Properly caring for your face requires more than dedication. You need to choose products that complement your skin type, apply gentle washing techniques, and wash only when necessary. As a result, your face will feel fresh, healthy and hydrated, producing a youthful and radiant glow that will make you feel confident.
Here are 6 effective ways to give your face the beauty treatment it deserves.
- Wash twice a day, every day
Most people benefit from washing their face twice a day, first thing in the morning and before going to bed at night. But, if you have dry or sensitive skin, then rinse your face with lukewarm water in the morning and only use a cleanser in the evening (or vice versa). Using too much cleanser can irritate the skin.
But why do people swear by the twice-daily routine?
After a long day, your face will have accumulated sweat, natural oil (sebum), and possibly dirt and bacteria after being exposed to the elements. If left untouched, these impurities can cause the skin to irritate, inflame, and breakout in acne.
Likewise, after a night of tossing and turning, your face will have collected bacteria and other impurities from your pillow case. Sure, washing your bedding often can reduce this, but even the cleanest pillow case won’t stay fresh for long. For this reason, a quick rinse or cleanse in the morning will help you freshen up, ready to face the day.
- Use a fresh dedicated face towel
When you step out of the shower, do you wash your body and face with the same towel? If so, reconsider.
“You should always be using a separate towel to dry your face – especially if you’re acne-prone,” says Amy Wechsler, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist from New York.[i] She goes on to say since your facial skin is delicate and sensitive, the transfer of sebum, bacteria, and dirt from the body to your face can cause damage.
So keep your face healthy by buying a set of dedicated face towels. Simply pat your face dry with the towels and swap them out every couple of days. This will prevent mould and bacteria from being transferred to your face and causing irritation.
- Wash and rinse with lukewarm water
While splashing your face with hot water can be refreshing, doing so can do more harm than good.
For starters, the rapid change in temperature can cause the skin to be extra sensitive. Secondly, it can strip the skin of essential sebum and cause the body to overcompensate by producing too much sebum, leaving you feeling greasy. Finally, when hot water touches the skin it can flare up delicate blood vessels, resulting in red blotches and acne outbreaks.
Fortunately, the solution is simple: simply rinse and wash your face with lukewarm water. Your skin will thank you!
- Choose a cleanser that matches your skin type
The type of cleanser you choose has a huge impact on the appearance of your skin. Here are some tips on how to choose the right product for you:
Oily skin – To get rid of dirt, grime, and other impurities, while making sure the oil you strip off doesn’t come back in full force, invest in a cleanser with both exfoliating and moisturising properties. So, you get rid of the muck and quickly replenish the lost moisture, giving you smooth matte skin.
Dry skin – People with dry skin usually produce less sebum than others. So they require a cleanser with extra moisturising properties to restore the skin’s natural balance. Common ingredients used to achieve this effect are natural oils like jojoba, coconut oil fatty acids, and glycine. Also, good cleansers for dry skin are typically foamy and gentle as opposed to the gel variety.
Combination skin – Choosing the right cleanser is hard if you have both oily and dry skin. So you need a product that achieves the perfect balance. Generally speaking, you’ll want a gentle cleanser that won’t irritate the skin as it cleans, but also contains just enough moisturising ingredients to hydrate and smoothen the skin.
- Wash your face after exercise
When you exercise, sweat, dirt, and bacteria can quickly accumulate on your skin. If you don’t wash your face soon enough it can increase the risk of an outbreak.
Keep in mind, it’s okay to wash your face more often than usual if exercise is part of your daily routine. So feel free to reach for the cleanser after an intense workout.
- Consult a cosmetic specialist
While a good skincare routine is vital to keeping your skin fresh and healthy, there are some facial conditions which – either due to ageing, sun exposure, hormones, or genetics – commercial products cannot solve.
If you’re having no luck with skin care products, and you have a pressing skin concern, talk to a skin specialist about the possibility of laser treatment.
These days, laser skin treatment is a safe and effective way to treat a variety of skin types and conditions – including dull skin, large pores, capillaries, redness and rosacea, acne scarring, and pigmentation. Of course, you can also choose other treatments such as anti-wrinkle injections, clinical skin peels, and collagen induction therapy based on your needs.
Best of all? Most clinics let you come in free of charge for the first visit. From there, your skin specialist will assess your unique condition and past medical history then recommend a safe, non-invasive, and effective form of treatment for you.
[i] https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/advice/a41904/should-you-be-using-your-body-towel-on-your-face/