You want to take good care of your skin, but the plethora of solutions, serums, and potions on the market make choosing a sensible daily regimen seem overwhelming. No matter your skin type, there is a basic skin care regimen that everyone should follow morning and night to maintain healthy skin.
Cleanse AM/PM: Washing your face twice a day optimally, but at least every evening is an important step that removes makeup, oils, dead skin and dirt accumulated throughout the day. Sleeping in makeup leads to clogged pores, and increases free radicals which accelerate the aging process.
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In your 20’s: For normal skin use a gentle face wash to reduce stripping of natural oils. For those who struggle with oily or acne prone skin, you might try choosing a face wash with added salicylic scid or benzoyl peroxide to reduce acne. A creamy cleanser may be the best choice if you have combination or dry skin.
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In your 30’s: For a more youthful glow try using a face wash with hydroxy acids and include a mild scrub a few times a week to increase cell renewal.
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In your 40’s and 50’s: Trend towards a gentle creamy cleanser with the goal to protect the skin barrier avoiding dry skin which causes skin damage.
Moisturizer and Serum, AM/PM: When the skin is cleansed not only are makeup, dirt, dead skin and oils removed but unfortunately so are the skin’s essential oils. It is important to rehydrate the skin, and there are many options to choose from.
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In your 20’s a simple moisturizer combined with broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection with at least SPF 30 to protect the skin from sun damage is your best option. In your 30’s consider adding a vitamin C lotion underneath to protect the skin from environmental damage and reduce hyper pigmentations.
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In your 40’s and 50’s: Start with a serum rich in antioxidants such as Vitamin C or E that contains growth factors to stimulate collagen production and layer a moisturizer over that to offer a protective skin barrier.
Sunscreen AM: Sunscreen Is one of the most important steps to protecting the skin against harmful rays of the sun thereby reducing the risk of skin cancer and sun damage. Sunscreen should be applied daily, at all ages, no matter what season of the year, whether you expect to spend the day inside or out. The recommendation is to use at least an SPF of 30 and reapply every few hours if you are going to be in the sun for prolonged periods.
Night Cream PM: After daily exposure to the elements and sun, your skin deserves a break. Night time is the perfect time to allow your skin to repair and rehydrate.
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In your 20’s you can go with a peptide serum or lotion with hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid.
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In your 30’s, 40’s, 50’s: Adding a good retinol product is like putting money in the bank for more youthful skin. Retinoids boost collagen and elastin growth and encourage skin turnover, the result is more tightened toned skin and prevention of fine wrinkles.
DAY TIME NIGHT TIME
Cleanser Step 1 Cleanser
Serum/Moisturizer Step 2 Retinol
SPF Step 3 Serum
Step 4 Moisturizer/Night Cream