Ways to Update Your Skincare Routine
If your skin hasn’t been looking its best lately, or even if you’ve just been wondering whether it could look better, our dermatologists want to suggest that you consider that your skincare routine might need to be revamped.
It’s easy to get into a rut when we have so many other things on our plate. The way we’ve been treating our skin for years may have become mechanical, with very little thought involved. But the way we did it years ago may no longer suit our skin’s current needs, or a product we used might no longer work for us.
So here are five ways to reboot your skincare routine.
1. Know your skin type
You probably know that different skin types require different skincare routines. What works for dry skin can backfire when used on oily skin, and vice versa. But did you know there are five basic types of skin? And that they can change over time, due to diet, stress, sun exposure, and aging?
The five different types are: normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive. And each type requires its own beauty routine.
If you’re not sure which type of skin you have, our board-certified dermatologists can help you determine your skin type so you can select the best skincare routine.
2. Rethink your skincare products
Once you’ve determined your skin type, look over the skincare products you already have to be sure they’re right for your skin type, and also that they fit in with your overall philosophy. If you’re especially concerned about the environment, for example, maybe you can find newer products that use more sustainable packaging or ingredients.
In addition, in recent years many companies have been influenced by the turn away from chemicals toward more natural ingredients. You may be able to find one or more products that do what you want them to with fewer questionable additives.
On the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with sticking with a product you love, and that still works for you, as long as you do so deliberately and not merely out of habit.
3. Check expiration dates
Even if you decide to stick with your current products, at least check to see whether they’ve expired.
Many products, especially makeup, don’t carry expiration dates. Ni’Kita Wilson, a cosmetic chemist at Cosmetech Laboratories in Fairfield, NJ, told Good Housekeeping magazine that “the clock starts once you bring a product home and open it. When air hits the formula, certain ingredients start to oxidize and degrade.”
Makeup and other beauty products can also be contaminated when fingers, wands, or brushes transfer germs to them, or even through airborne bacteria. Heat and humidity, commonly found in bathrooms, also promote the growth of mold and yeast, she said. So it’s best to discard older products after a year or two.
At the very least, you should toss your mascara and liquid liner every three months, because these are prime candidates for contamination. Also, discard such products after you’ve had any type of eye infection, because you can end up reinfecting yourself.
4. Consider the season
Your skincare routine needs to change from summer to winter. Even though we rarely get the bitingly cold, dry winter air that northern states have to deal with, lower humidity and more time spent indoors means you need creamier cleansers and moisturizers with more emollients at that time of year.
Come summer, you’ll be spending more time outdoors, with its higher heat and humidity and stronger sunlight. In that case, depending on your skin type, you may want to switch to lighter products, including cleansers and moisturizers.
And remember, whatever the season, be sure to use sunscreen indoors as well as outdoors because harmful UV rays can penetrate glass.
5. Make an appointment today
If you’ve done all this and you’re still not satisfied with the way your skin looks, why not come in for a consultation. We can help you refine your skincare routine to get the most from the products you’re using.
We also have many cutting-edge dermatology treatments that can give you the fresh, brighter appearance you may be looking for, including our new Clear and Brilliant non-invasive laser therapy. It is a gentle, 20-minute treatment that requires no downtime and leaves skin with a healthy, radiant glow!
