Should your skincare routine be any different while staying home?
Covid-19 has brought most of the public life to a standstill. While I don’t want to linger long on the topic, because there already is a ton of information out there from qualified experts, I want to address the lockdown situation from the skincare-perspective. In this post, we will take a look at the skincare routine, assuming that you spend most of your time at home.
MAIN POINTS
- Skincare may seem like a superficial topic during these trying times, but it’s also important to take your mind off of everything and relax a little.
- Even when you’re at home for most of the day, you need to cleanse your skin properly and protect it from the sun by using sunscreen.
- You can recreate a spa-like masking session by using several face masks in a single routine.
- If you don’t have face masks and can’t find or afford to buy any, you can use your other hydrating products like essences, serums or moisturizers in several layers or thicker layers to recreate the effect.
Should we even be talking about such trivial things during a serious health crisis?
Taking time for skincare doesn’t mean that we don’t take the pandemic serious enough. It’s also important to take your mind off of everything and create a space to relax and a feeling of normalcy. Remember that this too, shall pass and in the meantime you and your skin deserve to be taken care of.
Don’t skip cleansing your skin during the Corona-lockdown
One common misconception is that you don’t need to wash your face if you don’t go outside. But it doesn’t matter where you spend your time, at the end of the day you should your face to get rid off any sebum, dust etc., which accumulated on your face. While you shouldn’t be touching your face in the first place, it’s likely that you did at some point during the day, so that’s another reason not to skip cleansing. Especially during these times. If you wear sunscreen, which you should, or make up, all of these products need to be removed as well.
My morning cleanse just consists of water for most of the time, maybe followed by an exfoliating toner. But my evening cleanse is always a double cleanse. For me personally, that’s the best way to go, and it’s up to you what works best for you and your skin. But you should have a cleansing routine in place.
The double cleanse is a popular cleansing method in Korean Beauty, also called K-Beauty, where you use two different cleansers. The goal of double cleansing is to clean your skin gently but effectively. The first cleanser is an oil-based cleanser to break off any sunscreen, make up or other layers on top of your skin. You massage it in to get the best results. After washing the first cleanser off with water, you directly follow with the second cleanser. The second cleanser should be a water -ased cleanser to take everything off. Low-pH-cleansers are the way to go, if you want to keep it gentle. If you have acne-prone combination skin like me, you should opt for mild cleansing gels. My personal HG cleanser is the COSRX Low pH Good morning cleanser (use code: SKINSOUL for 2-5% off *affiliated*).
Don’t skip sunscreen while self-isolating
Another misconception is that you don’t need to apply sunscreen when you stay inside. If your home has windows and you get natural daylight, your skin will still be exposed to the sun. So if you consider daily sunscreen as important, you should still apply sunscreen while staying at home. Also remember to apply enough of the product to actually achieve the full protection. The SPF should be at least SPF 35. Sunscreen is important to prevent skin cancer and premature skin aging due to sun exposure. Do your own research about this topic for further information.
You can read about some affordable sunscreen options here. All of the sunscreens mentioned don’t leave any whitecast or sticky feeling behind and even layer well under foundation.
Relax with elaborated masking sessions
To maximize the relaxing effect of your skincare routine you should take advantage of having more time at home. Create your personal spa oasis by enjoying lengthy routines and choosing your favorite products. All of the products that take some time to fully absorb into the skin can be incorporated into your daily routine now. Use the time for some elaborated masking sessions! At the spa they will usually apply several masks with different effects in one single session. Recreate this experience with the masks you have at home.
Depending on your skin needs, you can customize your personal masking session. Don’t layer several exfoliating masks to avoid irritating or harming your skin though! In general you could opt for a cleansing, pore care or exfoliating mask first and then follow with a soothing, hydrating or skin plumping mask. If you want to use several hydrating masks, follow the same guidelines as in your routine: Start with the lightest layer and work your way up to the heaviest or thickest mask. Use watery masks before oily masks. Add in some eye patches if you feel like it.
I personally like to use a clay mask first, my current favorite is the Innisfree Jeju volcanic clay mask (use code: SKINSOUL for 2-5% off *affiliated*). Then I like to follow with a sheet mask. Depending on the condition of my skin I would choose a soothing, clearing or skin plumping mask, that is also hydrating. Some of my favorite sheet mask brands are Etude House, Papa Recipe (use code: SKINSOUL for 2-5% off *affiliated*), A by Bom and Mediheal!
While you’re masking, also consider trying a mask for your lips or your feet – there are so many options and you can find masks for almost anything. Considering the permanent washing of your hands, you could also use a nice hand mask. If you don’t have a hand mask or can’t find or afford to buy one, just apply a good moisturizer in a thicker layer and let it sit for a while. You don’t have to break your bank for a masking session. Just use whatever you already have in your stash.
After using all of the masks of your choice, give your skin enough time to take in all of the beneficial ingredients. Now is the time to lock everything in! You don’t want to lose all of your effort, so you need to apply an occlusive layer on top of everything. Depending on whether you had your masking session in the morning or evening routine, it would be your day time moisturizer plus sunscreen or your night time moisturizer or sleeping pack.
Conclusion
Even if you stay at home during the Covid-19-lockdown or in self-isolation, you still need to follow the basic skincare guidelines. Your skin still needs to be cleansed, hydrated and protected. On the bright side, you can benefit from additional time at home and really take your time with your routine. Try a lengthy masking session by applying several masks in one routine and try to relax a little.