Taking care of our facial skin is an important step that we should do at least every night.
There are so many beauty products on the market for skin care, which on the one hand is wonderful because we can choose exactly what suits our skin best, but on the other hand, determining the routine that suits us best can be complicated.
At Mediterranean Health, we love simple beauty routines, especially the ones we do every day. Because although we all like and deserve a moment to take care of ourselves, the reality is that the last few hours of the day are usually hectic, and we're so exhausted that that moment is really just stolen minutes.
The simplest routine
The simplest beauty routine should have three steps: Cleansing, Toning, and Moisturizing.
Cleansing: There are several ways to cleanse your skin, using different products. Micellar water is very quick to use since it doesn't need to be rinsed off and is suitable for all skin types. Exfoliants are used once or twice a day, oil cleansers are ideal for people with sensitive skin, and gel and cream cleansers are suitable for people with normal or dry skin.
Cleansing should be done at least every night. Cleansing your skin at night removes makeup, if you're wearing it, as well as pollution, sweat, and dirt that accumulates on your skin. If you wash your face thoroughly at night, it's not as necessary to wash it in the morning, but you can use a light cleanser, especially if you tend to sweat.
Tip 1: Change your pillowcase often so that it doesn't become a source of dirt on your skin.
Tip 2: Find a time for your beauty routine that isn't right before bed. For example, after you've put the children to bed, before making yourself a cup of tea, or if you read or watch TV in the evening, before you sit down to do so. This way, you avoid being too tired to wash your face.
Our favorite cleaners:
- Organic Elderberry Micellar Water, Harmony
- Bio Facial Cleansing Gel, Green Essence
- Pro-collagen Facial Scrub, Esential'Aroms
Toning: Toning your face after cleansing is your chance to nourish it with specific ingredients: hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, or rose water. You can use a clean cotton pad, a gua sha spatula, or your fingertips—always clean.
Tip 1: If you use toners with exfoliating agents, use them only at night, so as not to expose your more sensitive skin to the sun.
Our favorite tonics:
Hydration: Both the texture and ingredients of your moisturizer are important to find the one that works best for you. For oily skin, water-based gels are ideal; for normal and dry skin, lotions and creams are best, respectively; and for sensitive skin, balms are usually the most suitable.
Oils can also be used for hydration - ideally at night - such as rosehip or argan oil, which provide extra hydration to mature skin.
Tip 1: You can use your normal moisturizer around your eyes, but for people with very sensitive skin in that area, specific products tend to cause less of a reaction.
Our favorite moisturizers
Do you have more time?
If you have more time, you can add serums and masks to your beauty routine. Generally, products should be applied by texture, starting with the lightest and ending with the thickest. For example:
Micellar Water > Rose Toner > Hyaluronic Acid Serum > Fluid Lotion
Face masks can be used once or twice a week. For example, one night a week you can use a hydrating mask instead of your night cream, and another day you can use a cleansing clay mask after gently cleansing your skin and before the rest of your routine: toner, moisturizer.
Do I need a night cream and a day cream?
Not necessarily, but day creams usually have antioxidant ingredients among others to protect the skin from the sun, pollution and dirt, while night creams tend to be thicker and are more moisturizing.
And the sunscreen?
Sunscreen should be applied after your daytime beauty routine, that is, after your lotion or moisturizer.
Our favorite sunscreens:
At Mediterranean Health we have many cosmetic brands. Click here to explore them all.