So you decided to trade in an early start for the snooze button and few extra minutes in bed – you’re not alone. It’s probably not the first time and almost certainly won’t be the last. If you have the good sense to prepare and you’re smart about how you use your time, however, there’s no reason to let this hold back your morning skin care routine.
At Mankind we’re all about spending time to exfoliate, cleanse, tone, use face masks, and generally take every care to ensure your skin looks its best. But there’s a time and place for everything, and for many that won’t be first thing in the morning. This 5 step morning skin care routine can be carried out daily before leaving the house, and is so simple it’s impossible to get wrong. What’s more, it’ll keep your skin dirt and grease-free, hydrated and healthy, and form a crucial part of a good overall skin care regime.
Step 1. Apply warm water
Starting with the absolute basics, this step can be carried out by quickly rinsing in the sink, but for many this step will be completed in the shower. In a bleary-eyed morning stupor, it’s important to remember all areas of the face, including the neglected spots behind the ears, on the neck and eyelids.
Good to remember: If you’re washing your hair in the shower, it’s best to do this BEFORE taking care of your face. Washing your face after your hair will ensure that dirt and grease transferred to your skin from your hair has been removed. It will also remove the chemicals present in most shampoos which can be harmful to skin.
Step 2. Wash using a gentle cleanser
Cleaning the dirt and grease from your face is essential, and there are swathes of products that do the job. First thing in the morning, however, we recommend simply using a gentle cleanser. More aggressive face washes have their place in your skin care routine, of course. But we suggest saving this for removing the impurities that build up after a long day at work, or following a workout. Likewise, exfoliating is a great idea, but it's only really necessary a few times a week, and can be overlooked when you’re in a rush.
A gentle cleanserwill put you in good stead for the day to come. This step will make your skin feel light and clean, but without stripping nutrients away and leaving you vulnerable to outbreaks. Remove the cleanser by rinsing, and gently dry your face by dabbing with a clean, fresh towel.
Step 3. Apply an Essence or Serum
This step is flexible. After cleansing and drying skin, use a serum or essence of your choice. The ultimate purpose of essence and serum is to provide skin care which is tailored to individual needs, so shopping around for the right fit is recommended. A light, water-based essence will tauten the skin and close pores. This prevents build-up of grease and impurities throughout the day, without feeling too heavy. If you have dry skin, and there’s little risk of feeling excessively greasy, an oil-based serum may be worth considering. Either way, this step adds only a little extra time to your morning skin routine, and weatherproofs your skin for the day to come.
Step 4. Moisturise
The moisturising stage of your morning skin care routine forms a protective barrier to limit the deep build-up of grime responsible for blocked pores. In addition, and most crucially, it hydrates the skin. It’s been said that your skin can never have enough hydration. We suggest considering how your comfort factors in, but there’s nothing stopping you using as much moisturiser as you like. Moisturisersare pretty straightforward to get right, but try to find a product which works for you. It’s worth shopping around a little to find a product with an uptake-rate, scent, and feel that is suited to you and your skin.
Step 5. SPF
For many, applying SPFis something limited to the height of summer, or at a stretch, when out on the slopes. More and more dermatologists are in consensus, however, that SPF should be applied every day. And there’s really nothing to lose by doing so. A light application to areas of exposed skin will block UV rays. This prevents the absorption of the harmful radiation responsible for ageing, blemishes, and in extreme cases, skin cancer. No brainer.
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