AS THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY DEVELOPS DAY BY DAY, NOT ONLY NEW PRODUCTS BUT ALSO NEW CATEGORIES OF PRODUCTS ARE BEING RELEASED RECENTLY.
SO WE NEED TO KNOW WHICH COSMETICS SHOULD BE USED IN WHICH SEQUENCE AND HOW.
THE FOLLOWING SKINCARE STEPS ARE NOT ABSOLUTE.
YOU CAN USE SKINCARE COSMETICS ACCORDING TO YOUR SKIN TYPE AND CONDITION BY REFERRING TO THE PROCEDURE BELOW.
Cleanser
Booster
Toner
Ampoule & Serum & Essence
Lotion & Emulsion
Eye Cream
Moisturizer
UV/BASE
Mist
Mask
Eye, Nose & Lips
STEP 1. Cleanser
Cleansing in the evening is essential to remove contamination, oil, and makeup accumulated on the skin during the day.
On the other hand, not everyone has to cleanse their faces in the morning.
Morning cleansing may be less effective because it also removes healthy bacteria produced during the night.
It is very important to keep your skin not dry during cleansing your face.
The cleanser you use to cleansing can be divided into two types:
1. Dedicated cleansers for make-up removal Why should we have dedicated cleansers for make-up removal?
A regular facial cleanser with a skincare benefit focus will hence be insufficient for removing make-up on its own as its main focus is on targeting facial care than the removal of impurities and make-up.
What type of ingredients should we look out for in a good make-up remover?
True to their name, makeup removers are beneficial in that they can remove foundation, blush, concealer, eyeshadow, and other cosmetics from the surface of your skin. Makeup removers can be found in various textures and formulations, but the best ones are those which can remove your makeup without stripping your skin of its natural oils.
Makeup removers that have the same ratio of water and oil as waterproof make-up work the best as they come with high homogeneity to fuse with and thereafter emulsify the make-up.
Most of the time, for such cleansers to work, they contain silicone and at the same time try to avoid containing too many skincare benefits so that the quality of make-up removal is not compromised.
Silicone-based ingredients work as the name sounds, by making waterproof mascara (and other makeup) more slippery and thus easier to remove with water.
2. Cleansing for functional skincare according to the user’s preferences HOW FREQUENT IS TOO MUCH CLEANSING?
Cleansing is an important step to maintaining a healthy, clear complexion. But while there is an emphasis on basic dermal cleanliness to ensure that little or no impurities and dead skin cells cause clogged pores and give rise to acne problems, the skin still requires a natural balance of oil and water to function normally. Hence, too much cleansing can cause the skin’s pH to go haywire and at the same time strip away too much of the skin’s moisture level resulting in dehydration. Unless needed due to exercising or exposure to yellow dust and polluted air, one should take note of keeping at least six hours intervals between each round of facial cleansing.
WHAT IS DOUBLE CLEANSING?
Most consumers misunderstand the meaning that double cleansing refers to cleansing the face twice with the same cleanser. Double cleansing actually refers to cleansing the face with a first cleanser that removes make-up, impurities, and sunscreen prior to cleansing the face with a second cleanser that comes with functional skincare benefits based on the user’s preferences such as brightening, moisturizing, or acne treating and more.
HOW DO I KNOW WHEN I AM CLEANSING MY FACE WRONGLY?
Cleansing should be a soothing and comfortable process much similar to stepping out of a fresh bath with lukewarm water. The skin should not feel tight or taut after cleansing but instead comfortable and relaxed. Using two different hydrating cleansers in a two-step cleansing method cleanses the skin much thoroughly and in safer ways than using a single cleanser that uses foam to remove make-up and impurities (most of such cleansers also removes the skin’s natural oils and moisture causing imbalance to pH levels and dehydrated skin). One should also avoid using hot water for cleansing as it too can strip away the skin’s natural moisture.
WHAT IS A BOOSTER?
A booster is a product that focuses on boosting the skin’s capabilities to absorb your existing products and also help improve the skin’s existing capabilities to maintain healthy moisture levels. Most of the time a booster’s main and primary function is to either help the skin remove dead skin cells or to promote higher levels of water-binding capabilities.
One should look out for mild-type exfoliating boosters that do not require physical activities such as rubbing or scrubbing to aid the skin in the process of dead skin cells removal. Physical methods such as exfoliation beads and fruit peels may firstly result in unevenly removed dead skin and at the same time damage or harm new layers of skin, hindering healthy cellular growth.
WHEN SHOULD I USE A BOOSTER?
When one notices that their existing skincare products have less obvious improvements than when the skin was initially introduced to said product, or when there are obvious indications of the lack of ability to absorb products as readily when at a younger age, or for the ambitious individuals who are constantly looking to bring their skin to greater levels of natural health and glow.
Why should I use toner?
It is better to correct the pH of your skin that has collapsed while cleansing your face and optimize your skin condition for the next step. Because only then does that help the products you’re going to use for the next step penetrate deep into your skin, which increases their absorption. When you choose toner products, it is recommended that you avoid alcohol-based products just like the cleansers in the previous step because products containing alcohol cause skin irritation and dryness, breaking down skin barriers. Toner smooths out your skin texture one more time, cleans up waste, makeup residue, and cleans up the remaining small dead skin cells and sebum once more to create a smooth skin texture.
HOW SHOULD I APPLY MY TONER?
There are two main different methods of applying toners. Westernized toners look at the use of cotton pads as an applicator and at the same time for added cleansing after facial cleansing. By applying toner onto the cotton pad and then using it in a swiping motion, the physical action removes dead skin while providing added cleansing. In most Asian countries, Eastern toners are recommended to be applied directly to the face directly either using the hands or by a spray bottle. Clinical trials have also shown that when applying toners directly to the face with a spray bottle or using the hands aids the skin to maintain longer hours of moisture levels.
ARE TONERS FOR CLEANSING OR HYDRATING?
Depending on the user’s preference and requirement, the toner can be used differently. As double cleansing already took place prior to the basic skincare regime, the skin should be cleaned sufficiently. Using a booster before the toner also helps the skin to shed dead skin naturally. Hence, it is recommended to use an Eastern type toner for prolonged hours of hydration for the skin. Do take note however to look through the ingredient list as well as understand the product’s country of origin so as to help make the deciding factor if the toner is a western type or eastern type toner.
You may skip this step when your skin is very sensitive or if you are using a moisturizer that has no problem with your skin but contains “active ingredients.” But if your skin has problems and you are using only basic cream, the skincare cosmetics (like ampoule, serum, essence, etc.)
At this stage for treatment can be very important to you. Depending on your skin’s problems, you can choose products that contain various ingredients such as antioxidants, retinol, peptides, etc.
You can apply Ampoule or Serum or Essence gently and evenly along with your skin texture.
Products belonging to STEP 4 help prevent the feeling of your skin being tight and wrinkles in the skin.
This type of product should be applied before applying products made from a formula that feels like oil, as the particles are small and permeate well into the skin.
For First Essence, it is better to apply it before you apply the toner, unlike a regular Essence.
ARE AMPULES JUST ANOTHER TYPE OF SERUMS?
Ampules differ slightly from serums as they are designed for higher absorbency and provides a higher efficacy as they contain higher levels of nutrition. It may sound weird that a product with high levels of nutrition can be absorbed much easier than a regular product, considering how more nutrients may = to a product with a more viscous/ thicker consistency. Banking on the concept of chemistry, the molecules of ampules products are designed to be smaller in molecular size despite coming from a formula of higher concentration. This hence allows the product to absorb easier and faster, penetrating deeper into the skin taking immediate action on pressing issues of the skin.
SERUMS, AMPULES, ESSENCES, WHEN SHOULD I USE THEM?
Despite having a higher concentration of nutrients, the ingredients in ampules also come in smaller molecular sizes compared to other products. This allows the user to channel the product deeper into the skin and also experience a faster absorption rate. To prevent retarding the skin absorption process of ampules, serums and essences should hence be applied in the next step if needed.
I HAVE MORE THAN ONE AMPULE, HOW SHOULD I USE THEM?
Ampules can be layered together to achieve a greater effect and even more nourished skin, resulting in a healthy radiance.
To do so, simply take the ampule of lighter texture and apply it before the ampule of a more viscous/heavy texture.
This will also reduce the amount of time required for the skin to absorb your products before you can move on to the next step in your skincare regime. Alternatively, you may also consider separating your ampules between day and night use.
If you don’t fill in any of the oil that flew away after washing your face, your skin produces more oil to make up for the insufficient oil. The lotion is used to balance oil and moisture, it is lighter than cream and heavier than essence.
So lotions made from a formula, such as a watery cream containing oil, provide moisture to the skin while also creating a moisture film to keep moisture and nutrients from escaping. Lotion and emulsion are water-soluble cosmetics that supply both oil and moisture in the form of emulsion it is similar in function. Emulsions are characterized in that the emulsion is opaque in the formulation. If you apply too little lotion, your skin can be easily
dry, so you should apply an appropriate amount depending on your skin condition.
It is said that skin aging begins in the early 20s. Eye cream helps prevent wrinkles and dark circles around your eyes,
So if you apply it consistently, you can get the effect of preventing wrinkles and dark circles. It contains more nutrients than a regular cream type. Also, it should be applied not only to the below part of your eyes, but also to the lateral part of both eyes, and it is good to apply it around your mouth where wrinkles can appear. Apply eye cream gently by tapping on the skin with your fourth finger, in addition to it, if you apply a small amount of eye cream between your eyebrows, you can prevent wrinkles in the area.
Moisturizer does not serve to supply moisture to the skin, but protects the moisture of the existing skincare cosmetics and helps color cosmetics to last longer on your face without having bad make-up.
There are two types of moisturizer, cream type, and gel type, so you can choose according to your skin type.
Gel type: This type is mainly manufactured to provide moisture, so you can feel more moisture feeling than oil feeling.
Cream type: This type is manufactured to moisturize and nourish, so you will feel that it is slightly heavier than the gel type.
Alcohol that produces a refreshing feeling when using a moisturizer can cause skin irritation depending on the person.
If you’ve applied a moisturizer and your skin is sore, you need to check if it does not contain any ‘silicon’ ingredients.
Also if you have sensitive skin like this, it is better to apply ‘Moisture Oil’ than a moisturizer.
While most people rarely use face oil to cover their faces with a deep moisturizing layer in humid and hot summers,
in dry seasons, it is a must-have skin care cosmetic for us. If you apply this oil to your face and let absorb it evenly,
it will definitely protect moisture on your face! This will help keep the skin care cosmetics you applied in the previous
step on your skin for a long time. In addition, this helps to ensure that the color makeup you have completed
with your time and effort is not ruined and lasts for a long time.
SPF AND PA, WHAT ARE THEY GOOD FOR?
SPF refers to Sun Protection Factor while PA refers to Protection Grade of UVA. In other words, SPF protects the skin from UVB rays, which are responsible for causing the skin to burn under sunlight and darken overtime, while the latter protects the skin from UVA rays which are responsible for speeding up the process of skin ageing. 1 SPF keeps an individual with sensitive skin protected from the sun for at least 10 minutes, and so a sunscreen of SPF 35 offers a protection of minimally 6 hours. A sunscreen with PA factors of 3 ‘+’ on the other hand, protects the skin from UVA rays for minimally 8 hours.
A good sunscreen should come with at least SPF 42 and PA +++ protection. One should also take note that UVA rays
are much stronger than the weaker UVB rays and can penetrate through glass windows. Hence, basic protection
with sunscreen helps deter the effects of ageing caused by the sun.
PHYSICAL VS CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS, WHICH IS BETTER?
Chemical sunscreens tend to contain Benzophenone, which is a sealant type ingredient much similar to mineral oil.
Despite protecting the sun from harmful UV rays, this chemical also seals up the skin, and promotes an anaerobic environment for acne bacteria to thrive. Physical sunscreen ingredients such as Zinc Oxide or Titanium Oxide
on the other hand, reflects light naturally like a mirror, while leaving the skin breathability and comfortable.
WHY DO I NEED TO USE A MAKE-UP REMOVER FOR MY SUNSCREEN?
Regardless of the type of UV protection agent a sunscreen uses in its formula, sunscreens should be treated like make-up. As these are waterproof products, ensuring thorough removal of these UV protection agents help keep the skin clear
from impurities and potential mineral pigment staining which may lead to discoloration of the skin.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MINERAL WATER MIST AND A FUNCTIONAL MIST?
A mineral water mist focuses on the minerals provided in mineral water to nourish and hydrate the skin.
While certain types of minerals such as Selenium are considered to aid the skin reduce sensitivity issues, functional
face mists with actual skincare ingredients such as hyaluronic acids or even propolis extract nourishes the skin
and improve water-binding capabilities, ensuring healthier skin.
WHEN SHOULD I USE MY FACE MISTS?
You may use your face mist at any step of your skincare regime. The physical technology behind most face mists
consider the air pressure within the bottle and the size of the nozzle, resulting in ultra-fine mist particles which
will not lead to clogged pores. This also mean that you may use your mist just after cleansing, applying make-up,
or any time throughout the day without worrying about smudging your make-up! As functional face mists also
contain skincare ingredients, they can also act as a fixing spray that helps fix your make-up so you won’t have to
worry about blotchy make-up before the day even ends!
HOW LONG SHOULD I APPLY MY SHEET MASKS FOR?
When applying paper sheet masks, one should take care not to leave the mask on until it becomes dry. As the skin behaves similar to a sponge when absorbing water and nourishment, using a paper sheet mask until it dries up and lead to reverse osmosis, where the skin expels water for the paper sheet mask and hence result in water loss through the process.
A safe gauge to determine the amount of time to leave your mask on would be 15 – 20 minutes.
IS IT SAFE TO USE A SHEET MASK EVERYDAY?
It is possible to use a sheet mask on a daily basis, depending on the functionality of the sheet mask.
A hydrating type sheet mask works excellent on a daily basis and also helps reduce the puffiness caused by
water retention when you wake up in the morning. The frequency of use for exfoliating sheet masks and
firming sheet masks, on the other hand, should not exceed more than once every two days.
SHOULD I WASH OFF MY SLEEPING MASK BEFORE I SLEEP?
As the name suggests, sleeping masks should be left on while you sleep. Rinsing or washing it off can reduce
the ability of the product to help lock in moisture and nutrients while you sleep. One should take note
however, to massage the product into the skin during application and ensure proper absorption before going to bed.
At the same time, sanitary efforts to ensuring the cleanliness of your pillow and pillow case alike should be
maintained – simply place a face towel over your pillow when going to be with a sleeping mask OR ensure that
you change your pillow case regularly to prevent providing a conducive environment for bacteria or mould to
grow on your pillow.
I AM CURRENTLY USING A SLEEPING MASK, WHY DOES MY SKIN NOT SEEM TO IMPROVE AT ALL?
Without proper exfoliation, the skin loses its efficacy in absorption. To ensure better results when using a sleeping
mask, try using a mild exfoliating product or minimally tone the skin prior to going to bed. This way, the product
should and can absorb better as you sleep.
OPTIONAL STEP 3. EYE, NOSE & LIPS
WHICH STEP OF MY SKINCARE REGIME SHOULD I USE MY EYES, NOSE & LIPS PRODUCTS?
Like all products, absorption is better when dead skin cells are removed. Hence, eye masks and pore packs should be used after your booster or toner. Lip care products for locking in moisture such as lip balms on the other hand, should be used after your entire skincare regime.
ARE LIP BALMS REALLY NECESSARY?
Using your lip balm before lip color products (aside from lip stains and lip tints) also help to prevent lipstick with drying ingredients from drying out the skin at the lip area by acting as a protective barrier.
PORE PACKS VS PORE STRIPS, WHICH IS BETTER?
The physical requirement of pulling out pore strips causes tugging and damage to the skin at the nose area,
products that are not provided with an aftercare product that helps to constrict the pores or soothe the skin should be avoided. Pore packs on the other hand, despite being troublesome and requires time, are a softer and mild method to eradicate black heads. These products usually come with a first step pore mask to remove dead skin and help
‘”ease out” sebum and white heads within the pores and a second step pore mask to constrict the pores and
reduce the chances of external dirt and dust from getting into the pores, resulting in noticeably bigger pores
at the nose areas.
HYDROGEL EYE PATCHES VS PAPER TYPE EYE MASKS, WHICH IS BETTER?
Much similar to paper face masks, paper type eye masks may dry up and result in a reverse osmotic process and
strip the skin of moisture causing dehydrate skin. As the skin area at the eyes are much more delicate and easily
damaged, leaving paper eye masks for too long until it dries up can result in fine lines and damaged skin at the eye areas. Hydrogel masks work better as the jelly type remains moist longer than the intended 10 – 15 minutes to prevent
such incidents.
