Skin care basics

Healthy skin comes from having a good daily facial skin care routine.
Your skin is able to cleanse, heal and even renew itself. How effectively it does these things is partly governed by how well you take care of it.

Three most essential items that should reside in your bathroom are: cleanser, toner, moisturizer .

Two more additions, a night cream and exfoliant, complete the basics of should be in every woman’s skincare regimen.

Cleanse, tone and moisturize twice a day – once in the morning before you put on makeup, and once at night before you go to bed. This will give your skin a chance to heal and breath overnight rather than being clogged by dirt or make up. It’s easiest to do this when in the shower as it makes rinsing easier, but if you are only washing your face.

A few minutes after cleansing, tone your face with toner and a cotton wool pad. Toner is used to restore your skins natural pH levels which were probably altered during cleansing. By restoring your skin to it’s natural pH, you also make it more resistant against bacteria and micro-organisms. There are many different types of toner out there, some simply restore your skins pH, others also kill bacteria, or leave a spot-fighting ingredient on your skin.

So after cleansing and toning you should moisturize with a face moisturizer for your skin type. This step can NOT be avoided, even if you have an oily skin type. It’s especially important for those with dry skin. There are loads of moisturiising products to choose from (ask one of the girls to recommend the best one for your skin), such as gels (ideal for oily/spot prone skin), creams (ideal for dry/sensitive skin) and serums (best for normal/oily skin). Some provide anti-blemish action, some are anti-wrinkle, some contain a light tint, and some simply moisturize.

Once or twice a week, in place of  (or in additon to) your daily cleanser, you should exfoliate with an exfoliating facial wash. Make sure that it’s nothing too harsh, it shouldn’t feel like sandpaper on your skin. Exfoliator is essential because it removed dead skin cells which can leave your complexion appearing dull, and can clog up pores.