The building blocks of a good skincare routine starts from humble beginnings. It is easy to be overwhelmed when you consider the millions of products out there but starting off with the basics is absolutely key. When you are comfortable with your best basic skincare life, you can get fancy with it if you want to. But in order to get to the good bits, you have got to start out from the ground up. We will be taking you back to Basics in this blog. We are going to investigate the basics of skincare, and perfect your routine. Remember, you have got to walk before you run.
You cannot fail at skincare (well, unless you’re using “makeup wipes”, but you should all know how I feel about that). It is something that you do for yourself, to take care of your skin health and your mental health, and that is something that we are all for. There is nothing wrong with being a little bit basic, where skincare is concerned.
Pre-Cleansing
The very first thing in your skincare routine is always, always, always a good cleanse. Did you know sleeping with your makeup on ages you seven times faster?? Cleansing is the very first step of your skincare routine, and unfortunately most people do not quite have the hang of it! Cleansing (correctly) will remove makeup from your skin. You do not wear makeup? You should still double cleanse!
Pollution, excess oil, and dead skin cells sitting in pores can do a number on your skin, and there is no good smearing on your lovely serums over a layer of grime. It is just not the Puravida way, and it basically means you’re not getting value for money either.
Double cleansing is formed of a pre-cleanse, followed by your chosen cleanser. You can pre-cleanse with a product like a pre-cleanse oil, as this will help to emulsify your makeup, and remove oil from your skin. Do not fear the oil, even if you are more oil or congestion prone yourself. Oil cuts through oil! If you comprehensively remove all the oily product, you are still absolutely golden. Unlike other types of cleansing, pre-cleansing with an oily or fatty product can be done on dry skin, directly onto makeup. This is because it already has slip, so you don’t need it to lather. Your other option for a pre-cleanse is a magic mitt. Simply add warm water to the mitt, and gently swipe the mitt in small circles from your nose outwards to remove makeup or any residue left on your face.
How to Cleanse?
If you’re coming from using face wipes, start off with a gentle cleanser. If you’re more confident, you could consider using a ‘treatment’ cleanser (that is, one that’s acid-based). Your active cleanser might have exfoliating acids, like AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) or BHA (beta hydroxy acid) as the rockstar ingredient.
When you’ve had the right cleanser selected for you, follow the directions carefully. For the most part, you should massage a coin sized amount of product into your skin from the décolleté up (always, always from the décolleté up!). Your double cleanse routine should take around 2 minutes, a full 60 seconds each, before washing it off. I like to use the clean side of my Cleanse Off Mitt to make sure I’m getting every last trace of cleanser off my face. There. How fresh do you feel? Now your skin is deliciously clean, primed, and ready for your moisturiser, and if it’s morning time, SPF.
Why Should I Double Cleanse?
Here’s another particularly basic skincare question. Now you know to the letter how to go about cleansing, and that’s all well and good, but if you’re not sold on the idea, then how can I be sure you’ll do it?
You should remove your makeup each and every single night, no excuses. ‘But – but – but -’ No! No buts! Makeup comes off, head goes on pillow. Think about how many hours of the day that you wear makeup for – it’s probably ten-plus, if you’re anything like me. When the day is over, your skin needs time to repair itself, and be free of the makeup prison of daytime. During the night and when you sleep is the time that the skin uses to carry out its important processes. This process happens 30 times faster at night than during the day, and it helps to make sure our pores don’t get clogged.
Should I Use a Moisturiser?
Should you? But of course! It’s as basic as it gets. Vitamin A is truly essential, particularly as not one human produce Vitamin A in their body. Every bit of it that we have comes from our diet. We can also apply it topically – enter serums. Vitamin A is an antioxidant, and it is the only vitamin that can cause a physical change in skin and actually repair DNA, as well as aiding in collagen production and hydrate your skin!
A moisturiser packed with Vitamin A and other skin loving ingredients is a must!! Then when you have than down, we can talk serums!!!
Should I Use SPF?
SPF is the final step of your daily skincare routine unless you’re intending on put on (mineral) makeup. SPF is vital – 365 days of the year. The skin is an organ, and it’s an organ that needs protection from harmful UVB and UVA rays. UVB rays might be seasonal, but UVA rays are always hanging around, so a broad-spectrum SPF is absolutely key. Even if you’ve never worn SPF before, it’s not too late to start.
SPF doesn’t have to correspond to the image you might have of it – gloopy, white exploded bottles of suncream ruining your car. There are sexy and silky SPFs which sit beautifully on your skin and form a gorgeous base for makeup, if you’re so inclined.
In What Order Do I Apply It All?
Time for your SkinCare checklist. Skincare time, baby – let’s go!
- Firstly: we cleanse, cleanse, cleanse. Pre-cleanse with our chosen method and warm water. Then, we cleanse again, with either your gentle cleanser, or your treatment cleanser, depending on your needs.
- Secondly: Moisturiser!! A dollop of good stuff delivered into your skin. You need to feed the skin the fundamentals for good skin health. When we add serums, we can target particular skin concerns, whether you’re prone to redness, congestion or dry or dehydrated skin.
- Finally: SPF. Every day. Make sure you apply half a teaspoon to your face alone, and tap it into your skin rather than rubbing it in. Don’t forget your neck and ears, too – oh and your hands or any other exposed skin. Take your time with this step and try not to miss anywhere. Take this opportunity to make up a limerick, if you like, while you apply your SPF. We’re not going to tell you off.
And that’s the very basics of skincare.