What content, methods and steps does the skin care process include?

To put it simply, the core framework of daily skin care is the three steps of cleansing, moisturizing, and sun protection. The rest of the operations, such as exfoliating, applying facial masks, applying acid, and using functional essences, are all options that can be added as needed based on personal skin type and skin care needs. There is no need to follow the "ten-step skin care method" online.

When many people first get into skin care, they always think that the more steps, the better the effect. In fact, this is not true. Take the most basic cleansing as an example. Nowadays, there is a lot of quarrel on the Internet. One group says that you must cleanse your face in the morning and evening to remove the oil on your face. The other group says that for dry and sensitive skin, warm water is enough in the morning. Cleansing will destroy the barrier. I used to have a friend with combination dry and sensitive skin who believed in the saying of "deep cleansing". She used soap-based cleansing in the morning and evening, and exfoliated with scrub twice a week. After half a month, her cheeks became red and flaky, and even mild toners stung. Later, she only used warm water of about 35 degrees Celsius to pat her face in the morning. When she got home in the evening, she used a mild amino acid cleanser to remove the day's dust and sunscreen. The redness disappeared within a few days.

There is no specific order of moisturizing steps after cleansing. You don’t have to apply water first, then essence, then lotion and finally cream. It all depends on your current skin feel and texture. Nowadays, many people are debating whether toner should be applied with hands or with cotton pads. In fact, both are correct. If you have oily skin and your T-zone always feels pimples and old cutin, it is perfectly fine to gently apply a toner-soaked cotton pad on the T-zone for secondary cleansing. If you have sensitive skin with thin cuticles, don’t just rub the cotton pad on your face blindly. Just pour it into the palm of your hand and pat it evenly for absorption, which will cause less pulling on the skin. For example, I have combination skin. In the summer, applying a refreshing toner and a light essence is enough. Applying lotion makes me feel stuffy. In autumn and winter, my face becomes dry when the wind blows, so I have to add a moisturizing cream to keep it moisturized.

The most important thing to avoid is actually sunscreen, but this part is also controversial. Some people say that you need to apply sunscreen whenever you go out, even if it is cloudy indoors. Others say that you don’t need to apply it as long as you don’t go out and can’t get sunlight. In fact, this is also flexible. If you stay one meter away from the window all day long and keep the blackout curtains closed, then there is really no need to apply sunscreen. If you sit by the window, or go out to do errands or go shopping, even if it looks cloudy, the intensity of ultraviolet rays can reach 70% of that on a sunny day, so you need to keep up with the protection you need. When I go out in the summer and am too lazy to apply sunscreen, I wear a wide-brim hat, ice sleeves, and a mask. The hard sunscreen covers it tightly and I don’t get tan. It’s much more comfortable than wearing sunscreen that turns white and rubs mud on my skin.

If you have additional skin care needs such as whitening, anti-aging, and anti-acne, consider adding corresponding functional products in addition to the three basic steps. Don’t be greedy for too much. A little sister who just went to college complained to me before, saying that she wanted to remove acne and whiten skin at the same time. She applied salicylic acid in the morning and used retinol at night, and also stacked high-concentration nicotinamide essence in the middle. Her face became swollen and hot within three days. She went to the dermatology department at the hospital. The doctor said that it was the barrier damage caused by excessive skin care, and it took more than half a month to heal.

To be honest, there has never been a unified standard answer to skin care. If you feel comfortable touching your face and don’t have problems such as redness, dryness, itchiness, or acne, then the process you are using now is the most suitable for you. There is really no need to copy other people’s work. It will only bring problems to your face, which will not be worth the gain.