Incidents of acne have been documented for over 4,000 years, dating back to the ancient Egyptians. They believed acne was caused by lying. So, either all of us are lying, or somebody was lying to their kid to stop them from lying. Either way, we now know that acne is caused by many different factors. That is why today I'm going to give you guys a complete guide on how to create your own skincare routine specifically designed for your skin.
The first step to every good skincare routine is a cleanser for your face. It's important to know that not every product is going to be meant for your skin. Some are meant for combination skin, some for oily skin, and some for dry skin. To figure out your skin type, first thing in the morning, wash your face with water and then don't apply anything else to your face for the rest of the day. You'll find out pretty quickly what skin type you have. If your face gets really shiny and oily, you obviously have oily skin. If your skin gets really dry and tight, you've got dry skin. If you get a little bit of both, with dry cheeks and an oily T-zone, you have combination skin. Once you've figured out your skin type, you can select your cleanser. Most of the time, if you look on the bottle, it will be labeled as for what type of skin it treats. Using the wrong type can really make things worse and cause more breakouts.
The second step is a facial toner. This is something I've implemented into my skincare routine in the past six months, and I've noticed a significant difference in my skin. The toner is essentially a water-based liquid that's normally infused with skin-smoothing ingredients like eucalyptus, peppermint, or aloe. The toner's job is to gently refresh your skin without stripping out its natural moisture. It also prepares your skin to absorb the post-cleansing moisturizer and any other treatments you'll apply later on.
The third step is a serum. This is definitely not essential but it does help a lot. There are all sorts of different serums you can get specific to your goals, such as skin-brightening serums, hydrating serums, free-radical fighting serums, acne-prone and sensitive skin serums, and reparative texture improvement serums. The one you choose depends on your goals. If you want improvement in your skin's texture, you would get the skin texture one. If you have a lack of hydration, you would get a hydrating serum.
Step number four is an eye cream. Again, this is not essential but it definitely helps if you don't want crusty eyes when you're older. It's also very useful for people who have dark circles. Typically, eye cream has vitamin C in it, which has been proven to enhance the brightness of your skin and help repair skin tissue.
Step number five is to moisturize. I'm sure we all know what a moisturizer is—it helps hydrate your skin. This tends to be an area of confusion for a lot of people, especially those with oily skin. They think, "I don't need a moisturizer, my skin's already so oily, it'll just make it worse." But normally, the reason why your skin is really oily is because it's not adequately hydrated. Once you moisturize, your skin will produce a lot less oil. So, a moisturizer is essential for every skin type. Again, make sure you're buying one for your skin type, as the wrong one can make you break out more.
The last step, which is definitely the most crucial, is sunscreen. Typically, this is something you'll wear during the daytime.
So that is your skincare guide, guys.