Fancy meeting you here again!

I am back with another post!  This week we are taking a closer look at skincare and diving deeper into the order of product application.

As we all know, caring for our skin is extremely important as it is the largest organ in (or, technically, outside) our bodies!  Having smooth, healthy looking skin does not just come with our genetics, it takes time in our daily lives to achieve.  Firstly, let’s break this down between daytime/morning application and nighttime routines.

Daytime/AM

1. Cleanse – In the morning, opt for a softer cleanse such as micellar water or a gentle face wash to avoid striping too much of our natural oils.  That is one of the most common mistakes people make.
2. Tone (optional, but highly recommended) – Toner is designed to balance our skin’s pH levels.  For acne-prone skin, it is ideal to find a toner that contains salicylic acid; for normal/dry/sensitive skin it is recommended to look for ingredients that support hydration, such as rose and hyaluronic acid.
3. Vitamin C Serum – Vitamin C or an antioxidant serum is used to reverse damage done by environmental factors, such as pollution and the sun.
4. Eye Cream (optional) – While this is optional, eye creams are often a “luxury” product to have.  Even with moisturizers, it is important to note that the skin around our eye area requires a softer application.  It is recommended that you use your ring-finger or a non-dominant finger to gently apply creams in a upwards and circular motion.
5. Moisturize – One of the most important steps!  Regardless of oily or combination skin, we all must hydrate our face.  Generally, for daytime moisturizers we look for something lightweight and that absorbs fast.  Best application methods include gentle, upwards circular motions, including the neck area.
6. Sunscreen (ALWAYS) – Often the most forgotten about step.  It is important to protect our skin using SPF’s to avoid premature aging.  Whether we are on the coast or the interior, hot or cold climates, indoors or outdoors, the sun can still find us.  Including this step in your everyday routine will promote youthful looking skin for longer.

   

Nighttime/PM

1. Cleanse – In the evening, I opt to use an oil-based cleanser to remove makeup and debris from the day.  Or it is also recommended to “double-cleanse” with a gentle cleanser to ensure all products, dust, and dirt from the day have been removed.  Prior to going to bed, we want to ensure our skin is as clean as possible.
2. Tone (optional, but again, highly recommended) – Toners balance our skin’s pH level and can target areas of concern for each individual.  Scroll up to check out the recommended ingredients for various skin types under Daytime/AM Tone.
3. Serums – Alpha hydroxy acid or retinol are two ingredients to look for in a nighttime serum.  Alpha hydroxy acid boosts skin’s brightness and radiance, all while increasing the natural production of collagen.  Collagen is found throughout our bodies and is, essentially, the foundation for firm, youthful looking skin.  Furthermore, retinol is a synthetic form of vitamin A.  This ingredient, also, increases our skin’s natural production of collagen to decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
4. Eye Cream (optional) – See Daytime/AM Eye Cream above to read more.  While it is not required, if you have specific concerns such as puffiness or dryness around the eye, there are many specially formulated eye creams to help.
5. Acne Spot Treatment (optional) – For those pest-like pimples or breakouts, applying a location-specific salicylic acid treatment can help reduce the size, redness, and irritation.
6. Moisturize – In the evening, it is best to opt for a time-released face cream that will continuously moisturize as you sleep.  These creams are generally thicker in texture than daytime moisturizers.  These rich creams focus on repairing the skin overtime.
7. Face Oil (optional) – Finally, our last step!  Even those with oily skin types can use face oils to promote levels of increased hydration without making the skin too oily.  When looking for ingredients for face oils, much like serums, I opt for alpha hydroxy acid or retinol to increase collagen production and avoid premature aging.  The following morning, your skin will look healthy and hydrated; ready to take on another day!

 

Essentially, we are trying to focus on applying products in order of consistency to allow each product to fully absorb and activate to it’s full potential.  And just like weight loss or “cold rinsing,” as discussed in a previous blog post, results take time to appear.  We must be patient and consistent in our practice for results to ∗glisten∗.  On average, we should give products and new routines about six weeks before determining an outcome.

 

Hope you learned something new!

Thanks for reading,

xoxo missrose