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Maintaining a multi-step skincare routine might be tough if you are a college student. You already have a lot to deal with with all the essays, projects, long hours in the library, and early morning classes. After all these tasks, you probably want to put your head on the pillow and get some sleep, not spend an hour applying dozens of different skincare products.
But the good news is that your skincare doesn’t need to take a lot of time to be effective. Here are three basic steps to keep your skin healthy and glowing.
1. Cleanse
The first and essential step of any skincare routine is to clean your face from sebum, dirt, and various environmental pollutants. You should repeat this step at least twice a day, in the morning and evening. The overview of studies shows that it prevents clogged pores and other problems with the skin. If you need some extra help researching dermatology or any other subject area, you can ask essay writing services with best writers to write me an essay. It’s the easiest and fastest way to know all the latest research findings for your classes.
The secret is to find a cleanser that matches your skin type to make the most of this step:
• Oily skin needs a foam cleanser to remove dirt and sebum.
• Dry skin benefits from creamy cleansers that clean and hydrate skin at the same time.
• Lightweight oil cleansers are best for sensitive skin.
• Normal skin responds well to almost any cleansing formula.
Consistent cleansing allows you to treat clogged pores, irritation, and breakouts and prevent skin aging. Besides, it helps other skin products to absorb and work better, increasing the effectiveness of your overall skincare routine.
2. Moisturize
The next step involves hydrating your skin. It serves to protect it and maintain its natural barrier.
Moisturizing is important for all skin types, including oily skin. However, like with a cleanser, there are different formulas for different skin types: choose thicker cream formula with squalane oil benefits for dry skin, oil-free and non-comedogenic moisturizer if your skin is acne-prone or oily, and hypoallergenic solutions if your skin is sensitive.
3. Apply Sunscreen
All dermatologists agree that sunscreen is, hands down, a must-have skincare product. It is your protection against premature skin aging and skin cancer. You should use it regardless of your age, skin type, or skin color.
Note that UV rays are dangerous even indoors as they penetrate through windows. So always apply SPF 30 or higher in the morning.
If you want to save some time, you can use skincare products that combine sunscreen and other functions. For example, there are moisturizers, lip balms, tone correcting primers, mists, tints, and CC creams with SPF.
Extra Tips to Enrich Your Skincare
There are a few steps that you don’t necessarily need to have in your everyday skincare routine, but they are nice to add as needed or desired.
4. Exfoliate
Exfoliation is an important step of a skincare regimen, but you should only do it occasionally. Once or twice a week is enough. This step allows you to get rid of dead cells that naturally build up on the surface of your skin. Besides, it helps the active ingredients of other skincare products to soak in and work better.
5. Use Serums
There are a variety of serums on the market that address different skin issues. Dullness, dark spots, acne, dryness—you can find a solution for almost anything by choosing appropriate active ingredients. For example, retinol and retinoids increase collagen production, hyaluronic acid is great for moisturizing and fixing dullness, and vitamin C is used for brightening skin and reducing dark spots.
6. Refresh Your Skin with a Toner
Toners are applied to the skin after the first cleansing step. Depending on what your skin needs, you can find a variety of solutions to purify and brighten it. For example, you can get a toner with various acids for better cell turnover, vitamins for skin protection, or astringents for tightening pores.
7. Apply Masks
Face masks are not a daily skin care product, but they can boost your skincare routine if you use them once or twice a week. There are a variety of mask types: sheet, clay, and night masks with different ingredients and for different purposes. Besides, a good thing about masks is that you can apply them and multitask: read, cook, or study.
The Bottom Line
A 3-step skincare routine won’t take you more than a few minutes a day. So even the busiest students can squeeze it into their packed schedules. It’s a bare minimum you need to protect your skin and keep it healthy. Yet, when you have a bit more time, like on weekends, you can add on the basics and treat your skin with various toners, serums, and masks to enjoy glowing and healthy skin.
