I have had a skincare routine for as long as I can remember.  Possibly over 20 years now.  I have my mum to thank for this.  Growing up, I watched her in the morning and at night take the time to cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize her face.  It is a ritual she never fails to perform and now she looks 20 years younger, with clear and beautiful skin.

It is never too late to start a facial skincare routine.  Invest the time now and it will pay off in the future.  My personal routine involves using the Clinique 3 step.  It comes with a cleanser, clarifying lotion (toner) and moisturizer. They have different formulas for dry and oily skin. It is a bit of a high end product but it does wonders for my skin by improving its appearance and feel.  I agree that this product might not work for all skin types, but it involves basic principles that should be adopted in the quest to attain flawless skin.

Firstly… Cleanse

Never ever go to bed with make-up on your skin.  Find a simple and mild facial soap to wash your face with.  This cleans out your pores and gets out all the dirt, dead cells and oils that have accumulated during the day.  It enables your skin to breath.  At the very least, use a makeup remover wipe to clean off the day.

Secondly…. Tone and Exfoliate

Toning can help clear out the dull flakes on the skin and remove excess oil that cannot be accessible in the cleansing phase.  It also preps the face to be more receptive to hydration.  Deep exfoliating with a scrub should be kept to once or twice a week so as not to damage good facial cells.

Thirdly…. Treat

Depending on the condition of your facial skin, you might be in need of some specific treatment.  For example, treating dark spots, acne or age prevention.  These treatments should be applied after exfoliating so the skin is ready to absorb them and before sealing with a moisturizer.

Fourthly…. Moisturize

A good, non-oily facial moisturizer should be used to help hydrate your skin with skin strengthening ingredients.  It returns your skin to a healthy PH balance.  If you haven’t removed the dead cells and oils before moisturizing, the skin will not be ready for moisture hydration.  Moisturizing also helps to protect the skin from cracking and keeps you looking younger.  Some moisturizers come with sun protection agents which guard against the harsh rays of the sun.  If you spend most of your time outdoors in the sun, do make sure you protect your skin adequately with sunscreen.

And lastly…. Repeat in the morning