Understanding skin care for your daily health
The phrase skin care brings three things to mind: skin cancer, dry skin, and a long aisle of beauty products at the local drugstore. But it’s more than a superficial concern. While a skin care routine may seem high maintenance, in reality, the steps for healthy skin are not only necessary, but they are also easy to implement.
“Investing early in your skin’s health, with regular care, will not only better protect it from the harsh effects of winter, but will also allow you to look and feel your best all year long,” says Steven Nwe, DO, dermatologist. with Northwest Medicine. “The key to skin resilience is knowing it and treating it well.”
First, you’ll want to take your skin type into account. The main skin types are dry, oily or combination, and while your skin may become drier or oilier depending on the season, most of the time it should be relatively consistent.
What you should have in your skin care cabinet
Next, you should know what constitutes a healthy skin routine. That is, what kind of products do you really need to keep your skin healthy and clean?
Cleaner
The cleanser is what you will use to wash your face and it is important to use a product designed for your face, not just any bar or body wash you have lying around. You’ll want to wash your face gently and be careful not to scrub too hard. Then, rinse with warm water, because hot water removes natural oils and makes your skin dehydrated.
Finding the right cleaner for you can be a process of trial and error. If you have dry skin, you’ll want to use one without alcohol or fragrance. If your skin tends to be oily, you’ll want to look for an oil-free option and you may also want to consider using a toner.
Toner
Toner is applied after washing your face and can smooth, soften and soothe your skin. Toners often contain ingredients that replenish and restore nutrients to the skin and can reduce redness and dry patches.
Moisturizing
Like cleansers, moisturizers are for everyone and should be used every time you wash your face. And like cleansers, a little trial and error is totally normal when looking for the right one: oily skin, for example, can benefit from lightweight, oil-free or gel products. Moisturizers prevent the skin from drying out, leaving it hydrated and soft. They are most effective when applied while the skin is slightly damp to seal in moisture.
sunscreen
Some moisturizers include SPF, but it doesn’t hurt to apply sunscreen too, especially if your moisturizer has an SPF less than 30. By now, you should know the lines well: Apply sunscreen every day, even when you’re gray or cold. , even when you’re covered. When exposed, reapply every two hours. Make sure your sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB rays. If skin cancer and sun damage aren’t enough to convince you, UV exposure is also the number one cause of wrinkles, uneven skin tone, loss of firmness, and signs of aging.
Exfoliation
Here is a product that you may not need or want to apply every day. If you have dry skin, including winter air-induced dry skin, you can exfoliate more than usual, but you should still do it once or twice a week (maximum). Exfoliation can be used after cleanser but before moisturizer as it helps eliminate flaky skin by increasing skin cell turnover. The benefits are real—they remove dead skin and buildup for smoother skin and clearer pores—but most dermatologists will recommend chemical peels instead of scrubs to avoid damage to the skin’s protective barrier.
Serum
Another optional addition to your skincare routine, serums contain ingredients like antioxidants or retinol that support skin health in a variety of ways, such as calming redness and improving texture and firmness.
When should you use what?
The easiest way to remember when you should do what for your skin is to think about it like this: your morning skincare should focus on prevention and protection during the day, and your nighttime routine should focus on cleansing and repair.
Most people will only need to wash their face once a day. In the morning, rinsing with warm water before applying moisturizer and sunscreen should be enough, while in the evening, after a full day of exposure and damage, more dedicated care is recommended. Therefore, before going to bed, you should wash your face with a cleanser to remove dirt and makeup and then use toner, scrub, and serums if
