How to Create Your Own Skincare Routine
The Must-Have Items for an Effective Skincare Routine
Having a ‘skincare routine’ is one of the most-talked about things when it comes to beauty bloggers and professionals alike. But what does a skincare routine actually mean? Do you have one? And if not, how do you create your own personal one – that works?
Well, as it’s a new year and a great time to invest in yourself and some self-care, we thought now was the perfect time to delve into the world of skincare.
Plus – as of the end of last year, you can now find beauty and skincare on Shop It To Me just like all your fave fashion and accessories brands. Yay!
So – what is a skincare routine?
This really just means having a line-up of skincare products that you use CONSISTENTLY. And that’s the key here. If you want to see improvement or differences up close and personal on your skin, you need to get consistent with the products you’ve chosen.
We’re not going to get too complex today. We’ll start with the basics of a skincare routine.
So, by this we mean:
· Cleanser
· Exfoliator
· Toner
· Serum
· Moisturizer
· SPF
If you have all 6 of these items, use them twice daily every day – yes, even when you’re tired – and use them in the right order, you really should start to see some differences with the quality and appearance of your complexion.
Where to start?
Before you start looking at actual products, start with taking a look at your skin type. Do you know anything about your skin? Have you noticed how it reacts to products you’ve tried in the past?
The clearer you get with your own skin type, the better informed you’ll be to make good choices when it comes to products. Because not every product suits every skin type. And that’s super important to remember when reading blogs and reviews about beauty products and skincare.
Skin Types
NORMAL → Generally easy to manage. No consistent dryness or oily patches.
COMBINATION → You often deal with both dry and oily patches on your skin.
SENSITIVE → You find that your skin is easily irritated by products, heat or light.
DRY → You have dry, flaky or rough patches regularly.
OILY → You tend to experience shiny skin and often have breakouts because of it.
MATURE → Your skin has started to change as you get a little older, losing elasticity, plumpness and evenness.
ACNE-PRONE → You suffer breakouts more often than not and struggle to control them.
What you’re trying to achieve is also super important so try to get clear on this before you start shopping too.
Skin Goal Examples
FIGHT SPOTS
HYDRATE
MINIMISE PORES
REDUCE WRINKLES
If you need extra help, Googling "skin type quiz" brings up a wealth of quizzes and tests you can take online to help clue you in on the type of skin you have. The beauty brand Aesop has a super clear way of breaking down skin types which you might find helpful.
Now that you’ve had a think about your skin type, let’s dive in.
Cleansers
Cleanser is what you’ll use every day to wash your face. And that means deeply cleanse. So, don’t think of this as the same thing as makeup remover. Whether you remove your makeup with a face wipe (nooooo), special makeup remover, micellar water or this cleanser, you still need to then re-cleanse your face once your make-up is removed. This will remove any lingering make-up or dirt, oils from products, plus anything else that has made it onto your skin throughout the day.
It’s really important to find a cleanser that suits your skin type. Here are a few of our faves and it’s really up to you to find the perfect one to suit.
Exfoliators
If you don’t already exfoliate your skin on the regular, now is the time to start. You don’t want to do this every day. That would be too harsh on your skin and is unnecessary. Think about exfoliating as something to do a couple of times a week after cleansing. Exfoliating buffs away dirt, dead skin cells and anything else clogging up your pores.
There are different types of exfoliator that you’ll come across and again, these suit different skin types. Some exfoliators are scrubs that you can feel are literally gritty against your skin. And some come in the form of acids. These gently and chemically exfoliate the skin without the ‘scrub’ effect.
Here are a few examples of both of these types of exfoliators.
Toners
Toning is a key part of skincare and something that is often left out by so many. But it’s a really important step. After cleansing your skin, toning helps to remove any final traces of makeup or dirt left remaining on the skin’s surface and deep into the pores. Certain toners calm and soothe the skin while others add certain nutrients that help to soak into the skin.
All toners prep the skin for the next stage in your skincare routine. Again, you need to choose a toner that has been designed to work with your specific skin type and goals.
Serums
Next, it’s time to invest in a great serum. Sometimes it can be hard to part with $$$ for serums because, let’s face it, they don’t come cheap. But there are two things to remember here. First, they’re expensive because they’ve been formulated packed with nutrients and active ingredients that actually garner visible results.
And second, they last. This isn’t something that you’ll have to buy more than twice or max three times a year. So, if you think about the cost per use, it’s really not as bad as you might initially think!
When it comes to choosing a serum, you really need to focus on your skin goals. What are you trying to achieve from your skincare? There are so many serums for everything from anti-aging to deep hydration that you need to weigh what it’s working towards to know if it’s right for you.
Here are some of the current best-selling serums around.
Moisturizers
You most likely already moisturize but do you pay much attention to what ingredients are in your moisturizer? If not, start doing it. Moisturizers can be the difference between smooth and happy skin and greasy, irritated skin. It really does make all the difference. So – choose wisely, depending on your skin type.
And remember to moisturize twice a day, every day. Even if your skin doesn’t feel like it needs it.
SPFs
Lastly, you must must must have an SPF in your skincare routine. We now very much know the harmful effects of UV. And not just when you lay out on the beach. It’s all day and every day. And adding an SPF helps you to block this. Which in turn helps with many skincare issues, including - aging.
SPF isn’t just the greasy, thick and creamy stuff you layer on your body around the pool. There are plenty of skin-focused facial SPFs that glide on beautifully while giving you all day protection under your makeup. For example:
Do you use all 6 of these products every day? Do you think they might be able help your skin? For fresh, healthy, clear, smooth and youthful skin, sometimes we all need a little help. And there are some incredible products out there now ready and raring to help you achieve your skin goals. But there are also hundreds of products out there that won’t be right for you! So, don’t dive in and spend lots of money on expensive cult products that you’ve seen on Instagram! First, do your own research.
Get clear on your skin type, firm up your skincare goals, and then, when you’re ready and you’ve done some digging, invest wisely in the products that were made for you specifically.
Plus, remember to browse the new skincare page with Shop It To Me. Not only are we bringing together a collection of the best beauty brands in the business. But we also have instant access to the best prices around. Which means if a product is on sale, we know about it first!
Save and invest in the best beauty for 2021 wit5h Shop It To Me! Sign up today.