow.”

Whiteheads and blackheads can be prevented by having dead skin seal the pores, according to dermatologist Lily Talakoub. Dead skin prevents sebaceous glands from producing oil which could get trapped and cause those pesky stoppages in pores.

To exfoliate, either use a chemical exfoliating scrub, physical tools such as pumice stones and exfoliating shower puffs, or both together. When it comes to scrubs, apply two to three times weekly for normal to oily skin types and once weekly for sensitive or dry skin types; when it comes to chemical exfoliants follow product instructions for best results and look for products containing salicylic acid and niacinamide which double up as B vitamins in healthy diets for daily exfoliation purposes.

Moisturize

Skincare has become quite trendy, with beauty influencers touting everything from facial steaming to jade rolling as ways to care for one’s complexion. But taking an active interest in taking care of one’s complexion goes beyond mere trends; having an established routine can reduce fine lines, dark spots and sun damage while helping one to maintain youthful complexions.

For most, this means creating a regimen consisting of cleansing, toning and moisturizing steps. Furthermore, the order in which these steps occur is crucial – for instance if you apply serums and moisturizers prior to makeup application, their products will have time to penetrate deep into your skin instead of remaining on top of existing dirt and debris accumulations.

Your ideal moisturizers for different skin types should feature ingredients designed to meet specific concerns. For instance, dry skin may benefit from using a rich cream packed with ceramides that lock in dewiness while acne-prone skin would benefit from light cleanser containing acne fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide or glycolic acid. Finally, those with normal skin should look for lightweight lotions formulated with hydrating components like glycerin or hyaluronic acid for hydration.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen should be an integral component of any skincare regimen, helping prevent premature wrinkles, slow age-accelerating damage, reduce brown spots and hyperpigmentation and protect against the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanomas.

When selecting a sunscreen, look for one with a facial formulation that won’t leave your face looking oily or greasy. Physical sunscreens like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide (which reflect UV rays like white paint reflects light) tend to work best across most skin tones.

Ideal practice dictates applying sunscreen after cleansing but prior to any makeup application. According to Dr. Kassouf, sunscreen must first absorb into the skin for maximum efficacy before being coated over by other products like foundation. Introducing makeup too soon could dilute or undermine its efficacy – so frequent reapplication throughout the day (even on cloudy days!) is recommended.