When we are kids, our skin is perfection. Our Fountain of Youth is the envy of adults, with our thick, virgin hair; our clear, glowing skin; our lack of body odor; and bright, white eyes and teeth. But somewhere along the way, things change, as young as 7 or 8, but more commonly when we’re closer to our teens.
For many of us, puberty spells the end of clear, glowing skin as we begin to experience the woes of our adolescent hormonal years. Acne rears its ugly head throughout our teens and as we grow into young adults.
Then, if we’re lucky, our acne passes, and we have a few years—perhaps up to a decade—of great skin. Fast forward to our mid to late twenties, and our skin changes almost overnight. We inspect our faces up close one day, and we notice fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and sun damage—yikes! You decide it’s about time to get a severe skincare ritual. But where to begin?
You can start here.
Your Skin
Apart from seeing signs of aging and sun damage, our skin also falls victim to the damage we can’t see with the naked eye. Our skin’s constantly getting assaulted by free radicals such as pollution and dirt on a cellular level. This wreaks havoc on our cells if we don’t protect them. A skincare ritual helps to protect and preserve the skin’s natural defenses and pH levels.
Our skin’s pH ranges from 0-14, zero being acidic and 14 being alkaline. Adult skin has an average pH of 5.5, which is slightly on the acidic side, so our skin can often thrive when we use products that are also a little acidic.
Skincare as an Adult
We talked about why we needed to start a skincare ritual at a young age a few weeks ago. But what if we are already adults and still haven’t started following a specific skincare ritual?
Unfortunately, signs of aging can begin in our early 20s. So it’s essential to start with a basic skincare ritual as soon as possible. But even if you’re already in your 30s or 40s, it’s not too late.
The most basic ritual consists of three steps. These are:
Cleansing: This is to remove impurities from your skin and balance your skin’s pH.
Toning: On a basic level, toners can hydrate, balance, and prepare the skin for moisturizers.
Moisturizing: This is a crucial step in a ritual, as it hydrates and protects the skin from pollutants and skin stressors.
We recommend, as a start, that you perform these three steps every morning and night.
The Skin Types
Skincare is not something we inherently know. It’s a complex topic, and knowing which cleanser, toner, and moisturizer to use for our skin can be overwhelming. With thousands of options at our fingertips, it can be impossible to know which to choose.
It depends on your skin type for which products you should be using. So let’s first go over the skin types and how you can determine yours.
There are four skin types: normal, dry, oily, and combination. Knowing your skin type can be tricky to navigate on your own. But here are a few ways that can help you.
Cleanse skin. Using a mild cleanser, wash your face thoroughly, and do not apply anything else on the skin. Take note of how your skin feels after 30 minutes and then again at 60 minutes.
Is there any shine or oil? Where is it? If it’s just on the nose or t-zone, but the rest of your face is dry or normal, you have combination skin. If oil is more prevalent around most of your face, you’re more on the oily-skin side.
Does your face feel tight, dry, or irritated? This means your skin is likely to be on the dry side.
Normal skin is when there are no visible signs of dryness or oiliness, but most adults have combination skin.
Blot method. The other way you can test your skin is to blot your face with paper later in the day to see how much oil is on your skin. Dry skin will have no oil on the paper. Combination will have patches of oil. Oily skin will have a lot of oil. It’s a no-brainer, right?
Which Products Should You Be Using?
Now you’ve determined your skin type. So what products should you be using? Well, this comes down to a few factors:
- Skin type
- Age
- Preference
As mentioned before, our skin type will require different products and ingredients to treat our skin properly. But our age—whether we have signs of aging and damage—plus our preference for how a product feels on our skin are also factors to consider.
To help you choose, let’s go over the different types of cleansers, toners, and moisturizers.
Types of Cleansers
Gel: this kind of cleanser is a translucent gel that foams up when mixed with water. They work well to remove impurities quickly and effectively, decongesting the pores, and leaving the skin feeling fresh and clean.
Best for: Normal, Oily, Combination skin types
Worst for: Dry skin types
Cream: these cleansers contain hydrating moisturizers. They usually do not foam up and leave the skin feeling soothed and nourished.
Best for: Normal, Dry, Combination skin types
Worst for: Very oily skin types
Foam: foaming cleansers are a liquid that pumps into a foam and effectively removes any debris and oil from the skin. Be wary of foaming cleansers, often containing harsh sulfates (SLES/SLS).
Best for: Normal, Oily, Combination skin types
Worst for: Dry skin types
Powder: powder cleansers require adding water or other wet products to make them into a creamy consistency. They are usually made with fewer ingredients than their wet counterparts, which is great for anyone with sensitive skin. However, be wary that their texture can cause more irritation if the particles are not fine enough.
Best for: All skin types
Worst for: Sensitive skin, which not a skin type, but a skin condition.
Oil: oil cleansers either stay in oil form, or they become somewhat milky or liquefied when water is added. Oil cleansers are becoming extremely popular among all skin types because of their ability to protect the skin’s microbiome layer while effectively cleansing the skin. It might seem counterintuitive, but using oil to cleanse oily skin can also be beneficial for balancing sebum—like fighting fire with fire.
Best for: All skin types
Worst for: None
Balm: balms work similarly to oils and are excellent makeup removers. The formulations are usually rich in texture and can help with dry, irritated, or sensitive skin. Because of their texture, they are not usually recommended for oily skin, as they can clog the pores and cause breakouts.
Best for: Dry, combination, normal skin types
Worst for: Oily skin
Clay: clay cleansers are used to purify and detoxify clogged pores. Clay-based formulations are known to help absorb excess oil and mattify the skin.
Best for: Oily skin types
Worst for: Dry, combination, normal skin types
Micellar: micellar waters are clear fluids that contain micelles, which effectively remove debris. They are predominantly used as a first step to removing makeup and can be a little harsh on some people’s skin. So it is always recommended to follow with cleanser to provide the skin with more balance and hydration.
Best for: All skin types
Worst for: Some dry and sensitive skin
Bars: these are an older form of cleansing and have become popular again thanks to the zero-waste movement. Bars usually foam up with water and effectively clean and balance most skin types. Choose a bar with hydrating ingredients, and no sulfates, as they will strip the skin.
Best for: All skin types
Worst for: -
Types of Toners
Toners are not critical, but can add to the overall ritual. They can balance the skin’s pH while hydrating and preparing the skin. While many skincare gurus don’t always tout the mighty toner, they can be a great addition to a complete skincare ritual.
There are three kinds of toners on the market:
Hydrating Toners: these are the most common toner used every morning and night after cleansing. They can contain ingredients like aloe for hydrating and soothing, or they can also include astringents, like rose water, which is great for balancing oily skin.
Best for: All skin types
Worst for: None
Exfoliating Toners: these contain ingredients that help facilitate the skin’s natural shedding process. Depending on the formulations, exfoliating toners are normally added to a regime either once per day or a few times per week. They usually contain acids, like AHAs, Glycolic, or fruit enzymes.
Best for: Oily, combination, normal, and some dry skin types
Worst for: Some dry and sensitive skin
Treatment Toners: These are a great way to boost your skin’s complexion. Treatment toners are used for targeting specific concerns, like hyperpigmentation, fine lines, or rosacea. They usually are very active, so they are usually only added to a ritual between 1-3 times a week, depending on your skin type.
Best for: All skin types
Worst for: Some dry and sensitive skin
Types of Moisturizers
Gel: this is the lightest form of moisturizer and is generally only recommended for very oily skin due to its low nourishment and non-comedogenic nature.
Gels are normally formulated with aloe and other water-based ingredients. You can also find gel-cream hybrids on the market, suitable for oily-combination skin types.
Liquid/Lotion: you’ll usually find liquid/lotion-type moisturizers for oily and acne-prone skin, as this will not clog pores. The lighter consistency can also be preferable for warmer seasonal changes.
Cream: this is the most common formulation of moisturizer. The consistency varies depending on the formulation. The heavier consistency will be more suitable for dry skin, especially for colder seasons or climates.
Of course, the preference for a consistency of a product is also very personal. We may tell you that a nourishing cream might not be suitable for oily skin, yet someone with oily skin may find that they prefer it. It really just depends on you.
Rituals For All
So now you know all about the types of products, so what products should you choose? Here are three simple rituals we recommend for each skin type. Always perform a double cleanse, particularly if you’re wearing makeup. The first cleanse with oil. At the same time, the other products should be used both morning and night.
Normal/Combination Skin
Earth Harbor Sunshine Dew Cleansing Oil
Earthwise Beauty Marshmallow Face Cleanser
UpCircle Beauty Face Toner with Mandarin & Chamomile
Earthwise Beauty Yasuni Face Balm
Dry Skin
Three Ships Nourish Lavender & MCT Cleansing Oil
Earth Harbor Ahoy Love Nourishing Cream Cleanser
Three Ships Calm Lavender Hydrosol Toner
Honua Skincare Mahealani Moonlit Glow Balm
Oily Skin
Earth Harbor Sunshine Dew Cleansing Oil
M.S. Skincare Mantra Skin Perfecting Cleanser
Earth Harbor Tidal Rose Crystal Hydration Toner
Earthwise Beauty Ambrosia do Cerrado Liquid Moisturizer
It can be challenging to choose a ritual that works as an adult. So start with something simple, and build up from there with serums, exfoliants, and masks. Your best skin awaits you.
Emma Jade has been a trained esthetician for over 15 years. She is a sustainable skincare writer, educating and building awareness around proper skin health that doesn’t cost the Earth.
Some of the products promoted in our blog are from our online store. Many others are brands we have researched and found to be great examples of sustainable, ethical, and innovative brands in their field, and we don’t profit from mentioning them in our blog. #CollaborationOverCompetition
