Are You Doing The Right Skincare Routine Steps?

Steps of a skincare routine can get quite confusing and seem daunting if you have never had a multi step routine before. I am here to simplify and explain how to do your routine and why. Every step of a routine has a purpose and reasoning. We will dive deeper into it other than just cleansing and putting on a moisturizer.

First, let's start with listing products used and in what steps. Make sure that you take into consideration each person's skin is different and if your skin expert tells you a routine stick to it and listen to them, and not TikTok!

Morning

1. Cleanse

2. Tone

3. Eye cream

4. Serum

5. Moisturizer

6. SPF

7. I like to be extra and top my lips with a lip gloss

Night

1. Cleanse/makeup remover

2. Cleanse a second time (Yes, a second time! This makes all of the difference)

3. Exfoliate 1-3 times a week or can be done in the morning after cleansing if its a scrub or enzyme

4. 1 time a week use a nourishing mask after exfoliation or just once a week after cleansing

5. Tone

6. Eye cream

7. Serum

8. Moisturizer

9. Oil

10. I love lip balms and gloss so gotta gloss it up

I always remind my clients products should be applied thinnest to thickest thus this is the order for skin. Would water penetrate through oils? Nope, and this is why skincare is the same thing! Now let's dive in!

Cleansing is the first step. You're going to need to cleanse first to get fresh and clean skin. Being outside/working all day/sleeping anything you do your skin is naturally shedding dead skin cells producing oil. The outside environment has dirt and debris in the air that can land on your skin. So get that grossness off to ensure the rest of the products can penetrate into your skin. There are so many reasons to cleanse but especially to ensure you don't get breakouts too! Even not cleansing dry skin can lead to more dryness.

Next up is toner. Some skincare routines have them, some don't. For my acne clients we need one to ensure our skin is truly cleansed and rebalanced. Some skincare companies like Glymed that I already use are PH balanced for the skin. Some skincare lines aren't PH balanced for the skin thus needing toners. Cleansers can throw the PH off. Sometimes toners can be in a mist form or can be in a wiping form of putting it onto some gauze to wipe onto the skin.

I like to use eye creams because they are thin and I want to ensure they can do their work before getting a heavier moisturizer on. Always apply onto the orbital bone. The pores are so small in the eye area taking it all the way up to the water line isn't necessary. It won't penetrate anyways.

Serum time! This is my favorite because these penetrate the deepest and are the game changers for skin. Serums are your target step. If you don't have serum in your routine, quit sleeping and message me for one! The molecular size and weight of serums allow them to penetrate the best and get deeper into the skin layers to do work. Serums are your target step for your concerns.

Moisturizer is great for locking in your serums and providing extra added benefits for whatever your skin needs. It helps to keep your skin from going into TEWL (trans epidermal water loss). As well as protecting your skin barrier. Without moisturizer your skin is susceptible to lots of damage. Environmental factors damage your skin more than you know. Even if you're oily you need moisturizer. Protect yourself and go see a skin expert to recommend the right kind of moisturizer for your skin type. I could go on forever about this but well save that for another email.

Lastly SPF, the icing on the cake. The number one anti ager and the protector of it all! Sunscreen protects you from not only sun damage but acts as a barrier for the skin as well. Can help protect against more than just sunburns. I'll never be able to stress this enough to people. It is so important to wear! Do not age before you have to. I use a tinted sunscreen to give me a better even flawless complexion vs foundation. I LOVE my sunscreen and look forward to using it to get a beautiful dewy look and the slight bit it evens out my face and brings me back to life!

Now let's jump into the night routine let's talk double cleansing. It is 100% necessary if you wear foundation or a cc cream. That clogs the skin and when you do your makeup remover/ first cleanse that's only removing the makeup not cleansing the skin. The second cleanse then will actually cleanse the skin. Between sweating during the day letting the air hit your skin touching your skin or just your natural build up of oil and shedding skin you need to double cleanse to even get to the skin the second time.

Exfoliation can be tricky because there are so many forms of exfoliation out there. But if you have a scrub or enzyme I like to use it at night and always after cleansing. Then get out and apply the rest of your products because now you have fresh skin that can absorb products better and when you're sleeping your skin heals itself so to me it is the best time to do so!

Then after my exfoliation or honestly after any cleanse I like to mask once a week. We need to nourish and soothe our skin. Maintenance at home is the best way to ensure healthy skin. Again, I like to use after exfoliation because I feel my skin can best absorb the product. Doesn't always need to be done at night or after exfoliation but once a week mask it up.

Then onto the oil! You can put oil as extra moisturizer over top of your moisturizer. Remember thinnest to thickest. Oils are amazing for the skin. I like to use one at night!

Now let's also remember everyone's skin care routines are different. My acne clients routines in the evening are not like anything stated above. So always listen to what your provider tells you. Each person's skin needs should be customized to them. I hope this helps some of you better understand why routines each have their step. The level of penetration and protection are different for each product. We need them all to ensure optimal skin health.