Written by guest writer Haley Celso Rosas, Editor-in-Chief of Exit 109 (Radford University’s Literary Magazine)

Skin care can be challenging to understand, especially when faced with the numerous steps and products available on the internet. Today, I’ll start off with the basics on how to do proper skin care, with some instructions to help out those who are beginning their self-care journey. Keep in mind that each skin type is different, and it’s going to be trial and error as you venture out. Also, keep in mind that you will need to do at least 2 weeks to a month of consistent routine to show any results, whether good or bad. Results don’t happen in a day.

I’ll dive into the products first and then into the routine you should be following and adjusting to your needs. Before we begin diving into the expensive, more well-known products, let’s start with the simple basics, such as our cleanser and face lotion. Usually, our skin doesn’t demand much from us other than a simple cleanse and moisturizer, but some skin can require more than that, so don’t be afraid to try products and return them if they don’t deliver the result you’re looking for.

For cleansers, there are many kinds. Oils, foaming, gel, micellar, and so on. They can be both or none at the same time. Right now, we’re going basic, so we’re going to look into foaming cleansers. These are the type of cleansers that typically lather up into a good foam, and it removes oils and dirt without being too heavy on the skin. The ones I would recommend are CeraVe’s renewing SA cleanser, Vanicream gentle facial cleanser, or my personal favorite, B_LAB matcha hydrating foam cleanser.

For lotions, you have to make sure they are facial. It’s very important not use lotions that are indicated for only the body, hands, etc. If they worked for you this far, great! But sometimes they can contain fragrances or ingredients that can irritate the skin and make breakouts worse. Again, there are so many different lotions that say they can do this, that, etc, but again, we’re keeping it simple. Stick with Vanicream moisturizing cream as it provides that nice feeling without the smell and heaviness. Now, if you do want that heaviness for when you moisturize before you head to bed, I would recommend using NIVEA creme. Make sure it says creme as this name brand has so many varieties. Now this lotion is indicated for the body and hands alongside the face, but this lotion is versatile as it contains ingredients that help protect and hydrate the face when you compare it to other body lotions. This cream is thick, so a small amount goes a long way.

And finally, you need to be investing in sunscreen, and not the ones meant for your body. As stated before, these products contain ingredients that might irritate the face and even sting the eyes as you go along your day, and there is no worse feeling than having your eyes sting constantly, all because you decided not follow my advice. If I’m honest, most American face sunscreens aren’t the best at not irritating the eyes. I highly recommend investing in sunscreens that are either from Japan or Korea, as their sunscreens are lightweight, highly protective from sunrays, and will never sting your eyes. It’s hard to recommend the product name as I can’t remember it at the top of my head, but you should be making sure that the SPF is 50.

So, you might be asking, what now? Now, before bed, you take the time to do this routine every night. You do this after you brush your teeth. You make sure your face is wet with warm (or hot) water and then take the cleanser, lather it on your hands first before applying it to your face. Massage the product on your face for a good minute or two. After that, you rinse it off. You can choose to do another cleanse, which I usually do, or we can move on to moisturizing. After your face is dry, and you can either dry it with a clean towel or let it air dry, you then apply the lotion. Then you can go to sleep. In the morning, you don’t have to do the routine. Instead, you just apply your lotion, and as you feel like your skin has absorbed the lotion, you then apply your sunscreen. After that, you can go on with your day.

And with that, that’s the very basics of skin care! Next article, if the people demand it, we can go into upgrading your routine with additional products like toners, serums, and masks. Hopefully, your skin will improve from this simple self-care.