We see hundreds of products every day on social networks, in magazines and malls. How do we choose them? When is the right time to introduce acids or retinol into our routine? Why should we apply sunscreen if there is no sun outside? These are questions that have certainly given headaches to any skincare enthusiast at the beginning of his journey for bright and healthy skin.

So I thought I would come to your help and outline a solid basic plan that you can build on in the future, without fear and with a lot of confidence in your decisions.

Three step skincare routine?

Yes. The 3-step skincare routine is the basis for anyone who wants to take proper care of their skin. Dermatologists recommend this type of regimen, especially to young people, teenagers who only need adequate skin hydration. Of course, in case of acne or other dermatological conditions, the treatment is customized according to each patient’s needs.

So, what are the three steps?

1. Cleansing

Ideally, you have to cleanse your skin twice a day: once in the morning and once in the evening. In the morning, washing the face has the role of removing any excess sebum and sweating that may occur during your beauty sleep.

Tips: a silk pillowcase helps you eliminate this problem by reducing sweating during the night by about 40%. If you want to know more about the multiple benefits of a silk pillowcase, click here.

There is an exception to cleansing the skin twice a day: dry skin. In the case of dry, reactive, prone to irritation skin, washing with warm luke water in the morning is enough.

However, evening cleansing should not be ignored or skipped by anyone. It is essential to remove as good as possible skincare and make-up products, excess sebum, dead epithelial cells, pollutants, and other residues accumulated during the day.

If you are a beginner and don’t know which cleanser suits you, the best thing to do is opt for a gentle, moisturizing product that is generally well tolerated by all skin types.

Tips: choose a fragrance-free cleanser with few ingredients to avoid irritation. It should also contain ceramides or glycerin to keep the skin barrier intact.

2. Hydration

The next necessary step in your skincare routine is hydration. Regardless of your skin type, hydration is another step that you cannot skip. Even if you have acne-prone skin, it will become dry in the absence of proper hydration. Dry skin is prone to irritation, and we do not want that.

Tips: look for those products that have written on the non-comedogenic label. The term “non-comedogenic” means that the ingredients used in the manufacture of the cream do not block the pores and will not cause unwanted breakouts. 

What are the “must-have” ingredients in hydration?

• Hyaluronic acid

The star of any skincare ritual, probably the most known ingredient on the market, which deeply moisturizes and gives that feeling of nourished and radiant skin is hyaluronic acid.

Careful! Naturally, hyaluronic acid is a large molecule that remains on the surface of the skin, forming a kind of film. That is why you must be very careful when choosing your hyaluronic acid-based skincare product. It is vital to have a small molecular weight that can penetrate the layers of the skin as deep as possible.

• Ceramides

Ceramides are essential for the overall protection of the skin and in keeping the skin barrier intact. They are crucial for those with sensitive, dry, and eczema-prone skin.

• Vitamin C

The beloved vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant with roles in protection and brightness. I dedicated an article exclusively to it here.

3. Protection

Photoprotective creams are the first line of defense against skin cancer or in medical terms – melanoma.

I care about this step the most. If I had to choose one cosmetic product to take with me anywhere, surely the first and only choice would be my SPF 50 cream.

Choose to use it regardless of the weather outside. UV rays penetrate the ozone layer irrespective of whether it is sunny, cloudy, raining, or snowing.

How do we choose it?

When it comes to photoprotective creams, they fall into two categories: chemical and mineral. Sometimes in a product, you can find a combination of the two.

Mineral creams work as a real shield. They can block UV rays penetration into the skin, thanks to ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

Chemical filter creams, on the other hand, protect the skin through a mechanism of UV absorption, based on some compounds such as octocrylene or avobenzone.

Are you ready to start?

After you have laid the foundations of your daily skincare plan, you can add other steps depending on your skin’s needs. You can start with a light exfoliation once or twice a week using acids such as AHA or BHA, serums, and masks.

But it is a great and important topic that I want to address in our future discussions. I think there is enough information for today!

What I want you to remember from this article is that even in skincare, “less is more.” You need to be consistent, not experiment too much, and give your skin time. Treat her with love and patience!

With love,
Your dermatologist