Four Insider Tips to Nailing Down Your Beauty Routine

Let’s face it, with all the available beauty products on the market, it can be challenging to figure out what products are right for you. Between the variety of cleansers, serums, and other lotions and potions out there, it’s seemingly impossible to determine which of the following are the most beneficial to use on your skin, and which are not. This may cause many of you to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on cosmetic items that aren’t useful or practical for you in the long run, making your journey to clear, healthy skin all the more difficult.

Luckily, you don’t have to continue to waste more time, money, or energy on this any longer. Why? Because we’re here to help!

If you’re ready to nail down your beauty routine, look no further! Follow these four insider tips:

1.   Understand Your Skin Care Ingredients

First things first, you need to understand the ingredients of your skincare products as this will allow you to gauge how effectively they’ll work for your skin and how long it’ll take to achieve visible results. Believe it or not, not all ingredients follow the same timeline or work in the same way, which is why it’s important to gather a basic understanding of the formula within the treatments you’re already using or are hoping to use in the future.

Specifically, you’ll want to pay close attention to the active ingredients listed on the skincare product label as these types of ingredients arguably play the most significant role when it comes to targeting and treating certain skin conditions. Not only that, but they also play a factor in how long it’ll take for the product to actually work on your skin and affect your timeline to desired results. Be sure to evaluate your ingredient labels accordingly and make any adjustments necessary to help you start to nail down your beauty routine.

2.    Personalize Your Beauty Routine

Once you’ve developed a better understanding of the different skincare ingredients out there, you can then begin to personalize your beauty routine. The key to doing this is to be considerate of your unique skin type and concerns. Acknowledging these areas will allow you to narrow down the types of products you’re looking for and tailor your regimen accordingly. Remember that part of nailing down your beauty routine means having awareness of how your skin differs from others, so be intentional about the products you pick.

Especially when deciding on which treatment you’d like to incorporate in your regime, it’s essential that you analyze the state of your skin before choosing a product. What exactly is the issue you’re dealing with? How severe is the issue? Answering questions like these will give you insight on what products you’ll want to look out for and/or whether or not they deserve a prescription-strength treatment or a regular, over-the-counter medication.

If you’re someone with a mature skin type who has, and continues to struggle with signs of aging, for instance, you may benefit more from seeking your very own topical anti-aging cream prescription. Especially if you’ve already been experimenting with over-the-counter creams and aren’t having any luck fighting signs of aging, it’s time to explore elsewhere and consult with a medical professional about other options and solutions. A prescription that is tailored to your needs could be more effective and provide much-needed relief.

3.    Apply Products in the Correct Order

After you’ve tailored your beauty routine, it’s time to focus on building out your regime. To get optimal results, you must make sure you’re applying your products in the correct order. Those who fail to apply their product in the correct order are less likely to see results because the products may become either ineffective or be unable to penetrate the skin the way they were designed to. In some cases, this may even cause harm to your skin, so it’s critical that you be mindful of the application.

To ensure you’re applying your products in the correct order, you’ll want to focus on following these three golden rules:

• Thinnest to Thickest Texture: Avoid putting fluid, thin, or water-based products over thick, oily ones as this will make it harder for them to reach and penetrate your skin. Instead, start by applying the thinner products first, such as cleanser, toners, and serums, and slowly work to the heavier formulated products like moisturizer or facial oil. Top off with sunscreen.

• Lowest to Highest pH Levels: As part of understanding your skincare ingredients, you’ll want to look at the product’s pH levels, namely, if the product contains active ingredients. Use this information to guide you when applying skincare products, moving from the lowest pH levels to the highest pH levels. In most cases, this means that your acidic products should come before neutral ones because their pH levels are much lower by comparison.

• High pH Levels Don’t Mix with Low pH Levels: A general rule of thumb is that if your beauty regimen includes skincare that contains active ingredients, the products can only be applied at the same time if their pH levels are similar. That said, if there is a pH level gap between the two products by more than 1.0 or 2.0, it’s recommended to wait at least 20-30 minutes in between applications or at two separate times during the day. By doing this, each of the products will better be able to work at their intended pH, and therefore provide the most benefit.

4.    ALWAYS Apply Sunscreen/SPF During the Day

Even though your beauty regimen should look a little different than the people around you, there is one product that is universal to all day-time routines. You guessed it, that product is sunscreen and/or SPF. Even on the cloudiest of days, this step is imperative for truly nailing down your beauty routine and preserving your precious skin.

Fall, winter, spring, or summer—the impact that comes from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are all extremely dangerous to your complexion year round. And we’re not just talking about a painful sunburn! UV radiation has a powerful way of affecting your skin, working to penetrate the deepest layers. Although the outermost layer of your skin may increase in melanin and actively work to shed off the dry cells of your skin, the other layers aren’t able to bounce back as easily, oftentimes leading to long term damage to your growth and appearance.

As explained in this article by cancer prevention expert, Dr. Barnett S. Kramer, “The more sun exposure you have, the earlier your skin ages.” This means that as you get older, it becomes harder and harder for your skin to repair itself, which is why signs of premature aging such as wrinkles, dark spots, dryness, and sagginess of the skin are more likely to occur. With this in mind, in an effort to nail down your beauty routine and preserve your overall health, be sure to always apply sunscreen or SPF as the last step of your morning routine. Trust me, your skin will thank you later!

Read more from I On The Scene: HERE.