How to Build a Skin Care Routine at Home

With limited availability of professional skin care services during COVID-19, you’ve likely
thought more lately about how to build a skin care routine at home. While you may be missing
services like skin waxing and facials, you can still pamper and soothe your skin at home. Even as spa skin care services return, it’s beneficial to keep up a consistent skin care routine on your own. With the right care at home combined with professional skin care, you can improve your skin health and fend off age- and  sun-related damage so that you always look your best.

Let your skin type guide how to build a skin care routine.

Before you start stocking up on new products, you should assess your skin type. In general, if your skin tends to feel tight or irritated, you have dry skin. If your skin often has excess shine on the nose, cheeks, and forehead, you have oily skin. If you don’t notice a trend toward either end of the spectrum, you have combination skin.

Knowing your skin type will help you build the right routine, because different skin types
respond well to different products. For example, oily skin can benefit from foaming cleansers
while dry skin may need a cream-based cleanser to avoid irritation.

Choose the right products.

One of the bigger challenges in knowing how to build a skin care routine is selecting the right products. There are seemingly endless options for cleansers, toners, and moisturizers—not to mention extras like serums and spot treatments. So how do you choose the right ones? In general,looking for products with fewer ingredients is a good guideline. You may also look for some specific ingredients that nourish and replenish the skin.

• Vitamin C – Brightens and tones the skin, helps reduce dark spots with continued use.
• Hyaluronic Acid – Seals in hydration, prevents moisture loss. Common ingredient in anti-aging skin care products.
• Green Tea and Rose Water – Both reduce inflammation and soothe sensitive skin. Can also address redness.
• Vitamin E – Antioxidant that combats daily exposure to free radicals and helps moisturize skin.
• Retinol – Stimulates collagen production in deeper layers of skin, ideal for addressing fine lines and wrinkles
• Alpha and beta hydroxy acids – Gently remove dead skin cells and brighten skin tone. Ideal for dull, rough skin and sun-damaged skin.

It’s also a good idea to check in with a skin care professional for tips on what will work for your skin concerns. Your skin wax technician or other skin care specialist can point you to the right products for your needs. In addition, remember that the most expensive products are not necessarily the best for your skin. You don’t always need to splurge on high-end skin care
products to design an effective routine.

Build a complete skin care routine.

No skin care routine is going to be beneficial without consistency. Unlike spa skin care
treatments, at-home skin care doesn’t yield instant results. So, you probably won’t want to opt
for a 15-step routine with a long list of different products. Instead, you can create a complete
routine with the following simple components.

1. Cleanse – Cleansing is the foundation of any skin routine. While foaming liquid is the most common cleanser, those with more sensitive skin tend to prefer cleansing oils or creams. Alternatively, micellar water has recently become a cleanser of choice for people with all skin types. It’s a soap-free solution that wipes away oil and dirt without stripping the skin and causing dryness.
2. Tone – Toners help to balance the skin and restore valuable nutrients. They also prepare the skin to better absorb other products you apply. So, they should always be applied just after cleansing.
3. Treat – After toning, you can apply serums and spot treatments that target specific skin concerns. For example, a vitamin-C serum can be used to lighten dark spots and sun damaged skin. These treatments are an optional step in your routine but can provide more targeted care.
4. Hydrate – Finally, you’ll want to moisturize your skin. Even if you have oily skin, moisturizer is still important. You just need to know how to pick the right one. Gel moisturizers are lighter and more quickly absorbed than creams, lotions, and balms, so they are the best fit for oily skin. Many moisturizers include sun protection and have an SPF value listed on the label. Otherwise, be sure to apply sunscreen before finishing your routine with moisturizer.

Know which steps to skip at home.

You might occasionally splurge on your home skin care with a pore minimizing mask or
homemade facial. However, there are still some steps to leave to the professionals. At-home
waxing, for example, can do more harm than good for your skin. Improperly heated wax or
irritating wax ingredients may burn or aggravate the skin. In addition, any peels, extractions, and dermaplaning are best left as professional skin care treatments.

Bare Necessity Wax & Spa is happy to be reopening our doors for waxing services and
professional skin care! Book reservations for our Gilbert or Tucson locations so you can get back to being your best self.