Cleansers, moisturisers, sunscreens: How to use these common skincare products right

Overwhelmed by the amount of skincare products you get to see out there everyday? It’s safe to say that you are not alone. With copious amounts of common yet essential cosmetics available in the market these days it is nothing but just a natural reaction on your part to wonder which ones to take home. To be honest, most of the time these products don’t work as well as they should. Eventually you zero in on the one which you think works best for you, but not before you try out a couple of others. We ask you, is it right? You might not care right now but your skin does.

Skin problems are real and it is a byproduct of internal and external factors affecting the body over a period of time. If not taken care of, it can lead to serious problems later. We tell you how to take care of your skin on a daily basis and how to use the common skincare products right. But before we get down to the basics, follow this golden rule the next time you buy anything: gel/serum based products for oily skin; serum/lotion for combination skin and cream based formulations for dry/sensitive skin. Now, back to the fundamentals.

Cleansers and scrubs: A gentle cleanser has a pH balance of around 5.5 which keeps the skin hydrated. Many leading over-the-counter soaps and cleansers are alkaline in nature and are harsh, making the skin dry after a face wash. People with dry/sensitive skin can use cleansers with additional aloe vera/chamomile/oat milk extracts with soothing properties. Now, about scrubs. Using an exfoliating scrub with alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) like glycolic acid or lactic acid once or twice a week as per skin type helps to shed the dead skin cells, leaving a fresher looking skin. Scrubs must have very fine granules to bring about mechanical exfoliation gently on the skin. The ones like apricot/walnut scrubs with coarse granules are a strict no-no! If you don’t have the time for scrubs then you can use home peel pads which are a cocktail of multiple skin exfoliating and brightening agents. These pads are like soaked wet tissue wipes that can be rubbed on the face, neck, arms or rest of the body. They work great and instantly illuminate your skin.