How To Start a Skincare Routine for Beginners

Everybody wants to start a skincare routine. However, it can be hard to know where exactly to begin. There are so many products, ingredients, tools, and gadgets that can be confusing. If you want to curate your own regime, you are in the perfect place!

In this article, we will be discussing how to create your own regimen so you can easily figure out what works best for you.

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What is a skincare routine?

Technically, skin care is a type of self-care to improve the health and appearance of your skin. A skincare routine, on the other hand, is the process of how you will be taking care of your skin, ranging from the use of different products to engaging different procedures.

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Can a Skin Care Routine Remove Dead Skin Cells?

Removing dead skin cells can be part of the exfoliating process of your routine. Exfoliating can be done with physical exfoliants or chemical exfoliants. 

Physical exfoliants use scrubbing particles to manually exfoliate the skin’s surface. Meanwhile, chemical exfoliants use ingredients to chemically remove the dirt from the skin.

However, exfoliation is not for everyone. Although it improves your skin, it could cause more harm than good if not done correctly.

Removing dead skin cells is only a part of the whole skincare journey. A good skincare routine also makes your skin smoother and brighter.

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Things to remember in creating a skincare routine

Skincare is personal, so the approach to creating your skincare routine is also personal. Even if you depend on other people with their skin care tips, your face may or may not react the same way. 

Know your skin type

It’s important to know your skin type before figuring out what to include in your skincare routine. This way, you are able to make informed decisions about products and products you should avoid. Knowing your skin type may seem like a daunting task, but once you have a basic understanding of how it works, it will be easier to determine if your skin has any major concerns that need addressing.

Moreover, determining your skin type is the initial step in achieving optimum skin care for yourself.

Oftentimes, to figure out your skin type, you have to do a bit of trial and error. But there is a more scientific way: Think about your face without any cosmetics or products a few hours after taking a shower. Below are the skin types you can refer to:

Normal Skin

A normal skin type is balanced. It is not overly greasy or overly dry. After taking a shower, it doesn’t feel flaky, tight, or oily. People with normal types usually have tiny pores, and smooth skin, and are less sensitive or prone to blemishes. 

Oily Skin

People with oily skin usually feel greasy minutes after a shower. If the skin produces extra sebum, excess oil will come out from the skin. They may also be more exposed to acne, blackheads, and whiteheads. 

Dry Skin

Natural oil production in dry skin is typically lower than on other skin types. Flaky and rough skin may also appear more obvious. If you feel an extra dull face, you may have a dry skin type. Pretty Me has curated a routine that is best for people with dry skin.

Combination Skin

Combination skin type has both dry and oily patches. Usually, people with combination skin have dry patches on the cheek area, while the T-zone is oily.

Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin is not frequently referred to as one of the common skin types since people with sensitive skin types can also have oily, dry, normal, or combination skin.

However, if you have sensitive skin, your skin tone may seem red and itchy. Individuals with this type can also feel a burning sensation after contact with particular chemicals or external irritants. 

Acne-prone Skin

If you get frequent breakouts or acne, you definitely have an acne-prone skin type. Just like people with sensitive skin types, people with acne-prone skin can have either dry or oily skin.

The products that should be used by people with this type of skin should be non-comedogenic, meaning the product should not trigger acne and clog pores.  If you want to know more about this skin type, you can read our article on the best routine for acne-prone people.

Mature Skin

A duller and drier skin, mature skin type is common in adults. If you have prominent wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots, and hyperpigmentation, there is a chance that your skin is mature.

Remember Star Ingredients

Star ingredients or “active ingredients” target specific skin concerns. This is the key to why the product is effective on your skin. If you have specific skin issues, you can definitely try some of the active ingredients on the list and scout for potential skin care products. Just take note that there are ingredients that should not be mixed together.

Alpha-Hydroxy acids (AHAs)

Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) are acids originating from water-soluble plants. AHAs are primarily used for exfoliation. The most commonly used AHAs are glycolic acid and lactic acid.

Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs)

BHAs are mostly used to treat UV damage and acne. These acids unclog your pores by drying out extra oils inside the deepest parts of your hair follicles. The most common BHA in the market is salicylic acid.

Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide is typically used to treat mild to moderate acne. It helps in reducing acne-causing bacteria.

Hyaluronic Acid

A type of moisturizing ingredient, hyaluronic acid is a humectant that absorbs and retains water. It can also make the skin glowy along with its hydrating effect. 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that brightens the skin. This ingredient can also help support your sunscreen in protecting you against the sun.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient that acts as an antioxidant that helps nourish and protects your skin from damage caused by free radicals. 

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Skincare Routine for Beginners 

Given the variety of skincare products available on the market, curating a skin care regimen is not an easy task. It might feel like you’re on your own in attempting to choose which skin care product is right for you as it appears like there are new trends and names appearing every week. But at the very least, a good morning and night routine is the key to making your skin healthy.

Cleansing

Cleansing is an important step in a skincare routine. The role of facial cleansers is to clean the pores and eliminates the excess sebum from the face. However, frequent cleansing might make your face dry and irritable. 

First Cleanse

During the night, you may want to double the care by double cleansing. As you wear makeup during the day, leftover dirt can lead to clogged pores. The idea of double cleansing is basically applying two cleansing products, first with an oil-based product followed by a water-based facial cleanser.

A makeup remover like cleansing balms, cleansing oils, and micellar water can be used as a gentle cleanser. (Makeup wipes are not that recommended!)

Second Cleanse

Although first cleansing using an oil-based cleanser isn’t that relevant to some, cleansing with a water-based product is essential to everyone. While it removes impurities like sweat and dirt, cleansing is also the backbone of the skincare regimen as it sparks more healthy skin.

You can use any hydrating cleansers or gentle cleansers to wash your face. 

Toning

If you are thinking that toners are harsh on the face, you are mistaken. There are different toner formulations that work for different skin types. 

Toners are made to prepare the face for upcoming products as it adds extra hydration. Just put a few drops of the toner on the cotton pad. Apply it to your skin from the lower part of your face upward.

Some toners also have exfoliating properties, but they should only be applied one to two times a week after cleansing. 

Moisturizing

Moisturizers are great products to include in your daily routine whether you have a dry or oily face. Rich moisturizers can help your face feel hydrated and refreshed. Those with drier faces or using acne treatments may want to use a moisturizer every morning and night.

Some people also use facial oil as their overall facial moisturizer. If you want extra hydration around your eyes, you can also use a good eye cream.

Sun Protection

Sun exposure can cause skin cancer and early signs of aging. Using good sunscreen can help you maintain healthy glowing skin.

You can use either mineral or chemical sunscreens to protect your skin. Mineral or physical sunscreens act as a shield by preventing the sun’s rays from reaching the skin. On the other hand, chemical sunscreens shield the skin from UV rays by absorbing them.

Some sunscreen ingredients like zinc oxide can form a white cast when applied especially on people with darker skin tones. 

A broad-spectrum SPF protects the skin from both UVA and UVB radiation. Therefore, this is the recommended formulation in choosing a sunscreen as part of your skincare routine.

Others

If you want to spice up your skincare routine, you can add facial serums, facial oils, and eye creams.

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Final Note

When I was starting my skincare journey, I had no idea what I was doing with my face. Since I didn’t know what my face needed, I basically brought almost all of the things I knew from Youtube influencers. Little did I know that skin care is a personal thing, curated to cater to our skin concerns. What works for someone doesn’t really mean that it’ll work for me a hundred percent. 

Skincare is one of the important self-care practices we should know about, and it is worth investing in our own skin.

If you have further skin health concerns, a board-certified dermatologist can help you achieve healthy and smoother skin.