Personalize Your Skincare Routine for Picture-Perfect Skin

Everyone’s skin is unique. The products that work wonders on one skin type might wreak havoc on your own. That’s why a personalized skincare routine is so important. The trick to creating the right routine for your skin is to figure out your skin type, choose ingredients that play well together, and consider your lifestyle. 

Define Your Skin Type

Your daily skincare routine won’t look like your mother’s, sister’s, or your BFF’s. Your skin is as individual as you are. But with so many products available, how do you know what the best kind is for your skin, without a lot of money-wasting trial and error? Your skin type is a great starting point to figuring out your optimum skincare routine. 

Skin types are broken down into five categories: sensitive, oily, dry, combination, and balanced. You likely have some idea of your skin type already, but if you don’t, wash your face, and wait an hour. Does your “t-zone,” that area spanning the bridge of your nose to your cheeks, appear dry, oily, or balanced? If you blot your face with a blotting paper, is it oily, dry, or somewhere in the middle? If your skin feels kind of stretched, it’s a clear sign of dry skin. Whatever your skincare woes, there are products to offer relief. It’s all about the ingredients.

Check Out Product Ingredients 

Most skincare routines will involve cleansing, toning, serums or creams, plus moisturizing (with an SPF). But the products you choose have to work with your type of skin. You’ll also want products to help your skincare struggles, like acne, dryness, or fine lines. Any skin type can benefit from retinol serum, for reducing the signs of aging, and vitamin C, for brightening. But, there are ingredients that don’t play well with others.

If your skin is prone to breaking out, steer clear of any products containing oil or sulfates. Go for products with hyaluronic acid for its light, moisture-boosting properties. If your skin is dry, you’ll want to take it easy with products containing alcohols, like ethanol and isopropyl alcohol. Focus on hydrating substances like peptides to bump up collagen levels, and ceramides, to retain moisture. Combo skin, however, should stick with lightweight moisturizers and cleansers. 

Look at Your Lifestyle 

How is your lifestyle affecting your skin? Too little sleep, not enough water, and skipping out on sunscreen all affect your skin too. Adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each day. If you are staying up too late, your skin won’t have time to repair. Not drinking water or dabbing on the sunblock are also wrinkle-making moves. 

Don’t think of your skincare routine as one more thing you have to do, but as a kick start to your day and, in the evening, a way to unwind before you hit the sheets. Switching your perspective helps avoid the “too tired to wash my face” move. It might just spur you to other positive lifestyle changes too, like reducing your alcohol consumption (it’s a major skin dehydrator).

Skin Savvy

Your skin is all your own. Determine your skin type, opt for ingredients and products that work with (not against) your skin type, and mind your lifestyle. Once you stick with your personalized routine and see results, it will be that much easier to keep it going. Snap a daily selfie to better compare your results and give you the momentum you need to keep it going for skin so healthy it glows.