It’s okay if you don’t know where to begin with skincare. With all the options of cosmetics available on the market, it can feel somewhat overwhelming to start a routine. Instead of avoiding such a routine altogether, the secret lies in keeping things basic to make the most of it. You don’t need to pile up products on your shelves to be able to nourish your skin’s health and maintain its elasticity and youthfulness.

Source: pinterest

The other secret is to choose skin care products suitable for your skin type from trusted brands, like ASAP and Dermalogica, and suppliers, so you can be sure about the ingredients they contain as well as their effectiveness.

Cosmetics full of chemicals are as affordable as they get. But in the long run, not only will you not see any effectiveness, you may also experience some harmful side-effects too as they make their way through the skin’s layers and into the bloodstream. If you aren’t sure about a product and don’t know whether it would work for you, choose the smallest package or look for suppliers that provide quality free samples in trial size.

Also, remember whenever introducing something new on your shelf, be sure to do a patch test first and see if there are any allergic reactions like skin rashes, regardless if you have sensitive skin or not. This is true even for products with pure organic ingredients as you might not be aware you’re allergic to some of them since it’s possible to develop an allergy at any point in life!

Basic Skin Products

Source: lifestyleasia

People with busy daily schedules might not have the needed time for pampering, even when this means taking care of one’s skin. If this sounds like you, you could keep things simple and only stick to the Holy Trinity – a cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. Cleansers and moisturisers are good for morning and night use, whereas sunscreen is meant for daily protection.

These three products are often enough because the cleanser helps remove the dirt, dead skin cells, impurities, and makeup, while the moisturiser provides a protective barrier as well as moisture to keep the skin soft and smooth. As for the sunscreen, it’s an essential part of skincare as it prevents DNA damage of the skin cells from UVA and UVB rays, especially when it’s got at least SPF 30 and active mineral ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Without such protection, we increase the chances for skin cancer.

When you’ve got more time to spare for pampering, you could introduce extra skin care products to your daily list, such as serums, toners, and exfoliants. Since serums are more concentrated, they got powerful ingredients such as antioxidants like vitamin C. Your skin can benefit from vitamin C as it helps prevent and treat ageing signs like fine lines and wrinkles. The toner reduces impurities, and the chances for them to penetrate deeper. And while it provides extra cleansing it doesn’t strip the skin of its natural oils.

Source: pinterest

Using an exfoliant is recommended once to three times a week for improving the skin’s complexion, reducing the chances of breakouts and clogged pores, as well as improving the effectiveness of skincare. Speaking of the effectiveness, it’s important to remember that to make the most of absorption of the useful ingredients in the products, it’s necessary to mind the order of application.

For your daily routine, first, use the cleanser, then the toner, followed by the serum, moisturiser and sunscreen. If you’re using any prescription medications or spot treatments, it’s best to apply them after the serum and before the moisturiser. In the case with the night routine, you could even opt for a second cleanser in a combination with the regular as double cleansing is better for dissolving makeup. After you’ve used it along with the regular one, apply the toner, eye cream, serum, and moisturiser. When exfoliating, do so before moisturising.

Look Great Inside and Out

Source: usmagazine

Maintaining youthful skin with a healthy glow depends on the skincare you use, but you shouldn’t forget to work on your beauty on the inside too, starting by minding your diet. You’ve probably heard that a balanced diet is required for overall health, well it’s true for skin health too.

This means you should include healthy fats from salmon, chia seeds, olive oil, increase your protein intake, and reap the benefits of natural superfoods as well as antioxidant-rich foods like berries and leafy greens.

Additionally, given that issues with the gut could lead to skin issues, you should take your gut health seriously too. Besides enriching your diet with the foods I mentioned previously, you can take care of the gut by replacing sugar with healthy alternatives like stevia and xylitol, as well as by avoiding processed foods and soda.

Since hydration has its importance in youthfulness, when keeping the skin moisturised and healthy, you shouldn’t overlook your water intake either. There’s no exact amount of water recommended, as the eight glasses per day rule doesn’t fit everyone’s needs, so it’s best to listen to your body. In case you don’t drink enough, check out and download some water apps to get you in the habit to stay hydrated every day.