Skin Care Articles

Doctors recommend using the same skin care regimen daily. These routines don't need to be fancy or costly, and can be used unaided or along with a more serious skin care product.

Applying Radical/Active Solutions

For most adults the basic regimen will not prove to be effective so it is best to add a selected secondary product after doing some research on common products. However, the benefits of secondary skin care products partly depend on whether you properly integrate them with your basic routine. For example if you try and use the secondary treatment without proper cleansing, it will not be 100% effective because it can't work past the oil and dirt on the skin. The over use of the cleansers can also diminish the outcome of the medication, so be sure and do the research prior to mixing products.

Ideal Systems

A typical skin care system would contain the following steps: washing/cleansing, toning (optional depending on skin type), moisturizing and sun protection.

The majority of people have the best luck with twice daily skin care, however for people with sensitive or dry skin it can be best to use the treatment only once while moisturizing more often. Some experts agree that exfoliation should be included in a basic routine. However, daily exfoliation can be unreasonable and may lead to chronic irritation in some people. A few times a week is more than enough for exfoliation, however some can go without any exfoliation.

One of the most valuable steps in the regimen can be protection from the UV rays, sunscreen should be applied as the last step anytime there will be exposure to the sun. Some people use cosmetics with added UV blockers. It is definitely better than no sun protection at all and it can save time. However, using a single, specially formulated sunblock appears to be more effective.

Optimize for your skin type

The steps of the general routine should be adjusted to fit your skin type. You should keep in mind that your skin type can change with the season, diet and age. One change can come from menopause, women have been know to change from oily skin to dry skin while going through menopause. A change in the diet can also change the skin, a diet that contains more fat will cause the skin to produce more oil.. Skin color can change the degree to which you need sun protection. While the sun damages any skin, the damage is minimal in dark-skinned people. Conversely, light skinned people need to be particularly meticulous about sun protection, i.e. minimizing sun exposure, choosing an effective sunscreen and applying it the correct way.

You want to add secondary products between cleaning and moisturizing while the skin is almost dry to help get the maximum results.. Most of the secondary treatments contain some type of moisturizing compound so the need for additional moisturizer is minimal. If it is required wait for the other products to do the job before applying anything.