Skincare Routine: AM
I love my Makeup, but there is nothing which makes me happier than radiant and glowing skin. I am so thankful to be blessed with good skin, but to be honest, it takes a lot to keep it looking young and flawless. I have never had to worry about the usual acne or breakouts, but I do have my share of skin concerns. My skin is extremely prone to dehydration, I have a high tendency to develop dark circles and have a very mild degree of pigmentation. And trust me on this, none of these concerns are sans solutions. I have seen a clear difference after I started being religious with my skincare routine. The key is to understand what exactly your skin concerns are and to use the right products to fight or reverse the damage. I follow a rather straightforward skincare routine. Apart from using the right set of products, following a healthy diet and getting the right nutrition goes a long way in maintaining great skin.
As part of my morning skincare routine, I use 5 products each addressing a certain need. I have listed the products in the order of application and have also recommended other products that I have either used or heard great reviews about.
Cleanser
There is a lot of debate around the need to cleanse the skin in the morning especially when you have hit the sack with a cleansed face. Our skin recovers the most at night and secretes toxins and excess oil which has to be removed before we prepare the skin for the day. Morning cleansing also helps in removing any unabsorbed nighttime products from the skin. It is fine to use a mild cleanser in the morning as there is no makeup to be removed. I use Purifying Soya Milk from Forest essentials as it's best for normal to dry skin. Those with oily skin could benefit from oil free cleansers.
Other Recommended products: Loreal Gentle Cleansing Milk, Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser, Bobbi Brown Soothing Cleansing Oil, Forest Essentials Delicate Facial Cleansers
Eye Cream
Dark circles and puffy eyes can be attributed to a lot of reasons including genetics, lack of sleep, dehydration etc. The skin around the eyes is very delicate and as we age, the skin becomes thinner, making the blood vessels underneath more prominent. The care for this delicate area hence has to be different from the rest of the face. I struggle with dark circles and hence I use Extra Eye Repair Cream from Bobbi Brown, which works wonders for me. The good thing is that it acts as an under eye primer for my concealer as well.
Other Recommended products: Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye cream, Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado, Forest Essentials Intensive Eye Cream with Anise
Serum
While moisturizers are primarily for hydrating the skin, serums penetrate deeper into your skin and contain potent ingredients which are more effective. I started including a serum into my routine about a year ago. I am a big fan of Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution. It works wonders in reducing dark spots and correcting uneven skin tone. There are other targeted serums to brighten the skin and to reduce early signs of ageing like wrinkles and fine lines. I believe a serum has to be introduced to your skincare routine only once you have hit your 30s unless you have severe skin concerns.
Other Recommended products: Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Supplement
Moisturizer
No skincare routine is complete without a good moisturizer. Good moisturizers contain humectants, ceramides and emollients that lock water in the outer layer of the skin thereby keeping it healthy and hydrated. If you are using a serum, make sure that you apply moisturizer immediately after for best results. Those with oily skin will best benefit from an oil free moisturizer while rich luxurious formulae work well for those with dry skin. I use Hydrating Face cream from Bobbi Brown which is rich yet lightweight and acts as a great primer for makeup application.
Other Recommended products: Forest Essentials Soundarya Radiance Cream, Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream
Sunscreen
I have made the mistake of not wearing sunscreen on days that I thought are not sunny enough and what that has resulted in is mild pigmentation. So these days, I do not skip the sunscreen even when it’s cloudy or raining. It is important to wear sunscreen every single day, even during winters. It is best to use sunscreens with SPF ranging from 30 to 50. I use Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50 from Kiehl’s or I combine moisturiser and sun screen by applying a tinted moisturizer with SPF.
Other Recommended products: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock
It takes just the right set of products and less than 5 minutes of skincare in the morning to prepare your skin for the day and years to come. The night skincare routine is different from that in the morning and I will do a post shortly on it.
Make skincare a habit and it will be one of the best investments that you made for yourself.
