10 Items That Everyone Needs In Their Skin Care Routine
In a world of viral social media skincare routines, celebrity skincare lines, and sold out CeraVe and The Ordinary products, it is safe to say that everyone is in dire need to get their skin right as we deal with mask acne, or “maskne”, and the constant stress that 2020 has bestowed us. Skincare has been the latest trend and a booming industry in the last few years and, let’s be honest, we’re all obsessed with finding everything Hyram is telling us to buy through our screens. Whether it’s self-care, self-preservation, or both, everyone’s skincare routine must have the right ingredients and instructions. Here are 10 items that everyone needs in their skincare routine!
1. The Right Gentle Cleanser
From the Clean and Clear Morning Burst Cleanser on our local CVS shelf or some Neutrogena cleanser we saw celebrities splash away with water, the majority of us didn’t know that this first step in our skincare routine revolves around how dry or how oily our skin is. To start, it is important to know that the best cleansers should always be gentle on all skin types. When it comes to oily skin, the consistency of your cleanser must feel and appear to be foamy or gel-like to combat the excess oil your skin produces. Dry skin, on the other hand, contains moisturizing ingredients with that of a creamy texture to strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier. Now, if you have combination skin, you wanna keep your eyes peeled for hyaluronic acid in your cleanser, as well as any ingredients found in cleansers for both oily and dry skin! Want to know the exact ingredients with specific product recommendations? You can watch YouTuber’s Felicia Lee and Rowena Tsai go in-depth with a breakdown of specific cleanser ingredients for each skin type, and their favorite products by clicking here on their channel BeautyWithin!
2. Vitamin C Serum
For glowy skin, you need to use a vitamin C serum after cleansing to fight free radicals daily. These free radicals are unstable molecules our body naturally produces as a response to the sun’s UV rays, pollution, and even stress, damaging our health by being more prone to cancer, heart disease, and hyperpigmentation or melasma (a skin-darkening condition). One of the best ways to fight this is by applying a good vitamin C serum containing the active ingredient L-ascorbic acid, a strong antioxidant that directly gets at free radicals, leaving your skin even-toned and protected from harmful environmental stressors. While vitamin C serum is anti-aging and essential in your routine, it is worth reminding that it is unstable, which is why it is very important to never expose it to the sun for rusting purposes and to also purchase a good formulation found in a dark glass bottle. Brands even sell L-Ascorbic acid powders so that you can create your own vitamin C serum. However, it is important to note that we are not all scientists, so check out this video guide to an Easy (5 minute) DIY Vitamin C Serum from a chemist themself, as well as an article that has stabilized brand formulations of vitamin C titled 13 Vitamin C Serums for Brighter Skin!
3. AHA and BHA Exfoliators
If you want the subtle flex of explaining to a room full of dropped jaws that you’re 45 and not 22 years old, you should probably invest in items that contain alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA’s) and beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) for your skincare routine. AHAs and BHAs are acids that work as chemical exfoliators that remove dead skin cells on the surface and deep within the skin (which is only the case for AHAs). AHAs can be both synthetic or naturally occurring, having the ability to reduce wrinkles, fine lines, and help boost collagen production for people with dry to normal skin. These acids include glycolic and lactic acid. On the other hand, BHAs work well with oily and/or acne-prone skin and also work well for sensitive skin and skin of color. The most common and used BHA is salicylic acid, the main ingredient in a lot of acne face washes. Both AHAs and BHAs are acids that are found in the form of toners, cleansers, serums, face masks, etc. For a more in-depth breakdown of these acids, check out Mixed Makeup’s video Acids in Skincare!
4. Azelaic acid
Hyperpigmentation in the skin caused by acne scarring or some type of inflammation can seem almost impossible to get rid of, especially for skin of color. While vitamin C serums seem to tackle this issue, azelaic acid works as a gentler and more stable alternative for acne-prone and darker skin tones. Azelaic acid is an anti-inflammatory, dicarboxylic acid that’ll fade dark spots by treating the bacteria on the face. The acid doesn’t feel harsh at all, forgetting that it’s an exfoliator to begin with, and can be used right after cleansing your skin at night. Click on the Best Skincare Products With Azelaic Acid for your skincare routine!
5. A Dermaplanning razor
Often done so for a nice canvas before applying makeup, many women have begun to shave their peach fuzz by dermaplaning at home. Dermaplaning of the skin involves a dermaplaning razor–t varying from a small tinkle razor you can buy at Wal-Mart to complex dermaplaning razors used by estheticians. Just like using acids after you cleanse your face, dermaplaning is a form of exfoliation that helps prepare the next non-exfoliant/gentle exfoliant serums and moisturizers you use after to better penetrate the skin. Despite not needing a skincare specialist to do this for you, it is very important you are not harsh with your skin when using a dermaplaning tool. In order for you to get quality guidance, watch My Dermaplaning At Home Skincare Routine put out by Mixed Makeup for your skincare routine!
6. Niacinamide
Suffering from little bumps on your skin, redness, and want oil control? Having niacinamide in your life will go down as the longest relationship you’ll ever have. Trust me. Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B that noticeably alleviates irritation and can be used as a topical treatment in the form of serums, toners, and creams. You may also find them in cleansers too. This holy grail of an item usually works best as a serum or cream for those with acne-prone skin and is paired well with retinol and can be used after applying chemical exfoliators. Niacinamide is an active treatment that should be used after cleansing the skin, after exfoliation, and before applying retinol at night and/or your daily moisturizer =in the morning. For more on niacinamide in your skincare routine, check out 7 Best Niacinamide Serums for Ridiculously Glowy Skin!
7. A Jade Roller
Once you’ve hummed a little, cleansed your skin, hummed a little more, and applied your exfoliant and/or non-exfoliant actives into your skin, an optional and effective tool you can use is a jade roller to massage all the ingredients into your skin. This instrument made of jade and sometimes rose quartz is an ancient Chinese tool that looks like a little paint roller that depuffs the skin and helps with lymphatic drainage. This tool can be used under the eyes as well, seeing that it has a smaller roller on the other end to do just that. Some jade rollers can be outrageously expensive though, so make sure to purchase the most affordable ones you can find for your skincare routine!
8. Retinol
Whether you have severe cystic acne or have finally turned 25, incorporating retinol into your skincare routine is a must! Retinol is the fountain of youth when it comes anti-aging for maturing skin and a common dermatologist-recommended item for those with severe acne. This is because retinol is an over-the-counter product you use before putting on a moisturizer that falls under the category of a retinoid: a form of vitamin A that is incredible when it comes to collagen production, cell renewal in the skin, and the unclogging of pores. This, in turn, makes your skin looking supple and even-toned. While this skincare phenomenon has many advantages to the skin, it does have some cons, like increased sensitivity of the skin and the inability to use it while pregnant. This is a product that you should mention to your dermatologist, esthetician, or consult with a skincare professional about before using, especially when it comes to the amount you should use on your face. In the meantime, check out this list of The Best Retinol Creams You Can Buy Without A Prescription!
9. Moisturizers
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! A good skincare routine has to involve moisturizers in the day and in the night-time. Now there are three different types of moisturizers that are used in skincare, one being emollients. Emollients are your creams and oils that you use at the end of your nighttime routine and the second-to-last step in your morning routine. They help quench and smooth the skin, keeping you young-looking and hydrated. Another moisturizer we all should use are occlusives, which is basically the Vaseline or Aquaphor you have lying around in your house. Occlusives are thick moisturizers that help tremendously with water loss in the skin and can be used for dry patches, cracked lips, and eczema-prone skin. Lastly, humectants are moisturizers that are naturally found in the body, as it can be found by drawing water from deep within the surface of the skin. Humectants, like emollients, are very hydrating and smooth the fine lines and wrinkles, with the most well-known humectant being hyaluronic acid! Here is a link to The Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums, According to Skin-Care Experts!
10. Sunscreen
Sunscreen is the most important item and often the most neglected product in dozens of peoples’ morning skincare routine. The average person doesn’t realize that the sun’s UV rays cause cancer, aging, and hyperpigmentation of the skin; you must also reapply sunscreen every two hours when you’re in the sun to be protected at all times. That is why it is essential to effectively vet the sunscreen you purchase by making sure that it says broad-spectrum, specifically both UVA and UVB protection on the bottle, and that you know what type of sunscreen it is: chemical or physical/mineral. A chemical sunscreen leaves no white cast and works as a sunblock by sinking into the skin and absorbing the UV rays from the sun, releasing the generated heat back into the atmosphere from your body. Physical or mineral sunscreens leave a noticeable white cast that sits on top of the skin to reflect instead of absorbing UV rays. Despite leaving a white film on your face, many skin experts and scientists have agreed that mineral sunscreens work best, especially for sensitive skin and skin of color. Watch this video by KraveBeauty creator Liah Yoo, as she goes through the best mineral sunscreens to try out for skin of color!
