Basic Skin Care Routine
Most people imagine that taking care of the skin is extremely time-consuming, involving complicated steps and pots and pots of creams.
Most people imagine that taking care of the skin is extremely time-consuming, involving complicated steps and pots and pots of creams.
Unlike what most people think, a good skin care routine does not need to take up too much time. In fact, even for beginners, it can be done quickly within a few minutes. However, you'll see immense reward for the few minutes spent each day on taking care of your skin.
The following is a basic skin care routine for everyone:
Step 1: Cleansing (Twice daily) Time required: 1 to 2 minutes
Cleansing 'sets the stage' for the rest of your skin care regime. Regardless of your skin type, it is important to use a gentle cleanser that will not dry out your skin or leave behind greasy residues. As facial skin tend to be more delicate, it is best to avoid washing your face with soap. This is especially true if your skin is dry, sensitive or prone to breakouts. If you wish to save time, you can cleanse your face while in the shower (after rinsing off the shampoo and shower gel). This process should take only a minute or 2.
Step 2: Toning (Twice daily) Time required: 1 minute
A facial toner not only refreshes your skin, it also helps to prepare your skin for further skin treatment. Choose a toner that does not contain any synthetic fragrance, colors or alcohol because these ingredients can be irritating and drying to the skin. Here's a suggestion to apply toner in place of the usual cotton pad: pour a small amount onto your palm and pat on directly to your face and neck. Keep patting lightly until the toner is completely absorbed by your skin. When your skin needs some refreshing during the day, you'll find that toners will come in useful too!
Step 3: Exfoliating (2 to 3 times a week, at night only) Time required: 1 minute
To achieve smooth, clear skin, exfoliating your skin regularly is a must. While exfoliation is important, we do not recommend abrasive facial scrubs as the abrasive action of scrubbing your skin can lead to skin damage in the long term. A gentler, more effective approach would be to use an exfoliator composed of fruit and flower acids as these have been shown to be effective in gently dissolving away dead skin cells while providing your skin with natural moisturizers and antioxidants. We have listed exfoliation as Step 3 here because Vitasence's exfoliating product, Cell Renewal Serum, is actually a leave-on serum that has been specially formulated to support your skin's renewal process throughout the night as you are asleep.
Step 4: Treatment (Twice daily) Time required: 1 to 2 minutes
The treatment step is a pretty flexible step which can be adjusted to suit your skin's particular needs. E.g. if you have acne, this is a good time to apply acne treatment products. This step may even involve using more than 1 products if your skin calls for it. The application of each product, however, should not take you more than a minute.
Step 5: Moisturize (Twice daily) Time Required: 1 minute
Next, you may want to apply a moisturizer to help 'seal in' the goodness of the treatment products which you have applied earlier. Depending on your skin type, applying a moisturizer can be optional. E.g. if your skin is prone to oiliness, it is likely that the treatment products which you have applied are more than sufficient to meet your skin's moisturizing needs. If your skin is on the dry side, an extra layer of moisturizer would be very useful indeed. It is important to choose a moisturizer that is not to heavy on oils to avoid getting clogged pores or pimple outbreaks.
Step 6: Protection (Once daily, in the morning) Time required: 1 minute
It is important to use a good, broad spectrum sunblock which can double as a light moisturizer during the day. Protecting your skin from sun exposure will minimize skin problems such as pigmentation and wrinkles, which are really a result of accumulated sun exposure. From the above article, I hope you can see how quick and easy it is to enjoy beautiful, healthy skin for life.
Most people imagine that taking care of the skin is extremely time-consuming, involving complicated steps and pots and pots of creams.
Unlike what most people think, a good skin care routine does not need to take up too much time. In fact, even for beginners, it can be done quickly within a few minutes. However, you'll see immense reward for the few minutes spent each day on taking care of your skin.
The following is a basic skin care routine for everyone:
Step 1: Cleansing (Twice daily) Time required: 1 to 2 minutes
Cleansing 'sets the stage' for the rest of your skin care regime. Regardless of your skin type, it is important to use a gentle cleanser that will not dry out your skin or leave behind greasy residues. As facial skin tend to be more delicate, it is best to avoid washing your face with soap. This is especially true if your skin is dry, sensitive or prone to breakouts. If you wish to save time, you can cleanse your face while in the shower (after rinsing off the shampoo and shower gel). This process should take only a minute or 2.
Step 2: Toning (Twice daily) Time required: 1 minute
A facial toner not only refreshes your skin, it also helps to prepare your skin for further skin treatment. Choose a toner that does not contain any synthetic fragrance, colors or alcohol because these ingredients can be irritating and drying to the skin. Here's a suggestion to apply toner in place of the usual cotton pad: pour a small amount onto your palm and pat on directly to your face and neck. Keep patting lightly until the toner is completely absorbed by your skin. When your skin needs some refreshing during the day, you'll find that toners will come in useful too!
Step 3: Exfoliating (2 to 3 times a week, at night only) Time required: 1 minute
To achieve smooth, clear skin, exfoliating your skin regularly is a must. While exfoliation is important, we do not recommend abrasive facial scrubs as the abrasive action of scrubbing your skin can lead to skin damage in the long term. A gentler, more effective approach would be to use an exfoliator composed of fruit and flower acids as these have been shown to be effective in gently dissolving away dead skin cells while providing your skin with natural moisturizers and antioxidants. We have listed exfoliation as Step 3 here because Vitasence's exfoliating product, Cell Renewal Serum, is actually a leave-on serum that has been specially formulated to support your skin's renewal process throughout the night as you are asleep.
Step 4: Treatment (Twice daily) Time required: 1 to 2 minutes
The treatment step is a pretty flexible step which can be adjusted to suit your skin's particular needs. E.g. if you have acne, this is a good time to apply acne treatment products. This step may even involve using more than 1 products if your skin calls for it. The application of each product, however, should not take you more than a minute.
Step 5: Moisturize (Twice daily) Time Required: 1 minute
Next, you may want to apply a moisturizer to help 'seal in' the goodness of the treatment products which you have applied earlier. Depending on your skin type, applying a moisturizer can be optional. E.g. if your skin is prone to oiliness, it is likely that the treatment products which you have applied are more than sufficient to meet your skin's moisturizing needs. If your skin is on the dry side, an extra layer of moisturizer would be very useful indeed. It is important to choose a moisturizer that is not to heavy on oils to avoid getting clogged pores or pimple outbreaks.
Step 6: Protection (Once daily, in the morning) Time required: 1 minute
It is important to use a good, broad spectrum sunblock which can double as a light moisturizer during the day. Protecting your skin from sun exposure will minimize skin problems such as pigmentation and wrinkles, which are really a result of accumulated sun exposure. From the above article, I hope you can see how quick and easy it is to enjoy beautiful, healthy skin for life.
About the Author:
Coreenna Ong, co-founder of Vitasence, is an expert in the use of Chinese and Western herbal actives in skin care. Her articles have been published in various national newspapers and magazines and she has appeared in numerous TV programs to share her expertise. She has also authored 2 books on beauty and well-being. To learn more about starting your own skin care routine, visitBasic Skin Care Routine