Hey guys! I hope you're all doing well. Can you believe we're 6 months into the year? 2020 sure has been a roller coaster.
Since most of us are still confined at home ( except for Europeans - I'm super jealous of all of you guys in the South of France right now haha) and have more time to practice and perfect our beauty routines, I wanted to write a post on beauty do's and don'ts.
I decided it would be a good idea to divide this post into do's and don'ts when it comes to makeup and skincare, that way, if you're only interested in one of those categories, you can simply read that section. Ok, let's get started!
Skincare
Do
1) Stick to the same products & have a regular routine
Using the same products consistently will do wonders for your skin. I know there's a lot of skin stuff out there and new things keep on releasing but trust me, you don't need it all. The simpler your routine, the better the results. Key products you should have are a : a cleanser, a toner, an exfoliant (preferably a chemical one), a face mask, a hydrating serum, a moisturizer, and sunscreen.
Of course, you should always do your routine twice a day. Neglecting your skin and not taking care of it consistently will have consequences later on, so it's best to prevent that.
2) Oil cleanse
Oil cleansing is beneficial for all skin types. It can be used to remove your makeup or as a pre-cleanse before your regular cleansing product. Oil cleansing will help reduce buildup, and remove oil plugs, which will in turn, allow your other products to better penetrate your skin.
3) Cleanse your face for 60 seconds
After oil cleansing, don't forget to apply your regular cleanser. When you're cleansing, you should do it for at least a minute. Anything under 60 seconds won't really benefit your skin because the product won't have the time to deeply clean.
4) Apply a toner with your hands
Another skincare tip is to apply your toner with your hands instead of with a cotton pad. Cotton pads absorb a lot of product so try using your fingers to gently massage the product into your skin.
5) Apply serums, essences, and treatments in order
There's so many serums and treatment items out there so it's easy to get confused and mix them all. I learned maybe about two years ago that there's a certain method to how you apply serums, essences and treatments. You should apply them from thinnest to thickest so lighter serums and other products should always be applied first.
6) Layer hydration
One last thing you should do when it comes to skincare is to layer hydration. Don't be afraid to use hydrating products together. You can layer hydration by using a cleanser with a humectant in it, then a hydrating toner, and a hydration serum. Even if you have oily or combination skin, it's important to keep your skin hydrated at all times. When your skin is properly hydrated, it won't overproduce oil (and this will consequently decrease your chances of breaking out).
Don't
1) Use towels or cloths to dry your face
Face towels and cloths hold a lot of bacteria, so they're not ideal to dry your face. Instead, use paper towels to pat your skin dry after you cleanse.
2) Rub products into your skin
Don't rub your products into your skin, as that causes friction and can irritate it, especially if it's sensitive. Instead, you can either gently massage products and then pat them into your skin for effective penetration.
3) Apply sunscreen right after your moisturizer
We all tend to apply sunscreen right after we moisturize in the morning when we should actually put it on about 15 minutes before we have to head out. If you're staying indoors all day, then you can apply it as soon as you're done moisturizing. However, if you are leaving your home, you should put on sunscreen a few minutes before your departure because the sunscreen needs time to penetrate properly into the skin.
4) Mix harsh ingredients together
Using different types of products which have ingredients targeted to help things such as acne, blemishes, or hyperpigmentation together will damage your face in the long run. You shouldn't use these ingredients at the same time. Instead, try to alternate between them every other week. Examples of ingredients that shouldn't be mixed together are : benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, or vitamin c and retinol.
5) Exfoliate everyday
Exfoliating has many benefits but over-doing it will irritate your skin. If you have normal or dry skin, you should exfoliate 1-2 times a week. If you have oily, acne-prone, or combination skin, you should exfoliate 2-3 times during the week.
6) Use witch hazel or tea tree oil
Witch hazel and tea tree oil have long been deemed powerful ingredients to help clear skin. However, many estheticians and dermatologists have revealed and taught me that they are some of the worst ingredients you can put on your skin because they are too drying and will mess up your skin's pH balance. A lot of products have these ingredients in them so definitely keep an eye out before you purchase or use them. Other damaging ingredients to look out for in products(in other words, if you see this on the list of ingredients in a skincare item, run!) are : linalool, limonene, citronellol, cinnamal, eugeniol, geraniol, and lavender oil.
7) Neglect your neck and décolletage
Don't neglect other parts of your body when doing your routine! Whatever you're using for your face, you should be using on your neck and decolletage/chest area. This will keep those areas well kept and moisturized, plus it'll prevent them from sagging as you age ;)
Makeup
Do
1) Invest in good brushes
Investing in good brush sets for your face and eye makeup will give you a smooth and airbrushed look, and allow your products to blend better. Brands such as Morphe, Real Techniques, MAC, BH Cosmetics, Sigma, and Sephora have some of the best affordable and high-quality brushes out there!
2) Wash your makeup brushes after one use
Speaking of makeup brushes, I know how tiring it can be washing all of them, which is why it's best to do it right after you finish your makeup and get it over with (unless you're late and have somewhere to be...which is about 95% of us girls haha). Essentially, you shouldn't wait to wash your brushes after multiple uses - by then it would have accumulated a lot of bacteria on them. Whenever you want to do your makeup, make sure your brushes are clean.
3) Set your face with powder before you put on foundation
If you have oily skin or any areas on your face that get oily throughout your day, you should set your face with powder before putting on foundation - it's truly a game changer. The powder will help your stay face matte and reduce the oil.
Don't
1) Use products after their expiry date
Ever notice how makeup products have little signs on them that say "6M" or "12M"? That's how long you should have the product for. Always check how long you can keep the product and if you see that it's past the expiry date, then you should throw it out (I know it's painful to hear but it's better for you in the long run).
2) Apply foundation under your eye area if you intend to use concealer right after
When applying your foundation, you can choose to skip putting some under your eye area, especially if you plan on using concealer afterwards. Adding the concealer on top of the foundation will can make your makeup look a bit cakey.
3) Immediately blend in your conceal
If you want a nicer finish and easier blending, definitely let your concealer dry down after you put it on. You can apply the product and then wait about 30 seconds before blending it for a more airbrushed look.
4) Ever go to bed in your makeup
The last don't in terms in makeup is to definitely not sleep in it! I know sometimes we can get lazy or super tired but our skin restores itself at night, and it can't really do that if there's a bunch of makeup on it. Always do your routine before bed!
Thank you for reading, I hope this was helpful! :)
See you soon <3
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