The importance of having a skincare routine is crucial if you want to keep your skin health in good condition. A healthy routine can reduce skin wrinkles, prevent acne, dehydration and make your skin look youthful. The three most important steps of any skincare routine are cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. If you are in your late 20s or 30s, starting a skincare routine now can prevent the long term effects of ageing. But choosing the right skincare products is the real task. There are a lot of websites and retailers that promote online shopping made easier for skincare products.
Know your skin type
The first thing to do when choosing products for your skincare routine is to know your skin type. There are four main skin types: oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin and combination skin type. All these skin types respond differently to different skincare products. For oily skin products containing alpha-hydroxy acids, benzoyl peroxide, and hyaluronic acid are important to reduce sebum production which causes acne. For sensitive skin products containing aloe vera and shea butter are best. For dry skin shea butter and lactic acid are best to provide moisturisation and exfoliation.
See a dermatologist
If you are unaware of your skin type, visit a dermatologist. If you have skin conditions like eczema or cystic acne or severe dehydration, it is best not to start using any products without consulting a specialist.
Know your concerns
Other than the basic need for a skincare routine, before buying any products identify your basic concerns. Do you have dark circles under your eyes or skin pigmentation around your lips that you want to get rid of? Do you have acne or eczema? What is the primary concern you would like to address? Also before making a purchase, keep in mind if you have any allergies.
Four main steps of skincare
Make these four basic steps part of your skincare routine even if you don’t include any other.
- Cleanser and exfoliator
- Toner
- Moisturiser
- Sunscreen
How to buy products
- Decide a budget
Skincare products come in all price ranges. Make sure you have a budget decided before you start looking at which products you want to choose.
- Small containers
When buying a product for the first time, make sure to buy a smaller quantity. This will give you a chance to test the product on your skin and save you the cost of a large packaging if it doesn’t suit you.
- Patch testing
Don’t buy into the hype of any new products or big skincare brands. Always choose the best product for you and make sure to do a patch test before you start using any product regularly
- Ingredients to look for
- Glycerin
- Ceramides
- Hyaluronic acid
- Ascorbic acid
- Tocopherol
- Retinol
- Niacinamide
- Irritable ingredients to forgo
- Sulfates
- Parabens
- Formaldehyde
- Fragrances
Consistency is the key
Once you have bought your products and started your routine, you will have to stick with your regime to see desired results. Make a morning and evening ritual and you will most definitely end up sticking to it. But beware to pay close attention to how your skin reacts to each product. You will have to use any products at least for six weeks to notice how it affects your skin. Make sure to always check the manufacturer’s expiry date and follow the instructions given at the back of the product.
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