Makeup basics part 1

Hello everyone!

I was thinking about taking you through some of the basics in makeup. Many of the makeup blogs or stores are in a way made for someone who already know a bunch about makeup and what is god or bad for you and what you should look for. I know that´s what it was like for me when I started using makeup and I think that´is when my big interest for it all started. For me makeup is not just foundation, eyeshadow, mascara and so on...There are other things that´s important if you want a good makeup. Like a good and healthy skin. Which comes from a good skincare routine. So that is the first basic step I´m going to talk about in this post. And there´s a lot to say so I'm gonna try to keep it as short as I can.
Since I´ve had problems with breakouts I'm very picky with what I use on my face. I have tried a variety of brands. The very first products I used was ACO: s cleansing gel. But it it did not keep my face clean. So I changed to Vichy, the Normaderm series (the green series). Cleansing gel, toner and moisture. After a few years I wanted to try something different so I tried the ProActive solution all three steps. I guess it kept my skin clean but I didn't get the "wow-effect" as in the TV commercials. So I used that for about 6 month or so. What I liked about the ProActive was the renewing cleanser with exfoliator. I like a gentle scrub on my face. It makes the skin feel moore clean. After the ProActive I wanted to try something that don't cost a lot. So I got the Neutrogena VCLR pink scrub along with Neutrogena visibly clear toner. Good price and very effective. It made the scin feel clean and fresh. And I liked the scrub here same as the ProActive. It´s a daily scrub so it´s not so rough. There are more rough scrubs but they should only be used once or twice a week! But the daily scrub left the scin feeling brand new.
After using that for a few months I decided to go back to the Vichy Normaderm but this time I got the Normaderm 3 in 1 cleanser instead of the cleansing gel. And that's where I am today.
I think it's important to find the best skincare for you. But that's not the easiest thing to do. When you go looking for something good you need to know what type of skin you have. Because there are so many different product to choose from. The most common types are dry, normal, combination or oily skin.

Dry skin: Use products that gives a lot of moisture to your skin. And that keeps your face moist the whole day.
Normal skin: Probably the easiest. This skin type does not need any extra of anything, just a regular product that keeps the skin clean.
Combination skin: Maybe you have dry and oily areas in your face. It´s common to have an oily T-zone (the forehead and the nose and chin) and dry cheeks. There are products adapted for this type of skin. Otherwise you can combine different products, like a good moisture on your cheeks and something that prevents oily skin on the T-zone.
Oily skin: This can be a bit tricky. You need a good cleanser that removes all the "oily-ness" and a moisture that moisturise the skin but without anny fat/oil. So what you kan look for is a moisturiser the is based on water. Like the Vishy Aqualia thermal moisture light, based on water not oil.

Then of course you can get anti-age products and other special stuff. But the listed above is the most common. If you have sensitive skin you might have to do small changes in your routine as the climate changes with the seasons. But for that it´s often enough to just change the moisturiser (summer - less moist and some SPF, winter - more moist).
The eyes is also important to take care of. I select it on three levels; normal/dry, age preventing and anti-age. It doesn't have to be more complicated than that for the eyes. But don´t rub around the eyes, it´s the most sensitive area in the face!

So to sum it all, find out what type of skin you have and get products made for your needs. Remember the skin is sensitive, especially in the face. A big NO NO is to use hand soap to clean your face. It ruins the skin's normal bacteria level.

Below I have listed my current skin care routine:

Morning routine:

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Night routine:

Same as above but the Aqualia thermal cream as step 4 instead of the Normaderm day cream.

 So this post got pretty long, I'm sorry. But it's important to take care of your skin. And it´s the first step towards a good makeup. So the best thing you can do is to get to know your skin and find something that works for you.