Consider yourself fortunate if you are one of the rare people born with flawless, clear, glowing skin. Even with good skin genes, adhering to a thorough skincare program is essential for skin care success. Without one, the skin may lack important minerals, vitamins, and even simple skin care steps to keep it looking good and aging gracefully. However, with so many various types of skin care products accessible today, determining what a healthy skincare routine should include can be challenging.

A well-rounded skincare routine does not need to include a host of needless steps or products but rather should be planned and designed to address your skin’s individual needs. Naturally, your skin type and concerns should affect your skincare choices. What works for one type of skin may not be ideal for another. To get the most out of the best skincare routine for your skin and reap the advantages, apply your products in the order of lightest to thickest.

So, regardless of how simple or complex your skincare routine is, these are the important stages that it should include.

Know Your Skin Type and Identify Any Skin Concerns

Knowing your skin type is vital for getting the most out of a skincare routine. Not all skin types are the same, and using the wrong creams and substances can damage the skin.

You can do a simple bare-faced test to identify whether your skin is normal, oily, dry, combination, or sensitive. First, wash your face with a light cleanser and pat dry. Then, after 30 minutes, visually inspect the skin or blot it using blotting paper to see how it looks.

• Normal skin won’t display any oiliness, dryness or red patches.
• Dry skin will likely feel tight or dry and may even have dry, flaky skin areas. It may also look like it is dehydrated and thirsty.
• Oily skin appears shiny and slick with an oil residue on the skin, particularly the T-zone.
• Combination skin is a little bit dry and a little bit oily.
• Sensitive skin is red, itchy, inflamed, and temperamental.

Once you’ve determined your skin type, it’s time to pinpoint your skin’s most pressing concerns. For example, aging skin likely needs a bump in collagen and hydration, whereas acneic skin requires more mattifying ingredients and those that break up oil while clearing up pimples. On the other hand, skin that’s affected by hyperpigmentation benefits from brightening ingredients and exfoliators to lighten the discoloration. By recognizing your skin’s concerns, you can dial in the products and ingredients to build a skincare routine that best addresses the issues.

Once you’ve figured out your skin type, you can also use build your own routine to customize your skin needs and easily add to your cart.

How to Build Your Skincare Routine Based on Your Skin Type

Everybody’s skin is different. One-size-fits-all products rarely work for persons with most skin disorders, which is because your skin requires specialized goods and remedies. Building a skin care routine can be difficult, especially if all of your friends follow similar habits that do not work for you. If you’re having trouble developing a routine that improves the appearance of your skin, you’ll need to do some study and work.

• Step 1

The first step to building the skin care routine for you starts with defining your skin type. Remember: not all people will fit into these neat little definitions. These should serve as a guideline for finding the right products for you based off of your skin’s needs.

Skin Types

Your skin can be categorized in one of four basic types:

• Normal
• Dry
• Oily
• Combination

Normal

Normal skin is exactly what it sounds like normal! The skin isn’t overly oily or dry, it is relatively free of blemishes and discolorations and requires minimal but consistent care. Typically people with this skin type can buy a wide variety of makeup and skincare products.

Dry

Dry skin is known to be flaky, cracked and even red and tender. Dry skin is almost always sensitive skin. Buying makeup and skincare products proves to be a bit of a challenge, not because there aren’t products out there but because the skin is easily irritated or made drier by product use.

Dry skin requires attentive care. Dry skin tends to be dull, so moisturizing and brightening products are key.

Oily

Oily skin types produce an excess of sebum that builds on the skin throughout the day. Oily skin requires special care products and makeup. The T zone (across the forehead and down the nose) is usually the oiliest area of the face. This skin type typically struggles with acne more often than other skin types.

This skin type thrives on mattifying products and foundations.

Combination

The combination skin type combines one or more of the previously mentioned types. The skin may suffer from dry patches throughout but an oily T zone, an oily T zone and normal skin everywhere else or normal skin with an occasional dry patch.

Read Also: The Importance of Natural Ingredients in Personal Care Products

This skin requires knowledge about its combined types, so make sure to do your research! Utilize the skincare professionals who are at your disposal to learn more about your skin type.

• Step 2

Visit an esthetician, dermatologist or both! Don’t battle skin problems on your own. Dermatologists are doctors trained to assist you with skin issues and recommend appropriate medications or treatments. They can help with skin conditions and problems that range from minor to severe.

Estheticians can lend a hand to you in finding the right at-home skincare products and even treat you to a variety of services that can help you heal or resolve skin care issues. Facials are one example of a service that can help your skin shine (or mattify) in the just the right way.

Both types of professionals can help you determine which products are right for you. If you are taking any medication for any condition, topical, oral or injection, it is vital that you consult your skincare professional before attempting to work any new product into your skincare routine.

• Step 3

Now is the time to build your routine (after consulting your dermatologist or esthetician).

Normal Skin

Congrats, you have the easiest skin type to work with! Create a cleansing routine that removes all of your makeup to prevent breakouts, and occasionally treat yourself to a facial! Depending on your skincare goals, you might want to focus on firming and lifting your skin, increasing your radiance or brightening dull areas. No matter your age, all of these goals and types of routines can benefit you! It’s never too early to start on an anti-aging regimen.

For makeup, you’ve got your pick of products. Choose brightening foundations and highlights to illuminate your skin, or try a full coverage look with a bold matte eye to go extra sultry. The options are endless.

Oily Skin

Look for products that mattify the skin and keep oil under control. Avoid “brightening” and “dewey” makeup products. Though it might seem counterintuitive, but oily skin does need moisture. We are big fans of Aveda products (obviously!) so we encourage you to check out the Botanical Kinetics™ line to help balance the oil on your skin.

If you struggle with acne (you’re not alone!) then it’s important to utilize acne treatments within your routine. We recommend the Outer Peace™ line for calming redness and prevention. The best tip we can give you is: don’t touch your face and don’t pick or pop blemishes. Try to cut greasy and sugary foods out of your diet to help you prevent acne from forming. Also, make sure to wash your face once to twice a day, but avoid over-cleansing. If your face is reacting to your washing routine, try to cut back.

Dry Skin

Create a skincare routine that infuses moisture into your skin, and stay away from acne prevention and treatments if you can. Words like “mattifying” indicate that the product is likely to cling to the dry patches on your face.

Combination Skin

Combination skin types can be tricky to nail down a routine for. You may have to combine several elements of all regimens listed above. Make your dermatologist and esthetician your best friends because you’ll need support in your journey to creating the right steps to caring for your skin.

Follow a Specific Nighttime Routine: Repair and Rejuvenate  

When it comes to your nighttime skin care routine, you should do the same thing you do during the day, with the exception of sunscreen (which is unnecessary when sleeping). Because the skin rejuvenates itself while you sleep, a nighttime skin care routine is the ideal time to focus on repairing the damage caused during the day with specific night creams and serums, which typically contain stronger active ingredients and sun-sensitive ingredients, such as retinol.

While a daily and evening skincare routine work well together, switching up a few products at night is necessary. While you sleep at Dreamland, pamper your skin with nourishing and caring nutrients and activities so it can reap the advantages. After cleansing and removing the day, tone the face before using heavier serums and moisturizers that soak into it.

Creams and serums containing exfoliating and skin-stimulating chemicals, such as retinol and alpha hydroxy acids, are also best used at night to help smooth and brighten the skin. To avoid irritation and sensitivity, apply some skincare products in alternating form at night, such as retinol and other exfoliating acids. You’ll also want to dab on an eye cream before hitting the hay and spot treatment to reduce blemishes. 

It’s also crucial to apply a decent moisturizer at night to lock in moisture and minimize moisture loss while sleeping. Nighttime moisturizing creams frequently include anti-aging chemicals to reverse daytime harm. You can also use a thicker cream to bed for added hydration.

Once you’ve developed a decent skin care routine, you must adhere to it to see results. Maintaining consistency and diligence in following the optimal skin care routine for your skin type can position you for success.

On average, it can take two months or longer to see the results of a new skincare program or products. But, while it may take some time to notice the benefits of sticking to a well-structured routine on a daily basis, the effort is worthwhile. You’ll want to be patient with your skin and give it time to adjust to new products and ingredients, and if something doesn’t seem to be working after a while, feel free to change your regimen accordingly.

How to Build a Skincare Routine Based on Age

The skin changes as we age, and what works best for one age group may not work as well for another. While everyone’s skin ages at a different rate, some visible skin changes, such as lower cell turnover, less collagen formation, and a reduction in hyaluronic acid production and hydration, can occur as early as your 20s and as late as your forties. That is why it is critical to focus on a skincare routine that promotes collagen formation, cell turnover, and hydration using products containing retinol, peptides, and hyaluronic acid.

Your skin issues are likely to vary as you age. Teenagers may be more interested in clearing up acne and mattifying oily skin, but 30- and 40-something skin will likely prioritize anti-aging measures, smoother skin texture, and brighter discoloration. It is critical to adjust your skincare routine to fit your skin’s skincare needs as you progress through life.

Final Thoughts

If you want to keep your skin healthy, clean, and youthful for as long as possible, stick to a well-planned skincare program. Taking a proactive approach to skin care and creating a personalized skincare routine is the first step toward having the skin you’ve always desired. Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, you may add more stages and vary your products as needed, rotating in and out specific components and products based on the time of year or what your skin requires at the time.

Stick to your skincare routine for best results. Also, don’t expect things to work instantly or provide results overnight. Some of the best and most effective skincare products require time to work, so don’t give up if you don’t see benefits after using them once or twice. Some products may take several months to show results in your skincare program.