Here at IDEAL we love a good skincare routine. Those twenty-odd-minutes spent in the bathroom are an activity we savour. It’s often the only time we get to spend alone during the day, doing something that’s relaxing, therapeutic and moreover, just for ourselves. As such, we want to get the most out of the process as possible, which got us thinking; when was the last time you took a long hard look at your skincare routine?
The world of skincare is a beauty mindfield of brands, products and ingredients and a place where even the most seasoned skincare junkie can feel overwhelmed. Indeed, with so many different types of cleansers, toners and exfoliators out there, how do you know which ones are right for you? With this in mind, here’s 5 IDEAL types of skincare products and what to expect from them.
CLEANSER
Cleansing your face is undoubtedly the cornerstone of every good skincare routine. Why? Well it’s important to remove all that make-up, dead skin, dirt and other pollutants that clog up your pores and prevent your skin from regenerating. A cleanser should leave your skin feeling clean and looking even-toned. Moreover, a good product should never have you struggling to remove makeup or dirt.
Once you’ve rinsed away your cleanser, does your skin feel soft and smooth or does it feel dry or greasy? If it’s the latter, you might need to try a cleanser more suited to your skin type. Cleansers are meant to take off oil and oily feeling products, leaving nothing behind. However, if your skin feels extremely stretched after cleansing, it means it’s missing too much oil which again, means you’re using the wrong type of cleanser. The important thing to remember is that facial cleansers are meant to leave the skin looking bright and clear. If your skin feels clean without being greasy or dry after using, then it’s probably the right one for you.
Read: 5 IDEAL and innovative skincare solutions
EXFOLIATOR
Many people don’t exfoliate because they think it will damage their delicate skin – however, we’re not talking sandpaper here and scrubbing your face until it’s red. Indeed, the whole point behind exfoliating is to GENTLY get rid of old skin cells that pile up on the surface of your skin, leaving it looking dull, rough and dry. Not only does this build-up lead to tired looking skin, it can also contribute to clogged pores that leads to blemishes.
An exfoliator works by reducing the size of your pores and getting rid of those aforementioned dead skin cells, in turn brightening a tired looking complexion and evening out your skin tone for a more fresh and youthful appearance (realistically speaking of course). Moreover, exfoliating helps you get your money’s worth out of all those other products like moisturisers and serums by improving your skin’s ability to absorb them.
While finding the right exfoliator can do wonders for your complexion, opt for one that isn’t right for your skin type and it can do more harm than good; often making oily skin oiler and dry skin even drier. If this happens, or your face becomes red and irritated after using an exfoliator, it’s safe to say you’re using the wrong type – that or you’re scrubbing too hard. The answer? play around with the different types of exfoliator. While there’s no one type fits all, generally speaking those with dry skin should use a product with fine grains or a chemical one as overexposing dry skin can make it worse, and those with oily skin should look for one containing charcoal, which will help absorb excess oil.
TONER
When it comes to skincare routines, toner often gets brushed off as overkill – it shouldn’t. Toners are specifically designed to restore your skins pH balance which can get out of whack after you’ve washed. They also help to remove excess oils and dead skin cells that may lurk on the face after washing. As such, it makes your skin feel softer and look more radiant, calming any signs of redness and diminishing pore size for those with oily skin.
However, a lot of toners on the market today tend to be poorly formulated and include ingredients that aggravate the skin; especially alcohol-based toners which are too drying, even for those with oily complexions. The answer? No matter your skin type, look for a toner with natural ingredients such as those offered by Tropic Skincare. After one to two weeks you should see results, but depending on your skin type you might see the benefits immediately.
MOISTURISER
Mosituriser is probably the main tenet of our skincare routine. It’s the one product we use if we can’t be bothered to go the whole hog with cleansers, toners, exfoliators and the like. As such it’s essential to take your skin type into consideration when using a moisturiser.
For oily skin, your moisturiser should absorb quickly and feel weightless once applied whereas those with normal or dry skin will want a moisturiser that promotes hydration throughout the day. If your skin is appearing to be too dry or too oily by the middle of the day, you should look for a different formula. For drier skin, you might want to add a facial oil to your moisturiser.
No matter what, a moisturiser should always leave your skin feeling hydrated without being greasy, regardless of skincare type. Still unsure whether you’re using the right type of moisturiser? Then simply check to see if your T-zone is dry, oily or normal(ish) at the end of the day.
ANTI-AGEING PRODUCTS
If you haven’t heard, there have been calls for the term ‘anti-ageing’ to be banned from the cosmetics industry and it seems that brands have been listening – just look at L’Oreal’s Age Perfect or Dove’s Pro Age range. So instead of using this age old beauty byword, let’s call them age defying products.
These age defying products come in the form of creams, serums, boosters and targeted solutions, often promising to make you look ten years younger. But what should you actually expect from them? Well first things first, it all depends on the ingredients it contains and how long you’ve used it for. Generally speaking, regardless of the product it should leave your skin feeling smoother and looking brighter. Moreover, your skin should start to feel firmer, and fine lines and wrinkles should appear reduced.
While you don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune on an age defying potion, the best ones often contain loads of antioxidants and active ingredients, so make sure yours does too. Bear in mind that this type of product requires ongoing use for at least two to four weeks before you see any improvement. Of course, you shouldn’t expect to look 10 years younger, but you should definitely feel that your skin has started to defy age.