If you’ve been neglecting your skin, the new year is an excellent time to start taking better care of it! You don’t have to follow a 10-step routine or spend a fortune, either. If you add these five steps to your daily routine, you’ll likely notice a vast improvement within just a few weeks.
In the rush of daily activities, it’s easy to forget to take care of your skin. Sometimes, we’re just too tired to wash our face, right? Unfortunately, skipping the basics is what leads to clogged pores, acne, and other blemishes. If you want to improve your skin care routine in 2022, just start with these steps. They might be all you need to get a beautiful, glowing complexion!
Wash Your Face
Most of us already wash our face, but do you only do so in the shower with plain old soap? If so, it’s time to choose a product suited to your skin type. Whether you need an oil-based product, a balm, cleansing wipes, gel, or something foamier, make washing your face at least once daily a priority.
“Washing your face is a skin care non-negotiable,” says Emily Parr, owner of Holifrog. “Not doing so properly is like eating a salad without washing the leaves.”
Cleansing in the morning helps you wake up, as it stimulates your circulation. It also opens your pores, so any following product you use, like a serum or moisturizer, can easily penetrate your skin.
Many prefer to wash their face at night, which is wise. It removes all that makeup, dirt, and grime that’s accumulated from your day. It also allows a nighttime moisturizer enough time to go to work while you sleep.
Remove All Makeup
At some point, every woman’s gone to bed without removing her makeup, only to wake up in the morning and instantly regret it. While we sleep, our skin goes through an important regenerative process. It sheds dead skin cells and stimulates the creation of new ones.
“The skin works its magic at night,” said Teresa Tarmey, professional makeup artist. “And it will really absorb any products left on the skin.”
If you have makeup on, it impedes the natural exfoliation process. And if you regularly sleep in your makeup, it can cause your skin to become increasingly duller over time. It also means you’ll have a face full of chemicals from mascara, foundation, and any other products you use.
So, make it your mission this year to remove your makeup every single night before you go to bed. If you’re already washing your face, this should take care of it. If not, pick up some remover wipes. A few quick passes should do it.
Hold yourself accountable by jotting it down in a journal, taking pictures, or asking a friend to join you in your new year’s resolution. Your skin will be forever grateful.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
Due to both inner and outer stressors, our skin gets stripped of natural oils and water, so, over time, we start to develop dry patches, blemishes, and even premature lines and wrinkles. Regularly moisturizing will keep your skin hydrated and full of nutrients so it looks plump, young, and healthy.
Finding the right moisturizer for your skin type depends on many different factors, including your age, the climate you live in, genetics, the type of makeup you use, your lifestyle, and even your eating habits. Generally, you should have a day- and nighttime moisturizer.
Most dermatologists agree that those with oily skin should look for lotions instead of creams, and even try to find a moisturizer with exfoliating ingredients. If your skin tends to be dry, look for a cream with higher oil content. In your daytime moisturizer, you’ll want something with SPF protection, as well.
If you’re uncertain which type of skin you have, just head to any beauty or skin care counter and ask for their expert opinion. Many of them now have devices that will actually test your skin on the spot and tell you what category it falls under. They’ll also be able to recommend some products for you to try.
Switch to Clean Beauty Products
Although using a bunch of products to improve the health and look of your skin is better than not using anything, educate yourself about their ingredients. As we covered above, your skin readily absorbs everything you put on it.
Unfortunately, many skin care and makeup products contain harmful ingredients, such as artificial dyes and toxins, which might create worse skin problems than those you’re trying to prevent. If you can, try to incorporate clean beauty and skin care products into your routine.
Some, like Follain, The Detox Market, and Credo Beauty, have made it their mission to provide the best possible clean beauty products. They also work to educate the public about the importance of eliminating toxins from any skin care routine.
Use Products with SPF
Even on a cloudy day in the middle of winter, you need an SPF to protect you from those damaging UVA and UVB rays, and free radicals. It should be the last step in your morning skin care routine.
“The purpose of sunscreen is to form a protective film on top of the skin to shield it,” said Ulli Haslacher, founder of Pour Moi Skincare. “SPF is not there to restore moisture balance or deliver ingredients deeper into the skin.”
This is why it’s important to apply it last and let it sit for at least 15 minutes prior to putting on makeup. You can choose an SPF moisturizer, a tinted sunscreen to wear instead of foundation, or even a lip balm. It’ll be nice knowing you’re protected from those harmful rays all day, every day.
Protecting our skin and feeding it with nutrients is just as important as the food we eat. If you’ve been lax when it comes to caring for your skin, add these steps to your routine in 2022. You’ll be surprised how quickly you notice a difference.
