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Has anyone else been dreaming of (or planning) a ski-trip after news of the first big snow dump for the season in the Snowy Mountains? Picture it – you’ve stepped outside on a glorious, sunny winter’s day, you’re admiring the fresh snow and feeling excited about hitting the slopes. That night, your muscles aching from the days’ fun, you cradle a hot beverage before curling up, cosy in your bed ready for a good night’s sleep.
Just as your night’s activities are often totally different from your daytime ones, your skincare routine should be too. It’s not as beneficial for your skin to have exactly the same skincare routine for morning and night.
Morning rituals.
Your morning routine should be focused on protecting your skin from what you’ll be exposed to in the day – things like pollution, wind and sun. Your skin type will influence which particular products are best suited to you. Your morning skincare ritual should be simple and protective, for the sake of ease and a better likelihood of maintaining it.
Here is a step-by-step example of a great morning routine:
Step 1: Wash your face
How exactly you wash your face is up to you. Some people like to use a gentle morning cleanser or exfoliant. You won’t be removing any sunscreen or makeup, but you’ll need to remove any sweat or treatments from the night before. Or you may simply want to rinse your skin with warm water.
Step 2: Use a toner (or don’t)
Toners? They’re divisive. Many people (including us) don’t like using a toner on their face because it can be associated with a harsh or drying feeling. Toners aren’t all bad, though. For some skin types it can help close pores and improve the skin with healthy antioxidants. If you're going to use a toner, make sure you pick one that is free from any harsh, drying ingredients (like alcohols).
Step 3: Exfoliate (two to three times a week)
Exfoliation is the underrated hero of skincare. Regular exfoliation stimulates skin cell turnover and creates a brighter more youthful looking complexion. Experts agree that exfoliating once a week is not enough for most skin types, recommending two to three times a week (daily is too much). It’s important to find an exfoliant that won’t be too harsh on your skin. The Cactus Skincare Gentle Exfoliant removes dead skin cells and impurities with the gentle, effective power of joboba beads and noticeably brightens and improves skin tone.
Step 4: Apply your serum
After you have cleansed and perhaps toned your face. It’s time to let the serum of your choice work its magic. Our Moisture Boost Serum is ideal for any skin type, aiding in the repair of dry skin and leaving a hydrated glow. Or if you’re looking to brighten your skin tone, you could use another vegan friendly product such as Drunk Elephant’s C-Firma Fresh Day Serum.
Remember, the best time to apply face serums is right after cleansing or a shower. If you haven’t had a chance to apply the serum within one minute of showering or cleansing, then you’ll need to dampen your skin before applying. This is because damp skin is easier to penetrate than dry skin. Lightly apply the serum to your face for even coverage.
Step 5: Moisturise
Hydration is for skin what sunlight is for plants - essential! Keeping hydrated by drinking water is super important, as is applying a moisturiser. We recommend the Light Balancing Crème for your morning routine. It has a lightweight feel and leaves a matte finish and is an ideal cream to be used under sunscreen.
Step 6. Apply sunscreen
This is a vital step for anyone, but especially those of us living under the glorious (and let’s face it, harsh!) Australian sun. A good option is To Save Face by Mecca Cosmetica for a non-greasy and lightweight facial sunscreen.
Night Prep:
Luckily our skin gets a bit of a break from the exposure to pollutants, sun, wind etc at night. Night is when your skin regenerates itself so your routine should be centred around nourishing and repairing your skin. Day time products are essential for protecting your skin from damage. While skin products used at night will have the greatest impact on regeneration.
Here is a step-by-step example of a great evening routine:
Step 1: Wash your face
Cleaning your face is the first important step. You need to wash off any makeup, dirt, sweat etc from your day. Cleansing is known to remove toxins, improve skin tone and tighten pores. You’re aiming for a deeper wash and cleanse than in the morning. Experience the skin brightening and natural cleansing power of our Lemon Myrtle Cleanser which is super effective at cleaning any dirt and grime in our pores.
Step 2: Use a toner (or don’t)
As with the morning routine, many people will opt out of using a toner, but you may like to include it if you have specific skin concerns that a toner helps address (such as oily or acne-prone skin).
Step 3: Eye Cream
Once again, this step is not for everyone. However, those of us who have to put up with nuisance dark circles, puffy eyes and fine lines will benefit from using an eye cream. Our Intense Eye Crème is a deep, anti-ageing nightly treatment that helps prevent fine lines while hydrating the thinnest and most sensitive skin on your face.
Step 4: Apply Restorative Treatments
Now is the time to apply your restorative skincare treatment. This will evolve depending on your skin needs at the time. For instance, if you have mature skin, you might wish to use retinol and if you have pigmentation you could opt for a vitamin C rich serum.
Step 5: Moisturise
Night moisturisers can afford to be heavier than daytime ones. This is because you don’t have to worry about applying makeup or appearing somewhat shiny. You might opt for something like Aesop’s Sublime Replenishing Night Masque especially if you’ve been travelling or spend lots of time in air conditioning.
The night moisturiser locks in the ingredients used in your restorative treatments, deeply hydrating and letting your skin do the rest of the work to repair.
Your complexion when you wake will appear more supple and fresh. Continuing with a great day and night routine like this will have you reaping the rewards of clear, bright and healthy skin.
