Image: Martina Rathgens
The skin is the largest organ of the body yet we often neglect it especially when we were younger. But as our age advances and as the signs of aging start to become visible on our skin, we begin to realize the value of having a daily facial routine and staying committed to it.
Having a facial routine is a way of pampering our skin. Besides, it’s our first line of defense against the harmful UV rays, bacteria, and pollutants. They are basically exposed to harmful elements 24/7. Without commitment to a facial routine, it would be easier for these harmful elements to break into the skin, causing damage not just on the outside but also on the inside.
Creating Daily Facial Routine
Every woman’s facial routine is unique. It largely depends on one’s needs, choice of products, and commitment. A woman in her 20s who works at home basically has a totally different facial routine from someone in her 40s and is a top executive of an international company.
While there are differences on what makes up a woman’s facial routine, there are basically four (4) things that comprise these routines. These include cleansing, protecting, exfoliating, and moisturizing.
Cleansing
Cleansing is one of the most basic parts of a woman’s facial routine. It helps keeps a woman’s face fresh and clean as it gets rid of the bacteria, pollutants, excessive sebum, and dead skin cells.
When cleansing, make sure to choose a non-soap cleanser and water. This is because soap-based products tend to clog the pores, causing breakouts.
Protecting
One of the reasons why you should commit to a daily facial routine is to ensure protection from the skin-damaging UV rays and other environmental factors. Hence, part of the routine should be the use of broad-spectrum sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15. The product to use should also have a critical wavelength rating of 350nm or higher. This ensures better skin protection from the harmful UVA and UVB rays.
Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before heading outdoors and re-applied every hour or more frequently when perspiring or when swimming.
Exfoliating
Exfoliating products are typically used at night to get rid of dead skin cells that cause uneven skin texture. Exfoliating three times a week using products containing alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) like glycolic acid helps get rid of the top layer of the skin, making it highly useful for women with dark spots.
Moisturizing
Each time you wash your face, you are stripping away your skin’s natural moisture, making it look dry in the long run. A dry skin is more prone to damages. It also makes the signs of aging more visible.
A way to hydrate the skin is through using moisturizing products in the morning and in the evening. Moisturizers make fine lines appear less obvious, control oil production, and prevent skin sensitivity.
Making Facial Exercise as Part of Facial Routine
There may be creams available to keep your skin young-looking but nothing beats the natural way of doing it. If the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and crow’s feet are bothering you, then facial exercise should be part of your facial routine.
These exercises can easily be done at home or with the help of an expert. Unlike expensive night creams, incorporating facial exercise in your facial routine doesn’t require you to spend a lot of money.
Some of the facial exercises that offer anti-aging benefits include the V which is good for drooping eyelids and crow’s feet, the smile smoother for sagging skin and cheek lines, the flirty eyes for drooping eyebrows and eye hollows, smooth the brow for the horizontal forehead lines, and the giraffe for loose skin on the neck.
Every woman who values their skin should have a daily facial routine that they can commit to. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, or 50s. Having a facial routine is a way of expressing gratitude for the amazing protection provided by our skin.