Do you feel like you have to be a chemist in order to create a skin care routine or feel overwhelmed by all the products to choose from? If so this episode is for you! Keep in mind I am not a dermatologist or estatician so if you are struggling with your skin consult a professional on what they recommend for you.

8 Step skin care routine:

1. Cleanser: 

• The purpose of this is is to remove dirt and make up from your face. It is important to get a gentle cleanser, I used to think if it's burning it's working but that isn't true. If it's burning it's irritating your skin so find one that feels good for you.

2. Toner (optional)

• While toners do remove excess dirt that was missed during the cleansing process there are two types of toner, hydrating and exfoliating, so make sure to check the active ingedients to see what type of toner it is.
• Hydrating toners can be used daily and contain verious active ingredients such as vitamin C or hyaluronic acid and can be used daily as an additional cleanse
• Exfoliating toners should not be used more than twice a week and they contain AHA or BHA. AHA (glycolic and lactic acid) can be used on most skin types, while BHA (salicin) is better for oily skin as it penetrates deeper, see dermcollective.com for more info

3. Serum

• Serums are used to treat specific skin conditions, if you don't currently have any issues with your skin you can use a generic serum with active ingeriendts such as vitamin C, there are different active ingredients that treat different things, but avoid trying to treat more than one thing at a time
• If you have acne scaring vitamin E serum can help minimize the appearance of scars
• Hyaluronic acid is a good serum to use for dry skin
• Retinol is an active ingredient that can help reduce or prevent the signs of aging
• Salicylic acid is an active ingredient to look for if you have acne prone skin
• Azelaic acid and hydroquinone reduce the appearance of hyperpigmintation

4. Eye cream

• I used to think eye cream in unnessecary because I could just use a moisturizer, but many moisturizers contain fragrance, alcohol and parabens that can damage the delicate skin around the eyes
• Additionally, eye serums contain specific active ingredients that reduce dark circles and puffiness.

5. Spot treatment (optional)

• I personally use benzoyl peroxide to treat breakouts, if you struggle with severe acne consult a doctor about the best course of treatment

6. Moisturizer

• You can use any moisturizer that works best for you, however you want to make sure it contains ceramides that will help restore your skins natural barrier, this will lock in moisture and create a barrier to keep impurities out

7. Oils (optional)

• While serums treat skin conditions and moisturizers moisturize, oils are designed to nourish the skin. They each contain various fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants that can help improve the appearance of your skin.
• Marula and Coconut oils are good for dry skin, Argon oil is good for elasticity and dark spots, Rosehip oil is good for anti-aging
• Many moisturizers may also contain these oils so this step isn't necessary, personally I only include this step in my evening skin care routine

8. SPF (AM only)

• Make sure you are putting on a minimum of SPF 30 every single morning. This will not only protect your skin from getting damaged by UV rays it will also prevent signs of aging
• Don't forget to put it on your neck as well

Having a skin care routine is a great way to incorporate self care into your daily routine and take care of your beautiful face. I hope thise helps make it a little easier on you, but of course find what works best for you.