How to Simplify Your Skin Regime

Dr Alek Nikolic’s Advice: The Correct Skin Regime for Your Skin Type

Understand What Products To Use and How To Use It By Dr Alek Nikolic. Save time and get better results with your skin care regime with these easy to follow tips and guidelines.

Science has taken a great interest in skin care and skin ingredients so today we have the ability to treat a multitude of stubborn skin concerns that we could not treat topically 10 years ago. Choosing the correct ingredients will make a difference with acne, pigmentation, wrinkles, rosacea, rough textured skin, blackheads and/or large pores, dry skin, oily skin, and even to a certain extent sagging skin.

What You Need To Know:

No one product can do it all
It’s not the price that counts but the ingredients in the product
The concentration or strength of the ingredients are important
Doctor prescribed skin care products have higher concentrations than over the counter skin care products
It is not the number of products you use but rather how you use them

How to Use Your Cleanser, Toner, and Exfoliant

Use a gentle cleanser:

AM & PM twice daily using 1 or 2 pumps with warm water

Rub the cleanser onto the skin with gentle round movements

Do not be tempted to wash more unless after exercise

Toner

Also only used AM & PM: this is an important and often-overlooked step

A well-formulated toner removes the last traces of makeup, reduces redness, helps minimize pore size, and loads your skin up with anti-aging ingredients, such as antioxidants, cell-communicating ingredients, and skin-repairing ingredients

People who suffer from oily skin may find that a good toner provides all the hydration their skin needs

Exfoliate:

With AHA or BHA AM & PM

Benefits Include:

Removes the dead outer layer of skin

Those with acne or oily prone skin will reduce clogged pores

UV damage can also result in a thickened outer layer which will need smoothing with an AHA or BHA cleanser

Wrinkles will improve

Skin tone and glow will improve dramatically

How to Use Targeted Treatments

Targeted treatments may be prescribed by your skin therapist or cosmetic doctor and they are designed to target specific skin concerns such as breakouts, dark spots, and wrinkles.

You can find targeted treatments for your skin concerns here: breakouts, brown spots, and wrinkles.

How to Use Your Moisturiser

Moisturise

AM & PM

One can combine a moisturiser with a built in SPF in the AM as this not only replenishes the skin but also protects it from harmful UV damage. I am a firm believer in a SPF 30 or higher so one may have to add a good sunscreen to the moisturiser before leaving the house.

At night a moisturiser without an SPF is necessary especially if you suffer from dry skin as this will help eliminate those dry patches. Creams and emollient lotions are ideal for those with dry skin.

If you have oily or combination skin consider usning a moisturiser with a lightweight lotion or gel and If you have normal skin use whichever type of moisturiser feels best for you.

At the end of the day a good night time moisturiser should be full of hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, anti-oxidants and cell stimulating ingredients such as retinol.

How to Use Your Eye Creams

Eye treatment (AM & PM

Please see How to Find the Best Eye Cream

Products for the Chest and Neck

Chest and neck area AM & PM

Here the regime is simple: what you do for your face you should be doing for the neck and chest area including the SPF so no need for separate products.

Some of us may need to add a targeted skin product specific for the neck and chest such as the NeoStrata Skin Active Triple Firming Neck Cream.

Planning Your Skin Care Regime

Primary Routine Guide

This simple, step-by-step routine covers the basic types of products everyone should use and the order in which to use them every day. These steps apply regardless of your skin type.

Primary Routine: MORNING

Primary Routine: EVENING

Next Step Routine

The Advanced Routine is one most people concerned with signs of aging or breakouts will need. It includes targeted treatments that build on the foundation of the Essential Routine to treat your personal skincare concerns, such as acne, red marks, wrinkles, sun damage, brown spots, or rosacea.

For example, if your sole concern is dry skin, you’ll do fine by following the Primary Routine. But if you have dry skin and wrinkles or oily skin and wrinkles and breakouts you will want to follow the Advanced Routine for best results.

The Advanced Routine includes a gentle toner as the second step, morning and evening. If you’ve never used a well-formulated toner before, prepare to be amazed by the results. Learn why toner is such an important step in a comprehensive skincare routine.