Five Easy Skincare Routine To Follow

Before starting a routine, it may help to understand what a skincare routine is and why it is important. The skin is the largest organ that covers our body and serves three functions, including protection, you can read more about it here. 

What is skincare ? 

Skincare is the practice of applying products and conducting steps to help protect the skin, enhance the health of the skin and maintain the integrity of the skin ( skin barrier). 

Why is skincare important?

Starting a skincare routine is integral part of maintaining the skin's barrier, which protects us from pathogens like harmful bacteria and boost your overall well-being. In addition, practicing consistent skincare routine helps to slow down aging, improves skin tone and in turn allow your skin to appear more vibrant. This results in a self-confidence boost and mental upliftment. Just like brushing your teeth , or feeding yourself everyday, practicing consistent skincare routines will offer more long-term results rather than a get "glass-skin" quick scheme. 

Now that we understand why skincare is essential to our well-being, setting up a skincare routine can seem like a complicated process. We have simplify the steps into five easy steps you can start using today!  

Easy 5 step skincare routine For All Skin Types :

1.    Cleanse with gentle cleanser

2.    Apply toner

3.    Apply serums and/or oils

4.    Apply moisturizer

5.    Apply sunscreen in the AM

Read more about these steps below.

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1) Cleanse with a gentle cleanser 

Cleansing means to wash with the intent to remove dirt, debris, and other impurities. As we mention before our skin protects against harmful bacteria and chemicals, but it is also exposed to dust and dirt. By cleansing (washing) your skin, you are removing any dirty particles that could clogged your pores. Clogged pores lead to more breakouts and reactions. We do not want that! When it comes to cleansing, it is highly recommended by dermatologists to double cleanse. Double cleanse means to use an oil-based cleanser followed by a water-based cleanser.

If we learn anything in science class, we know that water and oil do not mix well. So, if we have any oils that is clogging our pores, we will need an oil to take it off. Our wax-free, fragrance-free Wipe It Off Cleansing Balm , formulated with non-comedogenic oils ( not pore clogging oils), can be used as your oil cleanser in your cleansing routine. 

Next use a water-based cleanser to remove dirt and other particles off your skin. Our Soothing gel to foam cleanser is formulated to remove the excess dirt without stripping off your skin's natural oils.  After washing face with the cleansers, rinse off with lukewarm or cold water. Do not use hot water or steam your face too often, this will weaken your skin protective layer.

2) Apply Toner

Next step is to apply a toner. To tone your skin helps to restore your skin back to its slightly acid PH level (4-6). When our skin is too alkaline, the PH is high (8- 14) you may notice that your skin is very dry, irritated, inflamed, or notice an increase in redness or more wrinkles. When our skin is too acidic (PH is 3 or below), the skin is more acne prone, more blemishes appear, oily, inflamed, increase redness or discoloration. There are lots of toners out in the market, make sure to check the ingredients list for any harsh alcohols (ethanol, isopropyl, alcohol denatured, methanol etc.) or fragrances (parfum), you would want to avoid those ingredients in your toner! Our hydrating facial mist has PH of 5 and functions as a toner !

3) Apply Serums and/or Oils

Third step is to apply serums and/or oils. Serums are great for many things. One of the benefits of using a serum is that it is packed with concentrated key ingredients that can help to penetrate deep into the dermis of the skin. Serums are also light weight and absorbs quickly. They are also high in antioxidants like  Vitamins B & C  that can reverse signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. Our Hydrating morning serum and Dark spot and blemish corrector serum  includes gentle exfoliants that can remove the outer layer of dead skin in the epidermis and reduce the appearance of dark spots and blemishes.

( This is really step 5 at night !) Next step is to apply oils. Oils are great to seal in products to minimize the risk of transepidermal water loss(TEWL) which occurs when water and moisture evaporates out out of the epidermis( outer layer of the skin). Not every oils are good for the face. When using oils, make sure they are non-comedogenic (non-pore clogging) to reduce chances of more breakouts and irritation. A few examples of non-comedogenic oils are rosehip oil, squalene, jojoba oil, sunflower oil, hemp seed oil, grapeseed oil and tea tree oil. It is important that if you have oily or acne prone skin to still add oils to help your skin stay moisturized.

**Please note that most moisturizers include oils !**

4) Apply Moisturizers

Moisturizers are essential for all skin types. They help your skin to retain moisture and water, hydrates your skin, making the skin appear more firm and plump and soothe dry and sensitive skin. It is recommended to use a light moisturizer in the morning and a heavy "thicker" moisturizing cream in the evening. Moisturizers can also help to reduce the appearance of blemishes, like our Facial moisturizing cream or boost hydration like our Pump and hydrating moisturizer 

5) Apply Sunscreen in AM 

It is important to wear sunscreen everyday when outside or sitting near a window where you are exposed to sunlight. UVA & UVB rays from the sun causes free radicals in the skin which can further damage your skin's protective layer and cause more irritation. This can further lead to more breakouts. It is recommended to wear sunscreen at minimum SPF 30. Reapply the sunscreen every 2 hours. Also wear protective clothing like long sleeves and hats along with sunglasses to minimize your skin to sun. Don't forget to apply sunscreen even on a cloudy day, you may still be exposed to UVA & UVB rays.

In conclusion, by incorporating these easy five step skincare routine in your schedule will allow the ease of applying products in the right order and help you to stay consistent without a complicated process. In addition to these routines, adapting to a healthy lifestyle can help you achieve the vibrant skin you're looking for! 

Learn more on how to help your skin all seasons, click here.

Click here to learn more about how the skin functions !