5 basic skincare rules you must follow

Firstly, it is very important to know what your skin type is. I know it is confusing at times but I will try to break it down in the simplest form. The most easiest way to determine your skin type is to know how your skin feels after a wash. It feels normal, oily or dry? In case you have an oily T-zone but the rest of your face feels dry then you must be having combination skin type.

Examining your skin type helps you to choose the right type of products for your skincare.

A lot has been said about the basic 3 step regime that you must follow i.e, cleanse, tone and moisturize. However, this is not enough.

Let me break it down to the most basic rules that you could stick to take care of your skin.

1. Cleansing

There are a variety of cleansers in the market. There are foam cleansers, gel cleansers, milk cleansers, lotion cleansers etc. Do not worry. Knowing your skin type comes to your rescue here. 

If you have dry skin, avoid using foam cleansers as they would dry out your skin more. On the other hand, if you have oily skin then please avoid using milk cleanser as it is very moisturizing and can make your skin oilier. So, depending upon your skin type chose your cleanser wisely. 

2. Exfoliating

No matter what your skin type is, you need to exfoliate your skin regularly. The natural life cycle of skin cell is 28 days. It takes 28 days for the cell from dermis to travel to the surface. And its then, when the dead skin falls off. 

So it is very important to remove the dead skin because excess dead skin on the surface layer can cause blocked pores which in turn causes breakouts, acne, blackheads. You must exfoliate once a week AT LEAST.

3. Toning

Our skin pH is 7 which is neutral. When we cleanse our face the pH balance is disturbed and it either decreases or increases depending upon the cleanser. So the toner maintains the pH balance and brings it back to 7. 

That is what the basic purpose of the toner is. But toners now a days are pretty advanced and efficient. They are capable of removing the makeup residue, cleanser residue(if any), prepare your skin for the moisturizer. But it totally depends on the type of toner you are opting for. 

Also, it is very important to note that you should not use toners with alcohol in it. 

4. Moisturizing

Again, whatever your skin type is, it is very important to moisturize. You can not skip this. There are a lot of different kinds available. There are serums, hydrating lotions, emulsions and creams. Opt for water based moisturizer if you have oily skin. And go for a hydrating lotion if you have dry skin.

You need to moisturize the area around your eye as well. Depending upon your issues(wrinkles, dryness, anti ageing) you can easily find the appropriate eye cream.

5. Protection

All your efforts would be wasted if you do not protect your skin with sunblock. Avoid using sunscreen with SPF more than 50 as it becomes really rich and oily and can clog up the pores if not cleansed off properly.

Also, do not get fooled by the clouds. No matter if it is sunny or not, do not forget to apply sunscreen as sun can damage your skin and lead to several skin issues.

That is all for now. I hope this helped you and you would be better at handling your skin now. 

Thanks.

Nisha Negi.

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