There is much speculation on the care and health of our skin. Everywhere you turn, there are different methods, techniques, products, steps, and everything in between. It’s hard to sift through the noise to find the information you need and the products that will ultimately benefits your skin immediately and long term. Lots of companies have chosen to capitalize on the lack of knowledge and have included many steps and products that ultimately are unnecessary (but also not harmful) to the health of your skin. The truth is, there are actually only 3 steps required that can applied to both your AM and PM skin care routines that everyone must adopt if they hope to achieve their skin goals (1). The skin care products you choose for these three steps or even outside of these three steps will come down to personal preference and specific skin type. The good news is, there are a lot of products available in the market today tailored to different skin types. The bad news is, this can also be overwhelming!
Our goal is to get you on the right track with products that are gentle, organic, and beneficial for any skin type. Whether your skin is dry, oily, sensitive, textured, aging, youthful, acne prone, or whatever your skin type may be, these are the best products for the 3 step face washing system and have been carefully allergy tested.
Start With A Good Cleansing
The first step to any good skin care regimen is to clean your skin. This is extremely important for a few reasons. Throughout our day, whatever your routine may be, oils, dirt’s, and bacteria’s can sit on our skin’s surface. While our skin in the largest organ on our body and requires regular care, the skin on our face, neck, and chest is the thinnest and most sensitive. This means that there are certain products and techniques that must be taken into consideration when washing your face (2). Starting with washing your face kills and fully removes any bad bacteria’s, dirt’s, and oils from your skin and can even help restore your skin with good oils, bacteria’s, and even probiotics.
This is beneficial for a few reasons. Not only are you restoring your skin with good things, but you are also helping your skin prolong the aging process, hold on to its youthfulness, and overall improving the texture of your skin. However, fully removing the bad stuff from your skin can be harder than people realize. Many skin care professionals and esthetician skin care specialists have recognized that many people typically only wash their face for about 10 seconds. But this isn’t quite long enough to have any sort of positive impact on your skin. In fact, washing your face for this short amount of time can actually leave behind many of the dirt’s, bacteria’s, and oils that you are working to get rid of! Instead, aim to wash your skin in a gentle, circular motion for about 1 minute, massaging your cleansing product carefully into every surface of your face, neck, and chest. This is a proven method by professionals everywhere that allows your cleansing product to fully do it’s job and kill off all that harmful bacteria.
Our favorite cleanser is the TULA Probiotic Skin Care Super Calm Gentle Milk Cleanser. It includes all natural, organic, and allergy-safe ingredients. It is gently cleanser designed for sensitive skin, and even helps to replace probiotics in your skin. Because the surface of our skin is thinner and more sensitive than the rest of our body, probiotics soak in much faster through the face, cleaning deeply or more naturally than other products on the market with harsh chemicals. It’s sustainable for all skin types, soothing for problematic breakouts, and is full of probiotics and super foods to nourish your skin and leave it glowing and refreshed.
Tone It Up
The next step in your skin care routine is to use a good toner. This is a very important step, and one that is forgot all too often in the skin care regimen. The reason using a toner is important is because it balances pH levels in our skin (3).
But what does that even mean?
pH levels play a very large role in the health of our skin for a few reasons. First off it controls oil levels. Oil plays a big part in maintaining your skin, and there is such thing as good oils your skin produces. So getting rid of them completely would be extremely detrimental and lead to irritated skin. Applying a toner helps control these oils, only allowing your skin to produce the amount needed to maintain health and glow, and even helping remove access oils.
But wait, there’s more! Balancing pH levels in the skin can also reduce redness and inflammation. It helps you achieve an even skin tone and complexion after just a few days of regular use. This in turn reduces skin texture, acne, blackheads, and other problematic skin issues. The goal of a good toner is to give your body what it needs and to help it achieve its maximum health potential.
However, finding a good toner is not always easy, and it can be difficult to know what to look for with so many options on the market. The most important thing to remember when looking for a good toner is to look for Witch Hazel as the first ingredient. Witch Hazel is a native North American flowering plants. It is derived from the leaves and bark of the plant for potency and is then used either on its own or in products like toners. Its powerful properties contain tannins, which is a natural compound that has an astringent affect. This means that it can help reduce and prevent many skin issues including sunburns, acne, inflammation, insect bites, redness, and of course, balancing pH levels. On top of that, it is completely natural and safe to use for any skin type. The benefit, however, when using it in a toner as opposed to using it on its own, is that toners have carefully diluted it to the appropriate amount for the desired affects.
Our favorite toner option is Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner with Aloe Vera. This is the cleanest toner available on the market, and at an affordable price! Aside from the Witch Hazel balancing pH levels in your skin, the Rose Petal extract includes powerful anti-aging effects (and a great fragrance!), and the Aloe Vera extract works to soften and repair your skin. This product is also free of alcohol, parabens, and propylene glycol. To use this product, pour a small amount on a cotton ball or soft bamboo makeup pad. Gently work the toner in a circular motion covering your entire face, neck, and chest. Let dry before you move on to your last step.
Hydration Station
The last step in the 3-step skin care process is to hydrate your skin. There are a few ways to achieve this and will come down to personal preference. However, this is the last and most important step for a few reasons. Once you have cleansed your face and applied your toner, its time to replenish your skin with moisture and softness. If the other two steps have been applied, your moisturizing will soak in faster and be much more effectiveness than if just used on its own. Since you have removed all the bad dirt’s, oil, and bacteria’s from your skin, you can be sure that the only thing being absorbed into your skin is all the positive ingredients from your carefully sourced moisturizer.
Using a good moisturizer can help retain your skins elasticity, prolonging the aging process and drastically improving the overall look of your skin (4). It can also help address the issue of skin dullness by helping eliminate dead skin build up and moisturizing dry areas of your skin. If you have a particularly dry area on your skin, leave a slightly thicker coat of moisturizer over that area and let it fully soak in. This is best achieved before bed, allowing you to wake up with soft, dewy, hydrated skin.
A great moisturizer option for any skin type is the Tata Harper Repairative Moisturizer. This powerful moisturizer is packed with 32 high performance, carefully sourced botanical ingredients, vitamins, and minerals to help you achieve youthful, glowing, soft skin. It is one of the best selling moisturizers on the market today since it works well with any skin type, locks in hydration, and works on a deeper level with your skin than most moisturizers.
With these three steps, achieving the skin you want has never been easier! Stick to your three steps and be careful about the products you put on your skin. With the right regimen, you can prevent dreaded wrinkles, reduce any skin problems, and give you skin the nourishment and care it deserves.
AM vs PM Skin Care Routine
Hello, I read your blog on a regular basis.
Your story-telling style is awesome, keep up the good work!
Feel free to visit my site; chronoengine.com
Hello Abigail, I am glad that you enjoy the reading! Thanks for stopping by regularly 🙂