ORDER OF SKINCARE STEPS

Here I explained briefly every part or step of wholesome skincare. The first question that may come to your mind that “Do I need to do 15 steps of Skincare?” The answer is simply straight cut NO.

I do 7 (9 steps including Lip Balm and Sunscreen) steps routine on the weekend or twice a week. I started my 5 steps routine when I was 23 and when I turned 24 years old I grew my skincare into 7 steps (I added a Serum and Clay Mask). But to be true I am pretty minimal. Daily I follow three steps routine. Yes, only three steps. In Summer, I follow only two steps (Cleanse+Hydrate) routine when I am at home or on other days of the week. With all these, Lip balm and Sunscreen remain constant. This is my non-filtered picture without makeup. Sorry, my phone’s pic quality is not so good.

So what’s this post about? Here I shortly explained every type of product and steps. This is like a syllabus, a lot to know in each section. Take it as a guide if you’re starting your skincare. It will roughly clear your vision. Also remember, Everything is for every type of skin including sensitive skin, oily, acne-prone, combination, or dry skin. Oils and rich moisturizers are also for every kind of skin, all you need to keep in mind is the ingredients.

What Product am I Supposed to Apply First?

In Korea, 10 steps of skincare started. But it’s now worldwide spread. Even now steps are growing and growing. So do we need to remember the serial order of the application? No, not really. But yes, there’s defiantly an order of application. Why? Because skin care products work better if we apply them correctly (correct order and the right way). When you apply multiple products to the skin, the absorption rate decreases as it goes on. But we need to collect all the goodness of them. That’s why we need to apply it in a way that if the last product does not absorb into the skin at all, still it’s okay. Like, the product is meant for the outer layer or protection, not to provide.

After clearing your face deep or not the first step is to moisturize your skin deeply. We want a product that can penetrate the deepest layer of our skin. Now, think to yourself what kind of product can penetrate the most? You don’t have to read science for that! The answer is simple. The product has the smallest molecule in my skincare I will apply that first. The lightest product.

The next steps will be providing nutrition and rich moisture. When the products are filled with some special ingredients like vitamins, Humectants, Occulsives, Emollients, and Antioxidants in richer texture, which can’t penetrate the deeper layers of our skin. Those products are like Serum, Ampule to some Moisturizer which we apply like a protector of the inner layer.

At last, we need to lock the moisturizer. Now think, how can we lock it? There is two way. One is using the thickest cream available to you or better using facial oil to lock the moister in the skin. So must you apply facial oils to lock the moisturizer? No. Thick winter cream contains oils that help to lock the moisturizer and I prefer that. With aging moisture of the skin decreases. After the age of 40, I may prefer facial oils. But back to the circle, if you’re using oil as your last step you need to use an oil cleanser while cleansing.

If you’re going outside of your house lock it with sunscreen. Don’t use oil. Oil will heat up in day time. So now that you got a basic idea, let’s dive into the steps. You may use oil at night time as the last step if you have very dry skin or for a very cold climate. I don’t prefer facial oils because they make skin unbreathable. It’s obvious which can lock moisture can lock or decrease airflow.

Remove Impurities

Before starting skincare, we must remove all the dirt from our skin. If you’re staying at home all day like the 2020/21/22 lockdown or if you work from home you may spend less time in this step. Remember to cleanse your skin with oil if you have makeup on, sunscreen, or your skin tolerated too much dirt today. Of course, you can use oil on normal days also, but those are a must. Do the whole cleansing process from one to two days in a week not more than that. Rest of the day just do double cleansing with oil first and then with a facewash.

I do double cleansing once a week (24 years old) because I’m staying at home the whole day, I do not apply makeup or sunscreen. Because direct sunlight does not enter my room. But if you have to face sunlight, or you may have glass windows or walls, you definitely should use sunscreen. In that case, you need to double cleanse daily.

1. Oil Cleanser

This is the first and must step of cleansing your skin if you’re wearing makeup, sunscreen, or any water resistance product. Massage oil into the skin (face or whole body!) gently, then sweep it with cotton, microfiber cloth. Oil cleansing is for every type of skin including dry combination, oily, acne-prone, or sensitive skin. Some great all-time favorite oils for cleansing are Olive, Castor, Sweet Almond, Argon, Jojoba Oil, and Coconut oil if you don’t have any problem with them. The use of oils may change accordingly to skin conditions but there’s nothing like Oils for Oily skin. That’s a stupid tale. If you don’t use it, you will miss out!

2. Water-Based Cleanser

After sweeping oil from the skin, then we need to use a facewash or water-based cleanser. They are available in cream, foam, and powder form. If your skin is dry, acne-prone, or sensitive, please rub it in between your hand first and make foam. Then apply it to your skin, that way it’ll work gently. Look for the salicylic acid, glycerine, and ceramides in the ingredients. I saw on some websites, that some say that micellar water is a water-based cleanser. But I disagree with that. I dislike that thing. Even for removing makeup, cheap Coconut oil works better.

3. Scrub or Exfoliants

Exfoliating your skin is the third step of your skincare routine. There are various types of scrubs in the market, in various forms. Dry, wet, cream with scrubbing particles. They are divided into two types, Physical exfoliants, and Chemical exfoliants. Lactic acid, Salicylic acid, AHA, and BHA are popular Chemical exfoliants whereas microparticles of apricots, Caffeine, Crystals, and walnut are good as Physical exfoliants. People are avoiding physical exfoliants nowadays. They are rough on the skin but only if you can’t gently use them. I still choose Physical over chemical.

4. Detox Mask

4th step of skincare or skin cleansing is to use detox products. In this situation, our skin should be soft enough. Cleaning pore becomes easy now. Clay masks work well to detoxify skin. When buying look for Bentonite, Kaolin, Charcoal, Green clay, and Red clay. Bentonite clay is a highly absorbent clay, excellent for absorbing sebum, and gunk from pores. Kaolin clay is gentler than Bentonite, good for dry skin.

Provide Nutritions

Now that we completed washing skin, and removed all the impurities, dirt, oils, and gunks, it’s time to provide some good stuff. Always start with mist if you have one, otherwise start from any next step you have. As I said it’s not necessary to apply all the things. I used just moisturizer in this section, up to 23rd age. And that’s my skin. It’s not a glass skin but you’ve to remember the rest of the thing varies with genes and the money you have.

5. Mist

Mist is the lightest skincare product almost like water. It does not contain a lot of good ingredients. More than 90% is water. Then why do we use them? I answered that before because it can go to the deepest layer of our skin. My favorite low-budget mist is Juicy Chemistry Rosewater skin mist. I started my skincare journey with this mist and finished two bottles in one year. It is made from 100% Bulgarian Damask Rose. Face mist helps to calm our skin, and prepare it for the next steps. After a lot of washing, scrubbing, and detoxifying we need to calm our skin. In this step, you may use a softener. Softener can be peeling or not. It also prepares the skin for the next steps. In face mist, there can be little vitamins from fruit extracts.

6. Toner

Toner is thicker than Mist but its texture is also almost like water. Korean toner provides great moisture to the skin and also goes to the deepest layer. I start my skincare with Toner now, as I need more moisture. See for fruit, vitamin extract, AHA, Hyaluronic acid, and Aloe vera, when buying one. There are many more good ingredients in every step, I can’t cover them here. With toners, the great thing is you can start and end your skincare here with the 7-Skin method. Franky, I did not ever apply 7 layers of toner, 5-layers is the highest I have ever gone. It provides a flood of moisture into my skin. In a tropical country like India, on Summer days when you feel nothing like applying Toner is your best friend. The truth is I only apply one layer of toner and Sunscreen on a Hot Summer day in Kolkata before going out. And still, it’s working just fine!

7. Essence

Essence is slightly thickest than toner, so we will use it after using Toner. It can come from liquid to a slightly light creamy texture. Essence is good for hydrating skin with few particular ingredients. Snail mucin essences are love! It moisturizes skin, increases collagen, good source of antioxidants, and soothes irritation.

8. Serum

Most of the time Serums are gel or thick liquid type of texture. Thicker than Essence. Serums contain active ingredients for specific skin concerns. All-time favorite skincare items are Vitamin C, Retinol, Hyaluronic acid, and Innisfree Green Tea Serum. When I turned 24, I started using the serum. I use Klairs vitamin C serum because that’s not strong and perfect for a beginner. When using serums, Ampoules please increase the amount gradually. I started with once a week. It’s been six months. Now I use it two times a week. You can use it two times if you’re starting your journey of Serums, I love to stay pretty minimal.

9. Ampoule

The ampoule is generally thicker than a Serum. It contains active ingredients in higher concentrations than Serum, so it’s more active and works faster than a serum. I decided I will use Ampoule from the age of 30. You will find a lot of posts about when to start what, But what I think is it varies from skin to skin. I may start earlier if I feel the need for my skin. Ampoules are costly. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum (Ampoule) is probably the best ampoule on the market. Except that, there are Mizon Snail repair Ampoule, Isntree Collagen Ampoule, COSRX Propoils Ampoule etc. Ampoules are also known as Treatment.

10. Sheet Mask

Now as we came to the Sheet masks you may ask Sheet masks are generally lighter so I will apply this in the 10th Step of my Skincare Routine! Exactly. It depends on the type of skincare. There are water type (Like Toner) sheets, and Serum concentrated sheets, but there are also Creamy sheet masks. That’s why I kept it here. Now you need to understand your sheet mask texture and keep it in a proper place. There are, Hydrating, Brightening, Firming, Anti-aging skin masks you may use. At this step I usually use hydrating, when I finally understood brightening, firming, and sheet masks do nothing. And for anti-aging using proper ampoule, creams are better. well, I don’t know that now.

11. Lotions

Lotions are also a new invention of Koreans and I think it’s beautiful! The concentration is lighter than a moisturizer. For Oily skin, I think lotions will work well. Even sometimes in Winter, I use two layers of lotion (in Calcutta it’s enough!) when I can’t afford another moisturizer. And that works for me fine because if I buy a thick cream I can’t use that for more than two months (Cold months in Kolkata, still more than 10-degree C)

12. Moisturizer

Moisturizers are excellent for the outer layer of skin and my last step in the skincare routine when I’m at home. It provides also protects the moisture of our skin. Look for Vitamins, Fruit extracts, and Antioxidants like Peptides, Glycerine, and Hyaluronic Acid. Including those for Body, butter sees for Mango, Shea, chocolate butter, Oils, Milk proteins, Retinols, etc. For lotions, ingredients are the same just in a little lower concentration with less to no oil.

13. Eye Cream

I know everybody uses Eye cream at first. And I still don’t know why! There are mists, Toners, Essences, Serums, Ampoules, defiantly in less contraction than an Eye Cream. If you use the eye before all those things, then from Mist to Lotion/Ampoule can’t penetrate through eye skin. That will be a waste. And as Eye creams are in thicker contraction they can’t penetrate the deepest layer of the skin, and can’t provide the needed moisture surrounding the eye! Here I wanna say I put Eye Cream at the 13th position but if your Eye cream is thicker than Lotion you need to apply it before. I don’t have a love for eye cream. You need to know dirk circles are most of the time genetics and the result of bad habits that a cream can cure.

I never used an eye cream (I can’t tell about the future!). Not that I don’t have dark circles 🐼(have light circles 😝 *see the picture, after washing my face*) But I just don’t have faith in Eye Creams.

14. Sunscreen

Last nor least, Sunscreens! You must need to use Sunscreen for all the exposing skin areas. Does not matter if it’s cloudy or Sunny if you’re stepping out of the house in the daytime you need to use Sunscreen. I sweat in Sunscreen because it’s too hot in here (35-40-degree C), and still I use it. Sunscreens come before comfort. Remember that. There are mineral and Chemical sunscreens. Minerals leave a White cast on the skin, so I use Chemical sunscreens. Klair, Innisfree, Neutrigena, La Roche-Psay, has best sunscreens. While buying, make sure it’s UVA, UVB protected with minimum PA++, minimum SPF 35.

15. Lip Balm

I always use Lip balm after Sunscreen (And the Lipstick if I want, not a huge makeup person). Because lip needs Sunscreen too! Even better find a Lip balm with SPF, because we sweep the lip multiple times throughout the day. It’s okay even if it has an SPF of 15. Make sure your lip balm texture is thick. Tip: for a softer lip, before applying Sunscreen, use a thick layer of your face cream on the lip. Let it absorb, Then complete it with SPF and lock it with a Lip Balm 👄

▶ Please check the concentration of your Essence, Serum, Ampoules, before applying. It varies companies to company. Some companies' essence is thicker than other Serum. And the same with Ampoule and Serum. Also, check your Sheet Mask's texture.

  That's all for today! I hope you liked it (❁´◡`❁)  

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