If you’ve battled breakouts, dryness, or dullness in the past, you know just how important a solid skincare routine can be. Now is the perfect time to finally give your skin the expert attention it deserves as the harsher winter weather rolls in. Ready to find out what an effective skincare routine looks like? Let’s get into it!
Identifying Your Skin’s Needs
Before getting into the fun part of choosing products, it’s important to assess your skin’s needs. Knowing your skin type, goals, and problem areas helps ensure you pick the right products.
Skin Types
Your skin type is based primarily on the amount of natural oils your skin produces throughout the day. Your skin type may change as you age based on several factors, including your hormone levels, stress, genetics, and the environment.
Below is a list of the most common skin types as well as their key distinctions.
- Oily Skin: Skin that often appears shiny or greasy, especially in the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin). Oily skin is also more prone to acne.
- Dry Skin: Characterized by flakiness, dehydration, and tightness, dry skin lacks the necessary oils to maintain moisture.
- Combination Skin: A mix of both oily and dry areas, typically with an oily T-zone and drier cheeks.
- Normal Skin: Balanced, with no significant issues regarding dryness or oiliness.
In addition to the above skin types, there’s one extra common descriptor that can be added to each. Sensitive skin refers to the reactivity of the skin, instead of the oil production, allowing people with oily, dry, and combination skin to experience sensitivity. People with sensitive skin may find their skin reacts to fragrance and other ingredients by becoming red and feeling irritated or even a burning sensation.
Choosing the Right Ingredients
After you have an understanding of your skin type and reactivity, you can now figure out which ingredients may be beneficial for your skin. Let’s take a look at some common active ingredients in skincare for 2024 and analyze the benefits, and which skin types it benefits most.
- Hyaluronic Acid: This ingredient helps to draw moisture to the skin and is often found in serums, moisturizers, lotions, and creams. This ingredient is as gentle as it is effective, making it perfect for sensitive skin as well as all 4 primary skin types.
- Retinoids: This term acts as a catch-all for vitamin A-based products used for the skin. Acne treatments containing adapalene as well as anti-aging products containing retinol that work to improve uneven skin tone, pigmentation, and texture fall into this category. These products can be drying, so this is recommended more for people with oily, and acne-prone skin.
- Antioxidants: Ingredients like vitamin C, vitamin E, and niacinamide protect and rejuvenate the skin. Antioxidants generally work well for all skin types, though some, like vitamin E, are especially beneficial for dry skin, while sensitive skin may need to avoid fragranced vitamin C products.
Skincare 101: Foundational Elements
Skin care experts have identified the 4 primary steps apart from an effective skincare routine. While it may seem tempting to buy all the products for a 10-step routine, start by covering the essentials and then add to it later if you’re interested.
Cleansing
Cleansing your skin properly is incredibly important for your skin to keep it clean and prevent problems from arising. At a minimum, you should wash your face once a day, likely at night. Some people prefer washing their face in the morning as well, while others may feel satisfied with just splashing water on their face in the morning.
For makeup wearers, a double cleanse in the evening is crucial. This involves using an oil-based cleanser or micellar water first to break down the makeup from the day, then going in with a standard facial cleaner to remove any leftover oil and clean the skin.
Exfoliating
Exfoliating removes dead skin cells but should only be done a few times a week. There are two types: physical (e.g., scrubs) and chemical exfoliants (like alpha or beta hydroxy acids). Chemical exfoliants can penetrate deeper and offer lasting results, while physical exfoliants provide an immediate surface-level effect.
Moisturizing
Whether you have oily, dry, or combination skin, moisturizing is essential. Dry skin may benefit from heavier creams, while those with oily skin should opt for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers. It may seem counterintuitive for people with oily skin to use a moisturizer, but avoiding moisturizers can make your skin overproduce oils worsening your problem.
Sun Protection
Daily SPF is non-negotiable. Even if it’s cloudy or you’re indoors, UV rays can still affect your skin. Other products like moisturizers and foundations containing SPF are beneficial, but not a replacement for having a dedicated SPF.
To make sure you are applying enough sunscreen, use the two-finger rule. Dispense SPF along the lengths of your pointer and middle finger, and apply to your face and neck. SPF only needs to be applied in the mornings and should be washed off each night to prevent clogged pores and breakouts.
Advanced Skincare Additions
After you’ve nailed the skincare basics, you can incorporate some advanced steps. These extra products are typically designed to target specific concerns, such as aging, acne, and hydration. While your staple products may contain some of the active ingredients discussed earlier, your additional steps will likely feature these actives and provide more potency.
Two of the most common additions include serums and masks. Both of these products work best after cleansing but before moisturizing. There are three primary types of masks:
- Overnight Masks: Similar to a moisturizer cream, this can be used in replacement of moisturizer and left on overnight.
- Sheet Masks: This mask is a sheet soaked in a serum that you lay on your face and let sit for a few minutes, before removing the sheet and massaging the serum into your skin.
- Clay Masks: This category acts as a catch-all for the masks that you apply to the skin, let dry, and then wash off afterward. Most often, these masks include clay or other clarifying ingredients.
When choosing your serum or mask, pay close attention to the claims and ingredients in each of the products to determine if it’s right for you.
Get an Expert Opinion
Building your ideal skin care program can be intimidating. If you’re not sure where to start, consult our Alameda skin care experts! Bring new life to your skincare routine with our tips, and a scheduled treatment at Bespoke Wellness. Book an appointment with us to learn more about how our holistic skin care services can rejuvenate your skin.
