Choosing products that suit your skin type is often a gigantic task, the sole reason being that you cannot get instantaneous results with a product. It takes weeks to actually get some positive results. So how do you decide which product is the best for you? Reading product reviews and talking to friends and colleagues, discussing their skincare regime can give you an insight on which products are better and which ones you should keep away from. Also, you should be aware of your skin type. Choosing products made especially for your skin type is of utmost importance if you wish to get any positive results on your skin. If a person with oily skin starts using products for dry skin, then the desired results will never be achieved, as dry skin products have ingredients like mineral oil, glycerin, etc. to provide nourishment to dry and dehydrated skin by restoring oils, therefore leading to an even oilier skin than before. Thus you should know your skin type and use skincare products made for the same.
Now let’s talk about the basic skincare routine that everyone should follow. You may have heard times innumerable on T.V. ads or from beauty gurus on their vlogs about the basic steps for skincare:
- Cleansing
- Toning
- Moisturizing
Well, skincare includes a little more than just these basic steps. In fact, for best results, you should follow a strict morning skincare routine as well as a night skincare routine.
Your morning skincare routine should include these steps, that too in an orderly manner:-
STEP 1: Cleansing
STEP 2: Toning
STEP 3: Serum and Spot Treatment
STEP 4: Moisturizing
STEP 5: Eye Cream or Gel
STEP 6: SPF
It’s equally important to have a routine where you treat your skin at night too because removing make-up and splashing water on your face is not enough. After a day of battling with dust, pollution, and sun, your skin also needs to relax. Your night skincare routine is a little different from that in the morning, and should include these steps:-
STEP 1: Cleansing and Exfoliating
STEP 2: Toning
STEP 3: Serum, Peels, and Treatment
STEP 4: Face Oil or Moisturizing
STEP 5: Eye Cream
As discussed above, finding a suitable product for your skin type can be a huge task, and in this fast-paced world, sticking to your skincare regime can be even more difficult. Here we are going to list some of the best skincare products for different skin types, in the hope that you find your favorite products for all the different steps included in a proper skincare regime, and start using them judiciously to get a glowing and healthy skin.
Cleansers–
Use a gentle cleanser on your face first thing in the morning to remove dirt, oil, and impurities that your skin accumulates from your pillow, hair, or bedsheet. Trending these days for normal skin is Garnier SkinActive Soothing Rose Water Cleansing Milk. It gives polished results in just a matter of days. But if you have oily skin, then Tatcha Deep Cleanse is the product to go for. It contains luffa-fruit extracts that help in removing dead skin and unclog pores. L’Occitane Shea 3-in-1 Cleansing Water is one of the best cleansers for dry skin. It has orange blossom and cornflower water that leaves your skin hydrated and moisturized.
Exfoliators–
Post the cleansing ritual comes exfoliating, a step that many of us conveniently skip. Exfoliating is necessary to get rid of the built-up dead cells on the outermost layer of skin. Though regular use of an exfoliating product is not encouraged, still you should use it once a week. Be careful in your selection of exfoliating products, as these products have micro-abrasions that might irritate your skin if used in abundance. For oily or combination skin, L’Oreal Pure Sugar Scrub is an excellent product to remove the dead cells and let the ingredient-acids get to work. For those who have sensitive skin, Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial is a product that many swear-by. Its effective blend brightens the skin without causing any irritation. Those with dry skin should avoid using exfoliators, as it will lead to an even more flaky skin. You should try peel-masks instead.
Toners– The best care that you can provide for your skin is by toning it regularly. Toning not only helps in removing any residual dirt and oil, but it also restores the delicate pH balance of the skin while leaving the skin soft and nourished. Sunday Riley’s Martian Mattifying MeltingWater-Gel Toner is one of the greatest products for oily skin. It has ingredients like green tea, cucumber, bentonite clay, etc. which help in removing extra oil from the top of the skin. Neutrogena’s Alcohol-free Toner is a gentle toner for dry skin that has delivered great results. It purifies your skin and reconditions it without stripping away the natural oils from your face.
Serums–
Face serums are meant to address skin-specific issues, such as wrinkles, fine lines, acne, or dark spots. They have powerful active ingredients such as retinol, vitamin C, niacinamide, etc. to deliver targeted results. Always use a moisturizer and sunscreen after applying serums in the day. The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Booster is one of the best serums for oily skin as it protects the skin from pollution and its Amazonia Camu Camu berry extracts improve radiance and keep the skin fresh. Sunday Riley’s Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid Treatment is another great product for oily skin as the lactic acid also helps in reducing dark spots and improving skin texture. For those who have dry skin, you cannot go wrong with Khadi Global Natural Hyaluronic Acid Serum, an amazing product that keeps your skin hydrated and also reduces fine lines and wrinkles, giving you a naturally youthful and healthy appearance.
Facial Peels– They provide deeper exfoliation, and the use-at-home chemical peels are mild and easy to use. The Peeling Solution offered by The Ordinary contains lactic, salicylic, and glycolic acids that help in reducing blemishes and spots and is suitable for people with oily, normal as well as combination skin. For people with normal to dry skin, Paula’s Choice RESIST is a product to look out for. Apart from the concentrated formula of lactic, glycolic, and malic acids, it has licorice extracts, peptides and other such ingredients that help maintain the protective barrier of your skin throughout the day and keeps it smooth and nourished.
Moisturizers– They are one of the most important skincare products. If you are using a serum in the day time, it is very important that you apply a moisturizer afterward to help the serum work efficiently by deep penetration in skin cells. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is an excellent gel-based moisturizer that keeps your skin soft and hydrated without making it oily. Natural Moisturising Factors from The Ordinary has a non-greasy formula that helps keep dry skin hydrated and super moisturized.
Face Oils– Using oils on an already oily skin may sound weird at first, but it is a well researched and proven fact that oils contain antioxidants and amino acids that help revitalize your skin. The Ultra-Clarifying Face Oil (U.F.O.) by Sunday Riley is a medicated oil designed especially for oily skin that helps clear acne, blemishes, and blackheads. It also has antibacterial ingredients like licorice, tea tree oil, cumin, etc. that brightens your skin and gives it an even tone. A non-greasy and lightweight product for dry skin is L’Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil. Its formula contains more than 50% almond oil, along with some other oil blends that help keep the skin supple and soft.
Eye-creams– There are many eye creams in the market for various targeted treatments such as removal of dark circles, puffy eyes, and wrinkles around the eyes. The Himalaya Herbals Under Eye Cream has a safe blend of herbs to treat the dark circles and protect the delicate under-eye area from harsh sun rays. It also detoxifies and moisturizes the under-eye area and with regular use, you can also see the wrinkles and fine lines disappearing.
SPF– Application of sunscreen daily is very important, as it not only provides protection from harmful sun rays but also fights against premature aging, pigmentation, wrinkles, etc. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock is an amazing sunblock for oily skin in all seasons. Kaya Daily Moisturising Sunscreen works wonders on dry skin. It protects from the harmful UVA and UVB rays while keeping your skin nourished and moisturized.
Having said all about the various skin care products and regimens that one should follow, it must also be kept in mind that results will not be delivered overnight. A serious routine of skincare and a healthy lifestyle will show great results over a period of time. We all have different skins and each product works differently for each one of us, so find and curate a routine that best suits you and positive results will follow.
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