Building a daily skincare routine at home might seem like a simple task to do. But with all the noise on how to take care of your skin, getting down to it can be overwhelming. There are lots of beauty talks on everything from theBest Skin Care Routine Products to the Best Skin Care Routine Steps that will lead you towards achieving your skin goals. Some routines are much simpler, whereas some comprise 10-steps-too tedious that when life happens, you’ll get stressed-out about sticking with it.  

We know how confusing it might be dealing with all of these opinions, so in order to alleviate the stress and guesswork out of building your skincare routine, we have put together theBest Skincare Routine that you can follow to transform your skin!

What’s the first step in building the Best Skincare Routine?  

The foundation of building the best skincare routine that caters to your specific needs is knowing the type of skin you have. One of the most common mistakes by newbies in skincare is choosing skincare products without knowing their skin type in mind. Because of using the products that are not suitable for their skin type, they end up aggravating existing skin conditions. Some may have  irritations, premature aging, and acne breakouts instead of keeping their skin looking and feeling its best. 

If you’re unsure how to determine what skin type you have, here’s your guide to find out:

Normal Skin

If you have no apparent concerns like breakouts, oily or dry skin or any serious skin problems to address, then you are blessed with having a normal skin type. Practically, you might not consider spending on skincare products when you have a normal skin type. But you should know that having normal skin does not mean you’ll never encounter skin concerns in the future. Thus, having a skincare routine to maintain the way it is for as long as possible and take care of it will keep the skin problems such as premature aging at bay. 

Oily Skin

Oily skin is characterized when your face appears shiny or greasy persistently due to excess oil. It happens when the sebaceous glands in the skin, the gland responsible for producing an oily substance called sebum, produce too much of it. Sebum is an oily substance vital in keeping our skin healthy by keeping it hydrated. But excess production of sebum can lead to oily skin, which might also cause clogged pores, blackheads and acne. 

Dry or Dehydrated Skin

Most people think that dryness and dehydration of skin are the same since both tend to give the same feeling of dryness, but we’re here to tell you that these are two different skin types.  Here’s how you can identify whether you have a dry or dehydrated skin: 

• Dry skin happens when the skin falls short in producing the required amount of sebum it needs to keep the moisture and build its barrier against damages caused by environmental aggressors such as pollution and UV rays. Dry skin can be different for everyone. The concerns that arise depends on various factors such as age, health, hormonal levels, environmental condition and the ultimate cause of dryness. However, common symptoms of dry skin include sensitivity, peeling or scaling, flakiness and cracks, redness, and itching. 
• Dehydration is a skin condition wherein the skin does not have enough water to retain enough moisture it needs. Many factors cause the skin to get dehydrated, which includes the weather, extreme caffeine consumption, not drinking enough water, environmental factors, and your diet. With dehydrated skin, you might notice dullness and signs of premature aging like wrinkles and loss of skin’s elasticity. 

Combination Skin

Are you confused because some areas of your face are oily while some are dry? Don’t be as you are just dealing with a combination skin type. 

Combination skin is when your T-Zone - the region of the face from your forehead to your nose is oily while the rest of your face is dry and dull. Basically, having a combination skin means dealing with two different skin types at the same time. 

Sensitive Skin

If your skin gets easily irritated with skincare products you’re using or is very reactive on the environment aggressors such as UV rays, then you’re officially dealing with a sensitive skin type. While a lot of people experience skin reactions at one point or another because of skincare products, people who deal with recurring issues such as redness on skin irritation and reactions are considered having sensitive skin. 

Acne-Prone Skin

Acne-prone skin is exactly how it sounds. This skin type is characterized when you get massive acne breakouts frequently and blemishes that are taking a toll on your face. While all of us deal with the same factors that trigger acne, some people are more susceptible to getting breakouts. It may be caused by genetics, or having more reactive oil glands that clog pores that causes whiteheads, blackheads, dead cells and dirt. 

After identifying your skin type, you can then begin identifying the appropriate skincare products that cater to your specific needs and the skincare routine steps on applying them. 

The Best Skincare Routine: Step-by-Step Guide

While we are dealing with different skin types, we all have the same goal with doing skin care. We all want our skin to look and feel great by protecting it from damages, repairing and rejuvenating it, and improving its overall health and complexion. However, with all the overwhelming routines, rituals, rules, and products that we’re told will give us the great skin we’re aiming for, you might be wondering; where should you begin? 

To help you get started with taking care of your skin, we have put together the following skin care routine steps andBest Skin Care Routine Products that will let your natural beauty shine: 

Step 1: Cleanse 

What skincare routine does not begin with cleansing? None, because it always should! The most essential step in every skincare routine is to ensure that you are able to take off the dirt, make-up, build-up of dead skin cells and other unwanted elements every morning and every night to make sure that your pores will not be clogged. 

When choosing a cleanser, carefully consider your skin type. If you have an oily or acne prone skin, choose a facial cleanser that contains ingredients like salicylic acid and purifying charcoal. These ingredients work best on cleaning out dirt and bacteria while absorbing excess sebum in your face. If you’re dealing with dry or sensitive skin, you should opt on facial cleansers that are gentle and have the same hydrating ingredients likehyaluronic acid or botanical oils that you’ll find in moisturizers.

Step 2: Apply Toner 

While toner is often considered optional, it doesmore than just balancing the pH level of your skin.Applying a toner after cleansingis also a great way for added replenishment and protection to your skin. Using a toner prepares your skin so it can absorb the active ingredients of the skincare products you’re using more effectively,  while increasing  the efficacy on treating your specific skin concerns.  

Step 3: Use a Serum

The basic routine of cleansing, toning and moisturizing has always been a good skincare regime. But as the environmental aggressors get worse, adding a product that directly targets and treats your specific skin concerns is worth your investment! Serums are very thin in viscosity and contain a good amount of concentrated active ingredients that can penetrate deeper into the skin layers.Facial Serums have  higher concentration of active ingredients to address skin concerns such as premature aging that a mere combination of cleanser-toner-moisturizer trio can’t combat alone.