Skincare is an integral part of grooming and taking care of yourself. Healthy glowing skin is not only a marker of your general health, it also makes a massive difference to how you look, which is why it is imperative to have a skincare routine that works well for you.
Before you choose the products, make sure you understand your skin type well. In case you aren’t sure, scratch your arm, and if a white line appears, you happen to have dry skin, and nothing does, you have oily skin.
Here is a quick and simple skincare routine perfect for dry skin
1. Cleansing
The first step of any skincare routine, no matter your skin type, is cleansing. Get rid of dirt and grime first with an oil-based cleanser. This type of cleansers dissolve everything making sure your skin is deeply cleaned.
While for dry skin, you can always leave it at this, but if you feel a bit oily, follow up with a gentle foaming cleanser. Make sure you don’t use a harsh cleanser as it can strip your already dry skin of essential moisture, making it look drier.
2. Toning/Essence
Follow the step of cleansing with toning, or if you’re into Korean skincare, may we suggest using an essence. A toner/essence is a watery product that hydrates the skin, and often they have humectants which help lock the moisture into the skin, giving a healthy appearance to dry skin.
Choose the essence or toner according to your skincare requirements. Opt for a hydrating one if you’re not sure where to start.
3. Serums
The next step in this dry skin skincare regime is obviously serums. Made up of active ingredients, serums are potent solutions that target specific concerns. Lighter in texture, they also absorb into the skin quite easily.
For beginners, a hydrating hyaluronic acid serum is always a good idea. For pigmentation, you can look at niacinamide serums, and for brightening, try Vitamin C in smaller concentrations.
4. Moisturizer/Emulsion
While moisturizing is an obvious step in the dry skin skincare routine, a more effective way to lock in moisture is using a face moisturizer when your skin is still damp from the serum. Moisturizer locks in the actives, making the entire routine more useful.
If in case you feel sticky after using heavy moisturizers, we suggest trying moisture emulsions. Much lighter in texture, they offer the same level of moisturizing, if not more.
5. Sunscreen
One of the most overlooked steps of any skincare routine, sunscreen is the most important. Not only does it save your skin from photodamage that the sun does, but it also makes sure your already dry skin is not parched and wrinkly after a day out.
If you use serums with any active ingredients, sunscreen becomes even more important as compounds like Vitamin C are photosensitive, and can cause more damage than good if no protectant is used.
Apart from this basic dry skin skincare routine, you can add these steps to get healthy glowing skin:
1. Include a weekly deep moisturizing treatment to your skincare routine, for example, a sheet mask.
2. Skip physical scrubs and opt for mild chemical exfoliation instead. Physical scrubs are abrasive and can cause micro-tears in your skin.
3. Hyaluronic Acid is your best friend, it helps retain moisture and makes your skin look plump.
4. Always start with lower concentrations when it comes to active ingredients, as they can easily irritate dry skin.
5. Keep hydrating mists handy for long days in air conditioning spaces as they tend to dehydrate the skin.