The basic skincare routine is what you call CTM routine which stands for cleansing, toning and moisturizing. Not many of us follow this routine or regimen when we involve ourselves in skincare. Infact even I never used to follow this or was even aware of such routine until three years ago when I started taking up makeup classes. During the course I was explained about it and how it is important to do it religiously and how it benefits one’s skin.
Be before applying your makeup or just your regular way of doing the skincare, one must do cleansing, toning and moisturizing the skin. In doing so, skin becomes healthy, radiant and you can restrict acne breakouts as such. Everyone’s skin is different so skincare is not the same products usage for everyone but it varies according to skin type.
Cleansing
The first and most basic step of the routine is cleansing. So how do you start or do this step, it’s simple, use a face wash according to your skin type. Whether you are oily, dry or combination, there are different types of these products available in the market. And if you are not sure, try feeling your skin as in, does it feel dry after just a simple face wash like stretchy sort of feeling or feeling tight around the cheeks then you could be dry. If after a face wash you immediately feel oily in probably 20 minutes or so then you are oily skinned and if you are dry on the cheeks while the rest of the face is oily then you are of combination skin. There is another type of skin category which is dehydrated skin, this refers to where you have dry patches on the cheeks but you get oily on the skin surface, I know that sounds confusing. This is because your skin is damaged and you need to pay attention as to what products you should use. Now for my dry to combination skin I use a simple himalaya aloe face wash which is suitable for dry skin. For oily skin you can use the neem version of the same brand. Just make sure your face wash products are free from alcohol or see if good quality alcohol is used which doesn’t excessively dry you out. There are many brands out there so see which one you need and do your research.
I am person who doesn’t use a face wash in the morning routine but I use it at night this is because I feel when you wake up in the morning the skincare products used at night has been properly absorbed by the skin, hence giving you a healthy base to start with the next day. However if you are on the oilier side you can use a face wash in the morning. For your night time routine you actually do a double cleansing. As during the day you wear your makeup and on top of that you also accumulate dirt or sweat in the face so using an oil based cleanser first and then use your regular or morning face wash again after this step is what you call double cleansing. I know that sounds hectic but it’s what benefits your skin from clogging your pores. You can checkout innisfree Apple seed cleansing oil, the face shop rice water bright light cleansing oil etc.
Toning
The second step to follow in your skincare routine is toning. So what is toning? I feel many of us skip this step or simply aren’t a aware of this. At this point you start adding a layer of hydration with a toner. They help in shrinking pores too, and aid in boosting radiance to the skin. Hence the term ‘toning’. With so many toners available, try to buy the one that suits your skin type the most. There are toners like simple facial mists like of rose water, cucumber and then you have the hydrating ones which is what I recommend like innisfree toners, the face shop brand has many etc. Toners help to refresh your skin and lends the next step for prepping.
Moisturizing
The final step and the most important step in any skincare routine is moisturize your skin. So why do you need to moisturize or rather ask this question ‘does the skin need another extra layer of hydration even if you are oily skinned?’ The answer is yes. Whether you are dry, combination or oily, this step cannot be missed. Think of it like the closing ceremony where the function needs to end with a vote of thanks. Similarly the steps you have done before this, you need to seal it in with moisturizer. If you are oily skin, don’t worry use water based moisturizers more like the gel forms. These gel based creams are light weight and won’t clog your pores. For example the Neutrogena hydro boost water gel is a good option. You can use facial oils too for different skin types. There are light weight ones available in the market that doesn’t make you oily but will give you the necessary skin benefits.
Moisturizers can be like using facial oils, gels, or cream formats etc. Now this is a basic skincare routine. But you can enhance this routine and include several steps like how Korean skincare is, however you need to make time. In my routine I start with cleansing, next is toning with a chemical exfoliator, then go in with a hydrating toner, after which I use an emulsion ( emulsion is more concentrated in hydration but similar to serums), and then I finally moisturize with a hyaluronic acid gel based cream. So you see there are several steps you can include, they say the famous Korean skincare involves around ten steps that also includes using sheet mask. One tip I would give is when buying think of the quantity and price as it has to be economical to use for the long run, so make a budget for your skincare. So why do I use an emulsion instead of a serum? because serums are not economical at least for me as the quantity you usually get is 30ml and at most 50ml but that can only last you nearly two months whereas emulsions are similar to serums but varies in functioning, you get a quantity of minimum 150ml, hence I felt that is more worth it. But as mentioned depending on one’s skin type make a proper investment.
Always make time for your skincare routine and during the day make sure you use a sunscreen SPF of minimum 30.