This question is definitely something I know a lot of people are wondering. There is a lot of information here, I understand, BUT it’s so important to take care of your skin and this goes for men and women! I know you might be thinking, “ugh, why can’t I just use my bar soap in the shower and throw on some lotion and be good to go?”
Let me start by saying, using bar soap can damage the outer protective layer of the skin. You don’t want to do that because that leads to not only premature wrinkles, but it can also cause acne and inflammation. When the skin’s barrier is being compromised, it also causes your skin to slowly become overly-sensitized as well. Yes, you might be saying I’ve been using bar soap for 20 years and my skin has always been perfect, but in the long run it does slowly damage the skin. So then what should you use and what should the routine look like?
First, ALWAYS wash your face…day and night. Now, if you really only want to once a day, at least wash it at night. It is so important to wash the debris, oils and sweat from the day. I love these cleansers that are listed below. The Ormedic cleanser is perfect for all skin types and the Clear Cell cleanser is good for more oily/acne prone skin.
Exfoliating is something that should only be done 2-3 days a week. Exfoliating removes dead cells and allows the pores to absorb nutrients. It helps the skin break up the dead skin that is clogging your pores that turn into blackheads and/or acne. Exfoliating also gives the skin a healthy, radiant glow. Now sometimes too much of a good thing can turn into a bad thing. Exfoliating too many times a week could damage the barrier of your skin and cause early aging and sensitize the skin.
Toning has some of the same effects as exfoliating, but you could do it everyday. It balances the PH levels in your skin. It has the ability to brighten and balance the skin's surface as well as help minimize the appearance of pores and oils.
Now the fun part…. moisturizers and masks! Moisturizers are what put a protection barrier onto the skin. Skipping this step could lead to irritations and even breakouts/infections. The most common thing that people think is, “I have oily skin so I don't need a moisturizer.””
“ It will just add more oil.” No, that isn’t the case! Everyone needs moisturizer. They have specific moisturizers that actually help target oils and help them produce less. Now for my dry skin people like me, moisturizers are your best friend! Hydrating moisturizers that are my personal favorites will be listed below. There are so many out there that have hydrating, aging, oil controlling, wrinkle care and lightening agent moisturizers. Masks are great to add in your weekly routine to add higher potent ingredients. I listed some of my absolute favs! They range in price as well between higher end to more drug store.
SPF!! please wear sunscreen rain or shine! Your skin needs it all the time to protect from sun damage!
Thank you so much for taking the time to get this far in the blog! Stay tuned for next weeks blog on my top favorite masks!