Questions You Need To Ask Yourself:
If you are just starting out on building a skincare routine it can be quite daunting. There are so many brands and ingredients even I get overwhelmed and I have had the opportunity to play around with a lot of products and brands over the years. Also it depends what time of your life are you in? What's your skin type? Plus what are your concerns right now? Weather and where you live are also so important? All these things need to be taken into consideration.
Skin Tips:
My biggest advice is to keep it simple especially if you are working on a budget. Look at products that are multi-tasking so you can have a routine in 3 simple steps. I love products that have combined active ingredients and that's a big reason why the Lumi Glo products have a combo that targets different skin concerns.
So how to work out what your skin type is?
To figure out your skin type, think about how your skin acts without any makeup or products on it a few hours after taking a shower. If it gets a little greasy or shiny, you probably have oily skin. If it feels dry or flaky, you have dry skin. If you have dry skin in some places and oily skin in others (usually on the T-zone), you have combination skin. If you have none of those things, you’re considered to have “normal” skin. Knowing your skin type will help steer you toward products that will manage dryness and oiliness while effectively taking care of any other skin concerns you have.
Also does your skin get irritated with certain products? Have you had any allergic reactions? If you have certain skin conditions on your face (eczema, psoriasis or Rosacea) you may have sensitive skin. We made sure to test out the products we sell for sensitive skin as it's so important the ingredients are cruelty free but also are kind to the skin.
Your 3 Step Skincare Process:
1. Cleanse - This needs to happen twice a day. I love to use a balm at night as they really get all the makeup and dirt off. Then finish off with a micellar water to make sure skin is clean. The worst thing you can do is go to bed with your makeup on. I am guilty of it but it's really important that your skin is clean.
2. Moisturize - choose a moisturizer based on your skin type. When I was younger I couldn't use heavy rich creams. Now in my 40's I can go with a really rich moisturizer as I get more dehydrated skin and need all the moisture I can get.
3.SPF - This needs to happen all year round wherever you live and more than once a day. We spend our lives on our phones and laptops and this has an effect on the skin as well. I made the biggest mistake of moving from London to Cape Town and not actually realizing how strong the sun was and now I am fighting the pigmentation fight.
Extra Skincare Add Ons:
Remember that you will also need to add a mask and exfoliator into your routine. If you are a little older then serums come into play. Multi tasking serums with active ingredients is such a winner. If you are like me and get a little obsessed then you may have more than a 3 step process. Exfoliating really is a must as it helps remove the dead skin so that the products you use are effective and can actually get into the skin's dermis.
Why Sheet Masks are Key:
Apply a mask once or twice a week depending on what's happening with your skin. It can be an application mask or a sheet mask. The mask traps the moisture or ingredient in the skin and creates film that helps to either hydrate, moisturize, dry or exfoliate the skin depending on the ingredients used and its purpose. Therefore, face masks allow ingredients to penetrate better into your skin in a short amount of time I do love a sheet mask for that instant skin gratification. I have so many masks I love. It's really a favorite step of mine.
Happy skincare shopping!
Shahnaz x
