January often brings a new burst of motivation and a desire to set up good habits for the year ahead. When it comes to the New Year, there couldn’t be a better time to revisit your skincare products, routine and goals to set yourself up for a year of optimal skin health!
5 REASONS WHY YOU NEED A CONSISTENT SKINCARE ROUTINE
One of the easiest ways to set yourself up for success is understanding “why”. If you don’t know why you should be investing time and money into a daily skincare routine, it’s unlikely you’ll bother sticking to it. And we all know once you have a lazy few days where the gym, eating well or your skincare routine are not made priority, it can be really difficult to get back into the groove.
The benefits of a daily skincare routine should be pretty obvious, but if you’re stuck on ideas, find some inspiration from our list of “why” below.
Skin Health
The most obvious benefit of a consistent skincare routine is maintaining a healthy complexion. Your skin’s barrier health should be top priority to avoid potential damage that can often lead to a long list of problems, including breakouts, drying and irritation. Maintaining healthy skin doesn’t have to be complicated. A double cleanse, serum and moisturiser will ensure your skin remains clean, protected and hydrated.
Age Defence
Speaking of skin health, one of the easiest ways to fast-track your skin’s ageing process is to skip cleansing and moisturising. Cleansing does more than just keep skin clean. A double cleanse provides gentle exfoliation, increases blood flow to promote collagen production and ensures the actives in your follow-up products such as serums, moisturisers and oils have a chance to fully absorb into the skin and do their job.
Prevention is Key
A basic but consistent skincare routine using the right products for your skin type can prevent breakouts and acne scarring, protect your skin from developing pigmentation, and also reduces signs of premature ageing such as fine lines, wrinkles and a dull complexion.
Boost your confidence
Exercising regularly makes you look healthy and feel good, and the same goes for your skin. Think of your skincare routine as a daily 5-10 minute workout for the health of your skin, where consistency will guarantee results. And when we start seeing the benefits of our routines and rituals it makes us even more motivated to invest in self-care everyday.
Your skin deserves support
Our skin is our largest organ and plays an important role in protecting the overall health of our body. Some of the skin’s main functions include regulating temperature, preventing moisture loss and enabling touch sensations. It also protects us daily from bacteria, pollution and reduces the harmful effects of UV damage. The least we can do for our skin daily is keep it clean, healthy and hydrated!
HOW TO START A NEW SKINCARE ROUTINE
A consistent skincare routine is great, but if you aren’t using the right products, you’re likely to see little improvement to your complexion and your skin may also react with excess oil production, dryness, irritation or breakouts if it isn’t being supported correctly.
Before you begin a new skincare routine or purchase new products, the most important thing to identify is your skin type. We all have unique skin types and skin concerns so it can be a little confusing to define your type, particularly if you have multiple concerns or combination skin that shows signs of oiliness and dryness in different areas of the face. To limit confusion we suggest separating these 2 areas:
Skin Type:
Your skin type is your skin’s ongoing behaviours and will determine what type of products generally work best on your skin. The four basic skin types are Normal Skin, Dry Skin, Oily Skin and Combination Skin.
Skin Concerns:
Skin concerns can include problems such as breakouts, ageing skin, dull skin, uneven complexion and conditions such as eczema and rosacea. Skin concerns often change over time and usually require specific products to target and treat these conditions.
Skin Type Characteristics
Normal Skin
- Generally well balanced, not too oily or dry
- You can use a variety of skincare products with minimal irritation or reaction
- Very few skin concerns
Dry Skin
- Skin can appear dry, flaky and textured
- Skin can feel tight and uncomfortable
- Your skin is ‘thirsty’ and products absorb quickly
- It may feel like you need more moisture, even after you’ve applied moisturising products
Oily Skin
- Your skin is visibly oily on most areas of your face
- Oil build up is obvious first thing in the morning or at the end of the day
- Pores may be enlarged or congested
- You may find it hard getting your makeup to stay put
Combination Skin
- Your may be oily through your t-zone (forehead, nose & chin)
- The larger areas of your face such as your cheeks are generally normal to dry
- Your skin can become congested and breakout in areas of your t-zone
When starting a new skincare routine or trialling new products it’s important to introduce 1 new product at a time and start slowly to avoid overwhelming the skin with new ingredients that could cause potential irritation. Adding in 1 new product at a time also allows you to easily identify products and ingredients that may not be suitable for your skin.
CLEANSING & MOISTURISING - 2 STEPS YOU CANNOT MISS
If you’re new to the world of skincare routines, skin-lazy or time poor, I have good news for you! There are 2 essential skincare steps that are non-negotiable and can be completed in as little as a few minutes per day. As mentioned earlier, double cleansing has many benefits and is a vital step to maintaining clean and healthy skin. Moisturising is also essential as it supports hydration while protecting our skin’s barrier from environmental damage. Finding the right cleanser and moisturiser for your skin type will result in faster, noticeable results, giving you the motivation to stick to your skincare routine everyday.
CHOOSING A CLEANSER TO SUIT YOUR SKIN TYPE
Normal Skin
Our Hydra Calm Cream Cleanser is great for normal skin types as it effectively cleanses the skin without irritation whilst hydrating and delivering age-defying results. If you prefer the feel of a gel cleanser, our sweet orange balancing cleanser is a gentle way to achieve a deep, refreshing clean.
Dry Skin
LAMAV’s Marula Oil Cleanser is a lightweight, antioxidant-rich formula that will effortlessly clean the skin and replenish cellular lipids to prevent moisture loss. This cleanser will diminish any feelings of tightness or discomfort, leaving you with plump, dewy skin.
Oily Skin
LAMAV’s Sweet Orange Balancing Cleanser was created to purify, balance and brighten. In addition to providing a deep clean, this refreshing gel cleanser will also reduce redness and improve skin texture, all while treating and preventing breakouts.
Combination Skin
Finding the right cleanser for combination skin can be a little bit of trial and error. Using cleansers designed for oily skin may be too harsh for the dry areas on your cheeks and going too far the other way with products designed to hydrate may not be so great for balancing your oily t-zone. Finding a natural gel cleanser that contains AHAs are great for this skin type as they provide a gentle exfoliation to break down excess sebum without irritating the skin.
LAMAV’s Sweet Orange Balancing Cleanser will give you the deep clean and balance that your skin needs but contains nourishing ingredients such as Aloe Vera Juice and Natural Glycerin to soothe the skin and restore moisture levels.
CHOOSING A MOISTURISER TO SUIT YOUR SKIN TYPE
Normal Skin
Every skin type requires support when it comes to hydration, and if you have normal skin you may find yourself lucky enough to choose from different moisturisers based on skin concerns that you’d like to focus on treating.
If your skin is showing signs of ageing, our Wrinkle Smoothing Cream will provide you with hydration while also delivering superfoods to revitalise dull skin, improve elasticity and firmness. You may have a normal skin type but your complexion has developed pigmentation or uneven tone, and in this case a daily moisturiser containing Vitamin C to brighten and even your skin tone is ideal to include in your skincare routine. LAMAV’s Rumex Day Cream is bursting with vitamin c and turmeric for serious brightening, with the addition of Rumex to treat pigmentation.
Dry Skin
Dry skin requires a moisturiser that delivers hydration while locking in moisture for all day support. LAMAV’s Hyaluronic Moisture Cream is a moisture-locking day cream that plumps the skin, delivering age defying benefits and a radiant complexion. The addition of Aloe Vera, Amla and Sandalwood Seed Oil help to soothe and protect the skin.
Oily Skin
If you have oily skin that produces excess oil as the day goes on, it can be tempted to skin moisturising all together. However, skipping hydration support to “dry” the skin can cause your sebum production to go into overdrive in an attempt to re-balance hydration. Finding a lightweight moisturiser that delivers hydration without the greasy residue is key.
For a daytime moisturiser we recommend LAMAV’s Skin Balancing Fluid to support oil balance while delivering lightweight hydration. The inclusion of Caviar Finger Lime provides a boost of vitamin c and nutrients to repair and protect while locking moisture into the skin, restoring its Natural Moisturising Factors.
If you’ve nailed the double cleanse and moisturising steps in your routine in the New Year and are feeling adventurous to add another step, try one of our boosters or serums to apply in between cleansing and moisturising to target and treat a variety of skin concerns.
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SKINCARE SUCCESS
While it’s great to have goals, setting unrealistic expectations can quickly deter you from continuing with your new routine. If you’re short on time or prefer low-maintenance beauty routines, it might not be the best idea to set yourself up with a 5 step skincare routine!
If budget is a concern to you, LAMAV has reasonably priced products available without compromising on quality. Our cleansers all sit below $40 and our Moisturisers are below $45 while delivering certified organic, scientifically proven formulas to your skin.
Make your skincare routine a ritual that you actually enjoy. Selecting products that your skin responds well to and that you enjoy the texture and sensation of when applying will make your routine even more enjoyable! Include LAMAV’s Quartz Gua Sha and Facial Roller Set in your ritual a few nights per week to indulge in a facial massage that will smooth the skin, relieve tension and support age defence. If you’re short on time you can use these beauty tools while you sit on the couch or as you’re winding down in bed.
With a realistic routine, the right products and a little motivation, you can achieve your Skincare Resolutions!
