Skincare 101: Tips, Tricks, and All You Need to Know to Change the Face of Your Skincare Routine

We all dream of having glass-like flawless skin that our favourite celebrities and influencers seem to have. In a bid to achieve a face like theirs, many of us often take to YouTube or Google to search up these popular celebrities’ skincare routines. But ten videos later, you’ll often find yourself feeling more confused than you were when you started. I mean, some videos are just too basic: they’ll get you to drink more water, get plenty of sleep, and wash your face daily. Chances are, you’re already taking these steps. Other videos, on the other hand, contain so much technical jargon that you’d have to pause the video every few seconds to look up what a term means.

Furthermore, the skincare industry is always innovating. Every couple of days, you’ll hear of a new “must-have” ingredient to add to your skincare routine, a new technique that you have to use to achieve natural glowy skin, or a new product that’s so amazing it’s flying off the shelves in seconds. Don’t get us wrong, innovation is great, it gives us limitless choices to pick and choose from an endless array of products. Some of your favourite holy grail skincare products are results of innovation and years of research and development. But with limitless innovation in the skincare industry, regular consumers like us find it challenging to determine which products are essential for your skincare routine and which products are just a passing trend that you can turn a blind eye to.

If you find yourself lost and befuddled by the myriad of skincare tips and beauty jargon you encountered on your quest for healthy, happy, and glowing skin, we’re here to help. This is the ultimate guide that you’ll need. Think of it as a mandatory course in college—a Skincare 101 with tips, tricks, and all you need to know to change the face of your skincare routine. Let’s go!

#1: Know your skin type and use suitable products

Choosing the brand of skincare product you should use is already a challenging task. But when you’ve finally zeroed in on one option, you’ll realise that your job is far from done—you have to think of the specifics of your particular skin type.

Understanding and getting to know your skin type is the most essential thing you can do for your skin before you embark on any skincare routine. By using products that are unsuitable for your skin type, you might upset your skin's natural balance, causing irritation, inflammation, breakouts, and even accelerated aging.

Typically, dermatologists speak of oily, acne-prone, dry, sensitive, and mature skin types. However, it’s important to note that you can be a combination of more than one of these skin types and that your skin type may change over the course of your life. Here’s how to decode your skin type:

Oily skin

• Shiny and greasy skin surface, especially on your T-zone
• Large, visible pores
• Prone to acne, blackheads, whiteheads, and pustules

Acne-prone skin

• Tend to be very oily
• Prone to blackheads, whiteheads, pustules, pimples, and papules
• Appearance of blemishes tend to be in patches

Combination skin

• T-zone area (forehead, nose, and chin) tends to be oily and have larger pores
• Other areas such as your cheeks tend to be dry, flaky, feel tight, and have smaller pores

Normal skin

• You generally have no visible pores, blemishes, dry patches, or oily areas
• The texture of your skin is smooth as it contains a well-balanced level of moisture, sebum, and keratin

Dry skin

• Your skin is dull, especially around your eye area
• Fine lines and wrinkles are visible
• Even though your pores are barely visible, your skin often feels tight and rough
• Oftentimes, your skin will chap, flake, and even itch
• More sensitive to irritation, redness, and the risk of infection

Mature skin

• Mature skin appears dry and pale
• The first layer of your skin, the epidermis, is thinning
• Skin will appear saggy, especially around the eyes and neck
• Prone to dark pigmented spots

After identifying your skin type, you can shop for skincare products that are suitable for your specific needs. Saborino’s range of sheet masks, for example, come in eight variations. You’ll find sheet masks for normal skin, oily skin, sensitive skin, as well as dry skin. But more than that, for those of you who have multiple skin concerns, Saborino’s Night Sheet Masks target concerns such as tired and dry skin, tired and sensitive skin, dry and sensitive skin, and dull and sensitive skin. You’ll truly be able to find a sheet mask for a different skin type.

#2: Have dedicated daytime and nighttime skincare routines

Cleanse, tone, treat, and hydrate—these are probably the steps in your daytime and nighttime skincare routines. While these steps should more or less be consistent, your skincare routine in the day and at night should not be entirely identical. Many skincare products may be used both in the morning and at night but most are more effective during one or the other. That’s because just as you crave certain foods at certain times of the day, your skin has different needs at different times of the day. Here are some essentials to keep in mind:

Daytime skincare routine

Protection is key when it comes to your daytime skincare routine. As you step out of your home, harsh UV rays, pollution, and other environmental factors make you susceptible to oxidative stress which leaves your skin thinner, weaker, and less healthy. To combat the effects of oxidative stress, products such as sunscreen, moisturiser, serum are a must.

For lazy beans (or efficient ladies) out there, Saborino has got the perfect solution for you packed in the form of their One Minute Sheet Masks. The all-in-one product works to cleanse, moisturise and prime your skin in just one minute. The sheet masks also effectively reduce the puffiness around your eyes and on your face in the morning. The best part? They allow your makeup to go onto your face more smoothly such that your makeup lasts longer throughout the day.

Nighttime skincare routine

If protection is important in the day, cleansing is essential at night. Whether you're a makeup junkie or not, a thorough nightly cleanse will help you to remove any dirt, grime, or pollutants that you were exposed to during the day.

Your nighttime routine should consist of toner, lotion, essence, cream, and mask so that your skin gets the rest and repair that it needs. If you’re too lazy to pile on these products at night and can’t wait to jump into bed, Saborino’s Goodnight Mask with 5-in-1 functionality (toner, lotion, essence, cream, mask) will be a great option for you. Just put the mask on for a minute for a quick nighttime nourishment. These sheet masks even come in relaxing scents, like Chamomile Orange, making it easy for you to fall into a deep slumber.

#3: Sometimes, less is more

Did you know that excessive skincare may cause damages such as a weakened skin barrier, redness, inflammation, and, in some circumstances, acne? Here’s the truth: Too much of anything is a bad thing, and skincare is no exception. For example, if you have dry skin and pile on tons of moisturiser thinking that it’d be good for you, you might actually be blocking your pores, and potentially causing even more problems. Besides, you’re wasting your dollars because your skin will not be able to absorb all that you applied anyway. So, follow the directions on the product that you’re using and don’t go overboard.

The rule of “less is more” doesn’t only apply to the amount of a single product you apply to your face. Reducing the number of products and active ingredients that you use in your routine to instead adopt a skinimalist approach could help your natural skin shine through. Find a cleanser, moisturiser, and sunscreen that work for you and simplify things by keeping them at the core of your skincare routine. Don’t be distracted by the dozens of trends, fad products, and fancy ingredients that you see while walking down the aisle at your drugstore.

#4: Don’t skip the sunscreen, indoors or outdoors

I know we said less is more, but no matter what you take out of your skincare routine, please leave your sunscreen in it. At its core, sunscreen protects your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays and reduces your risk of skin cancer. On top of that, sun damage may lead to premature ageing and photoaging of the skin, which are characterized by skin discolouration and a breakdown of collagen. Photoaging also contributes to fine lines, sagging, and wrinkles.

Therefore, to maintain an even skin tone and prevent premature skin ageing, never skip the sunscreen. This rule doesn’t just apply on sunny days. Even on cloudy days, the sun’s harmful rays can pass through clouds.

A bad habit that we have while working from home is that we tend to skip sunscreen. We’ll be indoors anyway, right? Well, UV rays can pass through glass windows to harm your skin. Furthermore, High Energy Visible Light (HEV), or bluelight that emits from your phone and computer screens, can be harmful to your skin as well. The bottom-line? Indoors or outdoors, never forget to layer on that sunscreen. We’d recommend a subblock SPF formula.

#5: All-round hydration is key

Not drinking enough water can make your skin look dull and cause fine lines to appear. But beyond just drinking at least 8 cups of water a day, you should aim for all-round hydration. That means using a moisturiser at least twice a day. Remember, this rule applies to all skin types. Yes, even for people with oily skin. That’s because oily skin can still be dehydrated. And when your skin is dehydrated, it’ll compensate by producing more oil! So whatever your skin type, a moisturiser is a must-have in your skincare routine.

Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, peptides, and ceramides are particularly hydrating and should be on the ingredient list of the moisturiser that you’re using, especially if you have dry skin. Daily masking is also a great way to hydrate your skin!

#6: Don’t neglect your neck

We’d like to end with this last tip because many of us pile up layers of skincare products onto our face, but neglect our neck area. This is a common skincare mistake that you’d want to avoid if you want to steer clear of pesky necklines and wrinkles which are unfortunate indicators of age. The tips and tricks mentioned in this article should apply to your neck as well. That means cleansing your neck, applying toner, moisturiser, sunscreen, and every step of your skincare routine to your neck. Remember to be gentle: Massage the product onto your neck in an upward motion so that you’re not pulling down on the skin.

Change the face of your skincare routine with Saborino

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of the Skincare 101 crash course. If you’re studious with these tips and tricks, you should be well on your way to happier, healthier, and clearer skin.

Still looking for a perfect addition to your skincare routine? Consider Saborino’s multifunctional morning and night sheet masks. With masks that address various skin concerns, alcohol-free options, and products that are suitable for daily use, our masks are highly raved by YouTubers and see raving reviews on Google.

But remember our last tip: Don’t neglect your neck! While using your Saborino mask, remember to massage the remaining essence onto the face and neck until it is fully absorbed into the skin! Now that you’re equipped with new knowledge, we’re excited for you to change the face of your skincare routine.