In today’s day and age, we’re all pretty familiar with skin care and how to use it. The industry provides for all sorts of skin problems and concerns – whether it be pigmentation, acne, blemishes and dark spots, or wrinkles. You might have a shelf of products to meet your various needs, formulated to suit your skin type. So we’re no strangers to the importance of skin care. But what some people might not know about is the importance of the timing of it. Why does a morning skin care routine matter? What are the right steps to follow for it? We’re here with the answers.
Importance of Morning Skin Care
Establishing a daily skin care routine is crucial not just for cleansing your skin but also to strengthen the skin barrier. Some might people prefer to follow a skin care procedure at night, some might do it in the evenings of a busy day. But doing your skin care in the morning particularly important:
• Prepare against Damage: In India, there’s a whole lot of environmental stressors that can damage our skin; like free radicals that cause oxidative stress, pollution, harsh weather, etc. So the strategy for your morning skin care is “preparation”. Provide your skin with the arsenal it needs to fight against oncoming stressors throughout the day. Start your day with a morning face care routine and prepare your skin to handle the heat.
• Cleanse Impurities: Everybody has an internal biological clock called their “circadian rhythm”. It’s been found that even our skin is influenced by the circadian rhythm, affecting factors like permeability, temperature, moisture retention, etc. (1). So it’s important to align our daily skin care routine with our internal clocks. You might’ve noticed that sometimes your skin accumulates impurities overnight, so it’s important to cleanse your skin correctly after you wake up.
What Does Your Skin Type Say About Your Routine
It's important to figure out your skin type before getting into the skin care routine steps. No two people have the same skin, so your skin care routine should also be customised accordingly. The kind of products that suit your skin type, the ingredients you should look out for – it all depends on listening to your skin more than friendly recommendations.
• Dry skin means the skin barrier lacks hydration. So it requires hydrating cleansers and heavier moisturisers with hyaluronic acid and ceramides. Skin that dries out easily requires extra hydration from the get-go.
• Oily skin tends to develop acne because of excess oil production. So it responds well to lightweight, non-comedogenic products with oil-control ingredients like niacinamide.
• Sensitive skin can get easily irritated by weather conditions or the wrong products, leading to redness and itchiness. It needs gentle formulations that are preferably fragrance-free. Look for simple routines that include a mild cleanser and a basic, non-irritating moisturiser.
Morning Skin Care Guide
Even though you’ll be choosing products depending on your needs, there are some standard kinds of products that should definitely be part of your skin care regimen. So here are the morning skin care routine steps you can follow:
1. Cleanser: Start with a gentle cleanser to remove oil, sweat, and any residue that collects on your skin while you sleep. Cleansing is important not only for the sake of cleaning your face and skin, but also to prep your face to better absorb whatever products will follow.
2. Toner (Optional): A toner can help remove any lingering traces of the cleanser or hard water. Cleansing also sometimes disturbs your pH balance, which a toner can help restore. If your skin is tight or dry, go for a hydrating toner with ingredients like hyaluronic acid or rose water. And for oily or acne-prone, look for alcohol-free formulas with niacinamide.
3. Serum: Serums are designed to address specific concerns, like brightening or anti-aging. It’s important to start your day with a serum to help you fight against free radicals and pollution. Your skin care routine for glowing skin needs antioxidant ingredients like vitamin C, E, or niacinamide. Pat 2-3 drops onto your face and neck, and wait some time for it to absorb.
4. Moisturiser: It’s important to lock in hydration and strengthen your skin barrier in the morning itself. And even oily skin needs hydration! Use a moisturiser that suits your skin type – gel for oily, rich and creamy for dry. Gently massage the moisturiser until it’s fully absorbed.
5. Sun Protection: Considering India’s climate and environment, this step shouldn’t be skipped. Finish your routine with a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher – these offer better protection against harmful UVA/UVB rays which can lead to a lot of harmful effects, like pigmentation, premature aging, and skin cancer. Even if you think you won’t be under the sun, don’t underestimate the effects of UVA/UVB rays – they can even penetrate windows! So apply it generously and reapply every 3-4 hours if you’re constantly exposed to sun.
6. Bonus: Eye cream and primer are purely optional. If you’re concerned about dark circles, hydrate with a special under-eye cream before applying sunscreen.
How to Choose the Right Products
• Know Your Skin Type: Wash your skin and observe its condition – if it’s flaky, that means it’s dry; shiny means oily; skin that reddens easily or feels itchy is sensitive. This helps guide your choice of products and ingredients.
• Read the Ingredients: One of the most important aspects of creating a safe and healthy skin care routine for glowing skin is to know about the ingredients. Antioxidants like vitamins C and E are needed to help fight damage, hyaluronic acid and ceramides help moisturise dry skin, niacinamide reduces oiliness, etc. It’s a little bit of effort but it goes a long way to ensuring you’re on the right path for skin care.
• Do a Patch Test: Whenever you’re looking for new products, test it on a small area of skin first, not directly on your face but somewhere around it, like your jawline or neck. This will give you an idea of how your skin would react to it without the risk of affecting your face.
• Choose Non-Comedogenic Products: This means products that won’t clog pores on your skin. Blocked pores leads to bumps on your skin, which can aggravate acne. So people with oily or acne-prone skin should make sure to choose non-comedogenic products.
• Avoid Irritating Ingredients: Try to avoid products with strong fragrances or harsh alcohols, especially for sensitive skin. Fragranced products might sound attractive, but your skin could have a reaction against it.
Final Thoughts
The secret to a skin care routine for glowing skin is identifying your skin type and listening to its needs. It’s important to establish and follow a skin care regimen every morning for stronger, healthier, more radiant skin. Be consistent with your routine and use products that match your skin type, and you’ll have skin that’s hydrated, protected, and glowing all day.
FAQs
Q1. When to apply sunscreen in skin care routine?
Apply sunscreen as the last step in your morning skincare routine, after moisturiser and before makeup, to ensure full protection from UV rays.
Q2. How to choose the right skincare routine?
Your skin type mostly determines how to choose the right skincare routine for yourself, look for products with suitable ingredients, patch-test new items, and build a simple routine around cleanser, treatment serum, moisturiser, and sunscreen.
Q3. What is a good morning skin care?
Start your morning by properly cleansing your skin. Apply a toner (optional) to restore your skin’s pH balance. Then apply a serum, these target specific issues. Apply a moisturiser (heavier for dry skin) and finish off with sunscreen.
Q4. What to drink in morning for glowing skin?
For glowing skin in the morning, drink a glass of warm water with lemon, amla (gooseberry) juice, or antioxidant-rich herbal teas to hydrate and brighten your complexion.