When it comes to skincare, hundreds and hundreds of products are available in the market that can overwhelm anyone. I know it can be confusing when it comes to layering, daytime routines vs nighttime routines, and adding in weekly treatments. Plus, there are products that just should not be mixed.
If you are new to the skincare world, or not, you may find yourself confused between all these products. I have worked in the beauty industry and know just how hard it is for women (and men). Here is a skincare routine to help address your needs using The Ordinary.
I’m hoping to inspire you to start with a simple skincare routine that is tailored towards aging, uneven skin. As we get older, our skin loses its youth and plumpness, which may result from reduced cell turnover or loss of collagen in the skin. Combine that with years of sun damage, and your skin may look dull, and uneven, and may have left you with brown spots.
This skincare routine will help you tackle these problems as it incorporates an anti-aging product, a brightening product, and of course, sunscreen! The products in this skincare routine are cleanser, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, retinoid, and sunscreen, with a few optional ones if you want to pamper your skin. Let’s go through each of these individually before discussing how you can layer them together.
Addressing Skincare Needs
Everyone has different needs; I want anti-aging and corrective products that will also help with occasional breakouts. I want smooth and even skin, and I want to address the loss of firmness, BIG sigh. I am also looking for a weekly treatment to help with texture and brightening. Let’s start take a look at the process.
Daytime Skincare Routine: Prep, Treat, and Seal
Step one, prep, and cleanse before adding your skin products. Cleansing your skin in the morning removes dead skin cells that have built up overnight, which could block pores and develop into a breakout if left to sit on your skin during the day. Second, treat your skin with hyaluronic acid. It is an excellent hydrator that can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water. This helps to smooth out fine lines, wrinkles and gives the skin a more youthful appearance. Use the Hyaluronic Acid serum by The Ordinary before you apply your moisturizer. Hyaluronic acid is a moisture magnet, so it is best to have a damp face before applying.
Next, you will want to add Vitamin C, which is also a commonly used ingredient in anti-ageing skincare. Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant, and it helps to prevent free-radical damage to the skin. Every time you go out to the sun without sunscreen, your skin produces free radicals, which cause a lot of damage to the skin. It also helps to combat this damage by preventing oxidative damage, which results in younger-looking skin.
Vitamin C is also a very potent brightening agent, and if you have dark spots, discoloration, and blemishes, it is the perfect ingredient for you. As we age, our skin loses collagen and gets saggy over time. The magic of vitamin C will also help to solve this problem by promoting collagen synthesis in the skin, so your skin looks firm and beautiful!
If you’re looking to incorporate Vitamin C in your skincare routine, The Ordinary has an excellent range to fit all skin types. My personal favorite is the Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F, which helps to fight signs of ageing and brightens up the skin tone. You can use Vitamin C in the morning and evening, after hyaluronic acid and before moisturizer.
Alternatively, If you want the brightening effect of Vitamin C, but you also suffer from acne or easily irritated skin, The Ordinary Niacinamide is an excellent alternative. Niacinamide is excellent for reducing redness and inflammation, and it helps to calm down acne-prone, inflamed skin. It helps reduce dark spots and will help fade marks, but it should not be used with Vitamin C, so choose one of these two.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT DAYTIME STEP IN SKINCARE!!
Now that we’ve talked about two of our morning products, it’s time to discuss the most important step that most of us neglect on a daily basis. Yes, I’m talking about sunscreen! If you have to choose one product for the day, choose SUNSCREEN. The number one cause of premature aging, wrinkles, and discoloration is from the sun. So, EVERY day, regardless of whether you’re staying inside or not. Most people decide to skip sunscreen if it’s cloudy or rainy outside, and even those who apply it usually use a very small quantity. Sunscreen is absolutely essential for your skin, and you need to apply it no matter how the weather is. Many sunscreens have hydrating properties, which is why you could use it alone.
Lastly, you want to seal it! When you go out in the sun without sun protection, the harmful UVA and UVB rays of the sun damage the skin, causing it to age much faster. The solution is simple, however! Apply a dime-sized amount of good-quality sunscreen for 20 minutes before heading out the door. Make sure to reapply the sunscreen if you go swimming or if you sweat profusely. Full disclosure, I have never used their suncare products but they do have them and the website states they are suited for all skin types.
Night Time Skincare Routine and Products
Retinoid, a derivative of Vitamin A, is one of the most popular and widely acclaimed anti-aging ingredients you can get that is not a prescription. Retinoid is a potent antioxidant, and it helps to fight signs of aging by neutralizing free radicals and preventing oxidative damage to the skin. It is also a great exfoliator and helps to reduce signs of aging by gently increasing the cell turnover of the skin. In this way, it helps to get rid of fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. Retinoid is ideally applied at night, as it makes the skin more sensitive to the sun. The Ordinary has multiple Retinoid options that are very effective in helping reduce visible signs of aging, without irritation. This is my favorite retinoid product from The Ordinary.
If you want to keep your evening routine simple, yet effective follow the same morning steps. However, instead of sunscreen you will seal it with retinoid. If you want to make your routine even more simple, just cleanse, moisturize, and add The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid* 2% Emulsion.
If you would like to add an exfoliating treatment once a week (no more than twice) then look no further. I love this product so much and have been using it for the past two years! The Ordinary’s AHA 30% + BHA 2% Exfoliating Peeling Solution helps fight visible blemishes and improve the look of skin texture and radiance. Alpha and beta-hydroxy acids are exfoliating acids that provide solutions for textual irregularities, dullness, and signs of congested pores. HELLO, YES PLEASE!
The Ordinary Weekly Skincare Treatment
I hope that after reading this, you will have some clarity about the best products to use to keep your skin young and bright. Cleanse, and apply Hyaluronic acid, it helps plump up the skin and prevent fine lines, and it is especially suitable for dry skin again used both day and night. Vitamin C and sunscreen in the morning and retinol at night for younger-looking, plump skin and adding a weekly treatment to help smooth texture and congested skin!
Comment below if you have a question or want to know more about skincare regimens!
Until next time, keep up with me on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and on the LTK app (Like to Know)!
And if you missed my last blog post, catch it HERE!
xx, Nicole
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