Self care has many different facets. One of these is doing things that will benefit you in the long run. It may be a little more work each morning and each night to have a thorough skincare routine, but it will really pay off later on. The key is consistency. So, here are our top 7 skincare routine tips, in no particular order!
- Can I skip my skincare routine?
- What should every skin care routine include?
- How do I find my perfect skin care routine?
1. Cleanse first
Cleansing all the dirt and environmental toxins that accumulate on your face each day is important and should always be your first step in both your morning and nighttime routines. By cleansing, you’re keeping your skin healthy and clean, minimizing the chance of acne and blackheads forming, and setting the stage for a blank slate upon which you can add on your next products.
2. The direction of application matters!
Whether applying your face wash, creams, serums, or sunscreen, you want to dab on the product and apply with short, gentle strokes in an upwards and outwards direction across your face. However, gravity is already working to pull things down, give your face a little boost in the opposite direction during your skincare routine!
3. Reapply sunscreen often
Sunscreen is one of your BEST lines of defense against aging. UV rays do so much to age skin: drying, age spots, and sagging, to name a few. Apply sunscreen during the summer and the winter, whether you’re going out for just 20 minutes or spending all day at the beach. And be sure to reapply as necessary.
4. Moisturize
Moisturization is a very important daily step whether you think your face needs it or not. Just mild dehydration will show in terms of the overall look of your face. Good daily moisturization also ensures that very dry facial skin never creeps up on you. Makeup will also go on much easier.
5. Don’t forget your neck and décolletage
Whatever skin care products you’re using on your face should also be applied to your neck and décolletage (upper chest area). Did you know your neck is often one of the first parts to show aging? So cleansing, moisturizing, and exfoliation should happen in these areas too.
6. Be gentle with your eyes.
It helps to have a specially formulated eye product to use. The under-eye area especially is one of the most delicate areas of the face. It’s also prone to unique issues like puffiness, bags, dark circles, and even fine lines before they show up elsewhere on your face. For this reason, you want to use targeted products there. Also, when applying, never rub a product on or cause your under-eye skin to be pulled. Instead, lightly dab on the product and tap quickly and gently to spread it.
7. Exfoliate
After a long day outside, treat your face to some gentle exfoliation to slough off dead skin cells, and make your skin more receptive to the nighttime products you’ll be using.
So there you have it! Follow these tips for self-care that pays off in the long run. Want more skincare routine advice? Check out our blog section here.