Why Your 15-Step Skincare Routine May Be Hurting Your Skin
Everyone has different skin and can benefit from a good skincare routine. However, it's a misconception that using many products on your skin is healthy. In this case, the less the better.
The more products you use in the a single routine, the higher the chances of adverse effects or... no effects!
For example, using Retinol and Salicylic Acid in the same routine can over-sensitize your skin and make it especially dry. This can lead to other issues like overproduction of sebum, which can ultimately cause an acne breakout. Since you're likely using Salicylic Acid for its anti-acne benefits, you would be getting the opposite effect!
How To Maintain An Effective Skincare Routine
BEST INGREDIENTS FOR ACNE-PRONE SKIN
How to Minimize Products While Maximizing Results
"Skinimalism" is a great new trend that highlights the waste of 15-step skincare routines and the importance of using ingredients that work.
Once you understand your skin type and know your skin goal, here are the steps you can take to getting better results with fewer products:
1. Examine what you have.
Go through all skin care products you use and take a moment to understand what's in them. Don't worry - you don't have to be a dermatologist to do this. Use the EWG Skin Deep website to understand how "clean" your skincare collection is. "Clean" doesn't mean that everything in your skin care is 100% natural. Synthetic ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid can be effective and safe, without being derived from animal proteins! However, ingredients like "Fragrance" have been proven harmful and do not need to be in your products.
2. Consider what you really need in your skincare routine.
A healthy skincare routine needs maximum 4 steps / products:
(1) Cleanse. Choosing a cleanser that is appropriate for your skin type is key. We recommend selecting a cleanser that is gentle but thorough, and doesn't strip your skin of its natural oils.
(2) Serum. Tied with SPF protection, this is the most important part of your skincare routine because this is where your skin gets to "eat" or nourish itself and correct the challenges it may be having. Ideally, you want to only use one serum to prevent doubling or canceling of ingredients. MOOD serums are specifically designed to fully fulfill this step, offering solutions to the main skin challenges, including MOOD's #1 seller - ILLUMINATE Skin Brightening Serum.
(3) SPF Protection. On a daily basis, you should wear SPF 30 protection on areas of skin exposed to the sun. Even during the winter time, this includes the face and hands at a minimum. Even if you are not out in the sun, remember that blue light is just as damaging as UV exposure. Due to the harmful ingredients present in chemical sunscreens, mineral sunscreens are highly recommended by dermatologists. Don't want a white cast? Try a mineral sunscreen that goes on clear.
If you are under the care of a dermatologist, you may have specific instructions and products that are recommended to you that would add a step or two to your routine.
*These statements are found to be accurate as of the time this blog is published.
Except where otherwise indicated, statements regarding products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.