Skin Regimen is the first and foremost important step that one needs to work upon to maintain healthy and glowing skin. When it comes to customizing your skin regimen there are certain points that one should remember along with keeping their skin type and concern in mind. Most of the time we all know what we need to do to keep our skin rejuvenated but we forget to incorporate the don’ts and avoid the damages that certain products can cause and overlook the harmful effects they have on our skin.
Here are 8 things that one needs to look for whilst designing their skin regimen:
1) Foaming Cleansers: It is advisable to avoid using such cleansers regularly if your skin is dry and sensitive. These are made up of surfactants which lather whilst in use. They are designed to remove excess oil from the skin. But lesser we know that they can strip off the natural oils from the skin surface and lead to extreme dryness. Instead, you can replace them with water-based makeup removers and cleansers.
2) Toners: CTM is the basic skin regimen that most people tend to follow even on their busiest days. But rarely do we know that these toners contain alcohol in them which worsens the skin more than helping it. It stripes off all the essential oil and nutrients and dries it out thus making it more prone to premature aging. It is advisable to replace toners with mist sprays, rose water and other hydrating sprays which can add freshness to the skin and keep it hydrated.
3) Skin lightening creams (with steroids): we all are fond of skin lightening creams, but we need to be careful while picking up our product, as most of the skin lightening creams promise instant improvement. Always check the labels before buying and make sure they do not contain steroids which can lead to skin thinning, broken capillaries, redness and also in certain cases steroid-induced acne. Get advice from your dermatologist to know what is a safer option and look for ingredients like, niacinamide, kojic acid, glycolic acid, arbutin, and mulberry extract.
4) Scrubs: Most of us have experienced that certain scrubs can result in extreme dry skin! Strong exfoliating scrubs can be abrasive and make your skin dry and sensitive. Milder agents can be used for scrubbing followed by strong moisturizers. You can even use home remedies and use finely powdered oats and raw milk mixture to exfoliate dead skin cells once in a week where oats have scrubbing action and milk will maintain natural oils of the skin and keep it moisturized. Seek advice from your dermatologist and you can also opt for procedures like microdermabrasion if advised by your dermatologist. They can also suggest the right ingredients and molecules in your product as per your skin type which will not exhaust your skin and avoid breakouts.
5) Under-eye Cream: Skin around the eye area is very sensitive and should be treated with extra care. This super delicate area should not be extorted by exfoliating agents like beta-hydroxy acids, alpha-hydroxy acids like salicylic acid and glycolic acid. Always look for ingredients of your under-eye cream. These can make your under-eye skin thinner. Instead, replace them with moisturizing and anti-aging ingredients like vitamin E and retinol which will help treat the concern and keep your under-eye skin rejuvenated.
6) Soap bars: Most of the soap bars are alkaline that is they can cause drying of the skin and also lead to irritation and rupture the skin barrier. So it is advisable to avoid using soap bars on the face and replace them with soap-free cleansers. Opt for the ones that are transparent, fragrance-free and do not lather much.
7) Face Oils: Not all face oils available in the market are formulated correctly to benefit your face skin. They can be comedogenic if the moisture content is not right in it. So always pick the formulations as per your skin type.
8) Sunscreen: Today we all know that sunscreens are a must and there are various formulations available in the market. Most of us are in habit of reapplying the sunscreen. As compared to sprays, creams, serums, gel-based sunscreen work better in terms of sun protection because sprays are not precise and also do not have a great delivery system. Further, make sure sunscreen is the top layer and all your color corrections should be used on top of it. Also, use fragrance-free products as they are the most common allergen and massive irritant.
The simpler and cleaner the skin regimen is the more beneficial it will be for your skin. A dermatologist can help you customize your skin regimen as per your skin type and its requirement. We have many other blogs where we have discussed the different types of skin regimen.
Keep Healthy! Keep Glowing!