To get your best skin, you have to use what’s best for your skin. Knowing which products you need and which order to use them in is the key to healthy, glowing skin.
The actual ingredients and products needed will depend on your skin type and skin concerns, but as a basic rule, these are the steps you should be following every morning and evening.
Morning routine
This doesn’t need to be as lengthy as your evening routine, as you aren’t having to remove makeup.
Step 1
Cleanse. You could use a pre-cleanser here, like a micellar water, just to remove the sweat and dirt you’ve picked up during the night.
Step 2
Eye Cream. You are basically never too young to start using eye cream. While the skin around the eyes isn’t technically different from that on the rest of the face, it is 7 times thinner, so should be treated with care. Eye creams are also formulated to be kinder on the eyes should you accidentally get some in your eye.
Step 3
Moisturise. Whether you have dry or oily skin, your skin will benefit from some hydration. Dry skins lack moisture and oil, but oily skin, while oily, can be lacking in moisture, so apply every day.
Step 4
Sun Protection. Yep, sorry, all of you. We live in Africa, and our sun is a fierce lady. Sun damage is still the number one cause of extrinsic ageing worldwide, so cover up.
Evening routine
Your routine has to be taken up a notch in the evenings to remove the grime and makeup of the day.
Step 1
Pre-cleanse. We love using micellar waters here, as they are gentle on the skin, but tough on makeup and grime. Try Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water or cult favourite Bioderma Sensibio H2O (there’s a reason one is sold every 3 seconds!). If you’re being lazy, a wipe will suffice, but make sure you cleanser properly afterwards.
Step 2
Cleanser. This may been like a moot step, but the pre-cleanse removes dirt and makeup, and this step cleans the skin itself. Dry skins should opt for milky or cream formulas, while oilier skins can use foaming formulas.
Step 3
Exfoliator. We are having a love affair with acids at the moment. They may sound scary, but the new super-mild versions gently slough away dead skin without harming the new skin beneath. We love Rodial’s Super Acids X-Treme Pore Shrink Cleansing Pads.
Step 4
Serum/treatment. This will depend on your skin concerns. You can find solutions for acne, pigmentation, redness, sensitivity, aging etc, etc.
Step 5
Eye Cream. Some people prefer to leave out this step at night, as it can cause puffiness around the eyes in the morning. So test it out for yourself to see what works for you.
Step 6
Moisturiser. Your skin protects itself during the day, and repairs itself at night, so it makes sense to help it along. Use a night cream targeted at your main skin concern.
Emmy is the daughter of a sailor, animal loving, coffee addicted, beauty product junkie editor of Rouge.
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