Top Five Steps in an Effective Beauty Regimen
Written for Walgreens.com
With so many things to do in a day, it can be hard to find the time to shower, let alone take care of your skin and highlight your very best features. Luckily, an effective beauty regimen doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, we’ve narrowed it down to five important steps.
1. Cleanse
The first step in your beauty regimen is also one of the most important: cleansing the skin. Many people don’t bother washing their face when they wake up in the morning, and that’s usually a mistake. During the night, your sebaceous glands are very active in secreting oils that moisturize your skin in the best cases and contribute to breakouts in the worst cases. You know that shiny, slick feeling your skin has when you wake up? That’s your sebaceous glands hard at work. Oil plus bacteria can be a terrible combination, so do your skin a favor and cleanse it when you wake up.
2. Exfoliate
While you’re cleansing, it’s time to get a 2-for-1 hit of goodness for your face and your beauty regimen. The way to do so is to let your cleanser sit on your face while you’re doing something else, like brushing your teeth. That way, the active ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid have time to work their magic on your skin. Once you’re done brushing your teeth, don’t wash your cleanser off. Instead, add some exfoliating cream to the mix. This will help clear away dead skin that can contribute to breakouts. Once you’ve rubbed the exfoliant gently over your skin, wash everything off.
3. Spot-treat
By now, your skin should be clean and soft. But you may have a few problem areas to take care of. Never fear. It’s time to spot-treat those areas away. Dab some 100% tea tree oil, salicylic acid, or benzoyl peroxide directly onto pimples. Let the cream soak into skin by massaging the area lightly with your fingertip. The goal is to have it all soak into affected spots; you don’t want any residue left on the skin to interfere with your makeup application. Once the liquid or cream has been absorbed, this step is done. The products you just used will work on your pimples behind the scenes, throughout the day.
4. Moisturize
It’s time to add some moisture back into your skin. Lather on a thin layer of facial lotion, preferably one that also contains sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. This will help guarantee hydrated, smooth skin, as well as protection from excessive sun exposure. But the benefits don’t stop there. By moisturizing your skin, you’re helping to create the best palette possible for your makeup application.
5. Highlight
Now that you’ve created the ideal palette for your makeup, it’s time to highlight your best features. Choose a few makeup products that are your go-to products, such as eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick. Know how to use them, and don’t be afraid to play. This is where all of your hard work from your beauty regimen will pay off and where you’ll see the most difference. So line, brush, stroke, and fill. You’re going to look gorgeous!