Get a Glowing Complexion in Just a Few Easy Steps

A clean and healthy, vibrant face has countless benefits in health and self-promotion. Just think about it... Your face is often your first impression. If it looks muddy, clouded, or dirty, splotchy and/or discolored in any way, you won't make a very good impression.
Skin care products are bountiful and growing exponentially. It's impossible to keep up with all of the different lines of products and what each has to offer. For this reason, I'm going to keep this relatively simple, and not reference any specific products; rather I will give you a glimpse into what my morning and nighttime facial cleansing regime is like.

Skin Type

Among the skin types; Normal, Oily, Dry, and Combination... I would have to say I fall under the category of Combination skin. Typically, you want to follow the same steps when cleansing your face, regardless of your skin type. The skin type just gears you toward what type of products to use.
Washing your face involves just a few easy steps:

Exfoliate: 2-3 times a week
Use a gentle exfoliating wash or mask to scrub away those dead skin cells. Dead skin cells naturally fall off eventually, but using an exfoliating wash will expedite this process and stimulate the growth for new, healthy skin cells. I usually wet my face with warm water and rub on the exfoliating wash with my fingers, being careful not to rub too hard and irritate the skin. Also, be careful under the eyes, due to the skin is thinner here and more sensitive.
After rinsing off the exfoliating wash, proceed to...

Cleanse: twice daily
This is where you'll want to pay close attention to the active ingredients. You want something with Salycyclic Acid in it. It may tingle slightly over sensitive areas, pimples mainly, but that's how you know that it is working. It should never cause prolonged irritation or additional breakouts... consult your dermatologist if this occurs. You can dab a little bit of warm water in it if you think it may be too harsh, or if you have sensitive skin. Rub it all over your face and neck. Rinse.

Moisturizing Cleanser: twice daily
Many people skip this step, but I like it because it cleanses a bit more and removes the residue of the previous step. Get a moisturizing cleanser and rub it all over your face and neck. It's hard to rinse away all of the soap left behind from the Cleansing step, and once done, your skin often feels "squeaky clean" which is most unnatural. Rinse away the moisturizing cleanser.

Toner: 1x a day
You can either buy a specific toner, or you can use Witch Hazel. I just use a little bit of Witch Hazel on a cotton ball and swiflty "dust" my face with it.

At this point, you'll notice your face will feel brand new and like you can move it in all sorts of new ways. I like to take a little cleansing break and try out new and funny facial expressions. When else will I be standing in front of the mirror, admiring my complexion? Well, yea, at the next "Wash My Face" appointment, of course...
If you have some problem areas where breakouts occur, try the next step...

Medication: up to 3x a day
There are plenty of the little inexpensive tubes of medicated acne solution in the beauty aisle at your grocery store. You don't need much per application, just a little dab to be absorbed into your skin. Make sure there's Benzoyll Peroxide listed in the ingredients. 10% is what I have listed in mine, and it works really well.

After you've medicated (if needed), take good care in letting your face thoroughly dry. Wait at least 5-10 minutes before the last step...

Moisturizer: 2x a day
Use a facial lotion, not body lotion. Facial lotion is specially formulated for your more sensitive face and shouldn't be as loaded with fragrances, etc. Opt for a lotion that has some SPF in it for protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays. Sweep it all over your face and neck, flash a few more funny facial expressions, and consider yourself finished with your facial!

Tips:
Make sure to wash your washcloth regularly. When you let it airdry in a damp bathroom, or anywhere for that matter, you welcome all sorts of bacteria to grow and thrive on a warm and wet surface, which is what they LOVE... I don't like to use my washcloth more than twice before washing it, and I often alternate, meaning I have a morning washcloth and a late night washcloth because they just don't dry enough in between.
Also, drink a lot of water!!! Water does wonders for skin cells... Think of it as water doing the "inside job" as you're concentrating on different aspects of your life. Water increases skin elasticity and helps to keep your pores fresh and clean. Ridding your body of toxins is also a benefit.

Enjoy your fresh face!!!