They say win the morning, win the day!
And when you’re in the mood to conquer the day, starting it with polishing your mirror-like skin is the surest way to go. The right morning routine can make a huge difference in not just how your skin looks but also how it feels.
Don’t worry if you don’t have an established morning routine yet or if your shelf of skin care products is still a work in progress. Just make sure to include the below seven steps in your AM skincare routine, and you’re good to go!
AM – or morning – skincare routine is a series of steps and products you apply to your face in the morning to refresh, hydrate, protect, and prep it for the day ahead. The main goal of an AM skincare routine is to nourish and prepare your skin for makeup application or just natural radiance.
Not only does an effective morning skincare routine give you smoother, healthier-looking skin, but it also helps to prevent breakouts, minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and keeps your skin protected against environmental factors like pollution and UV rays.
The PM or evening skincare routine is about repairing and rejuvenating the skin while sleeping. It involves removing makeup, cleansing, exfoliating, applying serums or treatments, and moisturizing before hitting the bed.
Night skincare usually adds an additional layer of night cream before sleeping to help the skin repair and regenerate while you sleep. Also, nighttime care can use more intense products like retinoids, AHAs, or BHAs that can cause sensitivity to sunlight but are perfect for accelerating the regeneration of the skin during sleep.
AM skincare products, on the other hand, are lighter because you need to apply makeup or sunscreen on top of them, and you don’t want a heavy buildup of products. The main aim is to cleanse, hydrate, protect, and prime the skin for the day ahead – otherwise, heavy products can clog up pores, cause breakouts, or interfere with makeup application.
We highly encourage you to consult a professional or do in-depth research before purchasing skincare products according to your skin type, concerns, and preferences. However, the following 7 steps are considered essential for an effective AM skincare routine that suits most skin types, given there are no underlying medical conditions or allergies.
When you clean your face, you do two crucial things: remove the residue of oils and dead skin and create a clean canvas for your skincare products. After thoroughly cleaning your face, your skin is ready for all the skincare products to be absorbed deeper into the skin.
Simply Clean from SkinCeuticals has light acid-stimulating natural enzymes that dissolve the bonds that bind dead cells to the skin’s surface. This cleanser has an exfoliating effect. After applying it, you will see a refined skin appearance, as pores and overall skin texture will look smoother and cleaner.
This cleanser has botanical extracts calming the skin while exfoliating it.
Mist is crucial to hydrating the skin as you layer the products on top. It is a spray you gently apply when you finish cleaning the skin. It’s recommended to avoid mists that contain alcohol, as it dries the skin out, and choose products that come with natural ingredients that soothe and calm the skin.
The Phyto Corrective Mist from SkinCeuticals is a calming product that can help remove any irritation or redness right after exfoliating the skin. Its blend of cucumber, thyme, olive leaf, and rosemary extracts works synergistically to soothe and tone the skin. It is recommended for all skin types, including sensitive and post-procedure.
The product also contains a 6.2% blend of hyaluronic acid and glycerin, which retain water in the skin and maintain the proper hydration level.
Serums are products that combine the benefits of moisturizers and toners. They are light, non-greasy products that penetrate deep into the skin to deliver active ingredients. Your skin gets deep hydration, nourishment, anti-acne, anti-aging, and more. Serums help treat wrinkles, rough patches, and dark spots, thus slowing down the aging process.
CE Ferulic from SkinCeuticals has the clinically proven effect of reducing combined oxidative damage from free radicals generated by UV, Ozone, and Diesel Exhaust by up to 41%. You can use it to improve fine lines, brighten the skin, and have healthier-looking skin overall.
Why have two serums in your AM skincare routine? The deep and intensive hydration that HA Intensifier provides to your skin cannot be matched by other products. It’s a multi-functional corrective serum formulated to amplify the skin’s natural hyaluronic acid levels by 30%. It also has the ability to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and rough texture.
This product has a serum-gel texture. It counters the age-related decline of hyaluronic acid levels in skin that is typical in people over 35-40. It contains hyaluronic acid, Proxylane™, licorice root, and purple rice extract. All those ingredients, each in their own way, contribute to the product’s effectiveness in restoring water balance in your skin.
Apply this serum to reduce the appearance of the crow’s feet and nasolabial folds. You can also use it to prepare the skin for cosmeceuticals and makeup.
Eyes need special attention in your AM skincare routine because the skin around the eyes is the most delicate. As a result, it’s more prone to aging and shows signs of aging earlier, and it’s also more sensitive to environmental factors such as excessive screen usage, sun exposure, and pollution.
If you want your skincare to show the best results, you need to treat the eyes separately. Otherwise, glowy, healthy skin can lose charm due to crow’s feet, puffiness, or dark circles around the eyes.
Here’s the AOX + Eye Gel from SkinCeuticals to tackle all those issues and help you achieve youthful-looking, vibrant eyes. This triple-antioxidant blend contains 5% pure vitamin C, 1% phloretin, and 0.5% ferulic acid. Additionally, it contains botanical ingredients to calm and soothe the eye area.
After the cleanser, moisturizer is the second must-have of the AM skincare ritual. Firstly, hydration is the breath of air of life for your skin. It keeps skin looking plump, dewy and youthful. Secondly, a good moisturizer also creates a protective layer for all the healthy ingredients to stay in your skin as long as possible. It covers skin from pollution, bacteria, and other environmental factors and helps you feel the real benefits of all the products you applied before.
As a good moisturizer with all the rules mentioned above, we recommend emollient from SkinCeuticals. It transfers all the essential amino acids, proteins, vitamins, and essential minerals to your skin when applied. The product contains three types of sea algae and naturally derived burnet cinnamon and ginger to keep your skin hydrated, smooth, and calm.
The sun destroys skin cells., causing hyperpigmentation, freckles, fine lines, and wrinkles —all the things that make you look older than your real age. Thus, sunscreen is a must-have for everyone, and no AM skincare routine can be considered complete without it.
We highly recommend using Essential UV from Jaques as your daily sunscreen. It contains 1% tranexamic acid, 2% niacinamide, and 0.3% phenylmethyl resorcinol, reducing existing skin discoloration besides protecting it from new ones. The concentration of 7% glycerin makes the formula feel weightless and non-greasy on the skin. It is also fragrance-free, paraben-free, and suitable for all skin types.
It’s the rule of nature that we can’t stop our skin from aging, but we can delay it by taking good care of it. By following a proper AM skincare routine, you are protecting your skin from harmful external factors and nourishing it with essential nutrients. Remember, consistency is key to achieving healthy and glowing skin. So make sure to stick to your routine and give your skin the love and attention it deserves.
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