A simple skincare routine will help tune up your complexion and also troubleshoot any areas you want to work on. A simple skincare routine will help you stick to your skincare goals and is exactly what you want because you will need time to see the effects of your efforts. Consistency is key and you need around 6 weeks to see a full impact. However, your skin should start showing positive signs after 2 weeks.
Therefore, while it may be tempting and commendable to set an extensive overhaul of your skin care habits, we recommend that you start with a simple skincare routine. Also, to reduce the number of things your have to do in your routine, try to stick with multi-functioning products. For example: a moisturiser with sunscreen and a tint, etc.
A basic face care routine starts with cleansing
If you do nothing else, cleanse. Even the most simple skincare routin must start with a cleanser and a bit of water. Cleansing wipes DO NOT replace this step as they still leave traces make up and grime on your skin.
It is absolutely imperative that you remove all makeup and grime from the day before you go to sleep. Our editors noticed an 85% reduction in breakouts and 3x more even skin when they stuck to properly removing makeup on a daily basis.
The right cleanser is key
A good cleanser washes your skin without stripping your natural oils. You need these naturally occurring wonders to maintain skin suppleness and to give you that magic glow. We found the Korean two step cleansing method best because it’s gentle, yet thorough. For the first step, use an oil cleanser to remove any oil-based impurities such as makeup, SPF, sebum and any other impurities your skin has collected throughout the day. After rinsing the oil cleanser, you follow with a foam cleanser to remove any remaining impurities and complete the job. The Face Shop’s oil and foam cleanser duo is an excellent budget friendly option. If you prefer more traditional cleansers, please take a look at this list.
Exfoliate carefully
Our skin naturally exfoliates dead cells, but with age and unprotected sun exposure, the natural exfoliation process slows and may stop entirely. This results in an uneven skin tone, dull, dry, or flaky skin; clogged, enlarged pores; bumps, wrinkles and a loss of firmness.
Helping skin gently exfoliate reveals the beautiful, soft, hydrated skin hiding beneath.
It’s tempting to choose a heavy duty, abrasive exfoliator to get fast results. However, take it easy! Harsh exfoliants will leave micro tears/scarring on your skin that will build up over time and in the long run, will make your skin appear more rough an uneven. Avoid those with crushed walnut shells or abrasive ingredients.
A gentle, long term approach is much better. We prefer AHA (alpha hydroxy acids/glycolic and lactic acids) and BHA (beta hydroxy/salicylic acid) exfoliants to traditional face scrubs. AHAs and BHAs both act to “unglue” the bonds holding dull, dead skin on the surface. AHA is more gentle and superficial (better if you have dry skin), BHAs go deeper (better for oily skin, breakout prone skin). Beverly Hills 3 AHA Exfoliant uses three forms of alpha-hydroxy acids: Glycolic Acid, Pyruvic Acid and Lactic Acid. The formula provides a good amount of exfoliation in a nourishing and penetrating gel.Paula’s Choice BHA exfoliant put our breakouts to rest and even helped reduce scarring from old ones. Or you can get one that’s a combination for AHA/BHA if you have oily or combination skin. Our favourite is Murad’s AHA/BHA Exfoliating cleanser/.
It’s best to start with one application per week and work up to 2 (depending on the strength of the formula you choose and your skin’s response). When you start using facial exfoliants, always do a patch test under your jaw and wait a couple of days before doing a full application.
Tone, if you like
Toners are often misunderstood and many disagree on their effectiveness. They are said to remove excess dirt, traces of oil and makeup, correct and balance the pH of your skin, and helps control acne. We mainly look to our toner to balance/restore our skin’s PH after cleansing and we do notice that our skin is better with a toner. However, because the difference is not as pronounced as with the other products in our routine, it’s the first product we skip when in a rush. Just want to be entirely honest.
Our original reluctance to toners comes from the late 90s and early 2000’s - when toners were harsh and often left “toned” with a sting. Since then, toners have come a long way and include a variety of ingredients that many people see as a boost to their routine. We however, recommend a gentle toner to avoid unnecessarily doubling up on ingredients found in your other products. Poppy Austin’s Rose Water Toner is a dream come true. Our skin felt lovely, refreshed and ready for the next step after each application. We miss it the days we skip it.
<<<<<<< Updated upstream To apply, we simple put a little bit on our hands and gently dab it our face. Do not rub it in (you’ll end up with uneven application) and do not use a cotton pad to apply - you will waste product.
Serums and moisturisers
Which goes first? Do you need both? What about sunscreen?
The answer to the first question is apply in order of consistency — from thinnest to thickest. Serum is basically a treatment for existing skin problems or prevents you from/slows down future ones including dark spots, wrinkles, unevenness, etc. A basic guideline for ingredients is as follows:
- Vitamin C: brightens dull skin and decreases dark spots
- Hyaluronic acid: seals in moisture and prevents moisture loss
- Retinol, vitamin B3: stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, which help prevent lines and sagging
- Colloidal sulfur, niacinamide: calm redness by decreasing inflammation, and have antimicrobial effects to improve acne
Moisturises hydrate, soften and prevent water loss.
The optimal moisturiser depends on your skin type. The weight should counter balance your skin type. Heavier moisturisers are ideal for dry skin, light (gel-like) moisturisers suit oily skin and something in between the two suits combination skin. Choose a moisturiser with sunscreen of at least SPF 30 to save you the trouble of needing to apply sunscreen separately. Choose a broadband spectrum sunscreen to ensure that you get the most thorough type of sun protection possible. Sunscreen is not optional and is one of the most important parts of a skin care routine.
Apply your moisturiser a minute after your serum to give the serum a chance to absorb. Mixing your moisturiser with your serum is likely to deprive you of some of the benefits of your serum.
If you hate the idea of using too many products, find a multi-function moisturiser that has some of the ingredients you’d need from a serum. It’s a less potent solution, but is often a good compromise for those who want minimal effort. Our favourite is Murad’s Anti-Aging Moisturiser because it moisturises, protects and absorbs quickly. Guinot’s Hydra Finish Creme is fantastic as well because it enhances our complexion and has mallow extract to help calm redness.
Don’t forget your eye cream
<<<<<<< Updated upstream Eye creams are not an absolute necessity, but if you have particular concerns such as dark circles, crepey skin, eye bags, sagging, etc., eye creams do make a difference. Again, choosing the ingredients that offer solutions to your concerns is key.
Under eye bags and dark circles are the most common concerns. Wrinkles and droopiness are close second and third. The former result for a variety of reasons and it is imperative to outline the exact cause(s) to find your relevant cure(s). The latter is mostly a matter of aging and can be helped with the right treatment.
Because the skin around the eye area is so delicate, we recommend that you avoid heavy products. You don’t want anything pulling on or weighing down the already delicate and thinner tissue.
A good all-around, weightless option is Tatcha Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Eye Serum. It’s key ingredient - Okinawa red algae enhances the skin’s barrier function, replenishes natural water reservoir and increases its moisture-retention capabilities. Honeysuckle leaf and caffeine sooth and act as anti-oxidants. We saw visible firming, reduced puffiness, and plumping.
