Back to School Skin Care Routine

Summer is sadly coming to an end. It’s time to start back up with the school year routines. You wake up, brush your teeth, get dressed, do your hair and makeup, but what about your skin care routine? A good skin care routine is so important to keep your skin healthy and beautiful this school year. Not sure where to begin? We’re breaking it down step-by-step to help you create your own skin care routine.

1) Pre-Cleanse

The first step to any skin care routine is to remove any makeup and excess oil left on the skin from oil-based products. For this step, you want to use a cleansing oil or makeup remover. The purpose of this is to remove the residue from the skin before applying face wash so that you don’t just spread junk around on your skin.

2) Cleanse

Next, you want to use face wash to cleanse your skin. A soft, water-based cleanser works best to reduce the chances of redness. This wash will remove any impurities still remaining after the pre-cleanse.

Another good step to take at this point is exfoliation. This gets rid of dead skin cells that pile up, even after cleansing. It’s necessary to exfoliate because buildup of dead skin cells can lead to clogged pores, dark spots, rough skin, and more pronounced wrinkles. You generally only want to exfoliate one to three times per week, depending on your skin sensitivity and the climate where you live.

Another optional step here is using a face mask. Masks are a great way to draw out impurities as well as to soothe, brighten, and hydrate skin. They should be done sparingly, about once or twice a week.

3) Tone

Toner is a product that is often misunderstood and underappreciated. A good toner is meant to balance your skin’s PH levels to refresh and hydrate the skin. Using a toner also helps your skin absorb all the goodness in the serums and moisturizers you’re going to apply next.

4) Treat

Your skin is finally rid of all the dirt and oils. Now it’s time to treat your problem areas! Serums provide your skin with antioxidants, ceramides, and other powerful ingredients that do wonders for your skin. Concentrated serums strengthen the skin and target specific skincare concerns, like wrinkles. They only need to be applied about three times per week.

5) Prevent

Now is a good time to use eye cream to prevent dark under eye circles and wrinkles. Many people have bags under their eyes that can be prevented. Eye creams are specifically formulated to target the delicate skin around the eye. They can (and should) be used day and night. Some people believe that eye cream is only necessary for older people. While older people do use eye cream to address the issues they already face around their eyes, young people should use eye cream to help prevent these issues. Young skin benefits from eye creams with antioxidants to keep the skin hydrated and prevent collagen damage. If the skin already has damage, an eye cream containing Vitamin C, retinol, and peptides will help to address the issues.

6) Moisturize

It is so important to moisturize every day. Moisturizing helps skin stay young and reduces skin problems. Dry skin can be more prone to blemishes and wrinkles. Plus, a moisturizer seals in all the good products you just applied to your skin so you can reap the benefits all day long.

7) Protect

Lastly, and most importantly, apply sunscreen. Protecting your skin from the sun is part of your skin care routine that should be done every single day.

Applying an SPF helps prevent skin cancer caused by the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. This one is mandatory. Always apply sunscreen.

So there we have it. Pre-cleanse, cleanse, tone, treat, prevent, moisturize, and protect. These seven steps will keep your skin soft, healthy, and radiant. Skin care will be important throughout your life so it’s good to get into a good routine. To help kickstart your routine, visit our student spas* in Everett and Renton to get a skin treatment from a future professional. If you want to learn how to best care for skin, check out our esthetics program. You can learn the best techniques and products to use for each skin type! If you’re considering a career in esthetics, here are some things you should know before you enroll.
*All services provided by students under the supervision of licensed professionals.