The four essential steps involved in basic skin care are:
1) Cleansing: Choose a creamy cleanser if you have dry skin or a clear cleanser if you have oily skin. Cleansing removes impurities from the skin's surface and encourages a more radiant appearance. Use atleast twice a day. Don’t forget to use it before going to bed. All the make up should be removed with a cleanser before you go to sleep.
2) Toning: Toners not only cleanse the skin further and help in removing any remnants of particles that you may have left behind but also cools, nourishes, hydrates and freshens up your skin. It tightens up skin and close up any skin pores that may have opened up while deep cleansing the face. Toners must be alcohol-free as alcohol dries off skin.
3) Exfoliate: The objective of exfoliating is to remove dead cells from the skin's surface which will result in skin with a fresh healthy glow. Regular exfoliation over time, will increase the skin's capacity to absorb moisture, reduce fine lines and diminish acne. When exfoliating the face, use products specifically designed for the face. Products designed for your body may be too abrasive and irritating for your face. If you exfoliate regularly, keep moisturizer on your face at all times. Exfoliating causes the skin to dry out, and dry skin is an invitation for skin to wrinkles.
4) Moisturizing: It is the key component to maintaining a healthy and youthful skin. A big misconception is that this process is only needed for dry skin types. The truth is that all skin types require moisture that should be applied accordingly. The purpose of moisturizing is to restore the oil-water balance lost during the removal of bacteria back to the skin's surface. Moisturizers prevent and treat dry skin, but that's not all they do. They can protect sensitive skin, improve skin tone and texture, and mask imperfections.
