Basic Skincare Routines - Part 1

Hi everyone. Hope you all are doing well.

Last month of financial year gets one worked up, right ?

So let's jump into today's post which is about basics of everyday skincare.

Skincare routines are categorised in three categories :

Daily routine, Weekly routine and Monthly routine.

Part 1 is all about Daily routines. Weekly and Monthly routine will be combined and posted in Part 2.

Before reading this post, read my previous one about identifying your skin type to know your skin better.

In this modern world, factors like pollution, dust and harsh sun makes it difficult to keep the skin issues at bay. Thus, maintaining your skin health from in as well as out has become important.

As all know, diet, hydration and exercise helps your skin from the inside, but sometimes it is not enough, you need to keep cleaning and clearing all the dirt and gunk accumulated on the skin from the outside.

Listed below are the steps for routines you need to follow on a daily basis to keep your skin at it's best.

DAILY ROUTINES :

A. Morning Routine :

Morning routines are best to be followed right after the shower

Step 1 : Cleanse / Face wash

Clean your face with a face wash or a cleanser. Some people use a micro face brush to exfoliate as it helps to get the dirt out even from the finest pores.

How to :

Take a small amount on palm or face brush and apply in upper circulation motion on wet face. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.

Step 2 : Tone

Toning is really important but so under-rated. Toning helps close the pores that are opened up due to all the cleaning, so that the dirt doesn't enter your pores again. A good toner also gets all the uncleaned gunk out.

How to :

Take a small amount on absorbent cotton and wipe it on dry face and neck and dispose it off.

Step 3 (Optional) : Serum

Serum is like skin food. It is usually lightweight and gets absorbed deep inside your skin to tackle issues like pigmentation, unevenness and acne scars. Serums are usually on the higher price points and thus you need to invest in them wisely.

It is to be used before any other creams or moisturizer as these products block the serum from entering the deeper layers of your skin.

How to :

Take a pea sized amount, rub it on your palm and lightly press into your skin.

Step 4 (Optional) : Creams prescribed by Doctor

If you are taking any medical help, this is the step where you should apply the creams prescribed by your doctor. At this stage skin is at it's best to absorb all the medication needed for your treatment.

How to :

As told by your doctor

Step 5 : Moisturize

Moisturize once your skin is all prepped. You can skip step 3 and 4 if it not necessary for your skin. Moisturizing regularly keeps your skin hydrated and supple.

• Dry skins should use milk or cream based products or face oils.

• There are specially formulated moisturizers for combination skins.

• Oily skins should go for gel moisturizers or water based ones.

How to :

Either take coin sized amount in palms or apply directly on face and rub into the skin in upward directions.

Step 6 : Sunscreen

Last but not the least, top your skin with a sunscreen to keep all those harmful rays and tanning at bay. If you want to avoid layering products, you can use a moisturizer with good SPF content or use a sunscreen that gives you necessary hydration. Many such products are available in market which are such double-duty.

How to :

Take coin sized amount in palms and dab or rub into the skin in upward directions.

You can do your makeup or apply powder after above skincare steps.

B. Night-time Routine :

Night routines are best to be followed right before going to bed.

Step 1 : Remove makeup

Removing makeup is absolutely necessary, as makeup products clog all your pores. Sleeping with makeup on can cause you to break out due to clogged pores. Following are different types of products that can be used to remove the makeup

How to :

• Cleansing milk : It's in a thick liquid form, apply religiously all over your face and neck and wipe it off with cotton or disposable napkins.

• Makeup remover : Most of makeup brands have makeup removers which are available in watery-liquid forms. You can take some amount on cotton balls/pads and swipe over your face.

• Micellar waters : So these are out there since quite some time but got popular in Indian market recently, take some on cotton pad and press and hold on the area you have heavy makeup on and swipe after a few seconds.

• Cleansing Balm: This is new and available mostly in high-end brands as of yet. Apply the balm on face by palm in circulation motion to break down the makeup and wipe it off with a wet wipe or damp napkin

• Oil : If you are somewhere away from home and forgot your makeup remover, fret not, just borrow some oil apply it all over the face, wipe it off with cotton

Step 2 : Cleanse / Face wash

Same as done in the morning routine

Step 3 : Tone

Same as done in the morning routine. You can use even ice cube to close down the pores and feel relaxed during summer.

Step 4 : Night creams / Face oils / Night serums

Skin acts differently during the night and thus needs to be treated likewise.

Based on your skin type and skin issues you can choose to add a night cream or face oil or serum or just usual moisturizer to your night time routine before going to bed. You just need to keep it hydrated yet breathing so that it does not hamper the cellular process of the body.

How to : Same as you apply a serum or a moisturizer.

Step 5 : Eye cream

It is necessary to include and eye cream/ serum in the night time routine, as the skin around the eye is most tender. Working whole day exerts a lot of pressure on the eye. Thus you can use an eye cream or serum before going to sleep to keep the area around the eye, fresh, hydrated and healthy.

How to : Take a pea size amount on your ring finger and roll over the under eye area and eye lids and let it rest.

Tip : Refrigerate your eye cream 15 minutes before applying to give that relaxed feeling to the eyes that it needs, it will also help reduce puffiness.

It might seem a time consuming process as this post is so long, but it hardly takes 15 minutes twice a day to keep your skin in it's best form, unlike exercise which takes at least an hour each day to show the effect.

But both are similar in the long run, if you keep doing it everyday, like a habit, it won't fail you.

But this is not all. Stay tuned for Part 2 which would be about weekly and monthly routines which are equally important. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook or subscribe/ join my member list to get new post updates.