Winter might have some of the best holidays of the year, but it does have its drawbacks. When it comes to your skincare, winter can be downright brutal. Cold, dry air can cause skin to dehydrate and break out. A lack of sunlight means you don’t get glowing without some artificial assistance. And chapped lips? Forget about it!
No matter how you look at it, winter weather tends to wreak havoc on your skin. In fact, it’s a season that’s regularly associated with breakouts and clogged pores. Now that warmer weather is coming up, it’s a good idea to prep your skin, give it a treat, and hopefully, undo some of the damage that Jack Frost caused this year.
MUST READ: Curious About Face Yoga? Here’s Everything You Need to Know
Throughout the years, there have been many remedies that helped people soothe skin after icy weather. The newest tools in dermatologists’ arsenals are face serums. Face serums are highly concentrated skincare products that deliver nutrients and moisture to your skin in ways that moisturizer simply cannot do.
When used correctly, facial serums can help cleanse your skin, slow down aging, and lock in moisture. Here’s how you can use them to give your skin a proper welcome into spring.
Step 1: Examine the damage.
Before you can start using a serum, you need to figure out what’s going on with your wintery skin. Is it dry? Filled with blackheads? Greasy? Wrinkled? Take some time to figure out your skin type and its needs before you go shopping for a serum.
No two peoples’ skins will be identical, and serums reflect that. Different skin types will need different serums. If you aren’t sure what your skin type is, ask a skincare specialist or your dermatologist.
Most skin types will be one of the following five, or a combination of them:
- Dry. Your skin needs extra moisture in order to stay breakout-free. You’re prone to blackheads and premature wrinkles.
- Oily. Your skin feels oily or greasy to the touch, and produces extra sebum. You’re prone to acne breakouts. You may need moisture that balances out your skin, doesn’t clog pores, and reduces acne.
- Combination. Depending on what part of your face you’re touching, your skin can be dry or oily.
- Sensitive. If most products cause a breakout, you have sensitive skin.
- Aging. You have aging skin if you’re over 35 and are starting to see fine lines and wrinkles.
Step 2: Get a serum for your skin, as well as an exfoliating cleanser and moisturizer.
Once you know what your skin type is, you can start getting the right products for your spring “cleaning.” In order to get the best results, you will need an exfoliating cleanser that’s suitable for your skin type and a serum that works with it.
How To Choose Your Products
Though you don’t have to splurge on your new routine, you still have to keep an eye out for quality. Your new skincare products should have the following qualities:
- They should be dermatologist-tested and clinically proven. Having science-backed products makes a huge difference in results.
- They should be made for your skin type. The wrong products can do more harm than good.
- They shouldn’t have harmful additives. Parabens, harsh fragrances, and metals shouldn’t be near your skin!
- They shouldn’t clog your pores. Make sure they are known for being non-comedogenic.
Step 3: Kick off your clean-out by getting a facial.
Truth be told, everyone should get a professional facial at least once a season. Among skincare gurus, facials are a monthly necessity, and rightfully so. Professionally-done facials are able to clear out pores in ways that retail facial products alone can’t.
What Kind Of Facial Should I Get?
Any facial tends to be better than no facial at all. Facials don’t have to be pricey to work wonders for your skin. Most franchise spas offer them for $70 and customize them based on your skin type.
If you want to get seriously deep cleaning results, you might want to splurge for a microdermabrasion facial or a chemical peel. However, that’s not necessary. All most people really need is a deep cleanse!
Why Get A Professional Facial To Start?
The simple answer to this is that winter causes a lot of dirt and grit to get trapped in your skin. The dry air also tends to leave dead skin on the surface, which leaves your face feeling dry and dull.
Professionals have tools and training that regular people don’t have access to. Facials that are done in a spa are proven to improve skin quality for up to a month after they’re done. By clearing out all the hard-to-reach dirt, you get a cleaner slate to start a new serum treatment with. This makes your serum more effective in the long run.
Step 4: Start your new skincare routine.
Once you get a facial, you have skin that’s clearer and ready for more love. Your goal for this season should be to maintain that cleanliness as well as you can. Here’s how to use your serum the right way:
- Steam up your face. Steam opens up pores and makes it easier for cleansers to do their work.
- Clean your skin using your exfoliating cleanser. You need to slough off dead skin and remove dirt from your face in order to get glowing and give your serum a good canvas to work with.
- Gently pat your skin with a clean towel. Your skin should be damp, but not wet.
- Apply the serum to your skin. Serum hits your skin best when your pores are damp and open. This gives it a chance to lock in moisture and deliver nutrients easily.
- Place serum on your problem points. Serum works well on thin, sensitive skin areas like your eyes, forehead, and dry points.
- Massage it in. A little rubbing can help, as long as you’re gentle.
- Finish off your cleanse with moisturizer. Spring isn’t as wet as summer, so it’s still important to moisturize!
- Repeat daily, or every other day. Though some peoples’ skin adores a daily cleansing, it’s not always the right choice. If you have sensitive skin or are worried about overuse, doing this routine every other day might be the right choice for you.
