A lot of things can stand between you and flawless skin, some of the most common ones being pollution, sun exposure and stress. These factors can have a negative impact on your skin, thus resulting into breakouts, uneven skin tone and blemishes. Getting regular clean ups and facials therefore is essential for healthy and glowing skin. Worried? Well we know what you’re thinking. You don’t have the time to visit a salon and pamper your skin with those elaborate clean up steps. Guess what, you don’t have to get it done from a professional at a salon each time. Sometimes you can simply rely on ingredients available at home and get salon-like results at home.
Wondering how to do a clean-up at home? Well worry not, our easy-peasy clean up steps below will help you get the skin of your dreams. Follow each step below in the correct order to achieve clear skin. Also, we’ve added a little DIY recipe along each step so you can pamper your skin with the goodness of natural ingredients. Before we begin, here are a few things you will need:
- Soft towels
- Cleanser, scrub, mask, toner, moisturiser
- Cotton ball
- Facial steamer
- Cold water with ice cubes
Now that you have all your items in place let’s begin.
- Step 1: Cleanse
- Step 2: Exfoliate
- Step 3: Steam
- Step 4: Mask
- Step 5: Tone
- Step 6: Moisturise
Step 1: Cleanse
Start by thoroughly cleansing your skin, if you want your clean up steps to work. It is essential to get rid of all the dirt sitting on your face. While you may think a face wash alone is enough, we recommend a two-step cleansing method to ensure your skin is squeaky clean. Dirt, pollution and other environmental stressors can seep deep into the layers of your skin and simply using a face wash won’t cut it. We suggest you use micellar water, cleansing milk or oil to get rid of the surface dirt. Follow this up with a facial cleanser to remove all the residue dirt and makeup. A pea-sized amount of your regular face wash is enough to get the job done.
DIY tip: Milk acts as an excellent cleanser in drawing out impurities. Dip a cotton ball in raw milk and massage your face in upwards strokes to remove dirt and dust. Don’t forget your ears and neck. Wash off with water and pat your skin dry.
Step 2: Exfoliate
Your skin sheds dead skin cells every day, skin cells that sit on the surface and make your skin look uneven and dull. Exfoliating helps in getting rid of dead skin cells, as well as deep set impurities and reveal healthy and radiant skin. However, do not exfoliate your skin everyday as this can cause damage and lead to rashes and breakout. Do it twice a week to get a refined texture and smooth, soft skin. It is the most important of all the cleanup steps that there are, therefore don’t miss out on it during your at-home cleanup session.
DIY tip: To create your own scrub at home you can mix together sugar and honey in a bowl and gently rub your wet face with it. Use gentle upward motions while scrubbing to ensure you do not irritate your skin. Honey has natural skin repairing and healing properties, which makes it an essential part of any at-home cleanup and facial. The sugar granules are gentle on the skin and are therefore suitable for all skin types.
Step 3: Steam
While following clean up steps at home, a lot of women skip this important step called steaming. The reason it is placed between cleansing and masking is because of this step opens up your pores and makes it easier for your skin to absorb all the goodness that the next skincare products will offer. This also allows you to extract blackheads with ease. For this step, you will need your facial steamer or a large bowl of hot water. Bend over the steaming water and keep your face a few inches away. Don’t forget to cover your head with a towel. Do this for 5-10 minutes.
DIY tip: Add a few drops of essential oil such as lavender, rose, peppermint, eucalyptus or sandalwood to the steaming water to reap maximum benefits.
Step 4: Mask
Now that your skin is clean, the ingredients in your face mask will sink deeper to work magic on your skin. Other than absorbing excess oil, this particular clean up step also closes your pores that end up opening during the cleansing and steaming process. Since you just have to apply the face pack or mask all over your face and neck and relax, this step is highly beneficial for your skin and mind. Lastly, place two slices of cold cucumber on your eyes to relax deeply and help your eyes look fresh. Allow your face mask to dry completely, ideally 15-20 minutes before washing it off with the cold water.
DIY tip: To make your own face mask at home add two tablespoons of fuller’s earth or Multani Mitti in a bowl. Now pour one teaspoon rose water and honey each. Mix all the ingredients well to make a paste and apply evenly.
Step 5: Tone
A toner will not only close the pores further but it will also balance the pH level of your skin. Your skin will immediately feel refreshed and hydrated. You can either use a store bought non-alcohol toner or make one at home using natural ingredients. You can use either, but don’t skip this very crucial clean up step. Don’t wipe your face after spraying the toner. Allow your skin to absorb it completely.
DIY tip: To make a toner at home, extract the juice of one cucumber and add five tablespoons of rose water to it. Mix them together and transfer to a spray bottle. Store it in the fridge and shake well before use.
Step 6: Moisturise
The last of all the cleanup steps is to lock the moisture and goodness of the face clean up into your skin. This will also leave a lasting glow on your face. Depending on your skin type, choose a moisturizer that will be the most effective. For combination and oily skin we recommend you use a gel or water-based moisturizer. On the other hand, if you have dry skin go for a heavy moisturiser or a thicker lotion to ensure the dryness stays at bay.
DIY tip: You can apply freshly extracted aloe vera gel all over your face as it has both nourishing and moisturising properties. It will also calm and soothe your skin.
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