The 3 Essential Products You Need To Have In Your Skincare Routine

Sometimes, it’s all about going back to the basics.

With an innumerable amount of skincare products out on the market today, it sure is fun to try and experiment, especially if you’re searching for the perfect skincare routine. With new product innovations, trends and superstar ingredients coming out year after year (like the trending 10-step Korean skincare beauty routine), the available options can leave you a little bit overwhelmed.

So what is it that the skin really needs? Do we have to subscribe to every skincare product type that’s being touted as the next big miracle in the industry? Do we really need to have 10 types of skincare products on our bathroom vanity to have the ideal skin?

Of course not! While it doesn’t hurt to have a ton of different skincare product types that help target different areas of concern for your skin, professionals have trimmed the list down to the basics. For your skin to be healthy and well-maintained, here are the 4 essential products you really should have for an effective skincare routine:

1. Cleanser

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Start off your skincare routine with a gentle cleanser that’s suited to your skin type. Whether you’re the type to wear makeup daily or you like to keep your face bare for a more natural look, cleansing your face is an essential step you shouldn’t skip.

2. Moisturizer

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Hydration is important if you want to prevent skin issues. Dry and itchy skin, dermatitis, acne, inflammation and skin irritations can actually be avoided by religiously applying moisturizer right after the cleansing step. It will help your skin look soft and supple, prevents the formation of fine lines and wrinkles and helps improve your skin’s texture and appearance. It’s important to note that your moisturizer should be suited to your particular skin type.

3. Sunscreen

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Arguably the most essential part of any skincare routine, a high protection sunscreen (SPF 30 or above) is a non-negotiable item. It’s the single most effective way to prevent the dreaded skin cancer or to have prematurely aged skin, age spots or leathery-looking skin!

 Your skin is all set with just these 3 essential products, but you can always supplement with more as you see fit. Serums, exfoliators, anti-aging creams, facial masks or acne spot treatments, the list can get quite big! In the end, going right back down to the absolute bare-bones essentials makes your skin healthy with a lot less effort, time and money!

Top 4 Skincare Trends To Hit Before 2022

Trends come and go but when it comes to the skincare industry, you can only expect goodness for your skin. From hero ingredients to new innovations, the skincare industry never fails to deliver what’s best for our skin health.

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And so, here are 4 of the top skincare trends to hit 2021 that’ll most likely be here to stay:

Skinimalism

A play on the term minimalism, skinimalism is all about going back to the basics. With all that’s happening out there since the pandemic started, practicality in all things rose to the top of our lists. And that includes costly skincare products. But scrimping on costly products doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice a healthy, glowing skin complexion either!

Skinimalism focuses on the essentials, the minimum number of skincare products possible to bring out optimum skin results. It is aimed at simplifying with an effective skincare routine rather than having a complex cocktail of skincare products that can possibly damage and disrupt the skin’s PH balance, which often results in a host of skin issues.

Microbiome-Focused Skincare Products

This year saw the rise of microbiome-friendly skincare products that experts see as gaining more traction in the foreseeable future. Microbiome skincare is essentially those products infused with probiotics that add bacteria - the good kind! - to support and maintain the skin’s barrier and optimum health. Be it in a restorative cream, a serum, or a moisturizer, you can expect probiotics to play a huge role, ingredient-wise!

Blue Light Protection

Because we’ve been spending a great deal of our time in front of our laptops or phones this year, we’ve also seen the rise of products that aim to protect your skin from blue light. Also known as high energy visible (HEV) light and can also be found along the sun’s UV rays, blue light is emitted from our screens and can cause similar damage as UV light in terms of photo-aging.

This year saw key ingredients such Niacinamide and minerals with high iron oxide levels become heroes as they are effective at fighting and blocking out the dreaded blue light.

De-Stressing Skincare

We can all agree that stress has seriously taken over our collective lives as we’ve been all forced to stay indoors during the pandemic. This year, we’ve seen an uptick in the number of skincare products launched that aim to eliminate the effects of stressors on our skin and maintain a healthy skin barrier. Products with ingredients such as hydration superstar hyaluronic acid and barrier-loving ceramides are key to de-stressing your skin, as they help repair and restore the skin’s first line of defense. 

As you can see, most of these skincare trends aim to deal with the effects the pandemic has on our daily lives, and ultimately, on our skin. Which trend are you most interested in trying out?

5 Best Teas To Get Clear, Healthy Skin

From busting acne to looking youthful, we’re spilling the tea on this healthy beverage!

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Tea is considered to be a jack of all trades when it comes to health. It helps treat a variety of health issues such as reducing bad cholesterol, lowering the risks of heart disease or calming down an upset stomach. It helps relax you or even give you a boost of energy if you’re not a coffee drinker.

But did you know that tea is a superstar in the skincare world? Teas are rich in vitamins, amino acids and nutrients that help combat common skin problems such as dehydration, inflammation, UV damage and other issues that contribute to the deterioration of our skin health.

Ready to start drinking this herbal beverage? We’ve curated 5 of the best teas and some of their essential skin benefits to help you choose what’s best for your skin.

Green Tea to give your skin a serious health boost

Generally an all-rounder for giving off numerous skin health benefits, Green Tea contains potent antioxidant EGCG known to reactivate dying skin cells, fight free radicals and reduce skin damage from harmful UV rays.  

Rooibos Tea for youthful-looking skin

Best known for its anti-aging skin benefits, Rooibos tea, also known as Red Bush Tea, has been used for hundreds of years in South Africa as a herbal drink to treat a variety of skin issues. It contains the enzyme superoxide dismutase, a potent nutrient that helps slow down the appearance of fine lines and other signs of skin aging.

Hibiscus Tea for glowing skin

Rich in vitamins, particularly vitamin C, hibiscus tea supports your skin’s natural collagen production and helps prevent skin sagging. It is also a natural source of AHA, the potent water-soluble acid that gently exfoliates and brightens the skin.

Chamomile Tea to calm irritated skin

This popular tea is a great drink to promote relaxation and sleep. The same goes for your skin. Chamomile tea’s relaxing properties help alleviate skin inflammation and irritation. It contains flavonoids that can help relieve dry, patchy skin and even pimples. Due to its soothing properties, chamomile tea is a great herbal tonic for those with sensitive skin that’s prone to rashes and inflammation.

Peppermint Tea for oily and acne-prone skin

Aside from its great minty taste that works wonders for calming down an upset stomach, peppermint tea’s acids and flavonoids help slow down the skin’s oil production, wherein too much sebum can cause acne. It also contains potent antioxidants that can be helpful in treating itchy skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema.

These 5 teas are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to teas having great skin health benefits. But these are by far the most popular, enjoyable and delicious tonics to help you get started on your way to clear, healthy skin - try it!

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