The Basics of Skin Care

Skin care has always been around, but in recent times, the skin care industry has been highlighted as a growing trend. The skin care industry is projected to globally be worth over $200 billion by 2026!

Every celebrity and influencer is sharing their daily skin care routine or making skin care recommendations. This has become popular for various YouTubers and bloggers as well.

While skin care can be luxurious and elaborate, it can also be scaled down for affordability and practicality to accommodate the average person. Modern products and treatments have made it simpler to achieve beautiful, healthy skin!

Although skin care can be a complex topic, we are going to stick to the basics.

The following are the basics of skin care everyone should know!

1. Sunscreen.

If you only take one thing away from this blog post, please let it be to always wear your sunscreen! The sun is the culprit of aging skin and hyperpigmentation. Too much sun exposure can result in more serious skin conditions, including skin cancer.

Being diligent with your sunscreen will protect you from damaging your skin and prevent premature aging. Even if you are inside during the day or riding in the car, harmful UV rays can still sneak up on you through the windows. Check out this staggering photo of a truck driver who never wore sunscreen when he was driving! 

Be sure to get a full-spectrum (protection against UVB & UVA rays) sunscreen. The SPF (sun protection factor) number does not determine the strength of a sunscreen, but determines how long you can be protected in the sun without getting burned, while wearing the sunscreen. In other words, the SPF number reveals the length of time it would take the sun’s UVB radiation to burn your skin when correctly using the sunscreen. SPF only protects against UVB rays, hence why using a broad-spectrum is critical to also take care of the UVA rays.

Because the sun is so extremely powerful, one sunscreen application in the morning is not enough. Many factors contribute to the sunscreen’s efficacy wearing down, therefore it is advised to reapply your sunscreen every 90 minutes to 2 hours when outdoors, and every 4 to 6 hours when indoors.

2. Products go thinnest to thickest.

Skin care regimens can range from just having the bare essentials to having more products that can fit on a bathroom counter. When in doubt of what order to use your products, remember to apply your products from the thinnest consistency to the thickest consistency. Example skin care regimen orders include:

1. Cleanser
2. Toner
3. Moisturizer
4. Facial oil

1. Cleanser
2. Toner
3. Serum
4. Moisturizer

3. Use a sulfate-free cleanser.

Sulfates are used in numerous skin and hair care products as a cleansing agent that is responsible for transforming liquids into a foamy lather. Cleansers containing sulfates strip the skin’s natural barrier that sits atop the top layer of your skin, or the epidermis.

The skin’s natural barrier acts as a repellent to the outside world by protecting your skin from irritants, maintains your skin’s hydration levels, and delivers crucial nutrients to your skin. If your skin’s natural barrier becomes unbalanced or out of sorts, your skin will show it.

By using a sulfate-free cleanser, you evade harsh ingredients that will harm your skin and take advantage of beneficial ingredients that help your skin.

4. Avoid over-exfoliating.

Chemical exfoliants uses safe chemicals to break down dead skin cells, while physical exfoliating use textured ingredients to manually break down dead skin cells.

Exfoliation is a necessary part of skin care, but like with many things, it should be done in moderation. Comparable to sulfates, over-exfoliation can lead to the skin’s natural barrier being disturbed. Avoid exfoliating on a daily basis: exfoliating is best to be done every other day. Opt to discover what exfoliation schedule works for your skin type. With trial and error, you will find what is most effective for you.

5. No makeup wipes.

Makeup wipes are not good for you skin, nor are they are good for the environment. Created as a convenience, they have developed into another way to make money. Makeup wipes are often loaded with harmful ingredients that can dry out and irritate the skin. They do not actually clean your skin, but rather, they smear the makeup, bacteria, dead skin cells, and oil all over your face. Opt for a microfiber makeup remover cloth to remove your makeup effectively such as these.