You’ve heard all the different stories about what’s good and bad for your skin. Yet it can be confusing: should you be spending lots of money on different products or will a splash of soap and water be enough to keep your skin looking fine?
What you need to check is that you’re carrying out the best routine for your skin, no matter your type. These are just some of the regular tasks you should be thinking about when you take care of your skin. Not only will they help you look good, but they will also maintain your skin’s health.
Check Your Skin Type
Your daily ritual won’t be very effective if you’re not using the correct products for your skin type. To identify your particular type:
- Wash your face in the morning. Don’t add any products
- Leave your skin until the middle of the day
- Check your skin:
- If your face is shiny all over with enlarged pores, you have oily skin
- If the only part of your face that’s oily is the T-zone (i.e. the forehead, face and chin), then you have combination skin
- If you have dry patches, redness or your skin feels itchy or taut, then you have dry or sensitive skin
Cleanse
Cleansing helps to remove dirt and make-up and unclog sebaceous glands (which produce oil for our skin). Make sure you don’t over-cleanse, as you will then remove the barrier that keeps out pollutants and moisturises your skin.
To cleanse, rinse your face with warm water to loosen dirt. Massage your face with your cleanser in small, circular motions, then leave it for a few seconds (so the pollutants can dissolve). Wipe your face with a towel before splashing it with cold water.
Exfoliate
This step is frequently skipped by people during their routine, but if you exfoliate your skin correctly, you’ll see an almost immediate difference. When choosing how to exfoliate, remember that you want to treat your skin gently: micro-tears are not good.
There are a number of different methods you can use. These include facial scrubs, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, or even just using a damp washcloth with a bit of cleanser and white refined sugar.
Moisturise
If you have dry skin, you should invest in a good moisturiser. Your skin will let you know how much you need: if it feels tight or looks flaky then you should apply moisturiser such as those available from Cancalm. However, you shouldn’t over-moisturise as this will clog your pores.
Use Sunscreen
Sun damage is the top cause of wrinkles, so make sure you use one with an SPF of 30 or more every day, including on cloudy days and in the winter months. You could even think about using two different moisturisers: one for night time and another during that day that also includes UV protection. You shouldn’t use moisturisers with sunscreen at night though as they can aggravate your skin since they’re not meant to be used all the time.