As told by a former newbie
There are many daily routines that we learn and adopt from our parents. We learn how to brush our teeth, take a shower, and even do something as simple as make our bed after we wake up. One thing we aren't usually taught about is how to take care of our skin. As a result, developing and maintaining a skincare routine becomes a personal quest that adults have to embark on their own. With millions of different products on the market, that quest had become even more difficult to tackle.
I only learned about the importance of skincare products in my early 20s. While complaining to my friends one day about how my face was suffering from dry skin and redness, they asked me about my skincare routine. I told them I didn’t have one, which immediately prompted horrified expressions and drawn-out vowels. I began to feel the kind of dread that develops when I am questioned about something everyone else in the world seems to know about except me. Judgement aside, that incident was my first introduction into skincare, and it transformed the way my skin looked and felt.
if you are in the same boat as I was, this guide is meant to help give you guidance on how to adopt a basic 3-step skincare routine. My initial efforts into creating and maintaining a skincare routine went through a lot of trial and error. I made many missteps along the way, but you don’t have to. The steps described in this 3-step routine are what finally helped me manage the redness and dryness of my skin, and they work to maintain healthy skin for all skin types.
Three essentials for your Basic Skincare Routine
The three steps in a basic routine revolve around three skincare staples: a cleanser, a toner, and a moisturizer. To make it even simpler, you can find these three products bundled up in the following three starter kits that are made for every skin type. If you just want to find out more about what these products are and how they help to make your skin healthy, keep reading this guide below.
what is a facial cleanser?
The first step of every skincare regiment should begin with a cleanser. A cleanser helps to clean your skin and prepare it to absorb other products, among other benefits.
- Cleans skin and removes buildup: Cleansers help to remove dirt, oil, bacteria, and makeup that accumulates either during sleep or when you’re out during the day.
- Allows other products to be absorbed: Dirt and other pollutants prevent moisturizers from being absorbed. These pollutants are removed by a cleanser, which allows other products to be absorbed by the skin.
- Removes dead skin: Cleansers work to remove dead skin cells and help in achieving a fresher radiant look.
What is toner used for?
A toner is at times treated as the forgotten middle child in a skincare routine, but it is a powerful liquid that provides your skin with a variety of benefits.
- Removes leftover impurities: Toners remove makeup that was not removed by cleanser. It also removes oil and grime.
- Balances pH levels: Toners help restore your skin to its natural pH levels, which is around 5.5. The water that washes away the cleanser in the first step can raise the pH level of skin since it has a higher pH level than your skin. Toners can help lower it back to its optimal level.
- Helps with absorbing other products: Toners help to hydrate the skin, which in turn allows for better absorption of other products such as a moisturizer.
Why moisturize your face?
Applying a moisturizer is the final step of the routine. Moisturizers are either water based or lipid (oil) based or a combination of both. As indicated by its name, it is used to add moisture to skin, along with a variety of other uses.
- Hydrates the skin: A moisturizer is essential in helping the skin absorb water and stay hydrated. A moisturizer allows your skin to feel and look smoother.
- Helps skin stay young: Moisturizers help to increase blood circulation to the face, which aids in generating new cells to replace dead skin cells. Your body also require moisture provided by moisturizers to help repair damaged skin cells.
- Provides pores with a barrier against pollutants: Moisturizers fill into your pores and provide moisture to your face. In doing so, it also acts as a barrier to outside pollutants by taking up space that prevents dirt and bacteria from going inside your pores.
A skin care set for every skin type
Not every product will work with your skin type. For example, certain moisturizers will enhance and boost dry skin, but may not necessarily be beneficial for those with oily skin. Many products in the market will contain the description of the skin type they are best suited for. To make it easier for anyone trying to follow a skincare routine for the first time, we bundled together the three skincare essentials described above into three starter sets that are tailored to every skin type. Check out our skin care sets below and begin your quest to develop and maintain healthy skin.
