Best face care routine

The Ultimate Guide to the Best Face Care Routine for Radiant Skin

According to Oriflame Skin Care Expert Melina Galeadi, all you need is two minutes, twice a day and you could have dramatically better skin. If you’re still in doubt about multi-product skin care routines, our interview with Melina might just change your mind!

Why do you need to follow a skin care routine?
Different products are formulated to address different issues. Following a full routine will ensure that you skin is properly cleansed, moisturised and treated to give you the best results as fast as possible.

What products does a set include?
To ensure that skin is properly treated and to get optimum results, we recommend four steps: cleanser, toner, eye cream, serum, day and night cream.

What’s the difference between a cleanser and a toner? 
Proper cleansing and toning cleans your face and prepares your skin to absorb the products that follow. Whilst cleansing removes impurities, excess oil and dead skin cells, toning takes-off the final traces of makeup. Toning also tightens the skin to minimise the appearance of pores and balances the skin’s pH levels.

"To ensure that skin is properly treated and to get optimum results, we recommend four steps: cleanser, toner, eye cream, serum, day cream and night cream."



Why is applying eye cream the second step in the routine?
Eye creams have a lighter texture than day or night creams, which are far richer. These heavier products would prevent eye cream from absorbing effectively and giving you the results you desire.

But why do you only apply eye-cream to the under eye area and not the lid?
The truth is, you don’t need to. Your eyelids naturally produce oils that keep them adequately moisturised – plus most of the signs of ageing sit around the eyes and under them.
So, the order in which you apply products is important then?
Yes. You want to clean skin first and then treat it. The general rule is this: the heavier the texture, the later it should be applied.

We shouldn’t skip the serum then?
Definitely not. Serums have a high concentration of active ingredients such as antioxidants, acids and vitamins. Their light texture delivers nutrients faster and deeper into the skin than a moisturiser can.

Why can’t I just use my day cream overnight? 
Our skin follows a natural cycle. In the day it’s fighting aggressors and in the night it’s restoring from them. The products you wear need to complement this cycle. Day cream for example normally contains SPF to protect you from the sun’s harmful rays, whilst night cream is richer to nourish the skin while you sleep.

Are all the steps as important as one other? 
The products within the routine are formulated to work together, in a specific order, to give you the best results. When we promote claims like “33% wrinkle reduction” in relation to Ecollagen, or “70% more bounce” for Ultimate Lift, we are referring to the clinical test results from using our products as part of a daily routine over a three-month period.

How soon should we expect to see results from following a skin care routine?
All of our clinical tests are conducted over a 12week period, so our claims reflect this. When we say that True Perfection gives you “95% more radiance” we are suggesting that if you follow the routine you will see results within 12weeks time. But please remember that everyone is different. Genes and lifestyle factors like exposure to the sun, diet and pollution can all impact how fast or slow you show results.
Words by: Photographs by: Fotolia, Oriflame