Skincare 101 For Bginners

[dlroWeloC]

1. What products should be used for great skincare? 2. In what order should skincare products be applied morning AND evening!?

[ErinBrower]

I saw this thread, and had to comment.  Please start basic.  I was an esthetician for years and can tell you if you go and buy a 10 step complicated routine (for the vast majority) after a month or two (if that long) people stop doing it.  My recommendations for building a skincare routine have always been this:

Month 1-2:  Cleanse, tone, and moisturize every morning and night

Month 2:  Add a weekly mask between cleansing and moisturizing.  I usually omit toning when I mask to keep my pored open to maximize treatment but you can always tone afterwards. (make sure you are addressing your major issue not what is popular)

Month 3:  Add a night serum before moisturizing and allow to settle for 10-15 min before moisturizing (again do your research and treat what you need, not what is trending)

After this point all recommendations are very skin and desire specific.   You are building a routine.  make sure you don't burn yourself out by getting too much at once.

Another reason to start slowly is that your skin is not used to so many products.  Adding too much too quickly can cause reactions that may be misinterpreted as allergy or sensitivity issues.  

I hope this helps.

[mrbandme]

This is great advice for a beginner. I agree...it's important to pick products that work for you; don't simply make purchases just because somethings trending because what works for one person might not work for the next. Good luck.

[ErinBrower]

Why thank you.  Skin care is a big deal to me, and I was particularly proud of this post.  You made me smile with your compliment this morning. I just hate seeing people spend so much money on skincare and never use it.  I shop for new products online, because they often have smaller sizes available.  This lets me try a product for a while and not have the huge investment of the full size if it doesn't work out.

[ashleylynne9]

Something to look into is the K-Beauty trend. At first I was overwhelmed by all of the steps but the way my skin looks now is so much better compared to how it looked before i started K-Beauty. It is a 10 step process but you only have to do what works for you. 

The steps are as follows:

Oil Cleanser- To remove makeup; Think of Farmacy Green Clean

Water Based Cleanser- I just use a regular cleanser 

Exfoliator

Toner

Essence

Treatments- Serums

Sheet Masks

Eye Cream

Moisturizer

Sun Protection 

Yes, it seems overwhelming but try the steps and do what works for you. Hope this helps!

[dlroWeloC]

Totally helpful! I heard Korean Beauty is the best which I believe bc that culture has the most beautiful radiant skin (Health) in my opinion. I screen shot your list and will be putting it into action! Thanks 🙂

[greeneyedgirl107]

@dlroWeloC For order of products, it's usually cleanser, tone, serum, moisturizer.  Basically, you go from thinnest to thickest.

For key products, I would say liquid cleanser and a hydroxy acid.  BHA is for chemical exfoliation deep down for acne and blackheads, where AHA is for anti-aging and sun damage.

Toner is a personal choice.  If you feel like your cleanser isn't cleansing enough, then some would say you need a toner.  I personally would say that you need a better cleanser.  If you are getting a toner, use one that is alcohol free and that preferably has some antioxidants.

If you are looking for SPF, try finding it in a moisturizer so that it is easier on your skin and you are putting on less products.  A good one is CeraVe (the day one has SPF, the PM doesn't).  Not everyone needs a moisturizer, though.

If you are concerned about acne/blackheads, then you can try Differin; if that doesn't work then talk to your MD about Retin-A.  Oil blotting sheets are helpful, as is Persagel for spot treatments.

If anti-aging is a concern, then a serum with retinol is important.

Good luck!

[kendralh]

For gentle toners, I really like Dirty Laundry Balancing Antioxidant Toner!

I feel like it refreshes my skin and helps to prepare it for whatever other products I'm about to put on it 🙂 Also, it's base is aloe rather than water or alcohol like a loootttt of other toners. 

[dlroWeloC]

Wow so informative!! Thank you! I've heard good things about CeraVe was really good for acne prone skin and oily skin so you saying it just confirms it for me. I will literally write this down and post it on my wall by my beauty products.

[ekat003]

Sunscreen daily! Even if you aren't outside it helps with free radicals. I've heard great things about Elta MD too. I have to find stuff that doesn't burn the heck out of my eyes when I sweat. Elta can be purchased on Amazon and they have free returns. Get suncare samples from Sephora to find out what you like. I like moisturizers or foundation with sunscreen that way they are a multi type product.

[dlroWeloC]

Okay!! Thanks so much!!! I'm going to definitely look into that!!

[skcfan]

@dlroWeloC A lot of skincare is YMMV-so there will probably be a lot of trial and error in the beginning. For the basics- in the morning you need a cleanser and moisturizer and sunscreen- in the evening you need a cleanser and moisturizer. After you get used to a very basic routine- you might want to look into adding actives to address any specific concerns you have. For example a BHA might help with acne or a retinoid for anti-aging. As much as it is exciting to start a new routine- remember to add things one at a time so that if you have a reaction to a specific product then you can stop just that product immediately.

[dlroWeloC]

---

skcfan wrote:
@dlroWeloC A lot of skincare is YMMV-so there will probably be a lot of trial and error in the beginning. For the basics- in the morning you need a cleanser and moisturizer and sunscreen- in the evening you need a cleanser and moisturizer. After you get used to a very basic routine- you might want to look into adding actives to address any specific concerns you have. For example a BHA might help with acne or a retinoid for anti-aging. As much as it is exciting to start a new routine- remember to add things one at a time so that if you have a reaction to a specific product then you can stop just that product immediately.

---

Thanks! I heard sunscreen is a vital step, but I don't know which to try. I lave large pores and my skin always feels like it's clogged when ever I put a lotion type of texture on it. 

[skcfan]

@dlroWeloC I really like Elta MD UV Clear because other sunscreens make me break out. I know a lot of people use sunscreens from Korea or Japan because they're sometimes more cosmetically elegant and lightweight.