We all know the significance of a balanced diet and regular exercise in maintaining a healthy body. Like any other organ of the body, the skin also needs proper care and attention to look and function at its finest. This is why skincare experts, influencers, and skincare enthusiasts reiterate the importance of having an appropriate and consistent skincare routine.
No matter your skin type or concerns, it’s crucial to adopt and follow a regular skincare routine to fulfill your skin's needs. However, if you’re unsure why you should follow a regular skincare regimen and what it can do for your skin, let us help you understand.
What is a Skincare Routine and Why You Need it?
A skincare routine comprises of a series of skincare products and treatments used to care for the skin or treat specific skin issues. A skincare routine can be brief or elaborative, depending on your skin’s requirements and your personal preference. However, some fundamental steps of every good skincare routine are cleansing, moisturizing, and sun protection. In addition, a skincare routine can help prevent or reverse skin damage from harmful elements. For instance, a moisturizer can help to prevent or reduce dryness and dehydration, while sunscreen can fight off sun damage.
The skin, the most exposed part of the body, comes in contact with countless toxic and damaging external agents that can adversely affect how our skin appears and works. These outside factors include smoke, dirt, bacteria, free radicals, chemicals, and numerous other tiny particles found in our surroundings that can harm the skin's health and integrity.
Benefits of a Regular Skincare Routine
We all know that having a consistent skincare routine can be helpful for our skin, but how exactly? Below is a list of some benefits.
- Boost the Skin’s Hydration - The role of hydration in keeping the skin glowing and healthy is unquestionable. You can provide your skin with the hydration needed to keep it smooth, soft, and plump by thoroughly cleansing it and applying a hydrating facial serum, especially one containing hyaluronic acid, followed by a good-quality moisturizer. This will help restore your skin’s moisture level and prevent water loss through the epidermal layer. Furthermore, a deeply hydrated complexion strengthens the skin’s protective lipid barrier, shielding the skin against a myriad of damaging elements. Lastly, hydration is essential in keeping the skin rejuvenated and wrinkle-free, giving it a firmer look.
- Delays Signs of Aging - When you use the right skincare products formulated with high-quality active compounds, such as hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, retinoids, AHAs, peptides, BHAs, vitamin C, and other essential antioxidants and fatty acids, you’re slowing down the skin’s aging process.¹ Many of these compounds work by accelerating the cell turnover rate, which repairs cell damage and increases collagen production in the skin, helping keep the skin plump and vibrant. So, if you dread wrinkles, age spots, and fine lines, it’s never too late to start following a proper skincare routine.
- Improves Skin Condition - Our skin is regularly exposed to environmental factors that can harm the skin’s overall appearance, leading to uneven skin tone and texture. Moreover, it can cause certain skin conditions that can deteriorate the skin’s health, leading to redness, itching, flaking, and dryness. You can avoid and reverse these skin problems by simply implementing a skincare routine that includes cleansing, moisturizing, repairing, and protecting.² Look for skincare ingredients that can help to relieve inflammation, reduce pore size, boost brightness, and improve the skin’s texture to maintain an even-toned and smooth complexion.
- Provides Lasting Results - When you adopt a proper skincare routine and implement it regularly, you’re more likely to achieve lasting outcomes from your skincare products. You can’t expect a lasting effect if you’re inconsistent with your skincare regimen, as the skin requires an unending supply of vital nutrients, hydration, and protection. You can achieve this only by using nourishing, hydrating, and repairing skincare products. With a regular skincare routine, you’ll notice an improvement in your skin’s health, texture, and appearance. The results will be more reliable, last a lot longer, and amplify with time, especially when using products with anti-aging ingredients.
- Saves Effort and Money - You can prevent various skin problems from appearing in the first place when looking after your skin and its unique needs. It’s a lot easier to protect your skin and prevent skin issues than trying to fix them after they have already appeared. Moreover, a preventive approach will protect your skin from cell damage and save a lot of effort and money in treating your skin that may arise from that damage. Hence, don’t hesitate to invest in your skincare routine now for a better complexion in the long run.
Whether you are following a simple 3-step or a comprehensive 10-step skincare regimen, everyone has a skincare routine to take care of their skin. Some enjoy an in-depth skincare routine that comprises of exfoliators, facial serums, toners, and repairing creams in addition to a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen, while others prefer the concept of "less is more."
Here’s a basic skincare routine that can help you achieve a glowing and supple complexion and stay on top of your skincare game:
Cleanser - Needless to say that a smooth and healthy complexion isn’t possible without thorough cleansing. This is the primary and most crucial step of any skincare regime. You can find a face wash or cleanser for your specific skin type or problems and use it every morning and evening to eliminate impurities that build up in your pores during the day. Just make sure your cleanser is free from artificial dyes, perfume, and other irritating compounds.
Toner - A toner with the right ingredients can elevate your skincare game to the next level. Plenty of toners available with hydrating, nourishing, and soothing ingredients, like green tea, hyaluronic acid, chamomile, glycolic acid, and rosewater, can give your skin a brighter, smoother, and firmer look.
Exfoliator - Although the skin performs this action naturally and sloughs off the piles of dead skin cells from the surface regularly, the process may slow down for some reasons, or you may need additional help to get rid of dead skin cells. Exfoliation can aid in drawing out dead skin and other impurities from the pores, encouraging better microcirculation and improved delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the skin. To avoid any adverse effects of abrasive scrubs, it’s preferable to use a chemical exfoliator, such as lactic acid, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid.
Moisturizer - Moisturizing the skin every time you wash or cleanse your face is another key step of a skincare regimen. Whether your skin is extremely dry and sensitive or oily and acne-prone, this step is inescapable. Achieving and sustaining a youthful and glowing complexion is impossible without amply moisturizing the skin. Add a facial serum to your skincare routine to further amp up your skin’s hydration. Furthermore, you can add a repairing night cream to your PM skincare routine for repairing and preventing cell damage and signs of aging.
Sunscreen - Cell damage caused by UV rays and free radicals is the main reason behind premature signs of aging, inflammation, dryness, blemishes, and many other skin problems. This is why sun protection is the most reaffirmed skincare ritual for all skin issues and types. You can choose from various formulas and consistencies from a gel, lotion, or cream-based sunscreen products, according to your skin type. Applying and reapplying sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher throughout the day is suggested. When using sunscreen, don’t forget about your neck, hands, and other exposed body parts.
Facial Mask - This is a highly effective step that can assist in instantly reviving a dull, dehydrated, and rough complexion. A facial mask can prevent and treat many of your skin concerns if you’re living in a place with extreme temperatures or frequent exposure to pollutants. A facial mask with calming and detoxifying compounds is excellent for irritated and inflamed skin.³ A formula with repairing and lifting compounds is suitable for reducing wrinkles and fine lines. If you want to add a quick dose of hydration and nourishment to your skin, use a facial mask with hyaluronic acid.
We love using Sundree’s Happy Glow Lucky face mask. This biodegradable hydrating facial sheet mask contains powerhouse ingredients hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin c, and glycerin to brighten and hydrate skin while leaving a healthy glow.
Final Thoughts
Just like your body needs a consistent supply of water and essential nutrients through diet, your skin also needs a steady delivery of vital ingredients to meet all your skincare needs. You can embrace a skincare routine that includes skincare products with the right ingredients to help with your particular skin and maintain its health and appearance. Look for skincare products with compounds that suit your skin type and problems, or get the help of a professional.
Remember that consistency is the key to reaping the utmost benefits from your skincare routine. You can’t achieve your skin goals overnight. So, perform your skincare routine year-round for radiant, healthy, and happy skin in the long run.
Citations:
- S. Brooklyn. (2021). ‘Why Vitamin C Should Be Your Go-To Skincare Ingredient’, Sundree, Accessed February 2, 2023. Available at: https://sundree.com/blogs/news/why-vitamin-c-should-be-your-go-to-skincare-ingredient
- Aiglon, Kelly. (2022). ‘How to Wash Your Face: 12 Steps to Fresh, Clean Skin’, Healthline, Accessed February 3, 2023. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/face-washing-how-to
- Madormo, Carrie RN, MPH. (2022). ‘Causes and Treatments for Skin Inflammation’, Verywell Health, Accessed February 3, 2023. Available at: https://www.verywellhealth.com/skin-inflammation-5095859
