Your Basic Skin Care Routine

A few facials here and there won’t keep you glowing permanently, so I’ll sum it up; daily skin ritual.

Step 1: Cleanse

Cleansing rids your skin of make-up, dirt, oil and pollution. The intention of cleansing is to gently clear the surface debris from your skin without stripping it of its natural oils and protective layer. Despite their popularity, and the pervasive myth that a deeper cleanse is more effective, foaming, gel and exfoliating cleansers are simply too harsh for the delicate skin of your face and décolleté. Although it can be tempting to chose a foaming product or a gel that leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean, proceed with caution! The oil in your skin, also known as sebum, mixes with sweat to become the acid mantle, a very fine, slightly acidic film on the surface of human skin that acts as a barrier to bacteria, viruses and other harmful contaminants. If your daily scrub is too stripping, your skin will likely compensate by increasing its production of oil in an attempt to preserve the acid mantle. I often see this cycle with acne patients, they are desperately trying to control oil production to reduce their spots, not realizing their cleanser is part of the problem! If the cleanser is too abrasive, this can also disrupt the acid mantle allowing for bacteria, viruses and fungus to grow and in turn, makes your skin more sensitive and reactive to chemicals, perfumes and dyes. Think dry, red, inflamed, unhappy skin. For this reason, I almost always recommend a natural non-toxic milk or cream cleanser for all skin types. Cream cleansers use natural oils and emulsifiers to effectively cleanse the skin with an extra boost of hydration.

Step 2: Tone

Arguably the most important part of your skincare routine, and the most frequently ignored! The purpose of a toner is to restore and maintain a slightly acidic pH level for a healthy acid mantle. Moreover, it will remove any remaining bits of dirt and debris left behind by your cleanser - this is the squeaky clean feeling step! A good toner will have a chemical exfoliating action as well, with the addition of direct acids such as lactic, glycolic or salicylic acid. Toners with alcohol or strong astringent properties may be problematic for some skin types, which is why I recommend using a pH balanced exfoliating toner. pH balanced exfoliating toners speed up the epidermis’ natural exfoliating process- aka increased cell turnover, without causing dryness or flaking for that noticeable, enviable glow.

Step 3: Targeted Serum

These are the products that have active ingredients to target specific skin concerns. Think retinoids, vitamin c, hyaluronic acid and so on. Chosen depending on your skin type or skin concern, these can be your skin game changers- if you’re willing to be patient and wait out the inevitable skin adjustments and acne purge! Unless you’re well-versed in skin health, I recommend seeing a skin care specialist to help you select appropriate targeted serums.

Step 4: Oils/Moisture

Heavy creams and pore-clogging ointments aren’t my go to for hydration as they often slow down the skins exfoliation process. Less cell regeneration equals dull, dry, listless skin, so aside from very specific cases, I opt for natural, non-toxic hydrating balms and humectant oils infused with vitamins and nutrients to enrich skins hydration. Although eye cream should really be a step on its own, step 4b- use your ring finger to gently dab the skin around your eye and eyebrow using a natural, non-toxic hydrating, firming and brightening product. Word to the wise, the skin around your eye is very delicate- if you use too heavy of a product in this area it may clog your pores causing pesky white bumps known as milia.

Step 5: Sun Protection

I eluded to toner being the most important part of your skin care routine but sunscreen might take the cake. Another step that gets left out of the routine all too often, sun damage is the leading cause of aging skin. You can use all of the top skin care products and have all of the rejuvenating treatments but they won’t compare to the power of protecting your skin in the first-place. If that isn’t motivating enough, there’s the risk of skin cancer to think about. Skin cancer is common; and I don’t just mean the squamous and basal cell carcinomas our parents or grandparents are starting to get removed, I mean the life-threatening melanoma. So SPF up my beauties - daily. Not heading outside? We now know that blue light from our devices is also contributing to skin damage, so even if you’re not planning to be outdoors, wear your broad spectrum protection! To read more on sun protection and sunscreen basics, check out my previous post.

For an in-depth analysis of your skin, including specific product recommendations, or to have your current skin care routine evaluated by me, book your skin health consultation at Mint Integrative Health.

In health,

Dr. Alaina