“Beautiful skin requires commitment, not a miracle – Erno Laszlo”

Great skin is not just dependent upon your DNA. Your skin reflects everything there is to say about you and your routine. A daily health regime is just as important as a rigorous skincare routine. Maintaining a healthy diet, drinking a lot of water and exercising regularly is also necessary to keep your skin glowing. There are a lot of dietary changes that you can and that you should make to your routine to achieve flawless skin naturally. An unhealthy diet can lead to several problems such as weight gain, poor metabolism, and even have a negative impact on several organs like the heart, and liver. But the most visible impact is on the largest body organ, i.e., your skin. What you eat, how much you exercise, etc. all have a great effect on how healthy your skin looks or how rapidly the signs of aging appear.

Introduce foods to your skin that are rich in vitamin C such as blackcurrants, broccoli, guava, sweet potatoes, oranges, etc. All such fruits and vegetables boost our immune system, help the blemishes fade from our skin and are rich with antioxidant properties. Vitamin C also helps in the production of collagen that acts as structural support for the skin. Foods rich in vitamin E such as almonds, avocado, pine nuts, etc. protect the skin from cell damage by increasing the growth of healthy cells.

Your skin needs lots of water to fight with the oxidants, and stay hydrated and moisturized. Drinking lots and lots of water is not the only way to provide fluids to your skin and body. Super-foods like cucumber, watermelon, etc. also provide fluids to the body and they have several other nutrients and minerals too. Apart from these, there are several other foods that have healthy fat, rich in Omega-3, selenium, and include zinc, which you should include in your diet to help keep skin problems at bay.

Another important part of skincare is sleep. A good night’s sleep helps improve skin quality. When you are asleep, the body processes all the excess water in your body and restores moisture in the skin. Poor sleeping patterns may lead to puffiness around the eyes and under-eye circles. The rise in growth hormones during sleep also helps repair the damaged skin cells and decelerate the aging process. A sleep-deprived skin and face look dull and inactive, therefore proper sleep is quite important to restore balance in the skin and keep it healthy and moisturized.

Now that we know that proper sleep, exercise, and eating right are an extremely important part of our skincare routine, let us get some more insight into the other half of an efficient skincare routine. The other half includes the daily regime that we follow, using specially formulated beauty products to achieve a healthy-looking and radiant skin. But first, let us learn a bit about what is a skincare routine?

There has been a gradual rise in the skincare industry and people are becoming more and more aware of the importance of a daily skincare routine. If you are just starting a skin-care routine, don’t be embarrassed if you do not know or can’t figure out where to begin. We know that starting a brand new skincare routine can be quite dizzying. There are a huge number of products in the market that make so many claims for your skin, but before learning about the various different products, their uses, and benefits for your skin, let’s first figure out your skin type.

An effective skincare routine involves first of all knowledge of your skin type. If you are not aware of your skin type, you might be using skincare products that do not help your skin or make it any better. To know what your skin type may be, we have a few pointers to help you understand what the different skin types are and what usual skin problems occur with each of them.

Oily Skin –

if you wake up in the morning with a layer of oil covering your face, shining without any highlighter, then you probably have figured out that you have oily skin. But there are a few people who do not have this much excess oil on their face but have other oily skin-related problems such as large skin pores, a thick or rough-looking skin, clogged pores, occasional or persistent breakouts, and blackheads.

Dry Skin –

if you have patchy and rough skin that has redness, cracks, flaking, and inflammation, then you have dry skin. It can be caused by numerous environmental factors such as dry atmosphere, harsh winters, inadequate hydration, too much use of hot water, poor nutrition, etc.

Normal/Combination Skin –

when you have oily skin at some parts of your face and skin, and rough dry patches here and there, you have combination skin. Your T-zone (chin, nose, forehead) tends to be on the oilier side, while other areas might be dry.

Sensitive Skin –

if you are quite prone to rashes and breakouts, and basic beauty products cause a stinging sensation on your skin, then you have sensitive skin. This can be due to excessive exposure to degrading environmental factors such as harsh weather, harmful sun rays, pollution, and dirt, etc. or it can also be genetic. Those who have sensitive skin can also have oily or dry or combination skin, therefore they should select skincare products quite carefully and see to it that the products that they are using do not have ingredients that might irritate their skin or cause rashes or allergies.

In this skincare guide, you will learn how to build an effective skincare routine, what products should you use according to your skin type, which ingredients should you stay away from, and most importantly what is the proper order or steps in which the various skincare products should be used and applied.

So, how do you build a basic skincare routine?

As you might have heard numerous times on the radio, or seen on television in various advertisements, the basic skin care steps involve cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. 

Cleansing is the first step to start your daily skincare ritual. A cleanser is a facial care product that helps unclog the pores and remove dirt, oil, dead skin cells from the face by gently cleansing the area. There are several types of facial cleansers formulated for different skin types- Gel cleansers, Cream cleansers, Foam cleansers, Oil cleansers, Clay cleansers, Micellar cleansers, Bar cleansers, and cleansing mitts.

Toning is the step to follow after cleansing. A toner is a water-based liquid ‘lotion’ whose basic use is to thoroughly cleanse the skin and remove any dust or impurities that may be left behind after washing with a cleanser. Toners are designed to meet different requirements. There are hydrating toners, astringent toners, cleansing toners, and also pH balancing toners. To use a toner properly, splash some cold water on your face and then use cotton pads to apply the toner on your face and neck.

After toning and moisturizing, there is a very important step in the skincare routine that many people tend to skip, that is, using a face serum. A serum is a skincare product that you should apply before a moisturizer to deliver powerful ingredients into the skin. Serums are made up of smaller molecules and target specific skincare issues such as fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, dark spots, etc. 

The next step to follow in your basic skincare regimen is moisturizing. A moisturizer is very important for the skin. It hydrates and nourishes the skin, and restores the moisture and protective barrier of the skin.

Applying SPF or sunscreen is also necessary and it does not matter whether you are heading outdoors or not and whether it is cloudy or sunny outside. Sunscreen is very important to protect your skin from the damage caused by the harmful sun rays such as UVA and UVB rays. It also helps protect sensitive skin from sun damage and reduces the appearance of early signs of aging that are caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays. Sunscreen also helps prevent brown spots on the skin and promotes an even skin tone.

These are the very basic steps of a skincare regime that anybody can follow, no matter how much time-deprived they are. Spend a minimum of 5 to 10 minutes daily on your skin to help keep your skin healthy and nourished. Even if you do not have the time to follow an advanced skincare routine that involves multiple steps and lots of patience, the least you can do for your skin is providing it with proper care with a good diet, proper sleep, and basic skincare regime of cleansing-toning-moisturizing.

What is the importance of skin care in our life?

How does a good skincare routine affect us and our lifestyle? Well, as stated previously, skin is the largest and the most visible organ of the body. Therefore, it is quite important for us to maintain healthy skin. Our skin is the largest protection barrier against infections and several other harmful environmental factors such as dirt, dust, oil, pollution, and various other irritants. Dry, flaky skin may become cracked during harsh winters, which can lead to some serious skin problems and infections. Therefore, it is very important to treat dry skin at an early stage and this can be done by following a strict yet simple daily skincare regime. Following a proper skincare routine is important to keep the skin hydrated and moisturized and keep the skin’s protective barrier strong. Many believe that a proper skincare routine is only about keeping the outermost layer of skin intact, but in reality, it is more than just a surface-level concern. Investing early in a proper skincare routine is important for various reasons. Everybody’s skin is unique to themselves. Some people need very little skin care while some need extensive care. If your mother or sister, or some other acquaintance has a great skin without following a skincare routine, the same cannot be applied to you, because all skin types are different. How your skin reacts to pollution or different weather is very different from other people. Another reason why a daily skincare routine is needed is because of the fact that every day, we lose hundreds of thousands of skin cells. And if not cleansed properly, these dead skin cells will clog the pores, leading to dull and unattractive skin, and also cause skin problems as well as visible and early signs of aging. Neglecting your skin today will cause irreversible damage in the future. Unhealthy skin loses elasticity and appears saggy and dull. Physical appearance also has a great deal of impact on one’s mental health. If you have a great healthy and radiant skin, you will definitely feel self-confident and your self-esteem is sure to be boosted.

 

Skincare is not just limited to washing and cleansing your face and applying serums and moisturizers. Skincare applies to the whole body- neck, hands, and feet.

Various Types Of Skincare Routines

Specific and targeted treatments for issues like anti-aging, eye care, sensitive skin, skin brightening, etc. require a more focused and disciplined approach to develop a skincare routine so that maximum desired results can be achieved. If you have dull and dry skin and you are also dealing with signs of aging, then the skincare products that you use will be different from the products that one uses just for treating dry skin. So, when choosing and building a proper skincare regime, always select products that address all your skin issues together. Do not stick to the same skincare products for all weather. A summer skincare routine is very different from a winter skin care routine. Swap your skincare products as required according to the weather. While building a definite skincare regimen, always remember that change is the only constant. Everyday your skin becomes a day older and after some time, the products you use need to be changed or some products will have to be included in your daily regimen, as and when required by your skin.

Now, let us understand a little bit about the different the various skin care products that are part of the daily routine, in no specific order.

Cleansers are the initial step of a skincare routine and probably one of the most underrated but important steps. Every day the skin comes into contact with various environmental irritants, dirt, and pollution. To unclog your pores and gently remove these irritants, a mild face wash is recommended, for it won’t strip off all the moisture from your skin, leaving your skin tight and unpleasant. A mild cleanser deeply cleanses the skin and leaves it hydrated as well as moisturized. For oily skin, using a foaming liquid works very well. The cleanser is activated when it is worked with water and helps clean the sebum and dirt from the pores. The cleansers remove any excess oils from the skin surface, leaving a hydrated and refreshed looking skin. Cleansers designed for oily skin also have various active ingredients that help prevent breakouts. Using a cream-based cleanser or face wash is appropriate for those with dry skin as they have ingredients like glycerin and shea butter that help soften and hydrate the skin while gently removing dirt and impurities from the pores. For those who have a normal or combination skin, it’s best to use a soap-free cleanser that removes oil and dirt without leaving the skin too dry and keeps its moisture balance in check. People who have sensitive skin need to be extremely careful about what cleanser they are using. A fragrance and soap-free cleanser is recommended as it gently removes the environmental irritants without causing any breakouts and/or rashes.

Toners originally were alcohol-based products that were meant only for oily skin, to remove any excess oil and dirt that might be left after cleansing. But today, with the science evolving and progressing so much, there are toners available for different skin treatments that replenish your skin and provide it with basic nutrients. A toner is a thin consistency ‘lotion’ that helps the other skincare products that you apply to be absorbed faster into the skin. When you are looking for toners, some of the ingredients that you should look for are:

• Hyaluronic acid- it boosts skin hydration while locking in the moisture and reduce fine lines.
• Alpha and Beta Hydroxy acids- they help in removing the dead skin cells gently and minimize the skin damage caused by harmful sun radiation and fight dullness of the skin.
• Vitamin C and vitamin E- they fight against the free radicals that your skin is exposed to on a daily basis and also prevent early signs of aging.

Moisturizers prevent the loss of moisture and water through the outer layers of the skin. We come in contact with various environmental factors such as washing hands, scrubbing the face, etc. daily that leave our skin drier than usual and strips off the natural skin oils. A moisturizer gives back the needed moisture to the skin, replenishing it with vital nutrients and keeping it hydrated. A person with oily skin might want to skip applying a moisturizer, but that is not right. There are various types of moisturizers designed specifically for the various skin types. A gel-based moisturizer is what a person with oily skin should go for. It is a very light-weight formula and does not leave the skin too oily or heavy. It gets absorbed by the skin quickly and leaves you hydrated. For dry skin, opt for a soft cream-based moisturizer as it provides the much needed hydration and moisture to the thirsty dry skin. It initially feels a little bit heavy on the skin but gets absorbed pretty fast. A classic lotion-consistency moisturizer works perfectly on a normal or combination skin, neither leaving it too dry nor oily. Moisturizing is the best treatment to soothe sensitive skin. A dehydrated skin that has lost its protective barrier is vulnerable to redness, inflammation and other irritants. To calm the skin, it is important to hydrate it with a moisturizer that is free of any fragrance or formaldehyde as it can cause an allergic reaction to the sensitive skin. Ingredients that have anti-inflammatory properties like aloe vera should be present in the moisturizer for sensitive skin along with hyaluronic acid, and water to keep the skin hydrated and rejuvenated.

Trending these days are face masks. Not necessarily an integral part of your daily skincare regimen, but the application and use of face masks softens the skin visibly. Face masks support your skincare regimen by providing extra-nourishing nutrients to the skin. Using masks once a week is more than enough to get a smooth and supple skin. While those who already have a clear skin may not wish to splurge on face masks, but these also help hydrate the occasionally dull and fatigued skin, deal with stress, and moisturize the face. There are a number of masks that you can apply as part of your weekly skincare regimen. There are numerous types of masks that are designed to deliver targeted results for various skin issues such as a skin-brightening mask, moisturizing mask, an oil-absorbing mask, etc. All these targeted treatments can be delivered through masks that come in various ways and are to be applied differently.

• There are the sheet masks that you surely would be aware of. But do you know how these sheet masks benefit your facial skin? Sheet masks are easy to use and provide all the hydration that your skin needs. The sheet is soaked in a serum that has beneficial ingredients like vitamins and minerals. Masks provide nourishment under occlusion; therefore, the face absorbs more nutrients quickly.
• There are clay masks that have mild exfoliating ingredients and are designed for oily skin. Ones with combination skin can also use clay masks on their facial areas like the T-zone that are oily.
• The overnight masks are designed to keep all the nourishing ingredients of the other skincare products sealed into the skin, keeping the skin hydrated and let the vitamins and minerals work even more effectively and for a longer time duration. Using a light coating of the mask also helps create a barrier and prevent dirt from clogging your pores. It also brightens the skin and helps in the repair of daily skin cell damage. While daily use of face masks may not be possible, use them at least once a week to achieve flawless looking skin.
  
  

Eyes are often the most neglected part in a skincare routine and by the time you realize the importance of taking special care of the sensitive areas around the eyes, it already starts showing premature signs of aging. The skin around the eyes is quite thin and delicate. Daily exposure to harmful UV rays and other harsh environmental elements, as well as lifestyle choices affects the skin around the eyes. The most common concerns are wrinkles, fine lines, and dark circles. Our eye areas do not have oil glands and are therefore prone to dryness more than the others. Keeping the skin around the eyes moisturized helps keep it hydrated and delays the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Eye creams are formulated with special ingredients that deliver specific and concern-based results. When looking for an eye cream to treat the fine lines around eyes, opt for creams that have ingredients that boost collagen production. For puffiness and bags under the eyes, use creams that have peptides, caffeine, and hyaluronic acid, as they help soothe the under-eye skin. For addressing the issue of dark circles, look for creams that have brightening ingredients like vitamin C, soy, vitamin B-3, kojic acid, etc.

If you do not have any specific concerns but wish to maintain a good eye care routine, then choose eye creams that have a great deal of antioxidants in them. They help in removing the free environmental radicals from the skin and also delay the aging process. Vitamin E, vitamin C, green tea extracts are some of the ingredients rich in antioxidants and helpful in maintaining the area under the eyes healthy and moisturized.

Another aspect of a great skincare routine that is often skipped or not given proper time and treatment is lip care. Keeping your lips hydrated and moisturized all year round is a very difficult task. Lips need proper care, or they become chapped and dry, and look unappealing. To maintain a lip care regime is very important as lips are very thin as compared to facial skin.

 As you follow a strict skincare routine, include lip care as part of that routine to help keep your lips moisturized and perfectly pink. Lip care is a proper routine in itself with different steps to follow. The first step is to cleanse your lips off of any makeup or lipstick that you might be wearing and to also remove dirt and other environmental irritants. A gentle make-up removal wipe can do the trick, or if you wish, you can use a mild cleanser. After properly cleansing the lips, it is time for exfoliation. Exfoliating is the key process that helps keep lips soft, supple and smooth. There are many lip exfoliation products available, and the base of almost all of them is sugar. Sugar acts as a gentle and natural scrubbing ingredient that removes dead skin cells from your lips. The proper exfoliation technique for lips is to take a small amount of lip scrub on your finger and massage it gently in a circular motion. Once you have covered and exfoliated your lips, rinse off the lip scrub. Exfoliation on lips should be done only once or maximum twice a week to keep your lips from drying and becoming chapped.

The final step to follow in a lip care routine is to moisturize the lips. Lip balms are loved by everybody as they provide nourishment to the lips and also make them look a bit brighter. Lip balms with almond or sunflower oil extracts help soothe the lips from any irritation and provide essential vitamins. Just like your body, your lips also need protection from the harmful sun rays. Your daily sunscreen is not good enough to provide the required protection to your skin. Choose a lip balm that also has a certain amount of SPF in it. Zinc offers natural sun-protection, so applying a lip balm that has zinc in it will also help keep your lips free of any sun damage.

One of the most common skin concerns is the appearance of early signs of aging. Premature aging occurs due to daily exposure to the harmful sun rays, ultraviolet rays, pollution, dirt, etc. To delay the process of aging, it is important to follow a skincare regimen that focuses on the various aging issues such as fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, etc. As you grow old, your skin starts losing moisture and natural oils leading to a drier looking skin. Start your anti-aging skincare routine by using a cream-based moisturizer to help replenish the vital nutrients and hydrate the skin. Use a gentle exfoliator once a week to slough off dead skin cells and dullness, leaving behind a healthy and brighter-looking skin.

Serums are an essential part of any anti-aging skincare routine, as they are specially formulated products designed to address specific skin concerns. Pat on anti-aging serums that have concentrated active ingredients and anti-aging ingredients like vitamin A (retinoids), and vitamin C. With the decrease in natural skin oils, it is only justified that you start using facial oils to help restore oil balance in the skin. One of the most important products in your regimen is sunscreen. Use a moisturizer that also has high SPF to protect your skin from the UV rays that increase the aging process.

Eye cream for under eye treatments such as fine lines, dark circles, and wrinkles, should be used regularly to help diminish these signs of aging. Your anti-aging skincare routine is not just limited to your face. Key areas like the neck, hands and feet that are exposed daily to the harsh environmental irritants and damaging sun rays should also be taken care of by using specific products.

The neck is an often neglected area. While you focus and complain about wrinkles on your face, you forget to treat the wrinkles and creases that appear on your neck too. The neck is the most active and mobile part of the body with a thinner skin. Daily exposure to the sun, dehydration, and lack of oil production in the neck region all contribute to premature signs of aging in the neck.

Your neck also needs as much care as your face. Cleanse your neck regularly to get rid of dirt and grime and exfoliate to remove dead skin cells. A moisturizing neck cream is probably the most important aspect of keeping your neck nourished. Use a generous amount of light-weight cream to massage your neck in an upward motion (from your collar bone to your chin). This prevents sagging of the neck skin and also keeps the wrinkles and creases at bay. 

While we are on the topic of skincare, let us also learn about taking care of our body as a whole, as we have already established that skin care goes beyond the face. Often the other body parts like knees, elbows, hands and feet get ignored. While it is important to keep your face refreshed and moisturized, it is equally important to keep other body parts healthy. Follow a definite skin care regimen for your body too. Instead of the regular bar soap, start using a gentle body wash to deeply cleanse your skin. Add a body scrub too to your routine to slough off dead skin cells. Cleansing and exfoliating can dry out the skin. So always moisturize your skin with a suitable moisturizer and afterward apply sunscreen too. 

Sun Care is just as important as skin care. Applying sunscreen may not seem like a big deal, but not applying it definitely makes a big difference. Sun rays extensively damage unprotected skin. Apart from the potential threat of skin-cancer, UVA and UVB rays are also the cause of premature aging. You may not notice the damaging effects of sun rays on an everyday basis, but there are several long term consequences such as dry, thin skin, uneven skin tone and discoloration, the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and dull skin. Aside from applying sunscreen, you can also protect yourselves from the hot scorching sun by using an umbrella when heading out in the sun, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and the delicate under-eye skin, and wrap scarves and wear long-sleeved gloves to protect your neck and hands.

Protecting your hands and feet from sun damage is not enough to keep them healthy. Hands and feet are the most active body parts and often neglected in a skincare routine. Maintaining a soft face and leaving the hands and feet dry and rough does not exactly paint a great skincare picture. Your hands also face the same environmental irritants every day as your face and the rest of the body. Use hand wash instead of harsh bar soaps to maintain hand hygiene, and use a hand cream or specially formulated moisturizer to keep your hands moisturized and restore all its lost nutrients.

Your feet also need attention as they are often trapped all day long in shoes or sandals, thereby becoming prone to corn, Athlete’s Foot, and smelly feet. After long hours of standing or walking, your feet need some rest. Dip them in lukewarm water to take care of tiredness and restore good blood circulation. Foot powders are a good option to get rid of smelly feet and all the excess moisture in hot, summery days. Exfoliate your soles and heels gently to get rid of dry and rough skin on your feet. Apply foot cream to take care of cracked heels, nourish your feet and make them softer.

At the beginning of this skincare guide, we discussed the various skin types. Now let us divulge into what are the specific skincare types.

Dry Skin: Those with tight, dry skin are always struggling to find suitable skin care products and building an effective skincare regimen. While in hot summers their skin is prone to irritation, in harsh cold winters, skin becomes extremely dry and flaky. Using hot water for washing your face or bathing strips natural oils leaving the skin drier than before. Lukewarm or cold water works better for dry skin. Using a fragrance and soap-free shower gel or even mild soap cleanser helps keep the skin hydrated. Do not rub your towel against your body. Instead, pat dry your skin, leaving it a bit damp, and apply moisturizer to a moist skin to lock-in water and get maximum hydration from the moisturizer.
While choosing a moisturizer to introduce to your skincare regimen, be sure of what ingredients it contains. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides help to keep all the moisture in the skin and soothe the irritated dry skin. Other ingredients like plant extracts and oils, glycerin, antioxidants, etc. help keep the skin radiant and hydrated. To ensure a smooth and healthy-looking skin all year round, following some basic steps and making some changes in your lifestyle goes a long way.
Wear clothes made of natural fibers and cotton instead of other synthetic fabrics that can irritate the skin. Drinking plenty of water keeps the skin radiant. Including foods in your diet that are rich in fatty acids helps retain the natural oil barriers of the skin. Omega-3 rich foods like fish, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, etc. also help replenish dry skin. 

Dull Skin: As we age, our lifestyle, eating and sleeping habits, and environmental pollution as well as stress, all take a toll on our skin. Once nourished and youthful, our skin rapidly becomes thin, sallow and dull. A dull skin not only needs nourishment externally but also internally. There are many common causes that lead to dull skin. The free radicals created by environmental pollutants damage the production of collagen and lead to premature wrinkles and uneven skin tone and texture. Wash your face properly before going to sleep to get rid of the dirt and other pollutants that clog your pores and damage your skin.
Another factor that contributes to dull skin is the hectic lifestyle we live today. Stress and tension lead to high levels of cortisol, which means the blood circulates to your vital body organs first, leaving the face look sallow and dull. When you apply a cleanser or moisturizer, massage your face to help with the stress and tiredness. Massaging will also help in deep cleansing and improve blood circulation.
Skin can also look dull and deflated if you have a dead skin-cell buildup. Skin cells shed every day, and not cleansing or exfoliating properly leads to a deep accumulation of these cells that reduce the radiance of the skin. So it is of great importance that you cleanse regularly and exfoliate at least once a week to get rid of the dead skin cells and keep your skin healthy and glowing.

Oil-control: Oily skin can prove to be a great discomfort, especially during sweaty summers. Oil production in your skin is a natural process that one cannot stop. Oily-skin is a result of excess oils being produced by the oil glands. While this cannot be stopped, it can be managed with an effective skin care regimen and other lifestyle habits. Keeping your skin clean and washing it twice a day helps keep a control of the oils on the skin surface. While you might be tempted to wash your face at regular intervals to get rid of the oily feeling, it is not advisable to do so as using too much face wash, however mild it may be, will lead to skin irritation and roughness. Use oil-free products or water-based products to prevent the pores from clogging and keeping the skin hydrated and refreshed.
Do not skip moisturizers entirely, instead use lightweight moisturizers that are specially formulated for oily skin. Apart from these, maintaining a good diet and exercise routine is also important to keep your skin healthy. Citrus fruits such as oranges have a high vitamin C content that acts as an antioxidant and helps detoxify the skin. Fiber-rich green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale also help in controlling oil production and leave your skin clearer.
Maintaining your stress levels is just as important as following a healthy diet. Heightened stress levels only add to oily skin problems. Exercise regularly, practice meditation and yoga to help keep stress at bay. The most important step in a skincare routine that people with oily skin tend to skip is the application of a sunscreen. There are various lightweight and gel-based sunscreens that do not clog the pores and protect your skin from sun damage.

Sensitive skin: Those who have sensitive skin will understand just how difficult it is buying a product for your skincare needs after extensive research and then finding out that this product too does not suit your skin like the many previous ones. You might even find that the product that you used in the last season no longer works for your skin. Sensitive skin can seem like high-maintenance but with a few tips and tricks, you can achieve flawless skin without irritating it. The most important thing is to identify your actual skin type. Underlying the sensitive skin is dry or oily or combination skin. Being aware of your basic skin type and choosing the suitable products is necessary.
Also, when buying skincare products for sensitive skin, try to go for fragrance-free products. Scents and fragrances can irritate sensitive skin leading to itching and redness. Even the detergents that you use for clothes should be free of any scent. Many skin care products contain harmful dyes for getting an appealing color into the product. Using products that have a natural color is better for sensitive skin. Use products that are specially designed for sensitive skin and are ‘hypoallergenic’.
Apart from the skincare products, there are several other causes that can irritate sensitive skin. Wearing jewelry that contains nickel in it can lead to rashes and allergies. Taking long hot baths can strip off the natural skin oils and leave the skin dry and the skin protective barrier is even more vulnerable. Opt for shorter baths that too with warm water, followed by a nourishing and nutrient-rich fragrance-free moisturizer to restore all the vital minerals and moisture balance. Avoid using harsh exfoliators, and opt for cream-based scrubs instead. Always pat dry your face and body instead of rubbing the towel against the skin. Apart from the basic lifestyle changes, also watch out for and keep a track of the products, food, etc. that do not suit your sensitive skin to avoid a breakout in the future.

Skin brightening is a trending and hot topic in the skincare and beauty industry. All women wish to achieve a flawless-looking bright skin. Skin-brightening is all about increasing radiance and glow in the skin. Introduce special skin brightening products to your daily skincare regimen to help achieve a smoother skin tone and prevent the early signs of aging. There are a number of over-the-counter products available for brightening the skin. But many of them contain harmful chemicals that can damage the skin in the long term. Buy products that have vitamin C, retinol, and alpha and beta hydroxy acids. Vitamin C has more of a skin lightening effect rather than bleaching, and the fact that it is a natural antioxidant too makes it a must-have ingredient in your skin-brightening product. The various skin brightening products help diminish the dark spots and scars from acne.

Why do we need skin care?

After having read this guide to skincare, you must be tempted to just dive in and start following a specific skin care routine to achieve flawless-looking skin. But remember, all good things take time. So, if there is no visible difference in your skin after a week or two, do not get frustrated and leave the skincare regimen midway. Seriously developing and following a good skincare routine will go a long way and contribute to a younger and healthy-looking skin even 25 to 30 years from now. It is better to start a skincare regimen early, as you can not achieve a youthful-looking skin overnight. It is years of hard work that contributes to a healthy-looking and gorgeous skin. Addressing and preventing future skin concerns in the present is a much easier fix than waiting for the skin problems to occur and then starting treatments for them.

When you have a regular skincare routine to follow, establishing and following other health care routines like oral health, hair care becomes easier. Feel good and look good as you maintain a great skincare routine. People often say that “when you look good, you feel good.” This saying is completely true as having a flawless skin makes you feel less conscious towards your appearance and your confidence and self-esteem are boosted.

A consistent skincare routine will also save you a lot of money that you may end up spending on various expensive skin treatments in the future. If you have religiously followed a suitable skincare regimen your whole life, then you do not have to worry about skin concerns such as premature signs of aging, crow’s feet, dark spots, dull skin, etc. While following a skincare routine, it is also important to make some changes in your lifestyle, such as eating right, drinking plenty of fluids, exercising, meditating, and maintaining a good sleep pattern.

How to choose best skin care brand?

While you look for products to customize and curate a skincare regimen for yourselves, it is of great value if you know the different skincare brands and their products. As mentioned above, you should be aware of your skin type when choosing your skin care products. There are a plethora of options for skincare brands offering innumerable skincare products. When choosing a product, do not get distracted by its beautiful packaging or the brand’s popularity. Because it is the ingredients that are going to help you achieve the desired results.

When choosing a skincare brand, keep in mind its cost. Set up a limit in your mind as to how much you wish to spend in total. Often people go for high-end luxe brands and burn holes in their pockets. It is a general misconception that products that are pricier will deliver better results than the cheaper ones. It is not at all true. Results are not dependent upon the product’s price or the brand’s popularity.

Choose a brand or product that suits your skin type. If you have any specific skin concerns like fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, or acne, etc., choose products that are designed to deal with the specific problems with specially formulated contents. There are various skincare brands that are recognized worldwide and swore upon by many beauty gurus such as Estee Lauder, Neutrogena, Drunk Elephant, Cetaphil, Clinique, The Ordinary, Nivea, Lakme, ponds, etc.

In conclusion to this guide of taking care of skin, we hope that it has been a helpful read for the ones who are starting a skincare routine or thinking to start one. And if you still haven’t curated your skincare regimen, do it now before it is too late and you are bogged down by the various skin concerns that are undoubtedly going to occur as you age. At least start investing in a basic skincare routine of cleansing, toning, and moisturizing, if not more, and from there you can expand your skincare routine gradually as you start to see and feel the difference in your skin.