Dermatologists are the demi-gods of Good Skin!
If you need a fool-proof skincare routine to help you achieve good skin, these dermatologist-approved skincare tips are your savior.
These daily skincare habits will take you a long way, as they are protective, anti-aging, and hydrating as well.
So, let’s get started to achieve that lovely skin we all are craving!
Table of Contents
Importance of Daily Skincare
As they say, consistency is the key to success, so a daily routine is the key to healthy and happy skin here.
Not only do you need to apply the right things on your skin, but you also need to eat right and have an active lifestyle.
10,000 steps is the golden goal you need to look out for to keep your hormones healthy and flowing at the right pace.
Hormonal health is very important to keep your skin and body healthy.
Learn more about how to fix your hormones.
Morning & Night Routines
Doing your skincare at night is as important as doing it in the morning, if not more.
The goals of both skincare routines are different, A morning skincare routine is focused on preparing your skin for the day ahead, protecting it from pollution and harsh sun.
A night skincare routine is more about repairing the skin damage, soothing it for a good night’s sleep and rejuvenating it to face the day ahead.
Cleansing For 60 Seconds
Do you know that we don’t even give our cleanser/face wash one whole minute to work?
If you think you do that, then try counting till 60 the next time you wash your face, and you will realize that you were giving it only 10-20 seconds max.
So be a bit generous towards your skin and give it at least 60 seconds to clean itself and let your facewash work.
Double cleansing is a good option, too, in which you first apply cleansing oil on your skin and massage it, followed by its foaming face wash.
Use only cleansing oils for this purpose, and do not use just any pore-clogging oil such as coconut oil, for it.
We are in love with this face shop cleansing oil and facewash combo.
Using SPF daily
A good sunscreen with an SPF of more than 30 is your best bet.
Make sure the sunscreen is from a good, reputed brand and doesn’t clog pores.
For the kind of summer we Indians face, gel or cooling moisturizers are your best bet.
I am currently using DOT & Key Watermelon Cooling Sunscreen and it absorbs amazingly well without making the skin all sweaty and greasy.
P.S. I have a combination skin type, which is sensitive, too.
Hydration and Moisturizers
Don’t make the mistake of skipping a moisturizer just because you have oily or combination skin.
Hydration is necessary for skin to keep it plump, young and devoid of wrinkles & moisturizer provides just that.
If nothing works for you then aloe vera gel will.
You can read this article for the 10 best moisturizers for oily, acne-prone skin
Incorporating Antioxidants
Antioxidants are those protecting ingredients that prevent the skin from ageing faster by neutralizing the damage-causing free radicals.
Some of the most common antioxidants that you can include in your skincare are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, Selenium, Vitamin A (retinol) etc.
So your skincare range should have some of these antioxidants in either your toner, serum, moisturizer or sunscreen.
Don’t just apply the antioxidants; eat them as well, by consuming berries, amla (Indian gooseberry) and fruits.
Skin Cycling
As suggested by dermatologist Dr Whitney Bowe, Skin Cycling is a good nighttime routine where you pace your skincare ingredients in four nights rather than 4 layers in one go.
Night One – Use an AHA/BHA Exfoliating agent such as salicylic/glycolic acid toner/serum followed by a light moisturizer.
Night Two – It’s the Retinol night. Use your retinol followed by a moisturizer. If you are sensitive to retinol, then use a moisturizer before and after applying retinol; this ‘sandwich method’ works well for sensitive skin that is adapting to retinol.
Night Three & Four – These are recovery nights where you use the hydration boosting serum or your regular hydrating moisturizer.
The cycle repeats after that. This skin cycle will help in minimizing the active-overload on the skin while providing all the benefits of the products.
Weekly Exfoliation
Unless you are following the above-mentioned skin cycle routine, exfoliating your skin with a safe exfoliator like glycolic acid once a week is a good skincare habit.
Exfoliating your skin once a week will help in removing the outer dead layer of the skin without you even noticing it.
This will help in better absorption of your skincare products, and your skin will end up looking flawless as it also helps in removing hyper-pigmentation.
Monthly Spa Day
Give your skin its well-deserved spa day once every month, if not weekly.
You can get a hydra facial done by visiting your dermatologist or cosmetologist for extended benefits, or you can simply get a cleansing session at your parlour.
This will not only relax your skin but will also reduce that stress that lingers with all of us all day long.
A peaceful facial session from a skilled artist will go a long way in making your skin glow and putting your heart at peace.
To avoid any bad effects of a facial, get the one recommended by your dermatologist to achieve the maximum benefits.
Avoiding Overuse of Active Ingredients
Just because these actives are available over the counter without any real guidance, it’s always best to follow the principle of ‘less is more’.
If you overdo this, you will end up destroying your skin barrier, and you really don’t want to do that.
Here are the Signs of Destroyed Skin Barrier and How to Treat it
Sleep and Skin Connection
Your sleep and skin are directly related. That 6 to 8 hours of sleep is really required to rejuvenate your skin and to make all your body organs work at a normal pace.
So, having a good night’s sleep is very important for healthy skin that is well-rested and rejuvenated.
Conclusion
Having healthy skin is a blessing, but turning problematic skin into healthy, plump skin takes consistent effort.
Follow these dermatologist-approved skincare habits to get the skin of your dreams.
Don’t forget to fight stress with meditation, journaling, and yoga because nothing ages you like smoking and stress!
