All about Facial skin care

©Harshada Ghate

“Face Skin Care” is more of a discipline than anything else. A facial skincare routine is what you need (and you have to follow all your skincare routines seriously). So, let’s find out what effective facial skin care is. Well, very simply, a facial skincare routine can consist of these 4 steps:
* Cleansing
* Toning
* Exfoliating
* Moisturizing

Cleansing

is the first thing to do in facial skin care. Cleansing prevents skin damage by removing dirt, contaminants, grease and excess oil from the skin. Just spot your face and neck with a good cleansing lotion or cream and gently massage it into your skin using upward strokes. Use a soft face tissue or cotton wool to wipe your face in a gentle patting fashion (do not rub). Cleansing should be done at least twice a day i.e. morning (as part of complete facial skin care routine) and evening (on a standalone basis). Water soluble cleansers are the best for inclusion in your facial skin care routine.

Toning

is the next in a facial skin care routine. However, this is optional in your facial skin care routine. Basically, proper cleansing can complement toning. Toning helps remove all traces of dirt, grease and excess detergent. Instead of making it part of your daily skincare routine, you can use toning from time to time, especially when exposed to harsh environmental conditions/pollution.

Exfoliation

is once again an optional step in your daily skincare routine. However, exfoliation is necessary at least once a week (or twice, depending on the skin type and the environmental conditions)Exfoliation finds its place in your facial skin care routine due to the skin’s natural tendency to regenerate skin cells every three or four weeks. Exfoliation is a facial skin care method that helps your skin go through a natural process by removing dead skin cells that are clogging pores. However, excessive or harsh exfoliation can damage the skin. So you need a balance.

The next step in facial skincare is moisturizing. 

In fact, moisturizing is the most important part of your daily skincare routine. Moisturizers prevent dry skin. Dry skin is really undesirable because the epidermis layer of the skin is torn and produces dead skin cells. Again, gently stroke upwards to make the moisturizer more effective. Moisturizers work best when applied to warm, damp skin. So, do not try to remove all the moisture in the pre-skincare step.

Besides the normal facial skin care routine, you should also exercise the following for facial skin care:

* Use proper makeup remover instead of just washing it away
* Pay heed to your skin type and the environment, when choosing facial skin care products.
* Before you start using a new facial skin care product, test it by applying it on a short patch of skin e.g. ear lobes.
* Never rub your skin too hard.
* Use sunscreen lotions for protection against sun.