Optimal skin health is not achieved overnight. An efficient and consistent skin care routine is crucial for maintaining your skin’s vitality, strengthening its defenses, and maximizing the results of your efforts. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the essential steps of a skin care routine, how to customize it according to your unique skin type and concerns, and the importance of incorporating key ingredients like retinol for maximum benefits.
1. Understanding the Basics of a Skin Care Routine
To achieve the best results, apply your skin care products in the following order:
1.1 Cleanse
Frequency: Twice per day, morning and night.
A thorough cleanse rids your skin of oil and debris that can lead to clogged pores and dullness. It also prepares your complexion for further treatment, making it easier for your skin to absorb the beneficial ingredients in the rest of your routine. Whether you choose an oil, balm, gel, or cream cleanser will depend on your skin type and the concerns you hope to address.
1.2 Tone: Essence, Facial Mist, or Toner
Frequency: Twice per day, morning and night.
Toning completes the cleansing process by conditioning your skin and adding beneficial vitamins and minerals to your complexion. Unlike alcohol-based toners of the past, today’s toners, essences, and facial mists support the effectiveness of your cleanser by adding replenishing ingredients that support your skin’s health. Cleansing and toning work together like shampoo and conditioner: Both steps help keep the skin as healthy as possible.
1.3 Exfoliate
Frequency: Once or twice per week.
Exfoliating is essential to encourage healthy skin cell turnover, eliminate buildup, and relieve pore congestion. Exfoliants comprise gentle chemical, enzymatic, and physical varieties for home care, as well as more potent peels and treatments which must be administered by a professional. We recommend consulting with your esthetician to determine the best approach for your skin type and concerns.
1.4 Mask
Frequency: Once or twice per week.
An additional treatment to indulge in is a face mask. Face masks contain high amounts of concentrated vitamins and nutrient-rich ingredients which absorb efficiently into the skin, making it appear healthy and resilient. In addition to their hydrating and firming benefits, masks can be used to control more persistent skin concerns like acne, large pores, and dark spots.
1.5 Treat: Serum, Concentrate, or Facial Oil
Frequency: Twice per day, morning and night.
Your daily routine should include a serum, concentrate, or facial oil. These potent formulas contain concentrated amounts of active ingredients to target concerns and neutralize the effects of environmental stressors. The serum, concentrate, or oil you choose will depend on the particular concerns and conditions you hope to prevent or correct.
1.6 Eye Care
Frequency: Twice per day, morning and night.
Some areas require a lighter touch. The skin around your eye area is seven times thinner than the rest of your face and needs to be treated with special care. Regular eye cream application not only maintains the health, thickness, and elasticity of this delicate area, but it also reduces the look of fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles, and puffiness.
1.7 Moisturize
Frequency: Twice per day, morning and night.
Used daily, moisturizers keep skin soft, supple, and protected. Moisturizing not only targets and treats specific issues in the top layers of the skin, but it also provides necessary support for the skin’s natural lipid barrier. A strong and healthy barrier enables the skin to better retain moisture and repel external irritants. Remember, even oily skin needs moisture and hydration!
1.8 Protect/SPF
Frequency: Daily, or as required.
The final and most crucial step in every skin care routine is sun protection. Daily and consistent sunscreen use helps protect skin against the damaging rays that contribute to skin irritation, premature aging, and the formation of certain skin cancers. Year-round, apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen or SPF moisturizer to shield your skin from exposure.
1.9 Body Care
Frequency: Daily, or as required.
Skin care doesn’t end at your décolleté. The rest of your body can also display areas of discomfort depending on your skin type and skin concerns. Extend your skin care routine by applying nutrient-rich body products that keep your skin looking strong and youthful from head-to-toe.
2. Customizing Your Skin Care Routine
Once you have mastered the basics, you and your esthetician can customize a routine for your particular skin type and concerns. This will determine the type of product you choose for each step of your skin care routine.
2.1 Skin Types
Skin types are determined by genetics. Your genes determine the amount of oil your sebaceous glands produce, the size of your pores, and the texture of your skin. Each of these factors contributes to the overall dryness or oiliness of your complexion. While your skin type cannot be changed, it can be easily managed with proper skin care.
Skin types generally fall into one of five variations:
2.1.1 Normal Skin
“Normal” skin is best described as well-balanced. It has even moisture and hydration and uniform texture, with small pores and no apparent problem areas. Those with normal skin types may experience occasional dryness or oiliness as well as the odd breakout, particularly when exposed to environmental stress.
For this reason, a normal skin care routine should focus on keeping skin healthy and protected. In addition to fortifying the skin with antioxidants, make minor adjustments to your routine depending on concerns and conditions of the moment. During periods of dryness, opt for products aimed toward dry skin; for oiliness and/or breakouts, choose products that will balance your complexion and target blemishes.
2.1.2 Dry Skin
Dry skin produces less oil than normal complexions. This skin type lacks the lipids needed to retain moisture and keep skin soft and supple. Skin feels dry and tight, and flakes sometimes appear on the cheeks, chin, and forehead. Those with dry skin often have nearly invisible pores and may display more prominent fine lines around the eye and lip contour areas.
It is important to use moisture-rich products like oil or cream cleansers and daily moisturizers to replenish skin throughout the day as well as a rich night cream to repair skin while you sleep. Weekly moisturizing masks are also advised to plump and soften skin as well as reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
2.1.3 Oily Skin
Unlike dry skin, oily skin has overactive sebaceous glands which produce an excess of sebum. While sebum is necessary to lubricate skin and keep its moisture barrier intact, overproduction can lead to an oily complexion that has visible pores and is prone to spots and blemishes. Fine lines and wrinkles do not show as easily on this skin type, but it does need to be maintained to prevent breakouts and control shine.
The goal for an oily skin care routine is to control excess oil and maintain skin’s hydration. When dehydrated, skin will react by producing more oil; you can counteract this activity by hydrating skin with a lightweight moisturizer containing humectants like botanical hyaluronic acid. Also, consider adding an oil cleanser to your skin care routine. While it may seem counterintuitive, the oil in the cleanser will attract excess sebum, allowing you to rinse it away without stripping your skin.
2.1.4 Combination Skin
Combination skin is characterized by non-uniform oil production and appears neither overly dry nor oily. With more active oil glands in the T-zone and less active glands elsewhere, combination skin will tend towards oiliness on the forehead, jaw and nose, and dryness on the cheeks, jawline, and hairline.
The best approach for combination skin care is often to divide and conquer, treating different parts of the face with different products and techniques. For morning, a gentle foaming cleanser will absorb excess oil. At night, a cream-based cleanser will replenish lost moisture. Multi-masking can be extremely beneficial for combination skin. This skin care technique involves applying two or more face masks, such as a clay-based mask and a cream-based mask, to different areas of the face so that multiple concerns are addressed at once.
2.1.5 Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin is quite common and, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, affects 50% of people. This skin type has fine pores, can be easily irritated, and is prone to redness. Often, it will react negatively to poor lifestyle habits, climate and weather changes, hormonal imbalances, and harsh cosmetic ingredients.
With its wide variety of symptoms, sensitive skin does not manifest the same way for everyone, and its severity and frequency can vary. In general, sensitive skin should be treated with gentle and soothing skin care products that will heal skin and relieve symptoms. Opt for gentle peels to exfoliate without exacerbating sensitivity, and reach for calming natural and organic ingredients like chamomile and calendula to comfort reactive skin.
2.2 Skin Concerns & Conditions
A skin concern or condition is different from a skin type in that it is not genetic and can be improved over time. Often, symptoms are triggered by external factors such as climate changes, lifestyle habits, and environmental stressors. Skin concerns and conditions can be uncomfortable, but the right treatments with active herbal ingredients can produce amazing results.
Common skin concerns and conditions include:
2.2.1 Acne
Up to 80% of people will experience acne at some point during their lifetime. This concern can affect skin at any age, from adolescent to adult, and every skin type. Acne is caused by a number of factors, including pore congestion, excess oil production, hormonal fluctuations, bacteria, and genetics. The good news is that it can be alleviated over time with results-driven skin care that keeps skin clear and healthy.
Salicylic acid and clay are two of the best ingredients to treat acne-prone skin and prevent future breakouts. Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid that penetrates deep into pores to clear blockages and neutralize acne-causing bacteria. Clay works like a magnet, using its negatively charged particles to pull positively charged impurities from pores and the skin’s surface.
For those suffering from moderate to severe acne, professional spa treatments can be extremely beneficial. Acne facials are deeply cleansing. They employ professional-level peels with a high concentration of active ingredients to clear buildup as well as extractions by a licensed esthetician to clear blackheads and whiteheads.
2.2.2 Redness
Sometimes confused with acne, rosacea often presents as inflammation and reddening on the nose, forehead, cheekbones, or chin. Inflamed capillaries on the skin’s surface give skin a red, blotchy, or bumpy appearance. While this condition is usually genetic, certain factors are known to aggravate it, including extreme temperatures, alcohol, and sun exposure.
In addition to avoiding triggers, you can follow a sensitive skin care routine that employs gentle products free of harmful chemicals like added parabens, petrolatum, mineral oils, propylene glycol, or sodium lauryl sulfate. Look for comforting ingredients like chamomile, calendula, and stone crop which heal and soothe redness.
2.2.3 Large Pores
Large pores are another common skin concern. While pore size is largely determined by genetics, dead skin cell buildup, loss of elasticity, and excess oil production can cause them to expand and enlarge. Large pores often accompany oily and combination skin types, which suffer from over-productive sebaceous glands.
Regular cleansing and gentle exfoliation are essential steps for large pores. These actions remove sebum from the skin’s surface and relieve pore congestion, allowing pores to shrink to their normal size. Clay and charcoal masks are also beneficial, producing a gentle astringent action that tightens and minimizes pore openings.
2.2.4 Dehydration
Dehydrated skin is deficient in water. Hydration is essential for the skin to function optimally, and symptoms of dehydration can include itchiness, sensitivity, dullness, and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Dehydrated skin can be caused by external elements, an unhealthy diet, or poor lifestyle choices, all of which deplete the skin’s water content. All skin types — even oily — can suffer from dehydration.
One of the best ways to replenish dehydrated skin is to add products containing hyaluronic acid to your skin care routine. Products that contain hyaluronic acid keep skin hydrated, plump, and looking healthy. This ingredient can hold a thousand times its weight in water, making it a powerful humectant. That means hyaluronic acid draws moisture from the environment into the skin for increased hydration and a complexion that’s plump, smooth, and luminous.
2.2.5 Signs of Aging
The primary signs of aging include fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin, each of which is a direct result of the body’s aging processes. Over time, production of hyaluronic acid, collagen, and elastin slows, causing skin to lose volume, density, and elasticity, triggering the visible signs of aging. This natural depletion accounts for only ten percent of skin aging; the remaining ninety percent is brought on by long-term exposure to free radicals. These cause oxidative stress that damages skin cells and accelerates the aging process.
While an aging complexion is inevitable, visible effects can be minimized with a targeted skin care routine. As aging skin also tends to be dry, we recommend following a dry skin care routine with a few adjustments. Serums, oils, and concentrates containing botanical peptides, hyaluronic acid, and natural retinol alternatives will help plump, lift, and firm skin. Antioxidant-rich products will provide additional benefits by protecting skin and minimizing the damage done by environmental stress and free radicals.
2.2.6 Lack of Firmness
An additional side effect of aging is loss of firmness. Over time, the muscles throughout the body, including the face, can lose their tone and elasticity. As muscle fibers and elastin begin to lengthen as a result of aging, lifestyle, and nutrition, the skin can start to sag. And, lacking strength and elasticity, it loses the ability to bounce back. The result is drooping of the eyebrows and eyelids as well as looseness and fullness (jowls) under the cheeks and jaw.
Lack of firmness can be treated with a targeted skin care routine that improves skin tightness and elasticity. Adjust your aging skin routine to include face masks and moisturizers that contain natural firming agents like bamboo. Facial massage techniques can also be beneficial in toning the muscles beneath the skin, keeping them healthy and firm.
2.2.7 Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation is one of today’s leading skin concerns and is characterized by the appearance of dark spots, freckles, scarring, or an uneven skin tone. This condition is induced by an increase in melanin production by the skin’s melanocytes, caused by a number of factors including sun exposure, stress, aging, hormonal changes, and post-inflammatory pigmentation. Hyperpigmentation can affect any skin type and widely varies in severity.
This is one of the most difficult skin conditions to treat and requires dedication and consistency with a targeted skin care routine. Certified Esthetician Alicia Hawthorne advises: “Look for serums and moisturizers that contain ingredients that help to brighten and prevent pigmentation or assist with resurfacing the skin.” These include stone crop and natural hydroquinone alternatives as well as licorice root, willow bark, arbutin, and zinc hyaluronate.
2.2.8 Sun Damage
UV exposure can result in both temporary and long-term damage to the skin. One of the most common conditions as a result of sun exposure is immediate dehydration and painful, itchy redness. Over time, accumulated exposure can permanently stretch small blood vessels, leading to a red and blotchy complexion. To minimize and prevent the negative effects of sun exposure, keep skin protected and hydrated year-round. Apply an SPF moisturizer or mineral powder sunscreen daily and protect your body from head-to-toe with natural body sunscreens. After exposure, replenish lost moisture with deeply hydrating balms and body lotions.
2.2.9 Dullness
Dull skin is characterized as skin that has lost its natural radiance. It looks tired, ashy, lackluster, patchy, or dry–qualities due to determining factors.
These factors include environmental or lifestyle choices, like a poor diet, insufficient exercise, seasonal changes, or sun exposure. One of the most effective ways to revive tired-looking skin is a diet rich in nutrients and antioxidants, which can improve the skin’s natural radiance. Similarly, adding antioxidant-rich products to your skin care routine can also improve the appearance of a dull complexion. Skin care products with superfruit ingredients, like mangosteen, provide unique and potent antioxidants that give the skin a more luminous appearance.
Dullness can also be caused by dead skin cells, which fail to reflect light uniformly and lead to a lack of luminosity. Exfoliation can rekindle the skin’s natural glow by gently resurfacing your skin while also minimizing the appearance of pores. This skin care step removes the barrier of dead cells clogging the skin and uncovers fresh new cells below.
2.3 Product Recommender
To help select the skin care products that are right for your skin type and concerns, we have the Product Recommender tool for you. Simply select your skin type and your number one skin concern for our suggestions.
3. Spa Treatments for Enhanced Skin Care
In addition to an effective home care routine, customized professional treatments are crucial to elevate your skin’s health. Spa treatments combine professional techniques and products with the technical skills of a licensed esthetician to provide enhanced results. These treatments can be customized to your specific skin type and concerns, and their effects can be easily maintained by your daily, nightly, and weekly routine.
3.1 Steps in a Professional Treatment
These are the steps you may experience in a professional spa treatment:
- Assessment: The esthetician learns about your skin concerns and skin care routine.
- Cleansing: Removal of makeup and surface buildup.
- Skin Analysis: The esthetician examines your complexion, often using magnification, to identify your skin’s current state.
- Steaming: Steam is incorporated to soften pore congestion and assist with extractions, if needed.
- Exfoliating: Application of a professional strength exfoliating treatment, such as an AHA or BHA peel, to remove dead skin cells.
- Extractions: If needed, professional extractions are performed to clear blackheads and whiteheads.
- Facial Massage: Gentle but thorough massage to relax facial muscles and assist skin with absorbing further products.
- Masking: One or more face masks suited to your skin type and concerns are applied.
- Finishing: Application of toner, serums, moisturizers, eye care, and SPF to condition and protect skin.
3.2 Finding a Spa
Nothing takes the place of a one-on-one consultation with a licensed esthetician. They can provide in-depth recommendations and suggestions to help you get the most out of your skin care experience. To find a spa product, click here.
4. Key Ingredient: Retinol
Retinol, a derivative of vitamin A, is an essential ingredient to incorporate into your skin care routine for its numerous benefits. It works by speeding up cell turnover, causing your skin to produce fresher, smoother, and less wrinkled skin over time. Retinol also triggers collagen production and cellular exfoliation, helping to fade dark spots, smooth scars, clear pores, prevent breakouts, and brighten skin.
4.1 How to Use Retinol
If you’re new to retinol, it’s important to start slow to minimize the initial adjustment period of flakes and sensitivity. Apply a pea-sized drop to your entire face one night a week for one week, then two nights a week for two weeks, then three nights a week for three weeks, and then every other night indefinitely. If your skin is extra sensitive, apply a layer of moisturizer 10 minutes before and 10 minutes after your retinol to reduce irritation without completely diluting the treatment.
4.2 Retinol in Anti-Aging Creams
If you prefer to ease into using retinol in your skin care routine, you can opt for an anti-aging night cream that contains a gentler, diluted dose of retinoids. However, it’s often easier and less irritating to use your regular moisturizer and layer a retinol on top. The key is to be consistent with your retinol usage and give it time to work, as visible results may take four to six months of regular application.
5. Conclusion
Achieving and maintaining healthy, radiant skin is a journey that requires dedication, consistency, and knowledge. By understanding the essential steps of a skin care routine and customizing it to your specific needs. Zou can effectively address your skin concerns and enjoy the benefits of a well-nourished and protected complexion. Don’t forget to incorporate key ingredients like retinol and consult with a licensed esthetician for professional guidance and treatments to elevate your skin’s health.
