Honest Tips for Skin Care Beginners - 3 Tips To Help You Buy the Best Skincare Products
Before We Go On
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We’ve written about this before, how to get into a skincare routine and what products are necessary. But, what if that is overwhelming still? There are so many options out there and when it comes to Korean skincare - all made with natural ingredients and the latest technology … it can be hard to decide where to start. If you can - it might help to drag a friend or family member who loves skincare. It’ll save time and research but, if you don’t know anyone like that, then this is the article for you. We want to get into how to choose skin care products with an approach that isn’t anxiety-inducing. And hopefully, it’ll help you find skincare that works for you.
1. Shopping with a Goal
Firstly, you’ll see an array of products that you’ll typically need to have for a fully developed skin care routine - those options are great! But, at the end of the day, the most important products are a moisturizer, sunscreen, and if it isn’t too overwhelming with those two items, a cleanser. Now, choosing three items for someone completely new to skincare is a handful, each item comes in a variety of textures, ingredients, and packaging.
This is why testers are so important, don’t be afraid to swatch products and see how it feels. Wait a while after absorption to find out what finishes feel like - is your skin tight, matte, dewy, dry, or oily after. What do you prefer? While you’re asking yourself these questions take into account the type of skin type you have as it can help you filter out a lot of other options (which will save you time and energy). But, when the cosmetic store feels a bit overwhelming at first, it might be good to do some quick research online and pick out a couple of brands you want to swatch, rather than going in blindly. It’s too easy to make spontaneous purchases that way.
2. Know What Not to Buy
Ingredients, on the other hand, takes some time to get to know - it’s going to be easier to remember what not to look for. You don’t want parabens, formaldehyde, petroleum and other petrochemicals, SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate), SLES(Sodium Laureth Sulphate), and fragrance. These are skin irritants - it’s best to stay away from these things. If you want to look for specific ingredients for your skin care products it may be a great way to start! You can pinpoint specific products and find reviews on each of them! For example, my friend loves clay and tea tree oil - so she often shops with those ingredients in mind! Now she’s learning to use those sparingly as they both are quite strong and can strip away natural oils and nutrients from your skin if used often. I suggested that she should look for lightweight moisturizers if she hates feeling oily even though she has a normal type of skin.
It may also help to stay away from any strong ingredients like niacinamide, retinoids, and acids in the beginning. These ingredients may make your skin light sensitive or require time to slowly build up to the appropriate concentration. But, the results from these ingredients are well worth it once you know how to use it correctly.
This great small step into your skincare journey - don’t be discouraged if the first product suddenly stops working as well as it did when you first got it! Your skin can change over time and you may have to switch and start back from square one.
3. Don't Fix Something That Isn't Broken
A lot of my friends actually suggest sticking to a single skincare line at first, as most products are made to work the best with the products in the same line. Through this method, you don’t have to worry about ingredients working against each other. Or if there’s an influencer whose approach to skin care is something you like (assuming their skin type is similar to yours) - it wouldn’t hurt to try out their skincare routine at first. It’ll give you a decent start without the headache!
Next Up: Natural Ingredients that Revive Dull Skin, So You Can Have the Perfect Glow