Our skin defines our appeal and protects our bodies. It also reflects the way we take care of ourselves. That’s why we need to take good care of it. And while some take natural supplements to improve their skin, others follow a daily skincare routine. But if you still haven’t figured out how to take care of your skin, here are several helpful tips.
Know Your Skin Type
Knowing your skin type is of crucial importance because it determines which skincare products you should use. Using wrong products can negatively affect your skin and cause an unwanted issue. For instance, if you have dry skin and you use products for oily skin, you will completely dry your skin out, thus causing irritation. In order to help you out identify your skin type, here are the characteristics of each type.
- Dry skin – mostly rough or flaky.
- Oily skin – greasy and shiny.
- Combined skin – partially dry and partially oily. For example, the forehead is oily and the rest of your face is dry.
- Sensitive skin – prone to irritations, usually caused by weather conditions (wind, cold, or sun), make up products, and other products, such as shampoo and soap.
- Normal skin – clear, not sensitive, neither dry nor oily.
Daily Skincare Routine
Cleanse Your Skin
The first step of your daily skin routine is cleansing which ensures your skin is completely clean from any makeup, creams, or bacteria that might have attached to it during the day. If you use makeup and/or have normal to oily skin, you should cleanse your skin twice a day. But, if you don’t use makeup and/or have dry skin, you should cleanse it only once a day. In order to cleanse it properly, you should choose a product that suits your skin type and doesn’t leave it tight after washing.
Use Serums and Skincare Products
In order to have healthy skin, you should use serums loaded with vitamins that are good for it, such as vitamin C and vitamin E. You should also use night creams to ensure your skin stays healthy over the night. And, remember to use serums/creams with peptides or growth factors in the morning and retinol or retinoids at night.
Protect Your Skin from the Sun
Due to the damaged ozone layer, the sun today isn’t as healthy as it used to be in the past. Therefore, you should always use sunscreen when going out. For the best protection, you should use a sunscreen with at least 30 SPF and apply it around 15 minutes before leaving your home. Apart from using sunscreen, you should avoid going out between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. because the sun is the strongest during that period. But, if you do, move where there’s a shade and wear clothes that cover most of your skin, hats, and sunglasses.
Moisturize Your Skin
Like you need to be hydrated, your skin needs to be moisturized. Regardless of the type, your skin needs to be moisturized in order to stay healthy. In order to do that, choose a moisturizer that is adequate for your skin type and doesn’t block your pores.
Skincare Tips
Be Gentle
Most of us tend to rub their skin harshly with a towel after washing their face or bathing. But that’s exactly what you shouldn’t do because you irritate it in that way. Instead, you shout pat dry it. That means you should gently pat your skin with a towel, thus leaving some moisture on it.
Limit the Bathing Time
Speaking of bathing, you should limit your time spent under the shower. It’s because if your skin is exposed to hot water for too long, it loses its natural oils. And, bath with warm instead of hot water, if possible.
Carefully Choose Your Cleansing Products
Also, you should be aware of the soap and the shower gel you use because if they are strong, they can remove the natural oils from your skin. Instead, use cleansing products that are mild and don’t contain alcohol or other harmful substances.
Shave Properly
If you shave, you have to do it properly in order to prevent skin irritations. Therefore, you should first cleanse your skin, then apply a shaving cream/gel/lotion, and then shave. For shaving, use a clean and sharp razor and don’t make harsh and quick movements. Instead, be gentle and slowly move your razor in the direction the hair grows, not the opposite.
Apart from these things, you should also make sure you stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water. Also, you should eat healthy food, focusing on fruits, vegetables, and whole or low-processed foods. It’s because highly-processed foods and foods which contain unhealthy fats, negatively affect your skin, causing acne and other skin irritations.