Beginners guide to skincare

Put together — and stick to — a simple daily routine

"In creating your first skin-care routine, keep it simple," 

The general rule of thumb here is that cleansing your complexion twice per day — once in the morning, once in the evening — is ideal. Cleansing in the morning will help to remove any evidence of sweat or oil left from your pillow and hair during your beauty sleep, Shokeen explains.

There is one common exception to the twice-daily rule: Dry skin. "If you tend to be dry, it’s OK to use plain water in the morning," Farber says.

Cleansing your skin in the evening, however, should never be compromised or skipped. "At the end of the day, it’s important to cleanse to remove not only skin-care products and makeup that you applied in the morning, but also excess oil, sweat, dead skin cells, pollutants, and other debris that collect on the skin throughout the day," Shah explains.

When choosing a facial cleanser, experts say that beginners should opt for a gentle, hydrating one. "Any skin type will tolerate a hydrating cleanser," Farber explains. Additionally, she says look for one that is fragrance-free, has minimal ingredients (to avoid irritation), and has ceramides and glycerin to restore and maintain the skin barrier.

Next, use a moisturizer, or a moisturizing product. "I typically recommend an oil-free, fragrance-free moisturizer," Farber says, "as this will be well tolerated in [all] skin types, from acne-prone to sensitive."

Beyond these parameters, you can also utilize this step to simultaneously address specific skin concerns by seeking out a moisturizer that's formulated with additional ingredients that target specific needs. The general list of skin-care ingredients is a very long and ever-changing one, so for the purpose of this article, here are some of the top ones to know as they pertain to moisturizer:

• Hyaluronic acid: Plumps skin and restores lost hydration.
• Ceramides: Crucial for skin-barrier strength and overall health (and important for those with dry skin and eczema).
• Vitamin C: Provides antioxidant protection and overall skin brightening.

Farber concurs: "No matter how oily or acne-prone your skin may feel, it will become dry without rehydration, and dried-out skin is irritated skin."

However, those with oily skin should seek out noncomedogenic moisturizers. The term noncomedogenic on a product label means that the ingredients will not block pores and cause further breakouts, Shokeen explains. 

"Sunscreen is your first line of defense and protection against skin cancer," Farber explains. "If you were to do nothing else for your skin, sun protection is the most important."

When choosing which type of sunscreen to apply, there are two routes to go: Chemical or mineral-based (in some cases, both are combined into one formula). Mineral sunscreens work as a shield, blocking the sun's rays from penetrating the skin, thanks to ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, protect the skin against UV rays by absorbing them, relying on ingredients such as octocrylene or avobenzone.

As with types of sunscreen, there are also two different methods of exfoliation you can choose between: Physical and chemical. The aforementioned AHAs and BHAs are chemical exfoliants, and they're excellent for inducing cell turnover, increasing collagen formation, and improving dullness, Shokeen says. Physical exfoliation, on the other hand, is just what it sounds like — manually sloughing away dead skin cells, excess oil, and buildup via a face scrub. Sensitive skin types may want to steer clear of physical exfoliants, Shokeen says, as they can irritate the skin and can induce broken blood vessels.

Additional add-on steps you can rotate in and out of your routine as needed include serums and masks. Facial serums are high-potency, lightweight topicals that are formulated with a higher concentration of active ingredients — such as vitamin C and hyaluronic acid — to target more specific skin concerns. They should be layered underneath your moisturizer — a general rule of thumb is to apply products with a thinner consistency underneath thicker ones, such as moisturizers and oil.

You can also add in a face mask here and there — though Shokeen recommends doing so no more than once or twice per week. "Face masks should be used periodically," she explains, and applied onto clean, dry skin. Seek out a face mask that's formulated to target whatever specific skin concerns you're facing that day; common examples include hydrating, clarifying, calming, and brightening masks.

Remember these important tips

As your skin-care routine continues to develop and evolve, perhaps the most important piece of information to remember as you're slathering on products is this: Less is often more. "Paring down your regimen and sticking to key, important active ingredients will serve you much better than doing too much," Farber advises. "Stick to products that do not have too many ingredients and are fragrance-free, and try new products one by one so you can see how your skin reacts."

If a new skin-care routine doesn't seem like it's "working" right away, know that when it comes to skincare, patience is a must (and if any product promises immediate results, be weary). "Don't experiment too much," Shokeen says. "Give your skin a chance to get used to a product or active agent for at least two to three months before switching." The exception here, of course, would be if a skin-care product provokes any sort of irritation or allergic reaction — in which case, discontinue use right away.

"Stay consistent," Shah says, which ties back to the having patience part. As with many things in life, consistency — going through the same skin-care routine steps every day, morning and night — is key to producing and maintaining real results. Bottom line: Trust in the process (and your own skin), and follow through with whatever plan you set out for yourself." https://www.allure.com/story/beginner-skin-care-routine

As you can see from the above article found on the Allure.com site, you don't have to spend a fortune on expensive skincare products. In fact, if you've found a good skincare line, such as www.gracefullillybodyscrubs.com, then you're 90% of the way to looking like a new-you. 

You don't have to spend a lot of money on chemically based products just to have great looking skin.