It is hard to believe that the way you apply your skincare products should be in an orderly fashion. Nonetheless, it is a significant aspect in any skincare routine. But firstly, to decide on these steps, you have to know your skin type. If it’s greasy, with big pores, and shiny then it is an oily skin type, while if it is rough, flaky and scaly, it is dry. If some parts of the skin are oily and some dry, it is called as combination skin type. Then there’s normal and sensitive. Once the skin type is known, you will know what products best suit your skin and then can move towards deciding the daily routine.
Once all the pre-requisites, like identifying and understanding your skin, choosing the right skin care products is done, you need to have the knowledge of and decide the perfect skin regime. The products used for the day routine are different than that for the night routine. The order is necessary so that the skin absorbs necessary ingredients and makes the best use of the products applied to it. To make it easier, you can remember that the order goes from thin-to-thick, i.e. the first layer applied should be the thinest and the last layer the thickest.
The Day Routine
The most important part of the day-time skincare regime is the protection from pollution and sun.
Step 1 – Cleansing
Washing your face is the most crucial and the first step in skin care. It is necessary to wash your face for minimum twice a day, morning and night, with a cleanser suitable for your skin type.
Step 2 – Toning
Toners restore the pH of the skin. They also help the skin absorb more vitamin B, antioxidants, etc. If your skin has been great without the use of toner, this step can be skipped.
Step 3 – Serum
Serums are concentrated liquids and are used for healing specific skin problems. They should be used after the toning of the skin is done properly.
Step 4 – Moisturizing
This step is one of the most important steps for all the skin types. Moisturizer helps keep the skin soft and protects against the dirt, pollution, and infection that attack it from the ouside.
Step 5 – Sun Protection
Protection from the UV rays of the sun is very essential to maintain a healthy skin. Sunscreen is the last step in the day-time routine.
The Night Routine
When we sleep, our skin repairs itself naturally. Therefore, the skin routine should be focused around providing it all the necessary ingredients for the treatment.
Step 1 – Cleansing
As we have seen, cleansing is the first thing to do in any skincare regime. If you have your makeup on, it is a good idea to double cleanse the skin, i.e. the makeup can be removed using the cleansing oil and then you can wash your face with a normal cleanser.
Step 2 – Boosters
It is a common practice to use different boosters for the skin after cleansing. These include essences, hydrating serums, beauty waters, or mists. They keep the skin hydrated and nourished. You can also use a toner instead, but boosters are more beneficial during the night time.
Step 3 – Eye Cream
It helps maintain the thickness of the eyelid skin. It also helps reduce dark circle and slows doen aging. It is mostly used by people at night, but using it twice a day proves to be more advantageous.
Step 4 – Treatment Pads, Creams, or Serums
Various prescribed, exfoliating, or anti-aging treatment creams, pads, and serums can be used in the night-time regime. This also includes various face packs or masks. These are used to repair, restore, and regenerate skin.
Step 5- Hydrating
For dry skin types, face oil or hydrating mask and help in providing extra moisture needed.
Step 6 – Moisturizing
Night creams are perfect for keeping your skin moisturized at night. However, some people even use moisturizers. Night creams are heavier and thicker and they trap the moisture inside the skin. This helps in healing and health of the skin.
Having understood the order of using the skincare products, it is also important to use 100% organic and chemical-free products for the life-long health of your skin. All the treatments need some interval to show results, mostly about 6 weeks. Setting the right routine and following it regularly is significant for achieving healthy skin.
– Aishwarya Nawandhar, Editor
