’’How can I start my skin routine journey and what products should I use?’’

I have seen friends, family, and people on social media frequently asking this question. Everyone wants to know what type of products to use and how to add a skin routine to their morning and night schedule. Me too, I wanted to know and was overload with so many information when I wanted to start to have a skin routine FOR REALLLL!

Have you heard about KISS? Keep It Simple Stupid? This was literally how I needed to make my skin routine, I remember wanting to start my skin routine and being so exhausted at the amount of information I was collecting… all of this made me delay my skin routine journey… but, I will provide you with everything you need to start your skin routine TODAY (keeping everything very simple).

First things first… You need to know why you need to start your skin routine journey, which will depend on different reasons. You might have problems with

• Too much acne
• Dull skin
• Lack of Glow
• Dark spots
• Blackheads
• Sensitive skin
• Hyperpigmentation
• Or you might not necessarily have any skin problems, but you want to start a skincare routine.

Before we start… there are 3 things you need to know:

Firstly, Even though this post will teach you everything you need to know about starting out your skin routine, it is always advisable for you to consult with a dermatologist, especially with cases like eczema or acne.

Secondly, Have you ever heard the phrase ‘’beauty comes from within’’? We can apply the same to our skin. We can place all the products we can on our faces, but if we do not take care of our health, and we don’t drink plenty of water (Yes, 2 L a day) all our efforts to better our skin will go to waste!

Thirdly, The secret to seeing results in skin care is by being consistent. This is not a quick procedure, that you will do all the steps in 1 week, and in the following week, you will see your face like never before… If I tell you that (or if someone tells you that) be assured that it is a lie. Skin routine takes time and patience throughout, and it’s only by doing this consistently that you will see the barrier and health of your skin improve.

Now… LET’S GET STARTED!

What is your skin type?

1 Step: Find out your skin type

It is really important to find out your skin type before you even start your skin routine. The reason for this is quite simple; You need to know what your skin type is, so you can buy the correct products and can build the correct routine for your skin.

’’But how can I find my skin type?’’ In some cases, simply touching your skin or looking at your skin throughout the day, should indicate to you if your skin is dry, oily, or normal skin.

However…

If by doing this, you are still unsure of the type of skin you have, follow this:

1st – Wash your face with a gentle face wash, or any other face wash you have at home. 2nd – Once you have washed your face, let your face air dry (do this to have better results)
3rd – Once your face is dry, DO NOT place any products on your face. At this stage, you can go about your day as normal.
4th – Between 1 to 2 hours, see how your face looks and feels.

Does your skin looks shinny and when you touch feels oily? If so, this is a good indicator that your skin might be oily.
Does your skin looks and feels rough? You might have dry skin (like myself).
Does your skin looks normal, and feels smooth (without any breakouts)? Then, most likely you will have normal skin.

This technique might not result for everyone, and if that’s your case… don’t worry, I got you!

Another way you have to find out what type of skin you have is by using blotting paper.

You will follow steps 1 to 4 as I had mentioned, with an additional step; blotting paper! Once you wait for 1 to 2 hours you will pat the blotting paper on your face and leave it for a few seconds.

If the blotting paper falls off your skin – You must likely have dry skin.
If the blotting paper starts getting wet (you can see the visible oil) – then these are good indicators of oily skin.
If the blotting paper is normal, has a little bit of visible oil, but not too much, and has stayed in your face through the few seconds – then you most likely have normal skin.

Note: There are too many different skin types out there… however, for the purpose of this blog (and to keep things simple) I will focus on the main 3 types: Normal skin, oily skin & dry skin.

Morning Skincare Routine

Cleanser

2 Step: Find a Cleanser

The second step to start your skin routine is by adding a cleanser. Your skin is daily going through dirty air, environmental pollution, dust in the air, etc… all of these batteries we get in our daily life will be built into our skin (This is also a big cause of acne). Cleansers help to dissolve the dirt (and sometimes, depending on the cleanser, break up makeup molecules), as well as help to prep the skin for the next products. There are different types of cleansers; Gel Cleansers, Oil Cleansers, or Cream Cleansers.

Our hands automatically go through the same process, we touch things, grab things, go to the toilet, etc… all of this causes our hands to be full of bacteria. Every time I cleanse my face, I make sure I clean my hands with soap before. We don’t want to be mixing the bacteria we have in our hands on our faces, so we need to make sure our hands are clean before touching our faces.

Finding the correct cleanser can be difficult (at least it was very difficult for me), here are some cleaners you can look for:

_{Some of the links in this post will have affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on the link}

Cleansers Oily Skin: https://amzn.to/43hHo1Y

Cleansers Dry Skin: https://amzn.to/3NFkwE8

Cleansers Normal Skin: https://amzn.to/3JLT2vg

How to apply

Once you find the ideal cleanser, pour a little bit in your hands and rub them together. Apply the cleanser on your face for around 30 seconds to 1 minute (you can always put more if necessary, at least I always do). I take this time to massage my face and take the time to take all the batteries out. After this, you rinse your face with water.

Note: If you are someone that tends to use makeup quite a lot, using an oil cleanser or double cleansing your skin will do wonders in taking all the makeup and bacteria out of your face.

Moisturizer

3 step: Have a Moisturizer

Using a moisturizer is necessary for every skin routine and for any type of skin (YUP, even if you have oily skin). In most moisturizers, the first ingredient will be water. The reason for this is that moisturizers are meant to increase the water within the skin. This provides the balance our skin needs; oil is produced by our skin cells and water is been added by our moisturizers (or by drinking water). Is important to know that dry & normal skin will need a thicker moisturizer and oily skin a lighter or gel moisturizer.

Note: You will find day and night moisturizers.

Day Moisturizers: Are meant to protect your skin during the day.
Night Moisturizers: These are meant to repair the skin barrier (throughout your sleep).

Moisturizers for Dry Skin: https://amzn.to/43nv9Bm

Moisturizers for Oily Skin: https://amzn.to/3JI8OaE

Moisturizers for Normal Skin: https://amzn.to/3XGxgig

Sunscreen

4th – Use a Sunscreens

I remember when I started my skincare journey, I really did not understand the importance of sunscreen. I thought that walking out of the house with only a clean face and a moisturizer was sufficient. Until I face the real reality, it’s NOT OKAY! If there is one product that you should always use, and never miss (even on your lazy days) it’s a sunscreen.

I used to learn when I was in school that too much exposure to the sun could lead to cancer, but never thought that this could cause other issues to my skin. Sunscreens protect you from UVB and UVA rays. Now you might be wondering, ‘’what do UVA and UV rays do to my skin?’’

UVA when penetrates damages our skin barrier. UVA is also the cause of aging the skin and causing the skin to have wrinkles; the reason for that is that UVA damages the collagen produced in the skin. UVB is basically what we all learn in school: the cause of cancer and what causes our skin to burn!

”Should I apply sunscreen even when it’s rainy?’’ DEFINITELY YES! In the country I live, it’s raining or cloudy almost every day, but I wear my sunscreen. Just because we do not see the sun, it does not mean that it’s not there, UVB and UVA rays are still there, so WEAR YOUR SUNSCREEN!!

We have Chemical Sunscreens and Mineral Sunscreens, and it will really depend on you which type you will prefer to use. Chemical sunscreens are really easy to find, you can find them anywhere, while mineral sunscreens (which are the best sunscreens in my option) are quite hard to access (at least one that will not make you look like a ghost).

Chemical sunscreens are considered to be absorbed into the skin and can disrupt your hormone levels. They can also be linked to the cause of acne on our face and other side effects like skin sensitivity. Mineral sunscreen is considered to act as a barrier, which means that it does not enter the bloodstream. Mineral sunscreens do not irritate the skin.

While chemical sunscreens blend into your skin nicely and leave your skin looking natural, mineral sunscreens can be a little bit heavier on the skin, some can have a white cast which people don’t tend to like.

Here are some chemical sunscreens: https://amzn.to/46EKPmn
Here are some mineral sunscreens: https://amzn.to/44lbQde

Once you have cleansed your face and applied your moisturizer, the next step is to apply your sunscreen and you ready for another day!

Night Skin Routine

At night, after a long day, it might be hard to add more to the skin routine, SO WE KEEP IT SIMPLE. The important thing you should do at night is cleanse your face (as we do not want to sleep with all the bacteria’s in our face) and add your moisturizer.

Even though there are a few more steps you can add to your night routine, starting with a simple routine can actually go a long day after a stressing day of work/school/university.

Order of applying your Morning skincare:

1. Cleanser
2. Moisturizer
3. Sunscreen

Order of applying your Night skincare:

1. Cleanser
2. Moisturizer