Skin care is the process of taking care of the skin which entails the entire body, ensuring that the skin is clean, refreshed, smooth and protected from the harsh weather and environment. It is preferable to cleanse the skin at night before going to bed, this would enable remove excess makeup dirt and dust accumulated throughout the day, and would allow better effect of morning skin care routine.  Some creams also work better at night so moisturizing the body before going to bed isn’t a bad idea.

It is however important and beneficial to take care of the skin in the morning before starting the days routine.

Before starting your skin care routine, make sure to wash your hands to avoid exposing the skin to dirt after cleansing. Make use of creams, soaps, scrubs, lotions, gels or serums that best suit your skin.

EXFIOLATE AND CLEANSE

While cleansing is the process of removing dust, dirt, makeup and bacteria from the face, exfoliating is the process of removing dead skin cells. Exfoliating can be done one or two times a week while cleansing should be done daily.

HOW TO EXFOLIATE YOUR SKIN

You can exfoliate your skin using either chemical based exfoliators such as exfoliating cream, scrub/face mask or traditional granule exfoliators such as sugar, almond, oat meal, baking soda, yoghurt, lemon, sea salt, papaya or honey. Honey for instance is a good natural product for exfoliating because of its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-septic benefits, it can be used in the prevention of acne and red skin, it extracts moisture while exfoliating and it is suitable for dry skin.

Rub in small circular motions

Rinse with lukewarm water

It is important to cleanse the skin to get rid of makeup, dirt, dust or even bacteria that might be on the skin. Cleansing also helps keeps the face fresh and pores clear. You could use a soap, body wash or just water depending on how sensitive your skin is.

TONER

Toner helps remove any lingering dirt that must have been left behind after cleansing, and prepares the skin to better absorb the moisturizer. It is best to apply toner immediately after cleansing your skin.

MOISTURIZE

This is the most important step in skin care routine, the moisturizer you use should depend on your skin type, and it could be a cream, oil or a lotion. Moisturizing hydrates the skin and locks in moisture, giving the skin a smooth glowing appearance. Moisturizers also provide a protective barrier between your skin and the environment.

SERUM

Even though serum is similar to a moisturizer, you can still moisturize your face even after using serum. Serum contains ingredients such as vitamins, amino acids and essential oil that helps hydrates the skin. A serum has different function and benefit depending on the skin type it is formulated for, it could also be used to provide moisturizing, anti-soothing, antioxidant, protective, repairing, anti-aging and anti-rejuvenating properties to the skin.