The Essential Skin Products You Need In Your Beauty Routine
With beauty bloggers praising the benefits of multi-step Korean skincare routines, it’s safe to say that skin care is having a serious moment right now. There are loads of products being introduced every month from sheet masks to facial tonics. However, unless you’re a beauty expert, things can get a bit confusing.
We’re here to help you know your serums from your oils and your lotion toners from your essences. We’ve only included the products that we consider to be essential to any healthy skin care routine.
1. The Cleanser
Women have been using cleansers for centuries, so this one should be nothing new. Anything that cleans the face to remove dirt and impurities is a cleanser. Up until a couple of decades ago, the most commonly-used cleanser by far was simply a bar of soap.
Today, we know that most commercial soaps are no good for skin because of their high pH level. This pH level can dry skin and encourage aging. Instead, look for a cleanser with a low pH level. Try to stay away from synthetic fragrances that can irritate your skin.
A cleanser should be used twice a day, first at bedtime and then before going to sleep.
2. The Exfoliator
Many of us remember using that famous apricot scrub on our faces when we were younger. While it did properly exfoliate skin, the apricot seeds were in fact too harsh for our pores, creating tiny tears in our skin’s surface and making it prone to bacteria and breakouts.
An exfoliator is anything that removes the dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. Some people choose to do this with a physical scrub that uses friction to remove the dead skin from the pores.
However, it’s better to use a chemical exfoliator instead. An exfoliator that uses beta hydroxy acids will eat at the dead skin cells without using harsh friction that can damage sensitive skin.
An exfoliator should be used no more than twice a week so that skin is not irritated.
3. The Toner
A toner is any lotion or liquid that quickly cleans the skin and shrinks pores. A toner can be applied with a damp cloth or sprayed onto the face. A toner will give instant nutrients to the skin that may have been lost after cleansing and exfoliating.
There is a variety of different kinds of toners available. Some prefer to dab apple cider vinegar on their face as the acidic qualities of this vinegar cleanse the face and tighten up pores. Others prefer a lotion-based toner that adds a layer of moisture to the skin as well.
Toners that are applied using a spray bottle are sometimes referred to as essences. These are a great way to tune up and refresh the skin after a heavy workout.
A toner is gentle enough to use multiple times a day.
4. The Clay Mask
Those who suffer from breakouts and blackheads should incorporate a clay mask into their routine. A clay mask uses bentonite, a natural clay that comes from the earth. This powerful substance acts as a magnet, drawing impurities out from deep below the skin’s surface.
Bentonite also has the unique ability to quickly dry up pimples so that they may heal much sooner. Clay masks should be left on for at least 15 minutes so that they can harden. After removing the clay mask with a wet wash cloth, you will notice that your skin feels significantly smoother than before.
A clay mask can be drying to the skin, so use it no more than once a week.
5. The Serum
A serum is a product that comes in gel, oil, or lotion form that adds loads of moisture and nutrients to the skin prior to moisturizing. Some women use a facial oil as a serum as certain oils, such as olive oil, have unique anti-aging abilities.
However, other serums have more complex formulas. Vitamin C serums are growing in popularity as they are used to protect against aging.
A serum can also be delivered in the form of a sheet mask. Sheet masks are thin paper masks that are soaked in serum. They sit on the face for 15 minutes so that the skin may absorb the serum to its fullest ability.
Serums may be used daily as they do not usually irritate the skin.
The Moisturizer
Like the cleanser, the moisturizer has been a fixture of skin care for decades. It’s important to find a moisturizer that is not heavy on the fragrances as these fragrances can be irritating to the skin.
You may have to test out several different moisturizers throughout your lifetime before finding the one that works best for your skin type. Everyone’s skin is unique and a moisturizer that gives your best friend glowing, flawless skin might cause you to break out severely.
Once you find a moisturizer that works for you, use it twice a day. Our skin requires a lot of moisture. Even those who have oily skin need to moisturize just as frequently.
Conclusion
We hope that we’ve given you a better idea of the different elements of skin care. By understanding how all of these different products work, you can start to build a routine using products that work best for your skin.