Collaborative post by another author. Many of us will have heard of the importance of taking care of our skin, especially in our younger years, but everyone can benefit from a good skincare routine, no matter your age or gender. Of course, it’s worth noting that we all have different types of skin, and you may need to adapt your skincare routine to suit you, but for the most part, the following steps tend to work for everyone. 

Cleansing Your Skin

Understandably, the first step you should take when you start your skincare routine is to make sure you are clean. A skincare routine should always begin with a shower, bath or simply cleansing your face with warm water and a gentle soap or cleansing solution. Try not to worry too much if this makes your skin feeling slightly dry, as we will counter this later. For example, micellar water is a popular choice when it comes to cleansing your skin, especially if you need to remove makeup. These solutions are gentle on the skin and are adept at removing makeup, oils, and dirt, preparing your skin for the next stage of your skincare routine.

Applying Toner

This stage isn’t always necessary, but it’s a popular one nonetheless. Toners help to rehydrate our skin, helping it to look and feel much fresher and smoother. Depending on your skin type, toners can assist with a number of different issues, bringing your skin closer to a normal-looking state. Dry skin can benefit from toners as they can reduce flakiness and redness, whereas, for oily skin, a toner can soothe agitated and close pores in the skin’s surface and help to reduce the amount of oil in the skin, bringing things more into balance. 

Masking And Exfoliating

Although not part of your daily routine some skin types can really benefit from the occasional face mask or exfoliating treatment. If you are going to be using an exfoliator, you should not use these any more than two or three times a week at most, as excessive use could irritate your skin. Face masks can also be a great way to lessen skin problems, depending on the type you use. Some may reduce redness or tighten up pores while others may help rehydrate when your skin is feeling exceptionally dry. You can also make use of devices like facial steamers that can help to unclog your pores. These also help to hydrate skin, too, and can even improve circulation in your face, which can make skin look softer and brighter.

Using Serums And Moisturisers

Finally, you’ll want to move onto applying other solutions that can help improve the appearance and feel of your skin. The most important of these is arguably going to be a high-quality moisturiser, as this will help to prevent your skin from drying out which can trigger excess oil production in skin prone to oiliness. We suggest getting a quality product because, surprisingly, some moisturisers can leave your skin feeling drier and tight. This understandably goes against the whole purpose of a moisturiser. Alongside moisturising, you can use this time to apply any extra serums or boosters. There are some great facial serums on the market that can improve the appearance and feel of your skin, so choose something that’s designed to combat any issues you’re having, such as spot breakouts, poor complexion, or a loss of elasticity.