Need for a skincare routine
There is a lot of makeup that one can use and to some extent we are all aware about what products can one use. I have talked about what’s important when applying makeup in a tropical country like India. There are ways you can avoid the makeup melting and ways that will hold it longer. However, it is essentially necessary to have skincare routine that keeps your skin healthy and ensure you never have a breakout.
The best example to look at is our moms! I have often been critical about how long she takes to even get ready to run a small scale errand. So here is what she usually does.
- Wash her face.
- Pat it dry and then clean her face using a non-foaming cleanser. (It is just wiping your face gently with the product on a cotton ball).
- Once that is done, apply toner. (This always felt like an unnecessary step)
- Apply a moisturizer with SPF and then a tinted lip balm.
That’s a lots of work, a lot.
One thing I definitely know about my skin is that it is super sensitive. I really never understood what products for ‘normal to dry’, ‘dry to oily’ or just ‘oily’ skin meant. I mean if I have to describe my face and break it into what kind it belongs, the T-zone is super oily while the apple of my cheeks choose to be normal or dry. The skin around my lips is annoyingly dry and pigmented. Do you call that a combination skin?
Honestly, I have no clue because if it is combination, then there are just very few products available for combination skin. Maybe there are quite a range out there somewhere, but I obviously don’t seem to find where.
The actual Skincare Routine
Now even though I don’t find the exact products for my combination skin, there is an ideal way to go about your skincare routine. As a few skin experts suggest, I chose to adapt to this routine till I could sustain not being lazy.
Ideal Skincare Routine
Let’s begin.
Cleanse
This simply means you are cleaning your face from all the impurities that pile up through the day. It is a myth that cleansing is required only when you remove your makeup. Whether you are leaving for a party, coming back from one, or just home all day, cleansing once is important. Do you have to cleanse twice? No way!
Unless,
If you have just returned from a workout, cleanse.
If you have extremely oily skin, wash your face with a good cleanser morning and night.
If you have dry or sensitive skin, washing your face once is enough to avoid irritated skin or loss of moisture.
If you think that cleansers can easily help you clean up all the layers of makeup you have on, you’re wrong. Cleaning foundations and concealers is a tough job for a mere sophisticated cleanser that we use. Instead, use essential oils to first clean the makeup and then the cleanser will do its job to perfect skin.
There are foaming and non-foaming cleansers. I use the non-foaming ones more often which fits in best according to my skin type.
Exfoliate (Once or twice a week)
If you have harsh schedules and you have to work mostly outdoors, exfoliate twice a week otherwise once. An exfoliate is spa for your face. It deep cleanses, smoothens and helps you get rid of blackheads easily. I love apricot scrubs and I have just begun to use one by St. Ives. It is a grainy one, but I think after every weekly scrub my skin feels better.
Tone
As I said earlier, this always felt like an unnecessary step. And I was right, it is not really that important. You can totally skip this. The function of toners is to maintain your skin’s pH balance and keep it calm. But only when used with the right cleanser. However, if you are unable to look for the exact brand of cleanser-toner combination, I’d suggest buying an alcohol free toner.
Serum
People have eventually understood the importance of serums in their skincare routine and that’s a good thing. With major climatic implications, our skin feels dull and is aging even faster. (This definitely explains so many ad campaigns on skin aging products, LOL) Serums are available in bother water and oil based solutions. A serum essentially hydrates your skin by replenishing it with the oils it loses. I use the Kiehl’s Daily Reviving and Midnight Recovery concentrate and I can tell you it works wonders.
An Eye Cream
Most of us have prominent dark circles. The lifestyle we live today doesn’t give us enough time to upkeep even a basic skincare routine. An eye cream reduces wrinkles under your eye and help them rejuvenate. Using a good eye cream is definitely an addition to the basic skincare routine and can be skipped as per your wish. However, I would definitely recommend people getting married soon to invest in an eye cream to look your best. The Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery eye cream happens to be my favourite because it keeps working while I sleep.
Moisturize
It is critical for one to understand that moisturizing is imminent and one has to use it irrespective of their gender. I mean if you know a man who uses a moisturizer or a sunscreen, instead of mocking them you should appreciate. After all, their skin is being harmed as much as yours, maybe even more. To a greater extent, moisturizing regularly ceases appearances of wrinkles. If you are someone with acne, moisturizing can help diminishing its effects. And if that’s not enough reason and you’re someone who loves makeup, a skincare routine without moisturizing will make your makeup look dull.
Sunscreen
This is as important as moisturizing. Some even recommend that even if you plan to be indoors all day, using a cream with some SPF helps. After all there are UV rays and radiations everywhere. One major reason behind skin discoloration and pre-mature aging is not wearing sunscreen.
No matter who says what, about remedies and medicines, you should know that these are the fundamental things. One needs to take care of all these steps crucially as a part of their skincare routine. Of course, there are steps you can skip. But beware that the climate will possibly worsen. So if you haven’t started with a skincare routine already, time is now!
Trendogue Recommends
- Drink a lot of water, stay hydrated. There are mobile applications that will help you keep a track of the same.
- A man has blackheads too. I strongly recommend that they are taken care of. One of my favourite unisex blackhead treatment product is The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil.
- Use a good lip balm. As much as other things matter, your lips need care too.
- A good skincare routine has something for you hands and feet too. Moisturizing is the key.
- Meditate and exercise. The blood circulation is at its best and you tend to glow more.
- Remember, the right products matter, not the pricey ones.
If there is anything is particular about any part of skincare routine you want to know, comment in the section below. I will love to interact with you.
You can also find us on:
Facebook: Trendogue
Instagram: @trendogue
Twitter: @trendogue
Stay Trendy With Trendogue, xoxo!
