Should your skin care routine change regularly? How to tell if it’s time for a change?
As the largest organ in your body, your skin requires specialized and adaptive treatments to keep it healthy and youthful. 1 In this guide, we’ll explore the basics of establishing a skin care routine, address factors that affect your skin, and provide tips on how to know when it’s time to change up your routine. Understanding your skin type, adapting to age-related changes, and evaluating your current daily habits are key steps to maintaining healthy and radiant skin.
What is a skin care routine?
A skin care routine is a personalized program designed to nourish and protect your skin. It includes a series of steps and products tailored to your skin’s individual needs. From cleansing and moisturizing to targeted treatments, a well-designed routine can improve the health and appearance of your skin if practiced consistently.
A skin care routine can include the following steps:
Cleansing
Applying a toner
Exfoliating
Applying a targeted serum, such as one containing retinol, niacinamide, or vitamin C
Applying an eye cream
Moisturizer
Applying SPF
Factors that affect skin texture
From genetics to lifestyle choices, a variety of factors can influence the condition of your skin. Understanding how these elements interact is key to developing an effective and sustainable skin care routine.
Factors that influence skin texture include:
Genetics: Your genetic makeup plays a role in determining your skin type and susceptibility to certain conditions, such as hyperpigmentation2 and acne3. There is also evidence that some aspects of aging are genetic, as moisture levels vary by ethnicity and certain gene mutations can affect protein synthesis.4
Environmental influences: External factors such as sunlight, pollution, climate, and humidity can affect skin condition. UV rays, in particular, can cause premature aging of the skin and increase the risk of hyperpigmentation and other skin problems.
Lifestyle: Lifestyle habits such as diet, hydration, smoking, and alcohol consumption can all affect skin health. A balanced lifestyle coupled with proper nutrition and hydration can promote radiant, resilient skin.
Skincare: The products you use, including cleansers, moisturizers, and serums, contribute to the health of your skin. Using the right products for your skin type is essential to avoid irritation and achieve positive results.
Hormonal fluctuations: Hormonal changes, such as those that occur during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, can affect the health and appearance of your skin. These changes may lead to acne, melasma, or changes in skin texture.
Stress: Increased stress can negatively affect your skin and make issues like acne, eczema, or psoriasis worse. Practicing stress management techniques can help keep your skin healthy.
Age: As you age, collagen and elastin production decreases, leading to changes in skin elasticity and firmness. Understanding age-related changes can help you adjust your skin care routine accordingly.
Sleep: Good sleep is essential for overall health, and insufficient sleep or poor sleep patterns can take a toll on your skin. Dark circles, dull complexion, and increased stress can be the result of not getting enough rest.
Allergies and sensitivities: Skin’s reactions to allergens or irritants cause what it is. Identifying and avoiding triggers can help maintain a healthy, irritation-free complexion.
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Signs It’s Time to Change Up Your Routine
Your skin communicates its needs, so it’s crucial to pay attention to signs of discomfort or imbalance. Changes in texture, increased sensitivity, or new issues may indicate that your current skincare routine needs a tweak.
Some signs that it’s time to change up your routine include:
Dryness or irritation
Excessive sebum production
General sluggishness
You develop a rash
You don’t see any results
Seasonal changes
It’s important to know your skin type
Knowing your skin type is essential to choosing the right products and treatments. Whether you have oily, dry, combination, or sensitive skin, tailoring your treatments to your specific needs ensures optimal results and prevents potential issues.
It’s also worth noting that your skin type may change over time or with the seasons. What works in the summer may not be as effective in the cold winter months. What works in your 20s may not be as helpful in your 40s.
Here’s a quick overview of the five main skin types:
Normal: This skin type is generally balanced, neither too oily nor too dry. Even if people with this skin type don’t have any particular issues, it’s still important to have a skin care routine that maintains balance and protects against environmental aggressors, stress factors, and changes that come with aging.
Oily: Oily skin is the result of excess sebum production, which can make you more prone to breakouts. Pores are usually more visible, and they may appear shiny or glossy. The best products for oily skin include niacinamide, which helps control sebum production, shrink pores, and minimize redness, and azelaic acid, another product for oily skin that opens pores, reduces inflammation, and helps control hormonal acne.
Dry: Dry skin produces less sebum and may appear dull, tight, or rough. Dry skin is also prone to acne due to a buildup of dead skin cells. A must-have product for dry skin is hyaluronic acid, which acts like a water magnet. Vitamin C is another great product for dry skin because it helps repair the skin barrier.
Combination Skin: As the name implies, combination skin is both oily and dry at the same time. However, the oiliness is usually limited to the T-zone, which includes the forehead, nose, and chin. People with combination skin can benefit from all the products that work for both oily and dry skin: niacinamide, azelaic acid, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C.
Sensitive: Sensitive skin reacts very quickly and is prone to redness and irritation. Oftentimes, the skin barrier that retains moisture and protects against environmental influences is compromised, which can be caused by harsh products or allergies. The key is to use products that gently repair the skin barrier without drying out the skin. These include niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C. Some products may need to be used gradually, perhaps every other day for two weeks and then daily as the skin adjusts.
Foundation Skincare offers all of the above products, each suitable for all of the above skin types. In addition, all of the products in the foundation skincare range can be safely layered without causing harmful interactions or irritation. As mentioned above, if you have sensitive skin, you may need to introduce new products gradually.
Learn more about how to create an ideal skin care routine based on your skin type.
How to adapt to age-related changes
As we age, our skin undergoes changes, such as decreased collagen production and changes in elasticity. Altering your skincare routine to accommodate these age-related changes is essential to maintaining healthy skin and minimizing the visible effects of aging.
Some products you may want to add to your routine to prevent or slow down certain signs of aging include retinoids, which are known to increase collagen production, fade fine lines and wrinkles, and improve firmness and elasticity.
Using an eye cream is also important to protect the delicate skin around your eyes, which is particularly prone to showing signs of aging.
A good neck cream that boosts collagen production can also help tone, firm, and moisturize the neck and décolletage.
For women, the hormonal fluctuations that accompany perimenopause and menopause can also lead to acne breakouts, even if you didn’t have acne-prone skin when you were younger, as well as a type of hyperpigmentation called melasma. The best products for improving acne and hyperpigmentation include azelaic acid, which helps destroy bacteria on the skin to aid in healing and preventing breakouts, and breaks the link between hormonal changes and sebum production; and niacinamide, which also regulates oil production and supports healthy fats in the skin for a radiant, youthful complexion. Discover more products for acne and scarring here.
If you haven’t been wearing sunscreen regularly, now is the perfect time. Not only does sun exposure cause sunburn and hyperpigmentation, it also accelerates signs of aging. Using an SPF of 30+ (preferably 50+) is a key step in caring for your skin, no matter your age.
How to Evaluate Your Skin-Care Routine
It’s crucial to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your skin-care routine. As mentioned above, your skin will change over time, and your skin-care routine should reflect those changes. Looking for signs that your routine isn’t working and evaluating factors like product compatibility will help you make informed decisions about adjustments and improvements.
Remember, just because you’ve had oily skin in the past doesn’t mean you have to be “stuck” with that skin type forever. With the right products and the right habits, you can achieve a new skin type and a new level of satisfaction with your routine. Identify your skin care goals and create a daily routine that will help you achieve them.
Tips for a Seamless Transition
Switching between skin care routines can be a delicate process. Implementing changes gradually, strategically incorporating new products, and seeking professional advice when necessary can help facilitate a seamless transition and maximize the benefits of your routine.
The next best way to achieve your skin care goals is to use dermatologist-developed products, such as those in a foundation skin care line, that can (and should) be used together for best results.
Some tips for a seamless transition:
Start slowly: When introducing new products into your routine or switching out products you’ve been using for a while, introduce one product at a time. This is especially important for people with sensitive skin. If a product requires twice-daily use, try using it every other day and then daily for 2-3 weeks until you’re used to it. Watch for any redness or irritation to assess if the product is right for you.
Be patient: When introducing new products into your routine, you may want to see results right away, but change takes time. For some products, such as Foundation Skincare’s Azelaic Acid 14% Cream, it may take 6-8 weeks to start seeing results, with most changes typically not noticeable until about 90 days.
Follow the instructions: If a product calls for a “pea-sized amount” or a “thin layer,” use the correct amount. Larger or too frequent applications will not speed up results. It’s best to think of skincare as a marathon, not a print.
Your skin is a dynamic organ that deserves careful care at every stage of your life. By understanding what affects your skin, recognizing signs of change, and adjusting your daily habits accordingly, you can achieve and maintain healthy, radiant skin. By tailoring your skincare routine to your individual needs, you’re not only addressing current concerns, but you’re also actively supporting the long-term health and elasticity of your skin.
