What are the contents and requirements of the skin care process?

In fact, the current core process recognized by the skin care circle only has three necessary steps: cleansing, moisturizing, and sun protection. The rest of the steps, such as exfoliation, toner, essence, eye cream, and facial mask, are all additional items. There are no mandatory requirements and you can choose them according to your needs.

It's a bit like putting together clothes. Clean, moisturizing and sunscreen are the must-wear close-fitting clothing. The remaining add-ons are more like accessories such as coats and necklaces. You can add them when it's cold and wear them when you want to look good. When you don't need them, they become cumbersome. When I first got into skin care two years ago, I also fell into the trap of the "ten-step skin care method". I dared to put five layers on my face in the morning, and in the evening I removed makeup, cleansed, exfoliated, toner, essence, lotion, cream, and sleeping mask one after another. As a result, my face was full of stuffiness and I couldn't talk. I went to a dermatologist to wake up and was scolded, saying that I was putting unnecessary burden on my skin and damaging the barrier.

There are a lot of controversies online about additional steps, such as exfoliation. Most people with dry and sensitive skin think that this step is completely ruining the face. The skin barrier itself is thin, and it will take several days to redden after exfoliation. However, when oily skin produces a lot of oil in the summer, using mild fruit acid exfoliation once every two weeks can reduce the probability of oil clogging and stuffy mouth. There is no need to beat it to death. There are also toners. Some professionals feel that the concentration of active ingredients is low and it is more useless to adjust the feeling of use. It is not as efficient as applying essence directly. However, there are also many people with oily skin who feel that after washing their face in summer, they can apply some refreshing toner. The subsequent application of lotion will not feel sticky, and there is no need to use it to make it comfortable.

When it comes to specific requirements, the core is actually the word "moderate", and there is no unified standard answer. For example, when it comes to cleaning, it’s not that the cleaner the better, it’s good if your face doesn’t feel oily, tight or astringent after washing. If your face feels astringent after washing and feels like frosted glass, it’s probably because the cleaning power is too strong, and long-term use can easily damage the skin barrier. The thicker the moisturizer, the more effective it is. If you have oily skin, you have to apply a heavy cream with strong occlusive properties in summer to prevent acne. If you have dry skin, just apply a light gel in winter, and it will definitely dry out the skin. Just adjust it according to the season and skin type.

The most uncontroversial thing is sun protection, which is a must-do that all dermatologists will repeatedly emphasize. After all, photoaging caused by ultraviolet rays is the main culprit of dull skin, wrinkles, and spots. But you don’t have to be too dogmatic about sun protection. If you stay in an office with curtains drawn all day, applying SPF15 daily sunscreen is enough. If you go to the beach or climb a mountain and be exposed to the sun for a long time, you have to choose high-power sunscreen of SPF50+ PA++++, and you need to reapply it every two or three hours. It is best to wear a hard sunscreen with a hat or sun-protective clothing. When I went to Sanya last year, I was lazy and didn't reapply it. The skin on my back was peeling from the sun in the afternoon. It took almost a week to heal. I really don't want others to step on the pit I stepped on again.

To put it bluntly, skin care is a very personal matter. There is no need to follow the standard procedures online. Your skin feels comfortable and stable. Even if you only take three steps a day, it is completely fine.