I know there are technically loads of blog posts on this very topic, but oddly enough, I've been getting many requests from close friends, asking me to break it down for them in my own words. So I've decided to upload a post every single day of this week, explaining all things skincare related, such as routines, ingredients, what to avoid, what to look for, product recommendations, etc. So let's get cracking!
Morning Routine
(steps from left to right)
1) Cleanse: after a night's sleep, gunk will have gathered up on your face (even if you can't see it). To name a few - sebum, dead skin cells, and sweat. So, naturally, it's best to wash it off before starting your day. Personally, I only use oil, balm, and milk cleansers. And if some product has the forbidden word "foaming" written on it, I run for the hills. Ain't nobody want stripped and irritated skin.
Recommendations: The Body Shop Nutriganics Softening Cleansing Gel ($), Soap and Glory Ultimelt ($$), First Aid Beauty Milk Oil Conditioning Cleanser ($$), Ole Henriksen Melting Cleanser ($$$), Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm ($$$$)
- (all recommendations are linked. $ stands for cheap, $$ stands for very affordable, $$$ stands for pricy, $$$$ stands for expensive)
2) Acid Tone: best form of non-physical exfoliation. They're gentler and more effective than any 'scrub'. Some benefits of using chemical exfoliation: prevents and helps clear up break outs, helps other products (like serums) penetrate better, quickens the rate of cell turnover, decrease fine lines, and potentially stimulates collagen production. Whereas as physical exfoliation (aka scrubs and beads) will more than likely just end up irritating your skin and give you broken capillaries.
Recommendations: Benton Aloe BHA Toner ($), First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads ($$), Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion ($), Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Treatment ($$$$)
3) Serum/Essence/Treatment: this is where your skin receives all the active ingredients. There are several different types of serums, not to much essences (more on that another time), and it all depends on what you want for you skin, e.g. anti-aging, evening out skin-tone/fading acne scars, reducing break outs, hydration, etc.
Recommendations: will be mentioned in a future post
4)Moisturizer: self-explanatory really. Your skin needs hydration, so moisturize it. Personally, I prefer to use mineral oil-free products (more on that in a future post).
Recommendations: will be mentioned in a future post
5) SPF: whenever people ask me for the best anti-aging product, I always reply with sunscreen. This tends to puzzle the heck out of them, most likely because they probably expected me to answer with some kind of amazing super-duper serum with mind-blowing anti-aging ingredients. However, 80% of skin aging is due to UVA exposure. Unlike UVB rays, UVA rays are constant/year round, regardless of season/weather. So do your skin a favour, and put on some sunscreen!
Recommendations: will be mentioned in a future post
Next time on "The Skincare Guide": How to find the perfect sunscreen
(side note: majority of recommended products are also available at Sephora).
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