More people are adjusting their skincare routines to help with the various aftereffects of wearing a mask for prolonged periods. For those of us who are struggling to keep up with a good skincare routine, here are some tips to amp up your morning skincare routine for glowing, healthier skin!
A good morning skincare routine doesn’t just gives you a brighter, fresher appearance, but with clear, healthy skin, it can improve our mental well-being.
What your skin goes through during the night
Beauty sleep is not just a term! Having quality sleep can go a long way in achieving a smooth, clear complexion. When we sleep, our body switches to “recovery mode”, and this is a crucial time for intense repair and regeneration of our skin.
Our body produces the sleep hormone melatonin – which makes us feel sleepy. But more than that, this hormone helps to regulate the skin’s ability to repair itself at night. It helps the skin recover from the environmental damage during the day due to UV rays or pollution.
Human growth hormone (hGH) production also kicks in while we sleep, and this hormone is also responsible for skin’s repair and cell regeneration. It is also the stimulant for collagen production in muscles and tendons.
Skincare routine in the morning
Not everyone’s morning skincare routines are the same. You can choose an elaborate 14 step routine or a simple CTM (cleansing, toning, moisturizing) routine, but consistency and the right products are important to protect your skin from potential stressors of the day.
Additionally, you want to use your skincare products in the right order. Many beauty and skin experts have emphasized the need to cleanse and tone your skin before applying your serums and moisturizers. Our morning skincare tips below will tell you why.
Step 1: Cleanser
Cleansers play a vital role in cleaning up the product and oil build-up from the day’s events. Before we give our skin the nourishment it needs to heal properly, we need to prime the skin to receive these nutrients. Cleansers and toners help with that.
If you have oily skin, choose either foam or gel cleanser so that your skin won’t feel too clogged. A cream cleanser for dry skin works best, and the ultra-hydrating micellar water for normal skin types are all popular choices!
Step 2: Toner
Toners, as compared to cleansers, help to maintain the pH value of your skin as your cleanser might strip your skin of its natural oils.
Be sure to opt for a toner according to your needs. Some types of toners include alcohol-based toners (for minimizing pores), hydroxy-acid toners (for exfoliation), or glycerin-based toners to soothe dry and sensitive skin.
Step 3: Serum
Serums are of thin viscosity, in contrast to moisturizers. These are highly concentrated face treatments that can tackle various skin problems by penetrating deep below your skin. After cleansing and toning the face, the skin is better primed to absorb the smaller molecular-weight ingredients of the serum.
Tip: Serums should not be replaced with moisturizers and vice versa, but skin experts say that they can amplify the effects of your moisturizer.
Step 4: Moisturizer
Every morning and before bedtime, apply your moisturizer like your life depends on it. Why? You may not notice it, but your body temperature rises slightly while you sleep as the skin works to repair and rebuild damaged or weak tissue. This process temporarily stimulates dryness in the skin and is called “transepidermal water loss”. Therefore, you wake up to a reasonably dry skin texture and not an overly oily one.
To tackle this dryness, use a light or heavy moisturizer according to your skin type!
Step 5: Sunscreen
Ah, the Sun. We bathe in it and we soak it in. For others, we avoid it whenever we can in the cool respite of air-conditioned shopping malls. Regardless, a sunscreen is highly recommended to prevent sun-damaged skin and skin cancer.
A good sunscreen shields us from the harmful rays of the Sun, and this can help to slow down the signs of ageing. Even if you are going to be indoors all day, you should still apply sunscreen to protect your skin.
What is the difference between morning vs night-time skincare routines?
You can have similar skincare routines for when you start the day and before it ends, but the truth is, our skincare routines for morning and night-time serves different purposes. In general, our morning skincare routine is vital to protect our skin from external factors, like the Sun, pollution, air-conditioning, and more.
At night, we want to use skincare products that boost our skin’s ability to heal and rejuvenate. Products like acne treatments and eye creams are some examples that we can reserve for our pre-bedtime skincare rituals.
Tips for a good skincare routine
Especially when reversing certain skin conditions, such as fine lines, acne or acne scars, a good skincare routine requires consistency, patience, as well as lots of love. Be kind to yourself and your skin, and take your time to work through your skincare routine. This helps maximize its effectiveness and you’ll be on your way to clearer, revitalized skin in no time.
