What content, methods and steps does the skin care process include

In fact, the skin care process is not as complicated as what is said online, and there is no unified standard answer. There are only three core necessary steps: cleansing, moisturizing, and sun protection. The rest of the steps, such as essence, eye cream, facial mask, and exfoliation, are all optional options that can be added as needed. There is no need to impose a complete process to burden the skin.

Many novices who are new to skin care tend to follow the "complete skin care process" of beauty bloggers and buy a bunch of products, including water, essence, serum, eye cream, lotion, face cream, and sunscreen, one after another. I once met a little girl born in 2000 who struggled like this for half a month. Her cheeks were swollen and closed, and she also suffered from sensitivity and redness. Only when she went to a dermatologist did she find out that it was due to excessive skin care.

Let’s take the most common pitfall of cleaning as an example. There are different opinions in the industry. Some dermatologists believe that if you don’t have oily skin in the morning and don’t apply a heavy sleeping mask at night, you can just wash your face with warm water at 32-35°C. The sebum secreted at night is the skin’s natural protective film, so there is no need to over-cleanse. Others believe that oily skin and acne-prone skin can easily clog pores in the morning due to oil accumulation. It is best to use a gentle amino acid cleanser to clean the T zone and just wipe the cheeks. I have combination skin, and I wash it off with warm water in the morning during spring, autumn, and winter. In summer, when I get a lot of oil, I use facial cleanser to wash my T-zone. I have been doing this for two years, and most of my previous cheek sensitivity has improved.

After cleansing, don’t wait for all the water on your face to dry before applying anything. At that time, the skin will easily take away its own humidity due to evaporation of water, and will dry out instead. It is best to apply moisturizing products when your face still feels moist. Don’t listen to people saying that you must apply a full set of moisturizers and creams. If you have oily skin in the south in the summer, a refreshing moisturizing lotion may be enough. In winter, if you have dry skin in a heated room in the north, you may have to add a moisturizing essence and a strong occlusive cream to moisturize it enough. My bestie with dry skin who lives in Guangzhou all year round skips the lotion and cream in the summer and only applies a moisturizing essence. Her face is not tight or oily all day long, and she is very comfortable.

When the moisturizing products are almost absorbed, it’s time to apply sunscreen every day. There is a lot of controversy here. Some people say that you must apply sunscreen during the day, even on cloudy days, because UVA can penetrate glass and clouds, and long-term exposure will make you age faster. Others say that if you have thick curtains drawn or are more than two meters away from the window, there is no need to apply additional sunscreen, which will increase the burden on the skin. There is no conclusion on whether hard sunscreen or sunscreen is better. When I go out for a long time in the summer, I always wear a wide-brimmed hat, a mask, and ice sleeves. I only reapply sunscreen on the exposed cheeks and neck. During my daily commute of ten minutes, I only apply a light physical-chemical combination sunscreen to avoid acne.

As for the whitening essence, anti-aging essence, eye cream, exfoliation, and facial mask that everyone often asks about, they are all additional functions, and it all depends on your own needs. For example, if you want to brighten your skin recently, you can add niacinamide or VC-based whitening essence before moisturizing. If you have anti-aging needs, add an alcohol-A or peptide-based anti-aging product. If you have dry lines around your eyes, you can apply a moisturizing eye cream. If the eye area is in good condition, it’s no problem to lightly apply the cream on it. Oh, by the way, the topic of whether eye cream is an IQ tax has been debated for several years. One group believes that the skin around the eyes is one-third thinner than that on the face, and a more gentle and low-irritation special formula is needed. The other group believes that as long as the ingredients are safe and do not irritate the eyes, ordinary facial essences and creams can be used around the eyes. Both opinions are reasonable, and everyone can choose according to their own use experience.

If you are in a hurry or on a business trip, you can actually do all your skin care in three steps: wash your face with an amino acid cleanser, apply a moisturizer suitable for your skin type, and then put on sunscreen. The whole process takes less than two minutes, and the effect is no worse than applying seven or eight layers. After all, when it comes to skin care, the one that suits you is the best.