Skin Care 101: The Basics
Skin Care Basics For Beginners
The best skin care products in the world are a waste of money and time if they are not right for your skin type. Using the wrong skin care products can actually hurt your skin!
Before you buy any products for your skin, read this skincare 101 blog. This skin care blog is the best way to get started learning about skin care basics.
Skin Care Basics
To find more educational material on skin care products and skin care routines, browse our skin care library.
We also have the best website on skin care ingredients.
All of our blogs are written by Dermatologist Dr. Leslie Baumann MD (that's me!). I wrote the first and bestselling textbooks on skin care and Cosmetic Dermatology for doctors and a New York Times Bestseller on skincare. See my bio below.
My goal is to give you the best skin care blogs and the best website with information about skin care, skin types, and skin care routines. These skin care blogs contain the information from my skin care books but is constantly updated so it is the most current skin care information.
Lets get started.
Beginners to skin care welcome!
These are the skin care essentials that you need to learn first - before you buy any products.
There are 16 Baumann Skin Types. Sixteen?!!
I know!--- You might have thought there were only 4 or 5 basic skin types — but that is not enough to cover all of the skin issues. But don't worry it is easy to understand the basics of skin typing.
The Skin Types
The Baumann Skin Typing System applies only to facial skin. It was developed to categorize skin into groups to make it easier for dermatologists to prescribe skin care routines. There are 4 main issues you need to consider when choosing your first skin care products:
- Hydration (Dryness)
- Inflammation (Sensitivity)
- Evenness of color (Pigment)
- Risk of Aging (Due to habits, genetics, and age)
If you have any of these, your skin care routine needs to address these issues. These 4 issues are called “barriers to skin health” or skin conditions.
16 Skin Types
When you mix those 4 skin issues together- you get 16 different combinations. Each skin type has a different combination of those 4 basic skin concerns that basic skin care should focus on.
You can see that each of these has its own color and number. All you have to do is take the skin type quiz, find out your skin type, see what skin type color and number you are, and then read reviews from others with the same skin type. (Their review will show their skin type octagon so you can get advice from others with the same skin type as you.)
All you have to do is know your Baumann Skin Type! Then we can give you basic skin care advice personalized for your skin's concerns.
Basic Skin Care Routine
Your skin care routine should be matched to your skin type so it treats all of your skin concerns. These are the skin care essentials and types of products to choose for each skin concern:
Dry Skin Routine Treats Dehydration
Dehydrated dry skin needs:
Sensitive Skin Care Routine Calms Skin
Inflamed skin needs serums, lotions, or creams with anti-inflammatory ingredients to soothe and calm the skin.
These sensitive skin types should avoid irritating skin care products until the skin has mellowed and calmed down. The sensitive skin care products you choose will depend on what is causing your skin to have inflammation.
These are the types of sensitive skin that these products can treat:
Sensitive skin care routines should treat the sensitivity and it's causes without upsetting the skin and making it worse.
Skin Lightening Routine Evens Skin Tone and Color
Uneven skin tones have dark spots on the skin that can be evened out with skin lightening and brightening ingredients.
Which to use depends on which other skin concerns you have. For example, some skin lightening products can upset skin and would not be good for sensitive skin types that need to treat dark spots on the skin.
Antiaging Skin Care Prevents and Treats Wrinkles
How soon do you need to start worrying about anti-aging skin care? It depends on your skin type! The skin type quiz will ask many questions about your lifestyle and habits to determine if it is time for anti-aging ingredients in wrinkle serums and creams in your basic skin routine.
Why does my basic routine need products that match my skin type?
A basic skin care routine for you should be customized for your skin's needs. One size does not fit all!
The best skin care routine for your friend, sister, brother, mother, celebrity, or beauty influencer may not be the right skin care routine for your unique skin type. Make sure they have the same skin type number as you before you take their skin care advice.
What Are the Most Important Basic Skin Care Routine Steps?
Your daily skin care routine at home should accomplish 3 important goals:
- Cleanse
- Protect
- Repair
These are the 3 most important skin care routine steps for skin care beginners.
Does the Skin Care Routine Order Matter?
The skin care routine step order matters a lot.
The skin has a circadian rhythm. This means it works differently in the day and night time.
The genes to protect skin are turned on in the morning and the genes to repair skin are turned on at night.
Your am and pm skin care routine should be designed to help your skin protect itself in the am and repair itself at night.
Don't stress about skin care basics and starting your first skin care routine. We are hear to guide you. After you take the quiz we give you the exact skin care steps and you choose products from many brands for each step. You can feel confident that the products you are choosing from the options we give you are right for your skin type.
Why Use My Skin Care Routine Products Every Day?
Nourish your skin with scientifically-proven skin care products every day.
Using basic products that are right for your skin every day is as critical for smooth, radiant skin as eating healthy foods every day is important for your body’s health.
Fresh, smooth, radiant, moisturized skin is possible. It takes your skin 50-72 days to completely renew itself. If you start now- you can renew your skin in 3 months or less.
Start now. Learn your skin type. Get a skin care routine. Improve your skin health. Now.
Dr. Leslie Baumann MD, FAAD
