Keep a Proper Skin Care Routine for Great Skin and Lasting Results
Skin care professionals know that a skin care routine is vitally important for the health and look of your skin. Despite how many professional treatments you have done, their results pale in comparison to a regular, dedicated at-home routine. Many estheticians and beauty professionals say that 20% of results come from treatments, but 80% of progress you achieve comes from sticking to your daily care.
To keep your skin looking healthy and glowing, you need to keep up with exfoliating and moisturizing your face. What does a proper skin care routine look like? Yours will change depending on the concerns of your skin, but the rough outline looks like this.
Cleanse your face
The first part of every skin care routine requires you to cleanse your face and body of any oil, dirt and anything else your skin picks up throughout the day or overnight. Never skip out on washing your face!
Starting your morning routine
Cleansing your skin in the morning is an important step to start your day. The type of cleanser you use varies based on your skin type and concerns. Typically, you want to use a gentle face wash for the best results. When you look for products, avoid cleansing products that have harsh ingredients such as sulfates that break down and strip natural, and healthy oils.
Steps to take at night
On top of following your regular cleanse, there’s one additional step to take at night. When you apply makeup throughout the day, you need to use a makeup remover before you start your nighttime cleanse. Going to bed without removing your makeup is incredibly bad for your skin’s health, clogs your pores, and leads to breakouts.
Apply treatments
A great cleanse sets your skin up for the rest of your routine. Various treatments should be chosen and used with recommendations based on your skin’s needs. If you’re unsure of which treatments are the best, just ask your esthetician!
Serums customized for your skin
There are a ton of different serums designed to replenish your skin with nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants. For daytime application, many estheticians recommend a Vitamin-C based serum. It helps protect your skin from UV rays, but is not a replacement for sunscreen. Vitamin-C also inhibits melanin.
For nighttime, you want to seek serums that contain peptides and growth factors, so your skin is repaired overnight as you rest. Additionally, you can use a retinol at night with caution. Retinol aids in collagen production and features anti-aging benefits, but has side effects if you’re not careful. If you use too much, or are inexperienced with how your skin reacts, you may end up with dryness and flaking, and retinol burn.
Eye cream
You should use an eye cream to lighten dark spots, dryness, or puffiness in the morning and evening. Some people make the mistake of only using eye cream right under their eyes, and miss half of the application area! You need to apply your eye cream all around your eye to maximize the benefits of eye cream.
Eye creams have a low concentration of ingredients to avoid redness and irritation due to the thinness of the skin around your eye. Look for brightening ingredients such as Vitamin-C, kojic acid, and ceramides to lock in moisture and strengthen skin.
Spot acne treatment
Using a treatment directly on pimples helps reduce how long they last on your skin. Many acne spot treatments are out there, from patches to chemical exfoliants and acids.
It’s helpful to know what’s causing your acne before you attempt at-home treatments. A consultation with a licensed esthetician can help root out the cause of your acne. Clinical treatments such as an acne facial can jump-start your acne plan, and then your esthetician helps decide the best way to clear up the rest of your acne and prevent breakouts in the future.
Moisturize, hydrate, and protect
Similar to cleansers and treatments, there are a myriad of moisturizers on the market, and it’s tough to know which is best for your skin type. After you find one right for you, cap off your routine with your moisturizer for soft skin.
Picking the right moisturizer for your skin type
Moisturizers range from thick balms to water-based gels. Find out your skin type, pick a moisturizer that addresses your skin concerns and will absorb and hydrate your skin. For example, when you know your skin is prone to being on the oily side, you’ll want a gel moisturizer for easy absorption.
Dry skin types usually want to opt for a cream that’s oil-based to make up for a lack of natural oils being produced by the skin. It’s important to avoid moisturizers with artificial or added scents and perfumes, as this leaves a film and barrier on the skin.
Face oil and sunscreen
Face oils lock in your moisturizer while you sleep. Often, the assumption is that face oils are bad for your skin, but not all oils are the same. The good oils present in facial oil products hydrate and soften your skin overnight.
For your daytime routine, finish it off with a facial sunscreen throughout the day, especially when you’re going to be exposed to UV rays. It helps prevent hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and skin cancer when used properly!
The Esthy Clinic in LA has expert advice, facials, and skin care in a chic, comfortable environment. Just want to shop skin care products? We have a shop complete with all the products you need to start a great skin routine, and each has been approved by a licensed esthetician.