Developing a Skin Care Routine

There are many products on the market these days that promise to give you younger looking skin, to remove wrinkles, and to perform miracles. No skin care product can do this. As it cannot penetrate below the surface of the skin, it cannot remove wrinkles that are already established, and it cannot push back the clock and eliminate any signs of ageing. But this isn't to say that you cannot improve your skin and make it look as good as you possibly can. With this in mind, it is important to develop and maintain a good skin care routine from an early age.

The most important thing to remember is to use products that are designed for your skin type. Some products, such as astringent toners designed for oily skin, will be much too harsh if used on dry skin, and moisturizers for dry skin will be too much heavy and greasy for oily skin. Once you have chosen your products, it is easy to organize a simple cleansing, toning and moisturizing routine that takes only minutes to perform both morning and night.

Morning Skin Care Routine

Cleansers are formulated to remove surface grime and dirt as well as dissolve stale make-up from the skin.

Cleanse your face thoroughly using a creamy cleanser or cleansing milk. Saturate your cosmetic sponge or a damp cotton wool with a blob of cleanser. Rub in gently using small circular movements to clean up surface grime from facial skin and throat. Cleansing should continue until there are no traces of dirt on your sponge or cotton wool. Follow up your cleansing with a mild complexion bar and water. After rinsing well, pat your face with upward and outward strokes. Blot dry, use a toner to stimulate circulation and remove any traces of leftover dirt, if any. You may now apply a film of moisturizer all over face and neck.

Night Cleansing Regime

Give your skin a chance to breath. Cleanse the face and neck using a cleanser to remove stale make-up, dust, dirt and grease which has accumulated on the skin during the day. A gentle massage will help to float out deep down make-up and other impurities. Cleansing must continue until the damp coton wool comes out clean. Cleanse your neck and remember eye make up too has to be removed very gently, using a specially formulated eye make-up remover. Be gentle while wiping clean the area surrounding the eyes and the mouth. Take care not to stretch, as lines can appear around them. Rinse off with cold water to close pores and for that tingling fresh feeling. Tone your face with a freshner. Cold mineral water is an excellent freshner. Apply moisturizing cream or a rich night cream. Lightly massage onto the skin using circular up and outward movements.

Basic Skin Care Products

Your basic skin care products consists of cleansers, freshners or astringents, face masks, face packs, toners, moisturizers and night creams.

You have a choice between chemical based skin products and off the kitchen shelf products. The latter are low cost and are natural remedies which produce excellent results. Natural remedies should be given two weeks of regular application before you question its credibility.