The best thing you can do for your skin is to create a habit, and by that I mean a skincare routine you can stick to that fits in with your budget and lifestyle. Creating a daily routine that maintains a healthy skin should be like brushing your teeth every day it is just something you do!
Great skin is not just genetics, but your diet and lifestyle, where you live and genetics play a huge part on how our skin looks at you in the mirror. Knowing a bit about your skin really helps in understanding your skin type, not only that but your skin can change with the season, so if you know your skin type then you use the correct products.
There is lots of advice you can get on this, pop into a clinic or product counter, you can even get a skype consultation these days to help you develop a daily habit. Yes some of these will recommend products that they work with but a professional skin analysis is worth it.
Step 1. Cleanse your skin both in the morning and evening, best to double cleanse at night as this will get rid of makeup and pollutants. Using a tool like a cloth, cleanse of mitt or Clarisonic will super charge your cleanse routine, remember this can be anytime in the evening I like to have mine done for 9pm so I can watch a programme or read a book.
Step 2. Tone your skin, this not only removes any residue of your cleanser it prepares your skin for the next step, these can spritzers, or applied with a cotton pad or leave on. Depending on skin type they may have peptides, salicylic acid or even lactic to help with moisture.
Step 3 Hydrate, the most basic function of a moisturiser is to hydrate, create a barrier between you and the world, I always say ask yourself what you want it to day, do you want it to smell nice, look good or to normalise the skin, if it’s the last one choose a moisturiser that contains anti-oxidants and vitamin A as this is the most proven ingredient to help normalise and even the skin tone.
Step 4 SPF The best thing you can do for your skin is to protect it from UVA and UVB light, the biggest cause of pigmentation and premature ageing is the SUN, use one that has extra anti-oxidants and minerals like Titanium Dioxide which is a broad spectrum (covering UVA & B)
Hope this helps and good luck with your habit!
Thanks for reading Mary x