Your skin is your body’s first line of defense against infection and disease. Not protecting and taking care of it isn’t an option.
Tips, like drinking water or wearing sunscreen, are good starting places, but there’s way more you can do to practice good skin care 101.
That said, here are some fundamental steps to treating your skin well.
1. Skin Care 101: Choose Natural Products Over Chemicals
Organic materials eliminate the threat of long-term skin damage that many alternative chemical products pose.
Try to avoid chemical ingredients like mineral oil, which can coat and clog skin pores, or polypropylene glycol, which can strip skin of its protective moisture barriers.
Instead, look for natural materials like colloidal oatmeal, which soothes and hydrates skin.
Antioxidants such as vitamin A in certain products can also serve as an anti-aging treatment. Others like vitamin C and E can also protect skin from sun damage.
When you know what ingredients to look for in products, you can be more confident in the results for the next step in skin care 101: washing and cleansing.
2. Wash Your Skin To Cleanse It
While your face requires everyday washing since it’s constantly exposed, the body can stand a wash every other day.
However, the face and body both require the same cleansing routine:
- Exfoliate with a cleanser
- Thoroughly wash away the cleanser
- Pat dry
- Moisturize
Different skin types should all be approached differently.
Since dry skin requires hydration, cream or lotion cleaners are the best way to exfoliate impurities while retaining moisture.
These cleansers usually contain emollients like shea butter or glycerin.
For oily skin, foaming liquid is best for breaking down excess material from pores which combats acne-prone skin.
Still, if you have a severe case of acne, you may need to consider acne scar treatment options as an alternative to basic cleaners.
Sensitive skin should be cleansed with oil because of its delicate nature. Oils like argan oil are both lightweight and moisturizing on the face.
To get the most out of cleansing, it helps to have the right tools.
While a rotating cleansing brush is a good solution for gentle deep cleaning, a more affordable option is a simple washcloth you already have.
But be sure to use a fresh cloth every day to avoid harboring bacteria on the skin.
Washing your skin cleanses it, but this can be damaging without the next step.
3. Moisturize Your Skin to Preserve It
Moisturizing is most effective after you’ve cleansed your skin, when your pores are wide open.
Every skin type needs moisture, even oily skin.
However, instead of getting traditional cleansers containing restorative oils, naturally oily skin should use more water-based gel moisturizes.
These absorb quickly, instead of lingering and further clogging the pores.
Brands like CeraVe, which is the #1 dermatologist recommended moisturizer brand, is a helpful option because their products popularly targeting acne-prone skin.
On the other hand, dry skin should be treated with cream, which is oil-based and heavy.
Creams like Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream are dermatologist recommended and are clinically proven to soothe.
Cleansing and moisturizing is good but continuing to learn how to improve the routine is better.
Skin Care 101 Requires Constant Learning
It’s important to keep learning what works for your unique skin and what doesn’t.
Using natural products, cleansing and moisturizing daily are just the first steps to treating your skin well.
To take skin care 101 to the next level, check out more of our articles on what else you can do for your skin!
