The Basic Skincare Rules Everyone Should Know

As we head into 2020, the next decade promises to offer a variety of new skincare trends and routines. However, before we fully embrace the new we should take a moment to look back and remember the basics. After all, without using the basics as a foundation for our skincare routines, all of the expensive products we buy just won’t have the type of maximum effect we’re paying for. To keep you on top of your skincare game, here are a few beauty rules that our skin specialist doctor in Wilsonville considers absolute musts for 2020 and beyond.

Cleanse Once and Then Cleanse Again

Double cleansing requires washing your face not once but twice. One cleansing simply doesn’t do enough regardless of whether you wear a little or a lot of makeup. You need to cleanse twice to ensure that all of the grime, dirt, and pollution that has built up on the surface of your skin is properly removed, along with any makeup you applied at the start of your day.

Washing only once will just remove surface dirt, but add a second cleanse and suddenly you can actually penetrate your pores, flushing out any leftover dirt and sebum that may remain.

To start, try using an oil cleanser, which will help to dissolve any makeup, pollution, and sebum that sits on the surface of your skin. Next, use a water-based cleanser to help remove any water-based impurities such as dirt, sweat, or other nasty substance. When combined, this one-two punch should help to penetrate your skin and allow any active ingredients in your cleanser to work uninterrupted.

Always Layer Products in the Right Order

Your daily routine should resemble the building of a house, which each brick being placed in the proper order. When the foundation of your daily routine includes products added out of order, the entire structure can collapse. For example, if you apply a moisturizer before an eye cream, the active ingredients in the cream won’t be able to properly penetrate your skin due to the occlusive ingredients in the moisturizer that create a barrier on your skin.

To get the order right, use a general rule to always apply the lightest products first before moving on to thicker formulas at the end of your routine. If you need a little guidance on which step to take when, here’s an order we think most effective:

• Cleanser
• Toner
• Spot Cream
• Serum
• Eye Cream
• Moisturizer
• Oil
• SPF

Make sure to give each product some time to absorb into your skin before applying the next.

Know Your Skin Type

Understanding your skin’s own unique requirements will enable you to find the right products that will work the best for you. Everyone has his or her own unique skin, and while that may change over time, there are specific skin type categories you can use as a general guideline to help you find the right kind of skincare product.

Whether you deal with oily, dry, sensitive, acne-prone, or normal skin, you need to use the right type of product. Using a product designed for dry skin won’t do much to help improve your oily skin tone.

Once you understand the characteristics of your skin you’ll have a better idea regarding your skin type that will enable you to start choosing the right types of products. Most brands of skincare products will state on the packaging what type of skin they’re designed to work on, but in case they don’t, make sure you go online and read reviews and notes about a product to determine if it’s right for your skin. Our skin specialist doctor in Wilsonville can also help determine your skin type and whether a product is right for you.

Take the Time to Exfoliate

Taking the time to regularly exfoliate – meaning at least once a week – will help to remove dead skin cells that block your pores, while also working to improve skin cell renewal. Not only will regular exfoliation remove dead skin cells and the type of dirt and bacteria that contributes to breakouts, it will also help to brighten your complexion and enable the products you use to penetrate deeper.

How frequently you should exfoliate really depends on your skin type. If you deal with oily skin, you can try exfoliating between two or three times a week. Conversely, if you deal with dry skin, you may only need to cleanse once a week.

Make sure you never scrub using too much force as that will damage your skin. Instead, apply only gentle pressure and use warm, not hot, water.

Always Wear Sunscreen

As melanoma rates continue to climb, we once again remind our patients about the need to wear a sunscreen whenever you leave the house.  You absolutely must take some precaution against excess sun exposure as UV rays can penetrate you skin all year round, even in the perpetually cloudy Pacific Northwest.

Try using a lightweight SPF formula for the face, such as a moisturizer or invisible shield, with at least a 30 SPF. If you need other suggestions, make sure to ask our skin specialist doctor in Wilsonville during your next visit.