From cleansers to moisturizers to eye creams, it can all get a little confusing and then to top it all off there are the specific ingredients one needs to pay attention to.
Let’s start from the top and understand the importance of a morning and an evening routine, the best products to look out for and help you develop your best routine yet.
The AM routine
This is a basic routine you should start getting used to because as we step out for the day whether the sun is shining or not, there are still sun rays that penetrate our skin and that can damage our skin if left ignored and untreated.
Cleansers: The first thing is to understand our skin type (is it dry, oily or a combination of both?).
Another consideration is the season you’re in, for example, in the winter months your skin naturally gets drier and rougher, so choosing a cleanser with less foaming and stripping effects will be gentler on your skin. Choose products with more moisturising key factors (for winter).
When the summer months return, so does the sweat and oil build-up, so cleansing products that target pores are best.
Exfoliate: Exfoliate one morning a week at least, and no more than three times.
Excess exfoliation can have adverse effects. Gentle is key to your skin.
Toners: This step restores the good parts of what cleansing may have taken away. It is not necessary to get an alcohol-based toner as this can strip the skin's good layers, making you think you’re getting rid of more dirt- that’s most often your skin. Our skin is an organ after all and treating it gently and correctly will give us long-lasting results.
Moisturise: The most important step! For dryer skin, the best products to get are usually gel-based, which may lock in more moisture and last longer on your skin.
Water-based creams tend to absorb faster which could mean your skin is not able to get all the moisture it needs throughout the day.
During the hotter seasons, you need a moisturizer that absorbs well into your skin and doesn’t sit on top of it, as this can cause unwanted blockages on your skin, and this is the start of unwanted acne.
Sunscreen: As we’ve mentioned earlier, locking in moisture is very important to prevent your skin from losing moisture during the day, looking dull and ageing faster. Either get a moisturizer that contains an SPF30+ or get a bottle of sunscreen and apply it on top of your moisturizer. This simple step can also help boost your moisturizer and protect it from getting absorbed too quickly.
The PM
Cleanse: Whether you wear makeup or not, work in a closed office or out in the open, this is a must-do before bed. There are tons of pollutants in the air that we don’t always see but our skin absorbs automatically with the oxygen it takes in, so cleansing our face and neck will be the result of good to great skin.
Tone: What more needs to be said here, it’s important for restoring what was lost during cleansing and hydrating your skin, so don’t skip.
Serums: This is a step that depends on you and your skin's needs. Serums are a great way to target specific issues and give your skin that added care it is yearning for.
Moisturize: When you sleep at night your skin is not as active as it is during the day, so this is the best time it gets to repair, restore, and hydrate your skin. This is our skin's chance to get as much in as it can, so you can layer different moisturizers here or add retinol to your skincare routine and there won’t be any harm done. This is also the best time to use eye creams, as your lids will not be working as much.
Retinols: When it comes to fighting off those wrinkles and ageing signs, retinoids are our best friends. At night they get their chance to go to work and work for us as we sleep.
Retinols come in many types, so get one that is best suited for your skin type and that also works with your moisturizer.
So, remember skin is more sensitive in winter, so go for more gentle products with more moisturizing effects; when it comes to summer go for products that will help get rid of oil build-up and pollutants as the pores are more open, and absorb a lot more.
The Takeaway
AM- is when our skin needs lots of protection for the harsh day it has ahead. PM- is to recover, restore and repair what has been lost during the day.
Enquire with us to develop your skincare products today.
