New Year, New Daily Skincare Routine

It’s a new year, folks! And what better time than now to clean up your skincare routine?

Most of us use the same skincare products on a regular basis and don’t think too much about what’s in them. You’re not eating it, so what does it matter? Actually, your skin is the largest organ of your body. If you’re willing to eat well to love your internal organs, how much more should you cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize well to love your biggest organ?

When it comes to reviving your skincare routine this year,
there are a couple of ways to go:

For a basic routine (good for normal/
combination skin), all you really need is:

• Cleanser
• Exfoliator
• Moisturizer

For an advanced routine (good for oily,
acne-prone, or mature skin), consider this:

• Cleanser
• Exfoliator
• Toner
• Treatment (variable for your needs)
• Moisturizer

Normal/Combination Skin

Despite having a reputation for being easy to care for,
it can be a real challenge to find a skincare routine for
normal/combination skin that your body loves. More
choices don’t always make for an easier decision. The best
part about having this skin type is that you can get away
with the basic routine, probably for most of the year. You’re
also free to try just about any skincare products that catch
your fancy.
For the best healing properties, try a set of products that
uses natural and minimal ingredients. This gives your
healthy skin the gentle boost it needs to stay clear, bright,
and happy.
This set of products may be everything you need for your
normal skin.

Oily Skin

Traditionally, oily skin is handled by stripping the face of
oil to reduce shine. But sadly this approach encourages
skin to attempt to “fix itself” by producing more and more
oil to catch up. This means you’re left battling excessive
oil all day long. So instead of sucking out all the oil from
your skin, try products that will tenderly cleanse and help
balance your complexion.
Don’t be afraid of products that moisturize. Adding back a
bit of softness after cleansing can help let your skin know
that it doesn’t have to “fix it” right away. Also, you may
want to go with an advanced routine to help control your
oily skin. Toners are particularly helpful here!
This refreshing, astringent toner is excellent at keeping oil
at bay.

Acne-Prone Skin

If you have acne-prone skin, you’ll find
hundreds of gels, spot treatments, toners,
and moisturizers promising to leave you
with clear skin. These products do work for
some people. But using them is not the only
way to fix your skin. In fact, depending on
the source of your acne, detoxifying your
routine could in and of itself clear up your
face. Switching to products that offer a
natural, gentle, balanced approach could
be the key to healing your skin.

However, if you have persistent problems,
then it’s time to start looking into acne
solutions. Depending on the severity of
your acne, you may want to try an entire
line of acne-fighting skincare. But if you’re
dealing with smaller breakouts that only
happen a few times per month, consider
adding a specific product or two into your
routine just at those times.

Add a touch of moisture back into your
skin with this moisturizer that fights acne at
the same time.

Dry Skin

Did you know that it’s not actually a complete lack
of moisture that causes dry skin? In fact, it’s just the
surface of the skin that gets dry, while the skin beneath
is pretty normal. Typically this happens because there
is some kind of damage or trauma that’s occured.
In the winter, it’s often the harsh weather and cold
temperatures that chafes skin. While you could try
slathering your skin with thick creams, this won’t
actually solve the problem. Instead, try a healing
routine that protects your skin and encourages cell
turnover. Dry skin is damaged skin, so help it along
by pumping it full of fortifying ingredients and
encouraging new, healthy cells to grow back.

Try this night serum to infuse your skin with healing
moisture overnight.

Mature Skin

As the years go by, the texture of
your skin begins to change, getting
a bit thinner, a bit drier, and a
few more wrinkles. The anti-aging
industry is a billion dollar industry,
with every person over the age of
30 scrambling to stave off the visible
passage of time. But the focus is
usually on artificial fixes and not so
much natural fortification.

To keep your face looking young,
it’s essential to encourage your skin
to heal, replenish, and turnover.
You’ll likely want to go with an
advanced routine for this skin type
to make sure you’re addressing all
the areas of concern. Developing
wrinkles? Dealing with dryness?
Needing to firm and tone? Choose
extra products to address your
specific issues.

Tackle dryness and saggy skin in
one go with this serum.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Afton Jones discovered that the reason her eyes swelled and watered at random was due to gluten in her mascara, so she went on the hunt for gluten-free makeup. Upon finding that no accurate resources existed, she created her own. Visit Afton on the web at glutenfreemakeupgal.com.