Cleansing is the first step in facial skin care routine. Cleansing helps in removing dirt, makeup, and extra oil from your skin preventing damage to your skin. Just dab a good cleansing lotion or cream on your face and neck and gently massage it into your skin using upward strokes. Use a soft face tissue or cotton cloth to wipe your face in a gentle patting fashion (do not rub). Cleansing should be done at least twice a day i.e. morning (as part of complete facial skin care routine) and evening (to prepare your skin for bed). Water soluble cleansers are the best for inclusion in your facial skin care routine.

Toning is the next step in a facial skin care routine and is considered to be an optional step by some. Proper cleansing can compensate for toning. Toning helps remove all traces of dirt, grease and excess cleanser. Instead of making it part of your daily facial skin care routine, you can using toning when you have been exposed to particularly harsh skin conditions.

Exfoliation is an optional step in your everyday routine for facial skin care; however, exfoliation is necessary at least once a week (or twice, depending on the skin type and the environmental conditions). As a facial skin care technique, exfoliation helps in removing the dead skin cells that block the pores, thus assisting the skin in the natural process. However, excessive or harsh exfoliation can cause damage to your skin; so you need to balance it out.

The next step moisturizing is considered to be the most important part of your facial skin care routine. Moisturizers prevent your skin from getting dry. Dry skin is really undesirable since it cause the upper layer skin to break, causing the fine lines and wrinkles that we would all like to avoid. Again, use light upward strokes to make the moisturizer more effective. Moisturizers work the best when applied on warm and damp skin. So do not try to remove all the moisture in the previous steps of facial skin care routine.

Along with the basic inherited traits come allergies, elastic ability and sensitivity to environmental factors. There isn’t much we can do to avoid all sensitivities if there are inherent conditions that cause it to react a certain way. But, understanding your skin and its needs is essential to helping you in choosing the best skin care regimen for your skin.

What are the parts of your skin?

The skin is made up of 3 layers namely the hypodermis, dermis and epidermis. All of these layers play important roles in maintaining healthy, beautiful-looking skin.

They hypodermis is the deepest layer of the skin. It is made up of fatty tissue and it supports the two layers above it. The middle layer is the dermis where collagen, elastin, sweat and oil glands are found. As we get older, the skin loses its elasticity and collagen and oil production slows down making the skin dry and prone to stretch marks.

The layer that we see on the outside is what we call the epidermis. It is the protective layer of the skin. Being prone to scratches and damage caused by the environment, skin renewal often takes place here. However, because it is constantly exposed to harmful substances like the sun’s heat, pollution and tanning chemicals, it easily loses its collagen and elasticity. That is why it is not advisable to take long, warm sun baths even with a sunblock. If the skin gets too beat up, burns and skin cancer could result.

Pop Quiz: How often does a skin renew itself?

Answer: For young people, the skin renews itself every 15-30 days. It takes twice as long when we get old.

What does your skin need?

Your skin care regimen, therefore, must include boosting your skin’s collagen and elastin production. Without these two, skin gets dry, saggy and wrinkly. Needless to say, avoiding these harmful environmental factors will keep your skin healthy.

Another great defence from skin damage is hydration. Since your body is made up of 90% water, it makes sense that water is essential for digestion, blood circulation, temperature control, weight regulation, detoxification and so on and so forth. Therefore, water is the best medicine not only for your skin but for your whole body. Doctors recommend that one should drink an average of 8 glasses a day.

Well, we have heard it before countless of times but we continue to ignore it. If you find it hard to drink water, give it some variety – cold, hot, squeezed with lemon juice to make it taste better. Your water therapy works best too if you don’t drink alcohol and sodas as these are diuretic, thus, flushing out fluids more than they can hold.

Your basic facial skin care regimen should be: cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing. Cleansing can be done with products especially formulated for your face. Some soaps can harm your face’s skin as it is finer and sensitive than the rest of your body. Exfoliating, on the other hand, removes stubborn dirt that’s left on your skin by gently peeling off the dead skin cells. However, exfoliation must-do’s have to be observed because too much of it can be bad too.

Lastly, moisturizing your skin is very important especially if you have dry to very dry skin. As we age, all the more that we need to moisturize our skin. While these products are easily available in the market, as a general rule, don’t just buy the first product you can find. Check the labels. Know your allergies and if it has ingredients that your skin will react to. If you have super-sensitive skin, don’t do anything unless you get your dermatologist’s approval.

What are the things that you can do for your skin?

The best thing that you can do for your skin is to love it by protecting it. Being conscious of its potent offenders and avoiding them is a great start.

Maintain beautiful skin by having a skin care or management routine. Remember that you don’t get another chance for a new skin. It is your skin so, you need to treasure it.

Fine Lines and Wrinkles are one of the first problems that people will say that they have in maintaining a young and youthful look.

Experts commonly said that the factors responsible for the development of fine lines and wrinkles are mostly sun exposure.   However, repeated use of muscles to squint, frown or pucker is also responsible.  Now, what is the commonly recommended beauty fix for these?

Several dermatologists recommend exfoliants.  They believe that exfoliation softens skin,  andmaking the superficial lines less noticeable.   One of the most recommended products available in the market these days is a cream that contains retinol, which is a derivative of Vitamin A that kindles production of collagen, the fiber the keeps the skin smooth and firm.   This item is said to bring dramatic results without a prescription.  Here are two products to try for lessening fine lines and wrinkles:

1.      Olay Total Effects Intensive Restoration Treatment with VitaNiacin

2.      Pond’s Dramatic Results Active Face and Neck Moisturizer with glycolic acid.

And, for faster results, about 12 to 16 weeks, you can try Renova, which is a prescription retinoid cream.

If you do nothing else, here is a very potent solution:  wear sunscreen every day.  Many experts note that if you wear sunscreen, your skin will start to repair crinkling and wrinkling.  Select an SPF 15 or a much greater formulas that will shield your skin against UVA and UVB rays.  Also, you can try Neutrogena Healthy Defense SPF 30 Daily Moisturizer.