If you suffer from acne, your skincare routine is probably more of a chore than a pleasure. The right skincare routine can transform your skin. It will take you from irritated skin to nourished skin.
Here are 5 easy ways to upgrade your skincare routine.
-
Get clear on your skin type
Acne-prone skin is not a skin type. Acne is a skin condition. Products for acne-prone skin are too harsh for most skin types and strip the skin of its natural oils. These products will not heal your acne, they’ll only cause further irritation. Using products designed for your true skin type will leave your skin clean, comfortable, and hydrated. The perfect conditions to optimise your skin health on the outside. Click here to read more about your skin type.
-
Start with one product
If you’re looking to add new products to your routine, start with one product. My habit change philosophy is start small. This means taking the smallest action you can consistently do and building from there. If your skincare routine consists of soap and water, buying a new cleanser, exfoliator, moisturiser, eye cream, serum, and face mask is not what you need. You’ll simply never use them all because it’s too far away from where you are now. You’ll end up with a bathroom cabinet full of opened but little-used products and a hefty receipt in your purse. Pick one new product to add to your current skincare routine. Once you’re using that product consistently and seeing and feeling the benefits, add another upgrade.
-
Choose good quality ingredients
If you have acne, it’s worth avoiding petrochemicals (which will be listed as petroleum, petrolatum, mineral oil, and paraffin). These ingredients are found in so many skincare products. I think of them as cheap filler ingredients. They help the product to go on smoothly but they sit on top of the skin so have a tendency to block pores. Paraffin is often used in emollients for eczema or psoriasis. If you’re using an emollient, here’s a quick tip to get better results.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are also common skincare ingredients. They are surfactants that help the product to foam. But they can interfere with the skin’s natural oils leading to dry and irritated skin.
Petrochemicals and sulfates are the two ingredients I avoid in skincare. I generally find brands that have bothered to formulate their products without these common ingredients have ditched other controversial skincare ingredients too. For more on natural beauty, click here.
-
Double-cleanse
An upgrade doesn’t always mean buying new products. It can mean getting smarter with your existing routine. If you’re not seeing results from your skincare products, your products might not be the issue. It might be that your skin is not properly prepped making your products less effective. This is where double cleansing comes in.
Double cleansing is literally cleansing twice. You can use the same cleanser or different cleansers for each cleanse depending on your skin type and needs. Double cleansing gives you fresher, clearer skin by removing make-up, everyday dirt and impurities, sweat, excess oil, and dead skin cells, all of which can block your pores. Plus, your other products are better able to do their job when your skin is properly prepared. If you’re new to double cleansing, read this.
-
Don’t rush your skincare routine
If you’re slapping on your products as quickly as possible you’re doing your skin a disservice. Spending an extra few minutes to massage your products into your skin is well worth it. The massage will stimulate blood flow to your skin, encourage proper drainage, and help to speed up skin cell turnover keeping your skin healthy and smooth. Spend at least 30 seconds working your cleanser into your skin. You’ll get the benefits of facial massage whilst your cleanser does a better job of breaking down makeup and impurities that need to be washed away.
There you have them. Five easy ways you can upgrade your skincare routine. And you can start with numbers 4 and 5 today.