Skin Details

Most people imagine that taking care of the skin is extremely time-consuming, involving complicated steps and pots and pots of creams.

Unlike what most people think, a good skin care routine does not need to take up too much time. In fact, even for beginners, it can be done quickly within a few minutes. However, you'll see immense reward for the few minutes spent each day on taking care of your skin.

Here is an outline of a basic skin care routine which you can try for a start:

Step 1: Cleansing (Twice daily) Time required: 1 to 2 minutes

Cleansing 'sets the stage' for the rest of your skin care regime. Regardless of your skin type, it is important to use a gentle cleanser that will not dry out your skin or leave behind greasy residues. As facial skin tend to be more delicate, it is best to avoid washing your face with soap. This is especially true if your skin is dry, sensitive or prone to breakouts. If you wish to save time, you can cleanse your face while in the shower (after rinsing off the shampoo and shower gel). This process should take only a minute or 2.

Step 2: Toning (Twice daily) Time required: 1 minute

Applying a tonic lotion to your skin is a great way to refresh your skin and prepare it for skin treatment. A good toner should not contain alcohol, fragrance or synthetic colours as these ingredients can be irritating to the skin. If you prefer, you can do away with the cotton pad and pat the toner directly onto your face with your hands. Toners can also be used to freshen up your skin during the day when you need some pick-me-up.

Step 3: Exfoliating (2 to 3 times a week, at night only) Time required: 1 minute

Exfoliating your skin regularly keeps it smooth and clear. However, we do not encourage the use of scrubs because the abrasive action of scrubs can be damaging to the skin in the long run. Instead, choose a fruit and flower acid based exfoliator that gently dissolves away dead skin cells and unclog pores. You may notice that we have listed exfoliation as Step 3 after toning. This applies exclusively to Vitasence skin care regime only because Vitasence exfoliating product is designed as a leave-on serum that works through the night to stimulate cell renewal.

Step 4: Treatment (Twice daily) Time required: 1 to 2 minutes

This is what we call the 'flexi-step' which can be adapted to suit your particular needs. E.g. if you have acne problem, this step should comprise of applying acne treatment products. Depending on your skin condition, this step may involve more than one product, e.g. if you have both acne and pigmentation, you may want to apply an acne treatment product together with a skin lightening product. Nevertheless, the application of each product should not take you more than a minute.

Step 5: Moisturize (Twice daily) Time Required: 1 minute

Next, you may want to apply a moisturizer to help 'seal in' the goodness of the treatment products which you have applied earlier. Depending on your skin type, applying a moisturizer can be optional. E.g. if your skin is prone to oiliness, it is likely that the treatment products which you have applied are more than sufficient to meet your skin's moisturizing needs. If your skin is on the dry side, an extra layer of moisturizer would be very useful indeed. It is important to choose a moisturizer that is not to heavy on oils to avoid getting clogged pores or pimple outbreaks.

Step 6: Protection (Once daily, in the morning) Time required: 1 minute

Sun exposure is the main cause of a myriad of skin problems such as pigmentation and wrinkles. Therefore, during the day, it is important to apply a good sunblock that can double as a light moisturizer. From the basic daily regime above, we can see that taking care of your skin need not be at all time-consuming. In fact, in less than 10 minutes twice daily, you are on your way to beautiful, healthy skin for life.

Coreenna Ong, co-founder of Vitasence, is an expert in the use of Chinese and Western herbal actives in skin care. Her articles have been published in various national newspapers and magazines and she has appeared in numerous TV programs to share her expertise. She has also authored 2 books on beauty and well-being. To learn more about starting your own skin care routine, visitBasic Skin Care Routine

Shop for brand name skin care products below:

	Murad Acne & Wrinkle Reducer 2 oz List Price: $58.00 Sale Price: $35.68
	What it is:An advanced formula that's clinically proven to reduce acne while minimizing fine lines and wrinkles.What it is formulated to do:This multi-active treatment rapidly improves skin's appearance by alleviating existing adult acne, preventing the development of new acne, and restoring collagen to more youthful levels...

	Elicina Crema de Caracol Snail Cream Eliminates & Softens Wrinkles, Acne, Rosacea, Scars, Burns, Age Spots & Stretch Marks Sale Price: $22.49
	Be one of those to enjoy the great and real benefits that only can be offered by the inventors and creators of the Snail Cream. Your skin deserves the Original.

	RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream, 1-Ounce Tube List Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $10.47
	RoC RETINOL CORREXION Deep Wrinkle Night Cream is a moisturizer that's clinically proven to give 10 years back to the look of your skin*. This exclusive combination contains pure RoC RETINOL plus an essential mineral complex and is clinically proven to visibly reduce wrinkles while you sleep...

	Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream, 1.4 Ounce List Price: $19.47 Sale Price: $9.88
	Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream Night is a dermatologist recommended Retinol anti-wrinkle cream clinically proven to visibly reduce fine lines, wrinkles and other signs of aging. This patented formula contains Retinol, Vitamin A in its purest form, to work deep within skin's surface where wrinkles develop...

	Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish Treatment, Clear Skin Cream, 1 Ounce List Price: $19.47 Sale Price: $10.39
	Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish Cream is the only anti-aging treatment that combines the #1 wrinkle fighter with the #1 blemish fighter in one easy-to-use formula. Retinol, the purest form of Vitamin A, works deep within skin's surface where wrinkles develop...

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