The best things in life are really free, even when it comes to your beauty routine. But caring for your skin can be a big investment, so we are always available for skin care tips that do not take a big chunk out of the salary. To guide you through the beauty jargon in your quest for healthy skin, here are 5 skin care tips covering the basics with this article.

1.UNDERSTANDING YOUR SKIN TYPE

Understanding and getting to know your skin type is the most important thing you can do for your skin. If you do not know or are misinformed, you could upset the natural balance of your skin and, by using the wrong products, cause irritation, inflammation, breakouts and even premature aging.

The most common skin types are oily, acne prone, dry, sensitive and mature skin; it is also important to remember that you can have more than one skin type and that this can change over time or with the seasons, so always listen to your skin.

Test your skin:

Wash your face thoroughly with warm water, cleanse it and then pat it dry with a towel. Let your skin sit fresh and clean for 30 minutes, get the mirror and look closely - are your pores visible or not, do you have spots or whiteheads... Repeat this test every six months as your skin is constantly changing.

2. ALWAYS USE SUNSCREEN!

Always use sunscreen, even if it is grey. It sounds redundant, we know, but sun protection is really another very important part of your skin care routine. Rain or shine, apply sunscreen to your face, neck, chest and back of your hands. It does not add to your morning routine to apply sunscreen to your neck, chest and hands, but it can really help with anti-ageing.  

This can have a drastic effect on keeping our melasma at bay and helping to ward off sun spots and pigmentation. 90% of how your skin ages is within your control and is directly linked to sun exposure.

3. CHANGE YOUR PILLOWCASE

If you are fighting really oily skin, acne, or both, it might be worth changing your pillowcases more often than your entire bedding.

Most people wash their bed linen once a week, which is a reasonable schedule that ensures that the bed linen remains fresh and hygienic. However, if you have really oily skin or are dealing with frequent acne breakouts, it's a wise decision to change the pillowcase every day or every second day. 

The reason for this is simple: hair products, night creams and all other random bacteria get on the pillowcase and transfer to the face. In order to keep the skin clear (especially for acne-prone skin types), it is important to change the pillowcases constantly.

4. A GOOD SKIN CARE ROUTINE IS KEY

The goal of any skin care routine is to improve your complexion so that it works at its best, and also troubleshoot or work specifically on the areas you want it to work on. Just as your skin has to change with age, so will your products change. 

In most cases, just one product will not be a game changer. If you do not apply your skin care products in the correct order, you could prevent them from being fully absorbed, which means they are not as effective. The general rule is to apply the lightest formulas first so that they can be easily absorbed without the barrier of heavier creams. If you are moving on to thicker creams, give your skin time to absorb the product (at least a few minutes) to avoid piling (those tiny globules you get when you use too much product).

5. IS PURGING REALLY BAD?

If you use a new product and your skin starts acting out, it is possible that your skin is "purifying" itself or as its called also purging. A purge is a reaction to a product. It can be an irritant reaction to a product, which leads to an accumulation of skin cells and their underlying contents. It may be due to an imbalance of water in the skin, an imbalance in the way the cells exfoliate or an imbalance of the elements in the skin. This means that the product cause a reaction in your skin - which does not always mean that you should ignore the product.

How to work with purging:  

Take a break from the product under "complaint". Once the skin has improved, reapply the product, but start slowly, once a day or every other day, and use just a little. Build up to the recommended, tolerated use. Coat the skin with other protective products such as skin moisturisers containing hyaluronic acid.