If you’ve made a 2022 resolution to start or improve your skincare routine, props to you. With our skin being the largest organ, and our body’s best defense system against daily damages, it deserves TLC every single day. We all have habits and routines that we instinctively perform daily, from grabbing our morning (or mid-day) cup of coffee to hitting the gym, to when we eat our meals or go to bed. These routines are built into our daily lives and help us function and perform at our best. These habits also help us incorporate a bit of self-care into our days. Your skincare routine is also an important part of your day. It’s essential that we show our skin the level of care, concern, and maintenance that we would any other part of our body.
We all strive to be happy and healthy, and skincare is a part of the total package. Deciding that you want to dedicate time to incorporating a solid skincare routine is one thing, but actually sticking to it, and even improving your current one, is a totally different story. As a beginner, just thinking about the vast number of skincare products, techniques, and ingredients out there can feel overwhelming. And then there’s the question of how often and when you apply them, and in what order do you apply them for maximum efficiency? Before you get ahead of yourself and end up with products you don’t need, and steps that aren’t necessary, you need to make a plan and a goal. The key to forming any good habit is making sure you set yourself up for success. This means finding the right formulas and products for your skin type and concerns, outlining simple, specific goals that are obtainable and then setting up a strategy that’ll keep the momentum up. This ensures that you stay on target in the coming days, weeks, and months.
Healthy habits, even for a daily face routine, can be hard to stick to with everything life throws your way. So, here are some expert tips to make it easy to follow a healthy skincare routine, daily.
Why having a skincare routine is important
Your skin is your body’s toughest soldier, and often its first line of defense. It goes through a lot each day. Extreme weather changes, debris, wind, harsh sun exposure, sweat, pollution, and dirt can all have damaging effects on the skin. Proper skincare keeps our skin healthy and helps keep this barrier strong and performing at its best. As part of a healthy skincare routine, you should be washing your face daily to remove any unwanted pathogens, seen and unseen, that may be settled on the surface of your skin or in your pores. Our skin sheds itself on a daily basis as well, so washing our face will help cleanse us of these dead skin cells.
Developing a skincare routine—and sticking with it—is sometimes easier said than done. Our lives are busy, and things happen where time gets away from us and it’s hard to devote the required time in the mornings and evenings to remove our makeup and go through a multi-step skincare regime. But by sticking to a routine, the steps are streamlined and so natural that you can apply all of your products in no time. A good skincare routine also has important health benefits. It keeps your skin’s natural defense barrier functioning properly, and works on preventing any extrinsic damage. It also aids in preventing common skin problems like dry and flaky skin, acne, redness, and inflammation from occurring. Taking the time to cleanse your skin and moisturize is a good way to begin to address any skin problems before they have the chance to pop up.
What to include in your skincare routine
Your skin is unique, from texture to type, to concerns, your skincare routine should also be unique. Every routine will include the staples and essentials, however, how much you use and what kind you use will be dependent on what your needs and desires are for healthy, happy skin. Included in your routine will be a cleanser, toner, moisturizer, serum, eye cream, night cream, and a product with SPF. However, some things will be best applied in the morning, and the others in the evening. Furthermore, the type of skincare products that you use depends on your skin type and your skin’s specific needs. Dry skin, oily skin, combo skin—there are different products for each (and some that work for all!). If you’re not sure what skin type you have, give one of our highly knowledgeable Skin & Wax Pros at Depil Brazil a call and set up a private skincare consultation to discuss your skin type, your concerns, and your goals, to develop the skincare arsenal that gives you the skin of your dreams
How to start your skincare routine
If you’ve never used more than water or a foam cleanser on your face in the mornings, then the thought of a full, multi-step routine for your skin can seem overwhelming, but it’s actually the opposite. Once you find the right foundation and create a system that works with your schedule, and products that work for your skin, your morning and evening skincare system will feel like a rewarding part of your day. Your skin will absolutely feel like you’ve struck gold. The first step to any solid skincare regime is the foundations.
Step One: Determine your skin type
Before you can develop a skincare routine that’s made for you, you need to determine your skin type. This is important because different products are made to work effectively with different skin types and textures. So, not doing this step can cost you money and time with using products that aren’t working for you. This also helps you best address any skin problems or concerns that may show up because of the type of skin you have and how it reacts to certain elements, products, or fabrics. Oily skin types may opt for more products with mattifying finishes and ingredients, while dry skin types need more thick and rich moisturizing products.
The easiest way to determine your skin type is to observe your skin throughout the day. How does your skin look and feel after you’ve washed your face in the morning? How does it look and feel by the afternoon? After you’ve been exposed to the sun for a period of time? At the end of the day? Is your skin shiny and oily? dry and flakey? A combination of both at various moments? Whatever the case, these characteristics are indicative of your skin type.
These skin types are classified into four categories:
Oily skin: Skin that looks shiny or greasy due to an overproduction of oil in the forehead, nose, and cheek area.
Dry skin: Skin feels tight and appears dry and flakey in areas, primarily the t-zone. areas that may feel tight.
Sensitive skin: Skin with red and irritated areas that are typically painful to the touch.
Combination skin: Skin that has a combination of oily and dry or flakey areas.
Step Two: Build a Simple Foundation
Once you know your skin type, and the needs you want to address, you need to build the foundations of your skincare products. When just beginning, it’s best to start small and stay practical. Especially when your goal is to be consistent. One work with the products you need and you know you are going to use. Stick with the basics. That includes a cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Use all four in the morning, and the first three every evening. Of course, this can be modified, and products can be added depending on your individual skincare needs. For example, if you’re struggling with acne, you may consider adding a spot treatment. If you have puffiness under your eyes, or redness in your cheeks, you may consider retinol cream before bed. No matter the case, these core steps remain as the foundation of a successful skincare routine.
Keep your routine simple to avoid overwhelming your skin and wasting products.
Step Three: Stay consistent
Once you have the right products and have a set time to use them in the morning and evening, it’s time to get into the groove of using them consistently. This will create a healthy habit that will provide results for your skin. In the beginning, it may be helpful to set a twice-daily reminder on your phone, and also keep your products in view near the sink, shower, or nightstand. The easier you make things for yourself, the better you can get used to this system.
Step Four: Add on to your routine
Once you have a good groove of your routine and are using your products correctly and daily, you can start to level up your routine to include more products that address, treat, and prevent concerns on your skin. You can also start learning more about the ins and outs of your skin and how to provide the best care and maintenance possible. This includes learning about vitamins like C, E & A, retinol, masks, serums, and other products that give you that extra glow.
How to stick with your routine
Like all good things, you need to get into a habit of doing it for it to stick. All habits are formed by repetition. The more you do it the more it becomes a natural part of your routine. Your skincare routine is the same way. Once you have a solid system or process in place for how and when your routine is completed, you keep it up until it feels like a natural part of your day. If you’re wondering just HOW to make feel like a reward and not a chore, there are some simple tips we want to share to help.
Tip #1: Keep your products together
Even as your skincare arsenal grows, you want to try to keep them all in one place, this can be lined up on a vanity, in a cabinet, or even bundled in a portable caddy, or bag so that you have quick access to each product daily and not searching for them when it is time. If you need a touch-up or refresher mid-day, find a mini version of your items like cleansers wipes, toners spray, and even roll-on SPF, that you can keep separately in your purse or bag and not have to take them from your home stash.
Tip #2: Set a reminder
Having an automatic reminder will help you stay on top of your routine in the morning and the evening. Especially when life is busy and it can be easy to skip or forget. Using the alarm mode on your phone means you can keep with your normal schedule without forgetting.
Tip #3: Stick to the basics.
There is no such thing as the “right” way to do your skincare. It all comes down to finding the right products for your skin and sticking with the basics, consistently. Cleanse, tone, moisturize. It’s as easy as 1-2-3. When you feel confident in your ability and have the right education, you can add in more products as needed, but one at a time.
Tip #4: Make the experience enjoyable.
If your routine feels like a chore, it can quickly become easy to skip. Make it worthwhile. Play some music, put on a cute headband, have a dedicated set of skincare towels, light a candle, and make your healthy skincare routine feel more like a retreat each day.
Ready to start a skincare routine that you can feel confident about and stick with for gorgeous skin? The first step is to find out your skin type and then to find the right products. Our experience Skin & Wax Pros are here to help you find the perfect routine for your unique skin. Book your skincare consult today and get personalized recommendations on the products you need to treat, nourish, and heal your skin for healthy, happy results. You can also book your first free wax with any Depil Brazil!
