I know skincare can be overwhelming, so no need to get scared, as I have put together this beginner's guide filled with skincare tips. So let dive in!
When thinking of skincare tips for beginners, one of my favorite quotes comes to mind..."Invest in your skin; it is going to represent you for a long time." Unfortunately, great skin is not something we are born with. Hence you have to invest some time and effort into developing a skincare routine.
Many do not realize that our daily habits impact our skin, for example, eating habits, exposure to environmental factors like UV rays, makeup, dirt, and other elements, all of which can negatively affect the skin.
So beauties, without further ado, my Skincare Guide For Beginners!
Create A Skincare Goal And Stick With It
A goal is vital to every undertaking in a person’s life. It can keep you motivated to continue doing something and stay on the right track. And a daily skincare routine isn't any different.
Say you want to have glowing skin by Spring or minimize those fine lines and wrinkles naturally (no botox). Whatever your goals are, having them can ensure that you don’t skimp or postpone a skincare routine. Oh, and if you need a little extra push to keep up with the skincare regimen, one thing that I've seen work is choosing to reward yourself with quality skincare products.
The bottom line consistency is vital for an effective skincare routine, so make sure whatever approach, whether a goal or rewarding yourself, you create one you’ll follow daily.
The Power Of Four
The approach to skincare is in 4 -folds: Treat, repair, prevent, and maintain. Preventing is more manageable -– and less costly – than trying to fix them in the future, with cosmetic surgery. Unfortunately, many get frustrated as they get overwhelmed trying to do too much at once. STOP. The best skincare routine is the crawl, walk, run approach. Many go straight for the whole kit and caboodle and give up quickly before you start.
So to not get overwhelmed, think of your skincare routine as consisting of four main steps:
- Cleansing — Washing your face.
- Toning — Balancing and prepping the skin for other skincare products.
- Treatments- These are your anti-aging serums and creams.
- Moisturizing — Hydrating and softening the skin.
Great, So What Skincare Product Do I Use?
I am not here to tell you which brand to pick, as one size does not fit all, and the same goes with skincare brands. It is better to focus on products designed to work together to save time and minimize the reaction.
Picking the right active ingredients/ products depends on the specific skin concerns you’re hoping to address or your skincare goal.
Cleanse Your Face Like A Pro
You may be thinking, what do you mean, cleanse my face like a pro? How difficult can it be to wash my face? Isn't it pretty straightforward? Well, there is a way to cleanse your skin correctly, and no, this doesn't include using bar soap and water unless you want to mess up your skin's PH balance, which allows for more bacteria and yeast growth, leading to skin irritations and breakouts.
Properly removing makeup and other grime your skin has been exposed to is a difference between healthy, glowing skin and aging, dry, acne-prone skin.
Make Sure To Use A Face Toner
A face toner is a must and the first product you should use after cleansing your face. By adding the right toner to your routine, you can really up to your skincare regimen, as toners are great for helping to prep your skin for better absorption of all your other skincare products.
After using a toner, you then want to apply your treatment focused serums.
Apply Focused Skincare Treatments
Think of treatments as something to treat a skincare concern, for example, loss of collagen, wrinkles, dry skin, acne, etc.
Some active ingredients to make sure your treatment serums or Anti-aging cream include:
- Retinol
- Hydroxy Acids
- Vitamin C
- Peptides
- Antioxidants
- BONUS ingredient... Full Spectrum CBD Oil
Hydration Baby...Moisturizers
Keeping the skin properly moisturized is essential to healthy, younger-looking skin. But what most are not familiar with is what if you are not applying it correctly or have chosen the wrong formula? A poorly chosen product and sloppy application can lead to sagging skin, breakouts, or even worse, dry, cracked skin that can allow bacteria to enter the moisture barrier, causing inflammation, redness, even infections.
The first step in picking the proper moisturizer is to know your skin type and then find a formula to fulfill those needs.
Oily Skin- There is a myth that you do not need a moisturizer if you have oily skin. The truth is if your skin is dehydrated, it compensates by creating more oil. Hence, you want to look for a light, oil-free moisturizer.
Dry Skin- You want to look for something that can provide long-lasting hydration and contains antioxidants and minerals to defend against free radicals.
Sensitive Skin- Look for products that do not have harsh fragrances and chemicals to them.
Dehydrated Skin- Yes, this is different from dry skin; if this is you, a product with hyaluronic acid is your savior.
Combination Skin- Go for a product that offers multi-layered moisture.
Add Some Skincare Enhancers
Once you’ve established the basics, you can add more products to your routine as needed, for example...
Don't Forget The Eyes
The skin around the eyes is much thinner, making it more prone to dryness and quicker to show aging signs. Lack of sleep, squinting, and constant eye movement also hasten the appearance of lines and wrinkles, and fluids collect under the eyes and cause puffiness and dark circles. An eye cream or serum is a great way to replenishes the delicate skin around the eyes and provides long-lasting moisture and freshness. Daily use leads to smooth, youthful-looking, and radiant skin, so you can easily rock your favorite eye makeup look.
Exfoliate For Younger Looking Skin
The key to younger-looking skin and flawless makeup application is smooth skin. Caked on, flakey makeup happens because of the buildup of dead skin cells.
To balance out your skin, you need to buff away those dead, dry, or dying cells. Otherwise, when you apply makeup, you will highlight those imperfections instead of concealing them! It seems contractive, doesn't it? But that layer of skin cells creates false wrinkles, flakiness, creasing, and other issues as your makeup clings to it, which is why it is crucial to exfoliate 2-3 times a week! By doing so, you are sloughing off dead skin, creating a smoother canvas on which the makeup can adhere, making for a more even, flawless makeup look.
Look At The Ingredients In Your Skincare
The last thing we want is you decided to implement a skincare routine, and you end up looking teenager in puberty with a breakout or red, inflamed skin. Hence you want to be mindful of your skin type and skin's needs, as the skincare products you choose will depend on your skin type. For example, suppose you have sensitive skin. In that case, you want to stay away from products with artificial fragrances and synthetics, as these ingredients can cause your skin to become irritated and dry. Please read the ingredients or go to a website like this one for EWG skincare products only!
So there you go, beauties. We hope that this beginners guide to skincare has helped you simplify the world of skincare and get you on your way to younger, healthier looking skin.
