Skin care is a self-care practice for everyone. It’s not limited by gender, economic background, or geographical location, but those factors may play a part when it comes to a person’s product choices. In recent times, more and more people are becoming aware of how they take care of their skin by following or developing specific routines.
However, starting from scratch can be difficult when you have no background knowledge of the science behind skincare formulas. Plus, it’s always easier to follow a path that’s already been laid down for you by others, but doing so may not give you the kind of results that you hope to achieve.
This is mainly because no two people are the same; not even if they share the same DNA structure. That’s why you can’t expect the skincare routines that work on others to have the same effect on you. If you truly want to have a routine that will work well on your skin, you need to create your own. Here’s how:
Step 1: Identify Your Skin Type
So many people start on the wrong foot because they fail to do this crucial first step. Before you can create a skincare routine, the first thing you have to do is identify your skin type. That’s because there are specific products for different skin types, which means getting the wrong ones can worsen your skin even more.
For starters, there are five common skin types: normal, combination, dry, oily, and sensitive. Knowing your skin type off the bat will allow you to find the right skincare products. However, it’s important to note that your skin type can change over time because you grow older and the physiological composition of your skin will change too.
Step 2: Pinpoint Your Problem Areas
The next step in developing your skin care routine will be to pinpoint the problem areas that you’re hoping to solve. Identifying this early on will allow you to buy professional skincare products that are dermatologically tested to address these specific issues.
For instance, if you often struggle with acne breakouts, then you need to buy products that were developed for acne-prone skin. This can also apply to rough textures, large pores, dull and dry skin, or dark spots because these issues have corresponding solutions.
Knowing what you want to solve can help you make a strategic routine that will address all these problem areas. That’s because you can use a variety of skincare products like cleansers, toners, serums, eye creams, moisturizers, scrubs, spot treatments, and sunscreens.
Step 3: Research the Products on the Market
There are so many available skincare products in the market and it can be overwhelming to take in all at once. But because you already know your skin type and the problem areas that you’re hoping to solve, it can be easier to eliminate the products that won’t help you achieve your goal.
To make the task of finding the right products that much easier, you can utilize the power of the internet and social media platforms. Search for the skincare journeys of people who share your skin problems and see what products they’re using. From there, you can research the products’ ingredient lists to check whether they can work for you.
By doing this, you won’t be blindly following the skincare routines of others just because. Instead, you’re making informed decisions based on the information that you gather from the experiences of others combined with what you found out on your own.
Step 4: Trust the Process aka Do Trial and Error
Skincare routines aren’t magical solutions that can take effect overnight; rather, they take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks before you can see visible results. That’s why you shouldn’t get discouraged when you’re not seeing any changes even after a week into your routine because that’s normal.
Instead of giving up outright, take this as a chance to religiously stick to your personalized skincare routine until you start noticing changes. However, the right products won’t always be the right solution for you, so you should also know how to gauge whether what you’re using is benefiting your skin.
Developing your own skincare routine is a trial-and-error process, therefore, you have to be in this for the long haul. It’s not unnatural to switch between products from time to time because that’s how you can learn if they’re working or not.
So don’t lose hope and trust in the entire process. You must remember that improving your skin won’t happen in a blink of an eye; it’s a never-ending process that should be part of your day-to-day life. That’s why it’s called a skincare routine.
