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Skin is in

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re aware of the latest skincare obsession that’s been sweeping the globe. Everyone, and we mean everyone, is getting educated on the importance of maintaining a good skincare routine. It’s not just about washing your face and wearing a night cream- no, it’s about the products you use, the ingredients, and what you’re trying to accomplish.

The beauty of skincare is that there is a solution out there for every problem. You want to lighten your dark spots? Vitamin C is great for that. Worried about wrinkles? A good retinoid will help. Skin feeling dull and void of elasticity? You can find a top-quality facial essence that will boost your complexion… And that’s barely skimming the surface.

No matter what your concerns are, you’re sure to find something to address it. With hundreds, thousands, and millions of skincare products out there, you’re definitely going to come across the secret ingredient you’ve been missing out on all along. And, since everyone’s skin is different, personalizing your routine is only half the fun. At the end of it, you’re left with products that suit you.

But before you go wild in buying an entire line worth of products, strengthen your knowledge on skin. That way, you’re better equipped to make the right choices.

The basics

Below are the basics of every skincare routine. These are the bare minimum products you need in order to not only achieve glowing skin, but to maintain it as well. Even if you don’t think it matters, think again; because it most certainly does.

So grab a pen and paper, and let’s get down to business (not to defeat the huns) –> Anyone know where this reference is from? Comment at the bottom if you do!

Sun protection

We cannot stress this enough- PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM UV RAYS. 

Do you want premature wrinkles? NO. Dark spots? NOPE. Skin cancer?! Heeeelllll to the no.

So, wear your sunscreen. Not only does sunblock protect your skin from harmful and damaging UV rays, but it also shields it from the toxins and pollution in the air. Think of it as a barrier that keeps your skin fresh and armored. You wouldn’t apply heat to your hair without spraying some thermal protectant on it, so let’s give our skin the same kind of love and attention. After all, hair grows back, but our skin…. not so much. The damage caused by UV rays can be costly and annoying, so do yourself a favor and slather on some good ol’ sunscreen.

There are many types out there- oil-free, matte finish, extra hydrating, organic, tinted… the list goes on and on and on. It’s just a matter of honing down on what you need, and then making the steps toward getting it.

Cleanser

We were taught that the more you cleaned your face with soap and foamy cleansers, the less acne you would have. BUT, after a little bit of research and an entire generation of people now suffering from the effects of overly harsh cleansers, we’ve come to realize that that’s not the case at all. Sadly, many of us tend to over wash our face, and it dries out our skin leading to dry patches and more breakouts (lack of moisture leads to more sebum production – the natural oil in your face – which allows for more acne).

Cleaners with an oil base are great, because they keep your face moisturized and supple. Jelly cleansers of any kind are incredible as well, and if you happen to get your hands on some authentic African Black Soap, even better! But make sure to moisturize properly because it can really strip your skin.

Like we keep saying, it’s all about finding the right product for your specific needs and skin type. Experimenting with different things is only half the fun.

PIAM TIP- Ask the lovely people that work at Sephora, Ulta, or any beauty store for some samples, and they will happily oblige! 

Toner

Whatever you do, DO. NOT. FORGET. THIS STEP.

Repeat after us: “WE WILL USE TONER AFTER EVERY CLEANSE.”

Toner is very important, probably up there with sunscreen. What it does is balance the pH of your skin, while removing any excess gunk off that your cleanser didn’t get. Not only that, but it tends to soften the skin and make it more receptacle to the other products you put on it- like essence, serums, and more.

There are so many kinds of toners out there, but the main thing to look out for is one without alcohol. You see, alcohol dries out your skin, and with the upcoming colder seasons, we want our skin to stay hydrated, bouncy, and supple like a baby’s bottom. Which, may sound weird, we know. A baby’s bottom? Yes. A baby’s bottom. Them thangs are smooth are we tryna get our skin to that level of smoothness.

So don’t skip out on your toner, because then anything you do afterwards won’t work to its full effect. And that’s like throwing money away, so let’s be conscious about these things, yeah?

Moisturizer

You’d be surprised with how many people skip this step, when it’s arguably one of the most important. As we mentioned before, without proper hydration, your skin will become unbalanced and more prone to breakouts.

With moisturizers, you can find anything that will suit your needs. There are magnifying ones, calming ones, tinted BB creams, oils, extra hydration… really, the list goes on.

A quick note on oils: some people are still not educated on the benefits of oils. Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is, “but my face will be oily?!”, and no. Not it will not. Not if you get a good face oil, and use the proper amount. Things like jojoba oil or marula oil are going to keep your skin hydrated and dry-free all. day. long. All of us here at PIAM are quite literally obSESSED with jojoba oil (read about the benefits of this magic plant here), and we think you should be, too.

You can even get a moisturizer and sunscreen hybrid- those do double the job, in one single product. So if you’re slightly lazy (we get it, so are we), or you have a tighter budget (honestly, same), then this is a good and effective choice, as well.

Some honorable mentions:

Primers– Their primary function is to form a barrier between your skin and makeup. Some primers even include SPF in them, so again, two products in one? We stan.

Vitamin C serum/oils– Before we tell you what it does, we just wanted to say: USE SUNSCREEN WHEN USING ANYTHING WITH VITAMIN C IN IT. DO NOT SKIMP OUT. Why? Because the main purpose of these serums and oils is to brighten. So your skin gets extra sensitive to sun exposure. But the end result? Skin that’s smoother, clearer, brighter, and free of dark spots. The dream! But in order to achieve that dream- SPF, baby. S. P. F.

Eye creams– Birds are cool and all (unless you have a phobia), but like… Crow’s feet aren’t. Eye creams will de-puff, smooth fine lines, and brighten those dark circles. Plus, they act as a moisturizing primer for your eyes so your makeup doesn’t crease. Win/win.

 

Gosh, we love all things skin. We love all things beauty! And we just want to share our favorite tips and tricks with y’all; because together, we can all be pretty in a minute 😉

 

XOXO,

PIAM.

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