Basic Skincare Routine for Beginners

Ever noticed that your skin has undergone some changes lately and its time for you to stick to a skincare routine. Wondering where to start? Well, a skincare routine can be classified into 3 parts.

• Daily skincare routine
• Weekly skincare routine
• Monthly skincare routine

Daily Skincare Routine:

When you have decided to stick to a routine, all you need is dedication. Its human nature to get lazy sometimes and skip some steps in the routine. I’ve done that a lot and I regret it and I’m trying my best to stick to my routine. Daily routine includes:

• Cleansing
• Toning
• Moisturizing
• Sun protection

Cleansing: This is the first step in your routine which helps to remove all the dirt from your face. Wash your face with warm water so that it opens up the pores and gently massage with the cleanser. Wash again with some cold water in order to close the pores and pat dry.

Toning: Toners are used to restore the PH balance of your skin. That means, using cleansers, face washes might cause a little dryness to your skin. It takes away the natural moisture from your skin. In-order to restore the moisture, toners are used. Take a little amount of toner in a cotton and apply it all over your face.

Moisturizing: We use moisturizers to prevent skin from getting too dry. It is a must for all skin types (for oily skin too). Choose a moisturizer which suits your skin type. I prefer oil-free moisturizers for my skin.

Sun Protection: This is the most important step and a must have product for everyone. Direct sun exposure of skin may cause tanning and premature aging. Do not step out without a sunscreen which has at least an SPF 15. Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before you step out.

Daily skincare routine can be divided into:

• Morning Routine
• Evening/Bed-time Routine

Morning Routine: Cleansing -> Toning -> Moisturizing -> Sunscreen

Evening Routine: Cleansing -> Toning -> Moisturizing

This is only a basic routine, products like moisturizing serum, day cream, night repair cream, acne control gel can also be included in the routine based on your needs.

Weekly Skincare Routine:

There are basically two products used in a weekly routine. You are going to do it once a week and it’ll take around 30 minutes of your time, so I guess there is no harm in following this routine. (I say this to myself and end up skipping it anyway :p) Weekly products include:

• Exfoliant
• Face pack/ Face mask.

Generally we call this routine as face clean-up. I have already posted a DIY face clean-up using kitchen ingredients. You can check it out here.

Exfoliant:  Using a scrub once in a week helps us to get rid of the dead skin cells, blackheads and whiteheads around our nose and chin. Take a little amount of scrub after cleansing and gently massage it on your face. Do not use a scrub more than two minutes.

Face Pack: There are lot and lot of face packs available in the market say fruit pack, clay masks and so on. Choose one according to your skin type or you can also go for a home made face pack. Apply the pack all over your face and leave it for 15 to 20 minutes. Wash your face after 20 minutes and pat dry.

Steps: Cleansing -> Exfoliating -> Face pack -> Toning -> Moisturizing

Its recommended to do the weekly routine in the evening as the sun exposure right after exfoliation may cause damage to your new skin cells. If you do it in the day time, apply an enormous amount of sunscreen before stepping out.

Monthly skincare routine: 

On a monthly basis, it is suggested to go for a good facial. It is up to you to choose a parlour based or a home based facial . The only difference between a weekly and monthly routine is, monthly routine has a face massage step which boosts the blood circulation in your skin and also relieves you from stress.

Steps: Cleansing -> Exfoliating -> Steaming -> Remove black/white heads -> Face Massage -> Face pack -> Moisturizer

Hope you enjoyed this post. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below and don’t forget to subscribe. 🙂