Think of your skin-care routine as consisting of three main steps: Cleansing — Washing your face. Toning — Balancing the skin. Moisturizing — Hydrating and softening the skin.
The basic steps of a skin-care routine are a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer, and a sunscreen, Emily Newsom, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, tells SELF. Seriously, that's all you have to do. “I like to keep things pretty simple,” she says.
Moisturizer is one of the most important parts of skincare, as it prevents premature aging and can help with acne. But sometimes it can be hard to know when to put it on. Here is how to properly apply moisturizer and why it's one of the most important parts of any skincare regimen, according to dermatologists.
Originally toners were used to pH balance the skin after using a cleanser. Since you can easily get pH-balanced cleansers these days, toners are no longer necessary in a skincare regimen, says Dr.
Keep it simple. For beginners, we recommend starting with a basic three step routine—cleanse, moisturize, and apply sunscreen. Of course, this can be modified, and products can be added depending on your individual skincare needs. For example, if you're struggling with acne, you may consider adding a spot treatment.
Others need the hydration that a rich day or night cream provides. "If you have mature or dry skin, you can't get away with using just a serum," says Wilson. Instead, she recommends a serum as an add-on to your skin care regimen, layered under your moisturizer.
Rose water is, indeed, a natural toner. It comes from the Rosa damascena flower, commonly known as the Damask rose, and is created by distilling rose petals with steam. While it's become more popular in recent years, rose water has actually been used for centuries.
Simple is often better
“While 12-step routines are popular, they may not work any better than one or two steps,” said New York-based dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner, who generally recommends using only one to two products in the morning and evening. “The fewer products to apply means fewer products you forget to use.
Experts agree that many skin types will thrive on a combination of the following: a treatment product to spur cellular turnover and exfoliate (like one rich in Vitamin A or retinol, AHA or BHA), an antioxidant like vitamin C, a solid moisturizer, a simple cleanser, and a sunscreen of at least SPF 30.
The ideal age to start using face serums would be late 20s and early 30s. This is the age at which the first signs of aging appears.
Ultimately, face serum and moisturizer are both necessary for a holistic skin care routine and to ensure that your skin doesn't dry out during the day. Face serum can't replace moisturizer, and moisturizer doesn't give your skin the extra vitamins and nutrients it needs to succeed and look great for years to come.
Do I Need Both a Toner and a Serum? For people who like to keep things simple, a toner may not be necessary. Cleansing, applying a serum, topping the serum off with moisturizer, and using SPF during the day are the only must-do items in a skincare routine designed to address the skin's basic health and aesthetic needs.
A serum with mild AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) or PHAs (polyhydroxy acids) should do the trick. Dull skin may also benefit from a serum with fruit enzymes, which can contain antioxidants in high percentages to brighten the skin.
The Korean Double Cleansing Method is a two-step process that involves washing your face with an oil-based cleanser, followed by a water-based one. Using two different cleansers at night is designed to remove makeup, dirt and build-up for cleaner, softer, and smoother skin.
It goes a bit like this: a balm or oil cleanser (1), a foaming cleanser (2), an exfoliant (3), a toner (4), an essence (5), an ampoule or serum (6), a sheet mask (7), an eye cream (8), a moisturizer (9), and then either a thicker night cream or sleeping mask or an SPF (10).
There are no set rules on how old you should be to use retinol. For anti-aging purposes, you can start preventatively in your 20s. While over-the-counter retinol can help mild acne, many people with breakouts will need a prescription.
Q. At what age should I start using vitamin c serum? A. From the age of 18.