Understanding Skin Types and Creating the Best Routine for Beginners

Skin Care Basics For Beginners

The best skin care products in the world are a waste of money and time if they are not right for your skin type. Using the wrong skin care products can actually hurt your skin!

Before you buy any products for your skin, read this skincare 101 blog. This skin care blog is the best way to get started learning about skin care basics.

Skin Care Basics

To find more educational material on skin care products and skin care routines, browse our skin care library.

We also have the best website on skin care ingredients.

All of our blogs are written by Dermatologist Dr. Leslie Baumann MD (that’s me!). I wrote the first and bestselling textbooks on skin care and Cosmetic Dermatology for doctors and a New York Times Bestseller on skincare. See my bio below.

My goal is to give you the best skin care blogs and the best website with information about skin care, skin types, and skin care routines. These skin care blogs contain the information from my skin care books but is constantly updated so it is the most current skin care information.

Lets get started.

Beginners to skin care welcome!

These are the skin care essentials that you need to learn first – before you buy any products.

There are 16 Baumann Skin Types. Sixteen?!!

I know!— You might have thought there were only 4 or 5 basic skin types — but that is not enough to cover all of the skin issues. But don’t worry it is easy to understand the basics of skin typing.

The Skin Types

The Baumann Skin Typing System applies only to facial skin. It was developed to categorize skin into groups to make it easier for dermatologists to prescribe skin care routines. There are 4 main issues you need to consider when choosing your first skin care products:

Hydration (Dryness)

Inflammation (Sensitivity)

Evenness of color (Pigment)

Risk of Aging (Due to habits, genetics, and age)

If you have any of these, your skin care routine needs to address these issues. These 4 issues are called “barriers to skin health” or skin conditions.

Skin care basics- skin type

16 Skin Types

When you mix those 4 skin issues together- you get 16 different combinations. Each skin type has a different combination of those 4 basic skin concerns that basic skin care should focus on.

You can see that each of these has its own color and number. All you have to do is take the skin type quiz, find out your skin type, see what skin type color and number you are, and then read reviews from others with the same skin type. (Their review will show their skin type octagon so you can get advice from others with the same skin type as you.)

All you have to do is know your Baumann Skin Type! Then we can give you basic skin care advice personalized for your skin’s concerns.

Basic Skin Care Routine

Match your skin care routine to your skin type.

Your skin care routine should be matched to your skin type so it treats all of your skin concerns. These are the skin care essentials and types of products to choose for each skin concern:

Dry Skin Routine Treats Dehydration

Dehydrated dry skin needs:

Non foaming Cleansers

Barrier Repair Moisturizers

Sensitive skin types need gentle anti-inflammatory ingredients in their skin care

Sensitive Skin Care Routine Calms Skin

Inflamed skin needs serums, lotions, or creams with anti-inflammatory ingredients to soothe and calm the skin.

These sensitive skin types should avoid irritating skin care products until the skin has mellowed and calmed down. The sensitive skin care products you choose will depend on what is causing your skin to have inflammation.

These are the types of sensitive skin that these products can treat:

Acne type of sensitive skin

Rosacea (redness) type of sensitive skin

Stinging skin

Allergic skin

Sensitive skin care routines should treat the sensitivity and it’s causes without upsetting the skin and making it worse.

Skin Lightening Routine Evens Skin Tone and Color

Uneven skin tones have dark spots on the skin that can be evened out with skin lightening and brightening ingredients.

Which to use depends on which other skin concerns you have. For example, some skin lightening products can upset skin and would not be good for sensitive skin types that need to treat dark spots on the skin.

Anti-aging routines to prevent wrinkles

Antiaging Skin Care Prevents and Treats Wrinkles

How soon do you need to start worrying about anti-aging skin care? It depends on your skin type! The skin type quiz will ask many questions about your lifestyle and habits to determine if it is time for anti-aging ingredients in wrinkle serums and creams in your basic skin routine.

Why does my basic routine need products that match my skin type?

A basic skin care routine for you should be customized for your skin’s needs. One size does not fit all!

The best skin care routine for your friend, sister, brother, mother, celebrity, or beauty influencer may not be the right skin care routine for your unique skin type. Make sure they have the same skin type number as you before you take their skin care advice.

Best skin care routine

What Are the Most Important Basic Skin Care Routine Steps?

Your daily skin care routine at home should accomplish 3 important goals:

Cleanse

Protect

Repair

These are the 3 most important skin care routine steps for skin care beginners.

Does the Skin Care Routine Order Matter?

The skin care routine step order matters a lot.

The skin has a circadian rhythm. This means it works differently in the day and night time.

The genes to protect skin are turned on in the morning and the genes to repair skin are turned on at night.

Your am and pm skin care routine should be designed to help your skin protect itself in the am and repair itself at night.

Don’t stress about skin care basics and starting your first skin care routine. We are hear to guide you. After you take the quiz we give you the exact skin care steps and you choose products from many brands for each step. You can feel confident that the products you are choosing from the options we give you are right for your skin type.

Take the Quiz

Why Use My Skin Care Routine Products Every Day?

Nourish your skin with scientifically-proven skin care products every day.

Using basic products that are right for your skin every day is as critical for smooth, radiant skin as eating healthy foods every day is important for your body’s health.

Fresh, smooth, radiant, moisturized skin is possible. It takes your skin 50-72 days to completely renew itself. If you start now- you can renew your skin in 3 months or less.

3 month calendar

Start now. Learn your skin type. Get a skin care routine. Improve your skin health. Now

DQH Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? It’s easy to create a skincare routine, but knowing how to use it is another thing entirely. In most cases, if you’re not getting the desired skin results, it could be due to the layering of conflicting ingredients. So, is it possible that salicylic acid and vitamin C are such ingredients? Or are these active ingredients the duo that’s been missing from your skincare routine? If you want answers, stick around because today we are going to explain the benefits of salicylic acid and vitamin C and how they can be used in your daily life. What are the benefits of salicylic acid for skin? Salicylic acid is one of the most commonly used beta hydroxy acids and is favored by many people with oily, acne-prone skin. This acid is derived from willow bark, and unlike its water-soluble relatives (called alpha-hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate deeper into the lower layers of the skin. Once it reaches the lower layers, it can help unclog pores of excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, debris, and impurities. This results in clearer skin tones and greater definition. Not only does salicylic acid benefit the underlying layers, but the outer surface of the skin benefits as well. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid removes the buildup of dead skin cells. This is accomplished by breaking the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface. Over time, this can cause the complexion to look dull and prone to acne, blackheads, and other blemishes. If you’d like to learn more about salicylic acid and how it can improve your skin, check out this dedicated blog post from a beauty insider. What are the benefits of vitamin C for skin? Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, which means it is very effective at fighting free radicals and preventing them from causing further skin damage. Examples of free radicals include pollution, central heating, UV rays and harsh climate. They attack proteins, fats and cell membranes as soon as they come into contact with the skin, causing signs of premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation, flaky patches of skin and loss of elasticity. Many people usually prefer to use vitamin C in their morning routine as this ingredient gives the complexion a radiant glow. You’ll also find that vitamin C can target areas of hyperpigmentation, plumping the skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The thing about vitamin C is that there are a lot of outdated studies going back to the 1950s that describe vitamin C as an unstable skin component. Thanks to improvements in modern technology, this is no longer the case as all products now contain a stable form of vitamin C. Visit The Beauty Insider to learn more about vitamin C. So please check out our blog post. Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, it’s thought that using salicylic acid before using vitamin C ensures it penetrates faster and works faster. This is an efficient way to utilize two power sources, and the reason has to do with pH. For example, the skin’s natural pH is about 4.7, making it slightly acidic. Salicylic acid and vitamin C are also both acidic, and you’ll find that vitamin C is absorbed quickly into the skin. Therefore, using salicylic acid beforehand can increase the acidity of the skin and allow vitamin C to penetrate into the skin faster. While this is considered an effective way to combine two powerful ingredients, you need to be aware of your skin type and how it reacts to certain active ingredients. Even people with perfect, normal skin can experience skin sensitivity and irritation. Therefore, always consult a doctor or dermatologist before using any new products on your skin. It’s also important to follow skin application rules. In this case, you need to use the product correctly to ensure you get the best results for your skin. If you’re not sure what I mean, the basic rule for skin is to start with the thinnest consistency and work your way up to the thickest consistency. This prevents a barrier from forming on the surface, preventing other active ingredients from penetrating the skin. Can I use salicylic acid at night and vitamin C in the morning? Yes, absolutely, this is considered the most effective way to get returns without any adverse side effects. This is because there is enough time between applications to ensure that the skin’s pH levels return to balance. You’ll also find that Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and is perfect for use in the morning to ensure your skin is protected and looking its healthiest. Due to the small size of salicylic acid molecules, it is an acid that is able to reach the deepest parts of the skin. While this is effective at keeping skin clear, it also increases the risk of irritation and photosensitivity. Therefore, many people prefer to use powerful BHAs in their evening routine without exposure to UV rays, pollution, or harsh weather. Warning: If you avoid using sunscreen every day, none of these ingredients will do what your skin needs. The combination of chemical peels and powerful ingredients increases the risk of further damage to the skin’s surface. Use SPF 50 every day to keep your skin protected and your lipid barrier healthy, even on cloudy days, keeping your skin in top condition.

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