7 Essential Steps for Your Morning Skin Care Routine
Even when you are pressed for time in the morning, you shouldn't forget to care for your skin! Your skin is you body's largest and most visible organ so make sure you are taking care of it as best as you can. Use these 7 steps in the morning to get your skin glowing and healthy.
1. Drink Water
Making sure that you are drinking enough water is crucial to the health of your skin. In my last post I went into detail about why water is so great for your body and skin. Drinking water first thing in the morning will give your body and immune system a boost. You get very dehydrated during the night so your body craves water in the morning. Staying hydrated will help decrease the appearance of dark under-eye circles, minimize fine lines and give you an all around glow!
2. Cleanse with a Gentle Cleanser
The morning is not the optimal time for exfoliating your skin, especially if you have a sensitive or an acne skin type. This is because exfoliation can cause slight redness in the skin which we don't want in the morning when going to work or school. Opt for a gentle cream cleanser. If you feel that you do need to exfoliate, skip the scrub and use esthetic sponges instead. They will exfoliate but will be more gentile than a scrub.
3. Use a Toner
There are so many different types of toners, and 'cleansing lotions' on the market. It may be hard to find the right one for your skin type. Typically people with sensitive skin will want to stick with a soothing toner. Look for ingredients like cucumber and chamomile. Oily and acne skin types should look for toners with chemical exfoliants such as glycolic acid. Glycolic with provide exfoliation without irritating the skin. Toner is important to ensure that your skin is completely clean, you don't want to put products on top of leftover dirt, oil, or makeup. Toners also aid in the hydration of the skin and help increase the effectiveness of your moisturizer.
4. Treat Skin
You can treat your skin with a number of different things, anything from serums to acids, depending on your skin type. For people with acne skin types that use benzoyl peroxide, skip it in the AM and just use it at night. Benzoyl peroxide can cause extreme photosensitivity and makes your skin more susceptible to burn in the sun. Instead, try a salicylic acid treatment which will fight breakouts without making your skin super sensitive. If you have normal to dry skin, go for a serum to boost the hydration of your skin. Serums are great because they have more concentrated ingredients than most moisturizers.
5. Moisturize
If applying moisturizer is the only step in your current morning skin care routine then you are on the right path. Moisturizing the skin is the best thing you can do for it. In the summer, opt for a gel moisturizer. It is a more lightweight option but will still get the job done. In the winter months, it's good to layer your moisturizers, use a gel then a cream on top. Your skin is a lot dryer in the winter and it needs the extra moisture and protection.
6. Sunscreen
In addition to applying a moisturizer, applying a sunscreen is just as important. Use a non-comedogenic sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Use it ev-er-y-day! Even when the sun is not shining, its rays are still penetrating into our skin. Especially in the winter because the sun reflects off of the snow making it stronger. Also, when applying, don't forget your neck and hands. They are the first to show signs of aging!
7. Moisturize your Body
Don't forget to apply a body lotion! We need to treat all of our skin the same and take care of it all. In the summer time, use a body lotion with an SPF of at least 15.
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