Maybe yours is modeled after an influencer’s 11-step regimen, or you’re more of a wash, rinse, repeat person. Perhaps your skin-care routine has stayed exactly the same as pre-pandemic, or you’ve added additional steps, like a weekly mask or nightly serum for some extra self care. Or, it could be that you’re here to find out the best order of skin-care products once and for all (you’re in luck).

The truth is that each skin-care routine is necessarily as unique and individual as the person following it (or attempting to, anyway). But as skin care has become trendier on social media and thousands of new products have been released in recent years (containing seemingly every ingredient under the sun), it’s also gotten a little more intimidating and confusing for a beginner to get started—and for anyone to understand how to create an effective skin-care routine that works for them. 카지노사이트

That’s where we come in. As you begin (or continue) your skin-care quest, we hope to answer as many of your questions as we can here in this skin-care 101 guide—with the help of research and experts rather than hype. Read on to find out everything you’ve ever wanted to know about all the potential skin-care routine steps and ingredients, including what you should keep in mind based on your skin type and any health conditions you may have.

Here’s how to use this guide: If you’re brand-new to the idea of a skin-care routine, it helps to start at the very beginning, where we answer your most basic questions about skin care—even the ones you may be too embarrassed to ask all your skin-care-savvy friends. If you’ve dabbled in skin care and just really want to know what ingredients might be right for you, we’ve got you too. Scroll down to learn more about the actual elements in a skin-care routine and get an overview of active ingredients that work best for certain skin conditions. We also have specific sections for skin of color, what to do if you’re pregnant, and what to keep in mind if you have a diagnosed condition that affects your skin. Plus we break down some often confusing aspects of the skin-care industry, such as whether or not the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates skin-care ingredients and what exactly manufacturers mean when they call their products “natural” or “clean.”

In each section, you’ll find links to all our coverage on that topic, so make sure you click on anything that piques your interest if you want to learn even more.

And lastly, don’t forget to check out our glossary of popular skin-care terms, which can help clear up any lingering confusion you have, and these helpful tips on how to wash your face.

It also requires protection—especially from skin cancer. At SELF, when we talk about skin care we’re talking about science-backed ways to improve both the look and function of your skin to address and manage both cosmetic and medical concerns. 안전한카지노사이트

This guide is for anyone who is curious about what it means or what it takes to have an effective skin-care routine—from beginners who don’t know where to start all the way to seasoned skin-care enthusiasts. Consider it your ultimate skin-care manual.

Why should I care about skin care?
Yes, caring about skin care might be quite trendy these days, especially with beauty influencers demoing everything from facial steaming to jade rolling on social media, but no matter what, giving your skin some love has both cosmetic and medical benefits. For instance, although you can’t slow down the passage of time, with a finely tuned skin-care regimen you can reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and sun damage. You can also quite effectively manage some more minor skin concerns, such as dryness or oiliness, with face care products.

For those with specific skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, and acne, skin care isn’t always optional and requires a bit more thought about ingredients that will be safe for your skin. For one, treating a specific skin condition often means you need to employ a particular skin-care regimen, and for another, your condition may make your skin more sensitive to ingredients and products in general. Finding a skin-care routine that works can offer a vital way for someone to manage and treat their condition.

There’s also the fact that many people find their skin-care routines offer some mental health benefits—having that routine may help you realize just how easy it can be to do nice things for your body and build healthy habits. “A consistent, healthy routine is important for establishing rhythm and order in our lives,” Corey L. Hartman, M.D., founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Alabama School of Medicine, tells SELF. “Whether the routine is skin care, exercise, meditation, or any other beneficial activity, the dedication to the method can bring grounding to our everyday lives, which can often feel chaotic and uncontrolled.”

Some people may also find that going through their routine or even applying the occasional mask relaxes them and helps them focus their attention on themselves, maybe for the only time in their day. Two great examples of this are “Why I Embraced Skin Care After My Mother’s Death” and “How Skin Care Became a Crucial Part of My Sobriety Toolbox,” personal essays we’ve published in recent years.

That said, some skin-care companies make a lot of big claims about what their products can do without necessarily having the evidence to back them up. At SELF, our aim is to help you make the most informed decision before buying or trying a product and to guide you toward the treatment options we know the most about.

I’m ready to start a skin-care routine. What do I need to know before I begin?
Before figuring out what to include in your skin-care routine, it’s important to know your skin type and if you have any major concerns you want to address. It’s also good to remember that everyone’s regimen is individual—what works for your friends, family, or randos online may not be best for you.

To figure out your skin type, think about how your skin acts without any makeup or products on it a few hours after taking a shower. If it gets a little greasy or shiny, you probably have oily skin. “If you tend to have eczema and your skin gets really dry in the cold winter months, then gravitating toward skin care for more sensitive, dry skin is best,” Sandy Skotnicki, M.D., founder of Bay Dermatology Centre and assistant professor of dermatology the University of Toronto, tells SELF. “Most people have a combination, with oily areas around the nose and chin in a typical pattern,” she adds. It might also be possible that you don’t have any of these types, which means most skin-care products will be safe to use on your skin. Knowing your skin type will help steer you toward products that will manage dryness and oiliness while effectively taking care of any other skin concerns you have.

You don’t necessarily need to see a dermatologist before starting a skin-care routine. But if you have sensitive skin (or aren’t sure if your skin qualifies as sensitive), if you have a skin condition, or if you’re trying to address any major concerns (such as stubborn or severe acne or hyperpigmentation), it’s important to check in with a board-certified dermatologist who can guide you through the process. 카지노사이트 추천

Okay, got it. So what are the basic steps of a skin-care routine?
Skin care doesn’t have to be complicated if you don’t want it to be, but in general there is an ideal skin-care routine order that helps ensure the products you use will be most effective. The three basic skin-care routine steps are cleansing, moisturizing, and applying sunscreen (look for at least SPF 30 and “broad spectrum” on the label). Your morning skin-care routine should include those basics: washing with a cleanser, slathering on a moisturizer, then putting on your sunscreen, says Dr. Skotnicki. Pro tip: You can use a moisturizer that has at least 30 SPF and broad-spectrum protection to combine those two steps.

When it comes to choosing a sunscreen you have options of physical sunscreens or chemical sunscreens. “Chemical sunscreens have ingredients like avobenzone that absorb the sun’s rays like a sponge, then release them in the form of heat,” Dr. Skotnicki explains. Physical sunscreens, or mineral sunscreens, have mineral ingredients, like zinc oxide or titanium oxide, and form a barrier that blocks the sun’s rays.

You can use either type of sunscreen as long as you’re consistent, Hysem Eldik, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Marmur Medical in New York City, tells SELF. Some people might find that most mineral sunscreens don’t blend well with their skin tone and/or makeup, though, so it may take some trial and error to find the right one for you.

Your night skin-care routine, on the other hand, might include additional steps. If you wear heavy makeup or sunscreen during the day, you may find that your cleanser doesn’t get all your makeup off or still leaves you feeling kind of greasy. In that case, you might benefit from double cleansing, a process in which you wash first with an oil-based cleanser followed by a water-based cleanser or micellar water on a cotton pad to remove anything left behind. But double cleansing is not a requirement, don’t worry.

After cleansing, it’s time to apply any serums, toners, face exfoliators, or prescription treatments, depending on your skin concerns or goals. Then, you’ll want to seal these middle skin-care routine steps with a moisturizer. You can use a daytime moisturizer with SPF at night, too, although you may find that a thicker product is more moisturizing and better suited to nighttime use because you don’t need to worry about being able to put makeup over it—plus, you don’t need to be concerned about SPF while you’re sleeping.

If you’re feeling trendy, you might finish off your skin-care routine with a facial oil as your moisturizer (or on top of it). But just be careful with that, especially if your skin tends to be oily. “Although oils can provide superior hydration, they can come at the cost of clogging pores,” Dr. Eldik says. In that case, hydrating oil-free serums containing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane might be a better formula for you. If you don’t have oily or acne-prone skin at all, however, a facial oil might work well for you and you may prefer that texture to a thicker cream or lotion moisturizer.