basics-healthy-skinWhile there are various routines available that you may follow, it is not very easy to choose what will best suit your skin. The reason behind this is simple—there are different skin types, therefore, the best skin care routine may also vary from one person to another.

What we will discuss today in this article is the most basic skin care routine. In order to understand what the skin really needs, it is vital to understand the basics. Skin experts agree that there are four steps in a basic skin care routine namely CLEANSING, EXFOLIATING, TONING and MOISTURIZING.

 1. Cleansing

The most basic step when it comes to caring for your skin is cleansing. As the name implies, cleansing is done to get rid of the dirt and grease that accumulated in your face. In addition to this, cleansing will also help you to remove of the dead skin cells in your face.

Here are other benefits of regularly cleansing your face:

• It makes the skin healthy and radiant.
• It can help loosen the pores in your skin to remove blackheads and other clogged dirt.
• It rehydrates the skin to prevent too much drying.
• It reduces the excess oil in your face.
• It helps in removing bacteria that may cause skin infection.
• It can decrease your risk for premature aging of the skin.

These are just some of the great benefits of cleansing. Now, the next question is this: How many times should you cleanse per day?
According to skin experts, you should cleanse your face at least twice a day (morning and night), that is, if you have normal skin. If you have very dry skin, once a day will do.

2. Exfoliating

The next step in the basic routine is exfoliating. This is important to remove the dead skin cells.

Here are other benefits of exfoliating your skin.

• Exfoliating can make your skin glow and become more radiant.
• It can help prevent acne breakouts.
• It can make your skin visibly brighter.
• It can help in the natural process of skin rejuvenation.

One thing to remember when it comes to this step is that too much can have negative effects because it can strip away the natural oils in your skin. As a rule, once a week is considered a good practice already. There are a lot of scrubs available in the market, which you may try. If you prefer the natural type, you can also try doing your own homemade scrub.

3. Toning

Toners can help you to get rid of the dirt and grease which cleanser failed to remove. By using toner, your skin will have a firmer and tighter look. This is of course what we want to achieve to give us a more youthful look.

Here are other benefits of toning your skin:

• It helps to balance the pH of your skin to prevent too much oiliness.
• It can remove environmental toxins that have accumulated in your face.
• It can tighten the skin and make your pores less visible.
• It can help remove oil build-up and other dead skin cells.
• It can help hydrate your skin for a fresher look.

4. Moisturizing

Last, but definitely not the least is moisturizing. This step is important to make your skin glow even more. Aside from this, it also rehydrates your skin to prevent too much drying. Luckily, there are various types of moisturizers in the market today that will suit what your skin needs. For example, if your skin is dry, it is recommended that you go for the creamy type while you should get water-based type if you have oily skin.

These four are the most basic steps for having healthy skin. Since we each have different skin types, our needs may also vary.  For specific tips for your particular age group select your age group on the right to see specific skin care for your age.