4 most basic skincare steps

Do you know what is your skin type? Do you pay attention to what you apply on your skin everyday? Do you know what are the 4 fundamental rules of skincare? Do you just use cream and then put on your make up?  All these questions are very important to get you started with the basic skincare regimen! 

1. Cleanse your impurities away  

The very first rule is cleanse your face before applying any cream or moisturizers! This step is important because it removes excess oil and impurities from your skin and is a building block for a basic skincare regime! Now, its important to find a cleanser that suits your skin! This is where you need to know your skin type so you could find a perfect cleanser that can suit your skin! 

The types of skin: 

i. normal (not too dry or oily) 

ii. combination (normal or dry in some areas and oily in other areas)

iii. oily 

iv. dry 
vi. Sensitive 

Now if you are unable to figure out which skin type you have, here are some additional hints. If you have pores that look larger than normal, blackhead and/or shiny skin, your skin type is most likely to be of a combination. You might have a dry skin if your pores aren't that visible, rough complexion, skin feeling less supple and/or if you have red patches. An oily skin usually have enlarged pores, thick complexion (dull/shiny), blackheads, pimples and/or blemishes. For a sensitive skin, the symptoms might be redness, itching, dryness and/or burning.

Since its obvious that each of us have different skin type, it is safe to assume that we all can't use products that only apply to one skin type. Thus, make sure to look for a cleanser that fits your skin well! 

2. Toning your skin's PH level 

This is the step many people don't pay attention to everyday. Most are skeptical about toners and seem to know only a little about them. One of the major functions of toner is that it helps to balance your skin back to the neutral pH level. 

Imagine, you use so many products on your face everyday (make-up, face masks, creams etc) and you go out to a polluted environment where your skin somehow collects and stores dust and dirt on the surface of your skin. Thus, toners are made exactly to remove any residue (from make-up, cleanser etc) on your skin, they can also help to detoxify your skin and remove dead skin cells. A lot of the toners in the market contains alcohol but its is highly recommended that you avoid them as they can dry your skin and provide no evident benefits to your skin! 

3. Moist your imperfections 

Toning prepares your skin to take on the moisturisers! This step is most commonly done by a lot of people. Moisturisers are commonly known for improving skin tone, texture and masking imperfections. They do all of these but also provides a temporary barriers for your skin to the external factors (e.g. pollution and dirt)

There are different types of moisturisers in the market: serum, hydrating lotion, emulsion and creams. The type of  moisturiser you use depends variables such as your skin type and age. This is the step where you can apply an eye cream if you are using one after the moisturiser. 

4. Protect your skin 

A lot of us usually stop after we apply moisturisers, however, its not enough! You have to protect your skin with a sun block with the SPF of at least 15 but SPF of 50 or above isn't suggested because it can clog your pores and make your skin really oily. Without protection, all the pervious steps will only be proven partial useful to your skincare routine! Thus, this one is as important as the previous steps! 

An additional rule is exfoliating, although it isn't required everyday, exfoliating at least once a week should also be a part of your skincare routine too! They help to remove dead skin cells that may block your pores and cause breakouts, pimples and blackhead. Thus, you should pay attention to these very basic skincare steps. 

Its essential to stress out the importance of these 4 steps because I wasn't doing these steps properly as well and my skin would look very dull amongst my friends or even family! I would feel insecure but never satisfied with how I look. After carrying on these steps for a few weeks, I noticed a positive change on my outlook and appearance! Thus, following these steps will give you the glow and satisfaction of a better looking skin!!!