The important factor that determines beautiful skin is not only our genes but also our daily skin care routine. However, there are many opinions and controversies about the standard skin care routine from choosing a cleanser, moisturizer, to how to protect the skin from harmful UV rays. So what are the four steps of a skincare routine?
Skin is inherently fragile and “hard to please”, so to protect your skin you need to know how to take care of your skin in a scientific and reasonable way. In this blog, I will share the general care process for all skin types to answer what are the four steps of a skincare routine and help you take care of your skin effectively to have smooth, shiny skin!
What are the four steps of a skincare routine?
To have the skin that many women dream of, you need to follow the skin care steps in sequence without burning the stage, should be persistent with a product for at least 6 weeks, use 1-2 times per day, to notice the difference.
-> Cleaning, Serum, Moisturize, Sunscreen.
Also, with any skin care product, don’t forget to apply in a consistent order – from thinnest to thickest. For example: cleanser – toner – serum – moisturizer.
1. Cleaning
Washing your face is the most basic and essential step in any skin care routine. Every day, our skin is exposed to pollutants, dirt from the environment and needs to be cleaned gently.
Choose the right face wash
A good and suitable cleanser is the first step in skin care. Facial cleansers are classified into many different forms, each of which is suitable for certain skin types. Out of hundreds of brands on the market, which one is the best for your skin? The following shares will help you choose the right cleanser for your skin:
- Facial cleansers with too high pH (>7) are the culprits that destroy the natural protective moisture film on the skin, leading to dry, flaky skin, acne, allergies, redness… Types of facial cleansers Good products will have a pH in the range of 5.5-6.5 so as not to lose this natural film and still promote the cleansing feature of the cleanser.
- You just need to choose a cleanser that gently cleanses the skin from dirt and has a stable pH of 5.5-6.5 and mild moisture for the skin. You can also choose any type such as cream, foam or gel cleansers are suitable.
- You can try a variety to find the one that works best for you.
How to use Toner
Toner was originally an alcohol-based product used to cleanse oily skin and remove any remaining impurities after cleansing. Today, however, toner formulations have changed a lot. Toners provide an extra dose of nutrients, helping to balance the skin so that other nutrients in our skincare routine are better absorbed.
Depending on the ingredients, each toner will have different effects:
- Alpha and beta hydroxy acids help remove dead skin cells that can clog pores, improve sun damaged skin and improve skin pigmentation
- Hyaluronic acid has the ability to effectively hydrate, moisturize and retain moisture for the skin
- Rose water and green tea extract soothe the skin, reduce irritation, redness and have anti-inflammatory effects for the skin
- Vitamins E and C to fight free radicals, prevent skin aging
You should use toner after washing your face and before performing the next skin care steps. The traditional method is to pour toner on a cotton pad and rub it all over your face. However, doing it this way will waste a lot of your toner.
2. Use serum
Serum (essence/serum) becomes an indispensable product in your skin care routine. Full of concentrated active ingredients, serums can help with most skin problems, from brightening and shrinking pores to anti-aging and skin rejuvenation. Even if you don’t have any specific skin problems, you still need an antioxidant serum to protect from the harmful effects of the environment on a daily basis.
To deal with specific skin problems, you should carefully study the ingredients of the serum:
- Hyaluronic acid helps provide moisture, moisturizes the skin
- Vitamin C helps brighten skin and reduce dark spots, even skin tone
- Retinol, vitamin B3, peptides stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, proteins in the body that help prevent wrinkles
- Niacinamide helps reduce inflammation, soothes redness and irritation, and has antibacterial effects that help improve acne conditions.
If you have different problems, you may want to use a combination of serums. Serums should be used separately for different skin areas such as the face, neck, eyes… because different skin areas will need different care.
Sometimes to save time, women often mix serums into moisturizers to simplify skin care procedures. However, this reduces the absorption of the serum, so you should be persistent in taking it step by step!
3. Moisturizing
The most basic function of a moisturizer is to hydrate and soften the skin. Our skin naturally loses its ability to retain moisture as we age and due to daily activities, such as washing our face, frequently sitting in an air-conditioned room, etc.
Skin Types
- Normal skin: Normal skin is healthy skin. When you bring your hand to your face to check it, it doesn’t feel tight or too oily.
- Dry skin: Dry skin is the type of skin that gets dry easily. You often feel tight and rough in some areas.
- Oily skin: If you have oily skin, you will find your skin greasy and shiny all over your face.
- Combination skin: Combination skin is oily in the T-zone while the cheeks are dry and burning.
- Sensitive skin: With sensitive skin, you will easily feel uncomfortable, red, and itchy with irritants.
How to choose a moisturizer
- Choose a lighter moisturizer for the day and a thicker one for the night.
- Use a thicker cream for other body areas and a light moisturizer for your face.
- In the summer, the dry season needs to use a thicker moisturizer, and the wet season just uses a lighter moisturizer.
- If you have itchy or dry skin, you should use an ointment to better keep the skin moist. While the skin moisturizer form helps to hydrate, suitable for normal skin.
- While lotion is the lightest, this is a basic skin care product made up of oil and water (water is the main ingredient in this product) suitable for oily skin types.
4. Protect your skin with sunscreen
In the opinion of beauty experts, sunscreen is the most important skin care product. Using sunscreen daily helps prevent the development of wrinkles and other signs of aging over time. In particular, using sunscreen daily also helps us prevent some skin cancers. Experts recommend using sunscreen with SPF 30 daily or using moisturizers with built-in SPF.
With the 4 detailed skin care steps shared above answer the question what are the four steps of a skincare routine, women have pocketed their own process on how to get the beautiful skin that every girl dreams of.
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