The best skincare routine for your skin type

The Best Skincare Routine for Your Skin Type

Let’s Face It…

 

Although it may not be top of your list of priorities at present, having the best skincare routine for your skin type, and paying attention to the health of your skin will be worth it when you look in the mirror years from now. Skin that is well cared for, especially the skin on your face, helps you feel good about yourself as you age, and tells others a lot about you.

A consistent skincare routine is far more important than you may think. Lifestyle and environmental factors can cause irreversible skin damage leading to premature aging. Using the right type of skincare products for your skin type can help nourish and protect your skin, keeping it looking healthy and giving you confidence, no matter your age.

What are the Steps in a Skincare Routine?

A skincare routine is a simple daily set of steps you follow with your favourite skincare products. Typically, people have two different routines, one for the morning and one for the evening. They only differ slightly and almost always consist of a few essential products that are used to:

  • Cleanse – Wash and clean your skin removing sweat, dirt, make-up, and impurities.
  • Tone – Remove any cleanser residue, balance the skin’s pH level, hydrate, and prepare the skin for the next important step – a moisturiser.
  • Moisturise – add moisture to hydrate your skin.
  • Optimise – Feed and nourish your skin, seal in moisture, and address any issues your skin may have.
  • Protect –Prevent environmental elements damaging your skin.

These are steps dermatologists recommend, to allow the skin on your face to be the healthiest it can be, and to keep it looking its best. 

What are the Different Skin Types?

There are six ‘types of skin’ that are commonly referred to, however, everybody’s skin is different, and it is not uncommon to have a mixture of different skin types. The type of skin you have can change throughout life based on different factors such as environment, diet, hormonal changes, stress, and climate, to name a few.

The SIX recognised skin types are as follows:

  1. Normal / Balanced
  2. Dry
  3. Oily
  4. Combination
  5. Sensitive
  6. Acne-prone

How to Determine Your Skin Type:

Before determining the best skincare routine for your skin, you need to establish what your skin type is, ensuring you select the products most suitable for you. Your skin type is unique to you and it can take time to find out what suits it best. A person’s skin type can be determined by an assortment of skin characteristics, including:

Water content: Influences the skins elasticity.

Lipid (oil) content: Influences the softness of skin.

Sensitivity level: Influences the reactivity and tolerance to different substances.

Follow these three steps to determine your skin type:

  1. Start with a clean face. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and gently dry your face. Try to pat instead of rubbing. Make sure all makeup is removed.
  2. Simply wait. Wait an hour without touching your face or putting anything on it. This will let your skin rest. This time will also give it time to settle back to its typical state.
  3. Take a tissue or blotting paper and press it to various areas of your face. This will pick up any oils on your face and help you understand what type of skin you have. 
  4. Hold the sheets up to the light to see the oil markings. If the sheets reveal an abundance of oil in all areas of the face, you have oily skin; if they absorb little to no oil, then you probably have dry skin; if the sheets show only a small amount of oil from your T-Zone, you have combination skin; and if you only see minimal oil from every area of your face, you most likely have normal skin.

Below are the characteristics and typical requirements of each skin type, as well as the optimal skincare routine for each. Click on the suggested products to learn more.

The Best Skincare Routine for Your Skin Type

1. Normal Balanced Skin

Normal Balanced skin refers to any skin that is not too oily or too dry, it is well-balanced. Pore size is just visible, and skin should feel soft, supple, and smooth. Most skin products are tolerated but care is still needed to ensure optimal hydration and nourishment are met. Harsh products that are used too often can still result in irritated skin – even with the most balanced of skins, hence it is best to use gentle, natural products. Always follow your morning routine with a suitable SPF.

2. Dry Skin

Dry skin may feel tight and/or show patches of dry/ flaky skin. If not addressed, dry skin can lead to a dull complexion with an increased likelihood of peeling, cracking, itchiness, and/or irritation. Some factors that contribute to dry skin include dry, cold weather, low humidity, and washing your face in very hot water. Moisture is essential for dry skin and face oils, serums, and moisturisers with hydrating ingredients such as shea butter, can be very beneficial. Avoid using anything with harsh synthetic chemicals, such as parabens, as it may irritate dry skin. Always follow your morning routine with a suitable SPF.

3. Oily Skin

If you dab your face with a tissue and oil remains on the tissue it is likely you have oily skin. Oily skin occurs when the skin produces too much sebum, or oil, which can lead to blocked pores and blemishes. Skin may look shiny with larger than normal pores. Stress, heat, hormonal changes, and diet are some of the factors that may contribute to excessively oily skin.

Believe it or not, oily skin needs moisture. It may seem like your face is overrun with moisture, and adding even more, can be counterintuitive, however oil and moisture are different things. If your oily skin isn’t hydrated, it can overproduce even more oils creating an even oiler face. 

Those with oily skin should look for products that help balance excess oil and are non-comedogenic (i.e. they don’t clog skin pores). Washing your face twice daily and exfoliating 2-3 times per week can help remove dead skin cells from skin’s surface. Avoid using anything with harsh chemicals on your skin as it can irritate your skin and increase oil production further. Always follow your morning routine with a suitable SPF.

4. Combination Skin

Combination skin is a mixture of different skin types. It is typically a combination of dry and oily skin. There are basically two types of combination skin:

  • Dry and oily – This type has an oily t-zone with dry skin everywhere else.
  • Balanced and oily – This type has an oily t-zone and balanced skin everywhere else.

Combination skin can be a mixture of oily, dry, and balanced skin in some cases.

Even though it’s a pretty common type of skin, it may seem overwhelming to find the best skincare routine. After all, what do you use when your skin is a mixture of oily, dry, or balanced? Thankfully it is still a relatively easy routine with gentle and light cleansing. Always follow your morning routine with a suitable SPF.

5. Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin tends to have reactions to many different products and allergens. When sensitive skin is exposed to irritants it can react quickly producing symptoms such as redness, itching, burning, and dryness.

Determining and avoiding the substances that cause skin reactions and discomfort is very important for this skin type. Sensitive skin types should avoid any skin products with fragrance or alcohol as these are known irritants. Using gentle, natural products is best for those with sensitive skin. Always follow your morning routine with a suitable SPF.

6.  Acne-Prone Skin

 If you often have breakouts and your skin lives in a constant state of redness and blemishes, you likely have acne-prone skin. Acne-prone skin has pores that can quickly become clogged. Most people assume acne-prone skin is typically oily. That is not always the case. People can have dry skin, oily, or a combination of any of the skin types and still have acne-prone skin. 

Acne-prone skin can sometimes be due to:

  • Age – It is not just preteens and teens who can suffer from breakouts when they hit puberty. The hormone changes during that time and later in life can cause breakouts. 
  • Environment – Pollution, weather, and pollen all have a big part in the health of your skin.
  • Makeup – Some makeup products clog your pores. They can also not be washed off properly and cause breakouts and irritation to the skin.
  • Pollution – Smog and pollen can also cause clogged pores.

This type of skin needs products that are lighter and won’t clog the pores. The pores need to be cleansed, and the skin needs help fighting off acne. This routine can help keep your acne at bay or at least managed. Acne-prone skin can be irritated easily. You should try fragrance-free skincare products with non-comedogenic ingredients.  Always follow your morning routine with a suitable SPF.

Consistency is the Key to Healthy Skin.

Along with a healthy diet and lifestyle, a good consistent skincare routine is important to maintain the health of your skin. Each skin type is different and often needs a different routine to maintain it. It is important to note that it takes time for a new routine to work. It can take anywhere from one to four months to see the full benefits of a new skincare routine, trust the process. There are no set products for each skin type. One product that works for one person may not work well for you, and your skin needs may change throughout the year depending on the season, weather, hormonal changes etc. As long as you stay within the routines mentioned above, you can choose your own products and change them as needed. 

Healthy Glowing Skin can be Yours!

Regardless of when you start your skincare routine, you will soon see and feel positive results. This will help you feel motivated to keep up the good work! Your skin will become more balanced, its texture and tone will improve, blemishes and outbreaks will reduce, and you will be protecting it from further damage. Consistency is the key! Stick to your skincare routine and your skin will soon start looking and feeling more radiant and healthy.

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