For a really long time, I didn’t pay much attention to how my skin looked. I found skincare to be a fussy task and didn’t even know what sunscreen was until my skin had suffered way too much damage. Even though I now take skincare seriously, I still wish someone would have just thrown a slap on my face 10 years ago and warned me about the repercussions of not taking proper care of my skin.
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They say skincare is subjective which is mostly true, except the fact that there are certain things about skincare that apply to all, one of which is the importance of having a good morning skincare routine.
Unlike your nighttime skincare regime, which is mostly restorative and relaxing, morning skincare is meant to act as a shield against external damage as you go about living your day-to-day life. The purpose of your morning skincare routine is to keep your skin radiant and healthy as you face the brunt of sunlight, sweat and air pollutants. With all the external elements that your skin has to fight during the daytime, it’s important to have a good morning skincare routine that is not only protective but also keeps your skin glowing.
So, if you’re ready to take on the day with a smile on your face, here is my personal morning skincare routine to help you out in the process:
1. Ice Treatment for Face Lifting
I always recommend treating your face with ice in the morning to improve blood circulation and eliminate swelling, if any. You can just take a couple of ice cubes and rub it all over your face, or you can use ice molds for this purpose. Just put a few cucumber slices in the mold, fill it up with water and leave it to rest in the freezer. Uncap the mold the very next morning and rub it gently on your face before patting it dry. Make sure that you don’t expose your face to ice for more than 2 minutes as that may give you dry skin.
2. Cleanse
Once you’ve given your skin the much-needed ice treatment, it’s time to cleanse your face of all the dirt and impurities it might have caught during the night from frequent touching or from the pillowcase.
To cleanse you face, pour few drops of a gel-based cleanser on your palm, work it into a foam and apply it all over your face in light circular motions. Now rinse your face with cold water before patting it dry.
Make sure that you use a good-quality cleanser that suits your skin and doesn’t contain any ingredient that may cause an allergic reaction.
Here are a few recommendations of Cleansers from my own skincare collection:
3. Toner
If you find toner to be an unnecessary skincare element, think again! Toner is one of the most important layers of your morning skincare regime because it helps restore the pH balance of your skin and keeps it hydrated for better absorption of other skincare products.
The good part is that applying toner is a fuss-free task. You just have to pour some of it on your palm and gently pat it all over your face.
Recommendations from my collection:
4. Serum
Serums are going to be the most expensive part of your skincare regime. But with all the benefits and nutrients they provide to your skin, the price tag is totally justified.
Serums are nothing but concentrations of nutrients that your skin needs to fight the day (and night). You can use hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, niacinamide and other antioxidants based on what concern of your skin you wish to address.
While niacinamide helps ensure that your skin stays protected from environmental elements that cause premature ageing, Vitamin C helps in treating dull skin.
Remember that serum isn’t a substitute for moisturizer but is used before it to make your skin look healthy and youthful.
You just have to pour a few drops of it on your face and gently blend it all over except the area around your eyes.
Recommendations:
5. Eye Cream
It’s important to keep your under-eye area moisturized to reduce the appearance of dark circles and to eliminate puffiness, if any. It’s always advisable to use a caffeinated eye cream as it constricts blood vessels that cause puffiness and dryness.
Make sure that you apply eye cream under and above your eyes gently without stretching the eye skin. You can just take a tiny drop of eye cream on your finger and gently tap it on the skin around the eyes until it has blended well.
Recommendations:
- Murad renewing eye cream
- Paula’s Choice C5 Super Boost eye cream
- Kiehls’ Creamy eye treatment with Avocado
6. Gua Sha Spa Treatment
Stimulating the blood circulation in your face can do wonders for your skin. Not only does it help reduce puffiness and lift up your face, it also helps brighten up your skin.
There are many face tools like Kansa wand, Gua sha board and jade roller that can be used to massage the face. Try and find what suits you the best. I am currently using this gua sha comb on my face, body and hair and find it extremely effective.
7. Moisturize
Now comes the part that helps defend your skin while keeping it hydrated and healthy. No matter how dry your skin is, never ever skip the moisturizer because it has more benefits than any other skincare product. Moisturizer, apart from keeping the skin hydrated, also helps in locking the previous layers of products like serum and toner.
Recommendations:
8. Sunscreen
Sunscreen is a magic wand sitting right there in your bag. Unless your moisturizer is infused with SPF 30 on the least, make sure that you apply sunscreen on your face as the last layer of skincare. Not just that, if your skin is directly exposed to sun, make it a habit to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.
It’s important that you use a good quality sunscreen that is not infused with ingredients that may harm your skin.
Recommendations:
- Neutrogena Beach Defense SPF 50+
- CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
- Murad Environmental Shield SPF 50
So, there you are! Remember that skipping your morning skincare routine may not cause too big a harm right away but can end up damaging your skincare over time. No matter how late you are for work or however good your skin is, never step out of the house without layering your skin with the right set of products. You’ll thank me later for this piece of advice.
Happy skincare!
