Your Skin Routine

Your Basic Every Day Skincare Routine

It is so important to look after your skin starting from a young age to minimize the amount of damage to your skin and prevent what many try to correct later on. If you haven't taken the greatest care and are only starting now, thats ok too. We just need to work at correcting what your concerns with your skin are and have patience that it won't happen overnight.  

If you are wanting to take good care of your skin, than a good skin care routine should be your best friend. 

The first step to having healthy skin with optimal hydration and youthfulness is knowing your Skin Type and what Skin Conditions you are working with. 

KNOW YOUR TYPE

Determining your skin type is the first step to helping your skin.

1. Normal : Moist to the touch, smooth in texture, normal density, even clarity, free from blemishes diseases and disorders, rarely breaks out, medium -fine pore size and even colour.
2. Oily : Shiny, enlarged pores, slick greasy to the touch, sallow in colour, open and closed comedones(Blackheads) may be present, thick density and scattered breakouts.
3. Dry : Lacks oil, thin density, crepey, rough texture, fine lines to deep wrinkles present, prone to sensitivity, fine small pores, transparent, tight and flaky.
4. Combination : Oily t-zone, dry dehydrated cheek area, mixed pore size, blemishes may be scattered and granular texture in t-zone possible.
5. Mature : Dry and dehydrated, saggy/flaccid at jowls and neck, wrinkles fine lines present, loss of elasticity, hyper pigmentation may be present and thicker density due to slower cell turnover

Skin conditions

1. Dehydrated : Lacks moisture, non supple to the touch, pearly sheen, tight, crapey, dull in colour and fine lines, flaky and rough patches.
2. Sensitive : Easily irritated when stimulated, thin density, transparent, blotchy in colour redness present, broken capillaries may be present, burns easily and tendency to allergies.
3. Asphyxiated : Clogged/congested pores, uneven texture, granular to the touch, dull/sallow in colour and poor makeup adherence.
4. Acne : Open and closed comedones, pustules/cysts may be present, granular in texture, shiny/greasy/oily, sallow in colour, thick density and inflammation may be present.
5. Couperose : Broken capillaries visible, sensitive / reactive, fragile skin, thin density, transparent, ruddy in colour and hot to the touch. 

FRESH BASE: 

Cleansing your skin removes surface dirt and oil to allow any hydrating face cream to penetrate your skin’s surface layers. Cleanser is not absorbed by the skin, but removes the skins secretions, dead skin cells, makeup and other debris. This gives you your "fresh base".

ORDER: CLEANSE, TONE, EXFOLIATE AND MOISTURIZE

• Cleansers:

1. Cleansing milk : recommended for normal skin types, dry or sensitive or mature. Cleansing milk will remove a slightly heavier makeup.
2. Micellar water : suitable for all skin types. Micellar water will only remove a very light makeup application. 
3. Foaming cleanser : acneic skin, oily skin. This type of cleanser will remove makeup nicely.

• Toners:  

Remove excess cleanser and other residues, restores the pH of the acid mantle(natural protective layer for the skin) after cleansing, provides a temporary tightening effect to both skin and the individual follicle openings, helping to temporarily shrink pores, revitalizes and freshens the skin, provides an anti-bacterial effect after extractions. When misted on after make-up applications, it helps to set the make-up, removing the chalky look.  Toner helps with your overall complexion.

1. Toners/Fresheners: Refreshing and firming action , consists of plant extract , used on normal or normal to dry skin , may or may not contain alcohol. 
2. Astringents : acneic skin, oily skin.

• Exfoliants: 

1. Clarifying or exfoliating lotion : Different strengths for different skin types, helps to tone and slough off excessive skin cells. This is a form of a physical exfoliant that will contain granules. 
2. Astringents : For normal to oily skin types , contain alcohol, cut through oils and temporarily sanitize the skin. Astringents may contain more of a chemical exfoliation rather than physical. This typically gives a deeper exfoliation.
3. Acne lotions : Composed of benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and sulfur, healing and disinfecting to acne lesions. 

• Moisturizer : Designed to nourish and protect the skin. 

1. Oily: Avoid any heavy oil rich bases, an oil-free or mattifying moisturiser if ideal for this skin type.
2. Normal/Combination: Balance is key, so avoid adding anything excessively oily which will only add to those shiny areas, ideally a light weight lotion is key.
3. Dry skin: A cream cleanser and oil rich moisturizer with omega plant-based oils is great, when treating a lipid dry skin.
4. Sensitive skin: You want to calm, soothe and remove inflammation, so avoid irritating ingredients such as alcohol, fragrances, dyes, and preservatives.

 SLEEP:

The time you sleep is the time your skin revives, get the beauty sleep you need.

Sleeping is very important for skin health, when you get a good night's sleep you lower the amount of cortisol produced in your body. Lowering cortisol is extremely important because to high levels can contribute to increased incidence and severity of skin inflammation. Some skin conditions which can benefit from having a regular sleeping schedule include rosacea, inflammatory acne, and immune-related skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. 

Tips for a better night's sleep to glowing skin:

• Don't eat a big meal too late in the day.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day, but not late at night.
• Sleep under a warm blanket in a cool, dark, quiet room.
• Keep electronics out of the bedroom.
• Use breathable cotton sheets and wash them regularly, so they don't collect dust mites and bacteria.
• Use laundry detergents that don't have strong fragrances, which can be irritating to skin.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-and-beauty/amazing-reasons-to-sleep-for-skin-health.aspx

Live well and be healthy,