How to create an effective skin care routine for combination skin

Combination skin is often believed to be one of the most difficult skin types to deal with. Not quite fully dry, not quite fully oily. You may yourself with oily skin on some days or overly dry skin on others. Sometimes you may even find yourself with dry and oily patches of skin simultaneously. However, like with any routine, there is a way to combat both at once whilst not having to go to the extremes.

As with any skin type, you have to consider other factors as well as the products you choose to use. Keep in mind that factors such as diet, how much sleep you’re getting and hormones play a big part in the overproduction or lack of oils produced. Combination skin is the most common skin type. Therefore, there are a wide array of products out there to help you out.

The first thing I always recommend to people getting into skincare is to always avoid fragranced products. This is because often they cause irritation due to the unnecessary ingredients added. Especially for those with sensitive skin, definitely avoid products where fragrance is added into it. You can find this out by looking in the ingredients list online or on the back of the label.

Before starting your routine, whether it be morning or night, dampen your skin with lukewarm water. This allows the product to glide over your skin with ease. Lukewarm water is also better for your skin because using too hot or too cold water can shock your skin. This can leave your skin exposed to pollutants, dirts and oils both on your hands and in the air.

To make it simple, these are the products I shall explore in this blog post:

· Facial cleanser

· Exfoliant

· Toner

· Serums

· Eye cream

· Moisturiser

· Sun screen

· Night routine

· Spot treatment

Always remove makeup before starting your routine. I recommend using an oil based cleanser because it tends to be better for your skin. Makeup wipes are overly drying on your skin and aren’t as effective as an oil based remover. You can remove all your makeup, including eye makeup with an oil based cleanser.

Facial cleanser:

The first product you will use in your routine is your facial cleanser. The job of your facial cleanser is to penetrate deep into your pores to remove excess dirt and oils. Your cleanser shouldn’t leave your skin feeling dry and tight. A deep penetrative cleanser will ensure that your skin isn’t left with an excess of unnecessary oils. The buildup of dirt and oils will not only cause your skin to break out in spots, but will also make your pores appear larger.

When choosing a facial cleanser for combination skin, you should look for products containing ceramides which will retain the natural moisture in your skin. This means your skin won’t be left overly dry or tight. You should also look for a moisturiser containing hyaluronic acid as this will help balance the oil production in your skin. I recommend avoiding foaming facial cleansers and they will leave your skin feeling tight and overly dry.

Exfoliator:

The next step in your routine is your exfoliator. Exfoliators, alongside cleansers, can help remove dead skin cells. Exfoliators also help your products absorb into your skin better as well as treating acne.

Exfoliators should be used once or twice a week and you should choose a gentle exfoliant. The ones I recommend are AHAs (alpha hydroxy acid) and BHAs (beta hydroxy acid). That’s because they’re able to penetrate deep into your pores and give you better results in the long run. The purpose of a BHA exfoliant is to penetrate deep into your pores, helping remove those stubborn skin cells and dirt. They help treat acne and large pores and perfect for anyone with any skin type.

AHAs help remove the outermost layer of dead skin cells. This will leave your skin feeling smooth, soft and squeaky clean. I recommend an AHA for anyone with combination skin but always try out a product before incorporating it into your routine.

Toner:

Following this step you want to apply a toner. The main purposes of a toner is to balance the PH of your skin and adding additional moisture to your skin. They’re not seen as essential in many routines but they undoubtedly have their benefits. Most drugstore toners are suitable for anyone looking to start out their skin care routines. Look for a toner containing vitamin E and antioxidants such as green tea. These help retain the moisture in your skin.

I recommend a toner for those who want to take their skin care to the next level, but also for those wanting to change up their routines. They’re a great product with some huge benefits.

Serum:

Once you’ve applied a toner, you want to apply a serum. A serum is a concentration of nutrients added to a routine to help boost the health of your skin. Popular serums include vitamin C and niacinamides. They help brighten the appearance of your skin and reduce the size of your pores. Serums can treat dryness and irritation, especially water based serums which bind water into the skin. You can also find serums containing salicylic acid which can help remove excess oils from your skin.

Serums are a must for people wanting healthy, bright looking skin. Avoid products containing essential oils as they cause irritation and are often too strong to be used on the face.

Eye cream:

The next step is to apply an eye cream. That’s right, eye creams will help reduce signs of puffiness and wrinkles in the long term. As well as this, they can soothe irritation in the sensitive under eye area. Eye creams are a lot lighter than normal moisturisers and they contain less ingredients. This is to ensure that your eyes don’t become irritated and allow better absorption into the skin.

There are other factors that contribute to dark circles and puffiness such as lack of sleep and stress, but these can be solved with some lifestyle changes.

Moisturiser:

Moving on to one of the most important steps — your moisturiser. The purpose of a moisturiser is to help add essential oils back into your skin and protect your skin from damage.

The moisturiser you use should protect your skin from signs of ageing and fight against dry, flaky skin. You should look for ingredients such as glycerin which attracts water into your skin keeping it hydrated. Other ingredients are also effective at drawing moisture into your skin but glycerin is in my opinion the best. For those of you with combination skin, look for moisturisers that state on the product that they are non-comedogenic. This ensures that they won’t clog your pores and will help with the prevention of acne.

Non-comedogenic products are recommended by dermatologists due to their ingredients being gentle on the skin. Avoid products containing alcohol or any methylated spirit because they are overly drying on your skin.

Sun screen:

The most important step in your routine is your sunscreen. The sun screen provides protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays which can damage your skin. The purpose of protecting your skin is to ensure that you don’t suffer from dark spots, early signs of ageing or cancers.

I recommend a high SPF lotion to ensure the best protection against the sun. There is often a misconception that you can’t obtain a bronzed, golden glow by wearing sunscreen. However, this isn’t true as the purpose of a sun screen is just to protect your skin from the harmful rays which don’t tan your skin. I opt for a mineral lotion because of its minimalist approach in regards to its ingredients. The fact that it contains less ingredients just ensures that your skin is less likely to react to the lotion. Most sun screens will be suitable for your skin.

Night routine:

There are only a few differences between a day time and night time routine. The only things you should change are the application of night time moisturisers and not using exfoliators and sun screens. In place of these you can apply additional serums.

A night time moisturiser is slightly thicker and better at repairing the skin’s protective barrier. This will help your skin in the future and prevent early signs of ageing. You can apply a different serum on a night to ensure that your skin is receiving a sufficient variation of nutrients. I highly recommend using retinol because it contains a high concentration of vitamin A. Retinol allows for quicker cell turn over and fights against acne. It also increases blood flow to the skin.

Spot treatment:

When applying a spot treatment, apply directly to the affected area because they tend to have a strong drying effect. This in turn will help remove your spot by drying out the excess oils. However, if you apply too much to the skin, it can cause redness and irritation so use sparingly.

I recommend using your spot treatment on a night as they tend to be thicker in consistency. If you suffer from severe acne or any skin condition causing serious irritation or pain, consult a doctor or dermatologist. They have treatment specifically manufactured for various different types of skin conditions. Some treatments may cause redness or flakiness but these effects should soon go away. If not consult a professional dermatologist or a doctor.

If you’re interested in seeing my top recommended products or more about the ingredients I recommend looking out for in your skin care products, check out my other blog posts on skin care. Feel free to contact me on my social media for more specific advice. Stay healthy, stay happy and most importantly, stay safe.