Whether you suffer from acne, brown spots, or occasional dryness, chances are that all of you have at least one skin care concern in need of some extra attention. Luckily, most skin issues are more than manageable with the help of good, regular skin care regime. “My mantra is cleanse, cleanse, and cleanse. Achieving beautiful clear skin can sometimes be as simple as having a clean face,” says beautician Archana Rimal, of Charm Herbal Beauty Parlor in Manbhawan, Lalitpur. Here, she breaks down your cleansing routine for you.
Morning
While your morning skin care routine will typically depend on your skin type, everyone should still generally follow these four steps: cleanse, apply active ingredients, hydrate, and add sun protection. If you have oily skin, wash your face every morning with a foaming cleanser to remove any excess oil that has built up during the night. However, avoid ordinary bar soaps as these dry out the skin. Once the skin is clean, coat on a serum catered to your skin concerns and overall skin type. Be sure to apply your collagen peptides, antioxidants or dark spot correctors before using moisturizer in order to ensure that these potent ingredients are easily absorbed into the skin. After applying your moisturizer, apply your SPF. “Never skimp on sunscreen lotion or cream even if you are going to be indoors most of the day. Sun rays do a lot of damage to your skin even when not exposed to it directly,” says Rimal adding that people with oily skin should opt for gel based sunscreen lotions that aren’t heavy.
Pre and post workout
Prior to working out, it’s important to remove facial makeup from the skin’s surface to prevent the obstruction of pores from sweat and debris that will be generated during exercise. “For the best pre-workout skin cleansing, soak a cotton pad with some cleansing milk and wipe it over your face before heading to the gym,” she explains adding that it’s best to remove every trace of makeup before working out to ensure you skin can breathe throughout the session.
After a good workout, your skin will most likely be left with more than just a healthy flush.
All that perspiration and build up of oil can lead to major breakouts if not cleared away soon after you have finished your sweat session. So, if you don’t plan on showering immediately after exercising, be sure to give your face a quick wash post-workout. “Gently cleanse skin using cool water and a mild face wash to remove sweat and debris from the skin,” explains Rimal.
It’s tempting to make the water hot and steamy especially after a workout, but try your best to resist. Water that is too hot can burst capillaries, resulting in those sensitive red marks usually found around the nose and on cheeks. It can also irritate the skin by messing with its natural oil balance. “Only use warm water. Never use too cold or too hot water as extreme temperature isn’t good for your skin,” explains Rimal. Also make sure to rinse completely because residue from cleansers can also lead to dryness and breakouts.
Nighttime
The first thing you should always do is to remove your makeup. “I recommend first using a mild cleanser and a toner to prep your skin for the night. After that, apply whatever serum you have and add a layer of rich moisturizer on top of it,” she says. For this step, use a moisturizer that is thicker than your daytime lotion so it can seal in the properties of the previous products while also helping your skin rebuild itself overnight. Finally, apply eye cream to the entire eye area to ward off any fine lines and wrinkles. When you can’t do all this because you are dead tired, at least just wash off your makeup. The most important thing you can do for your skin at night is to remove every stitch of makeup. “So, even if it’s just swiping a quick makeup remover wipe over your face, make sure that this is the one routine you never ever skip,” she says.
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Going that extra mile
All of us have some extra time on the weekends. Use a little bit of this time to pamper your skin. You can use homemade masks according to your skin type and let it rejuvenate. Start off by cleansing and exfoliating the skin to start with a clean base and then put on your special mask to protect it from further damages. You can use a store bought one or make some yourself.
“Honey can also be used daily as a facial cleanser. It does an excellent job of cleaning your skin and is extremely moisturizing so it helps make it soft and smooth. Keep a bottle in the bathroom and use it to wash your face or mix it in your weekend face mask,” she says. For dry skin you can use a paste of some honey, yogurt, and half a mashed banana. For oily skin, use a paste of honey, lemon, and some oatmeal. Take care not to use the facemasks around the eye area, as it’s very delicate.
According to Rimal, it would also be wise to invest in a facial once in a while. Just like you would go to a dentist for a teeth cleaning, your skin needs a deep cleansing too.
Frequency of facials depends on the type of skin you have. A beautician will be able to determine how often a deep cleaning is needed for your skin type.
