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Your skin care ritual – step by step
Christina DüsterdichThere are many individual approaches to skincare routines.
But to help you get started with your Karmameju facial products, in this article I’ve outlined the steps in a simple routine that can be used both in the morning and in the evening with just a few adjustments.
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A good skincare routine supports the skin’s natural renewal processes and helps to keep the skin in balance. It does this, amongst other things, by keeping the skin naturally active and by contributing to the skin’s health through the many properties of Karmameju products.
No skin is the same all 365 days of the year, as it is influenced by the cycles of nature and the seasons, the body’s internal hormonal cycle, genetics, dietary habits, food intolerances, stress levels, illness, medication, pollution, UV radiation and more.
The skin is our largest organ, and most of the reasons behind its changing needs can often be found within the body. These usually manifest on our face as a subtle hint from the body that something is out of balance. That’s why your skincare routine shouldn’t be set in stone. Get to know your skin and keep an eye on how it’s doing from day to day. Some days it needs more moisture from a cream, serum or similar product. On other days, your skin might almost be asking for nourishing oils and exfoliation.
A quick rundown of the order of your skincare routine might look like this:
Note: It’s by no means necessary to have all the products listed below to have a good skincare routine. The list below simply shows all Karmameju’s facial products in the order they’re intended to be used. Several products can easily be omitted. The products that should, at the very least, be included in your daily skincare routine are marked in bold.
-Facial dry brush: RENEW facial dry brush
- Cleanser + konjac spongeor washcloth
-Mask / Exfoliation
-Face mistand/or STAR micellar water
-HERO pH solution
-Face serum
-PRE & AFTER SUN serum-lotion
-Eye cream
- Face cream
-Face oil
- Sun cream
Remember that a new routine needs time to show results. Major changes don’t happen overnight. It takes the skin 4–6 weeks to renew itself, and you should give the new steps in your skincare routine the same amount of time. If you’re committed to changing your routines both internally and externally, but you don’t see an improvement or feel that your skin is getting better after at least two months, please feel free to email me at christina@karmameju.com
Fragrance for your products
Aromatherapy is an essential and important part of Karmameju’s DNA. We work with aromatherapy because these fine and exclusive fragrances have a completely unique and holistic effect that both influences our mental wellbeing and improves the condition of our skin. So always remember to take a moment to enjoy the scent of your aromatherapy products when you apply them. It’s a gentle, daily sensory stimulation that’s well worth the effort.
Dry brushing
Brush on dry, make-up-free skin before your bath or before cleansing your skin. Brush daily or 3–4 times a week – depending on your skin’s sensitivity.
The RENEW facial dry brush is a gentle, natural ‘facelift’ for your daily skincare routine. Read much more about RENEW and its many benefits HERE.
Cleansing the skin
Make-up, dirt, pollution and unwanted bacteria must be gently and effectively removed from the skin’s surface every day. We recommend cleansing your skin thoroughly every evening, ideally using a konjac spongeor washcloth, which has a micro-stimulating, exfoliating and deep-cleansing effect. If you’re wearing a lot of make-up or sun protection, it may be beneficial to cleanse in two stages.
Oily skin may also need a deep cleanse in the morning, but for most skin types, a morning routine using water and a konjac spongeor washcloth, or STAR micellar water, is usually sufficient.
A thorough, massaging cleanse before bedtime allows the skin to regenerate optimally. Both the cleansing and the nourishing products applied help to improve the skin’s natural processes during the active night-time hours. Don’t skip your cleansing ritual – it’s crucial for the skin’s health, vitality and radiance.
Find the cleansing product that’s right for you here.
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Exfoliation and mask treatments
We recommend exfoliating* and treating your skin to a deeper, more effective mask treatment twice a week using one or more of our three face masks to complement your daily routine. You may benefit from using several masks over the course of a week, or you can simply stick to the mask that best addresses your skin’s needs right now.
Masks and exfoliation should always be applied to freshly cleansed skin, and the mask should be removed with a warm washcloth after 5–20 minutes, depending on your skin type. Mask treatments can be incorporated into your routine whenever you have time, but if you apply a mask in the evening, you’re giving your skin effective care to work on whilst you sleep during the regenerative night-time hours.
At Karmameju, we recommend double and triple masking with our three masks to achieve an optimal at-home spa facial treatment. Read how to double and triple mask in the article ‘How to multi-mask’ here.
*Exfoliation removes dead skin cells from the skin’s surface and is important for preventing and removing dry skin, avoiding blocked pores and achieving a healthy glow. Exfoliation can help ensure that subsequent skincare products are better absorbed by the skin. As well as our two exfoliating face masks, you can also choose our dry face brush and konjac sponges for the same purpose. See further up in the article for the best times to use them.
Face mist
Face misthelpsto plump and moisturise the skin. When incorporating face mist into your routine, apply it after cleansing or usingHERO, and before applying serum or face cream. The fine-molecular hyaluronic acid in the spray provides deep hydration and prepares the skin to absorb your subsequent skincare products.
You can use face mist morning and evening, and at any time in between; use it to soften or refresh your make-up during the day, to moisturise skin dried out by the office environment, or as an aromatherapeutic experience of calm, energy or positivity throughout the day – on top of your skincare routine.
Simply close your eyes and mouth before spraying, and let your skin soak up the moisturising and stimulating ingredients. Allow the mist to absorb before continuing with your next products.
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HERO – pH balance
HERO is a pH-regulating skincare product that is applied first after contact with water in the morning and evening, i.e. as the first stepafteryourcleansing routine andbeforeyourface mist or toner.
We have a rule of thumb that goes: “HERO is step zero”, because HERO is a completely new type of product that is usedbeforethefirst step in your layered skincare routine. It acts as a sort ofpre-skincare treatment that strengthens your skin’s own defences and creates the best possible conditions for the products you apply afterwards.
If you have dry skin and/or skin with dermatological concerns, we can wholeheartedly recommend HERO. Read more about HERO’s properties and discover the many skin-improving storiesyou, our customers, have sent us about this little skincare hero here.
Facial serum
A face serum is a skincare product that you apply to freshly cleansed skin in the morning and evening – but before your face cream and oil. Our FIRM, SHIELD and CLEARserums are quickly absorbed and composed of smaller molecules that can penetrate deep into the skin to deliver the active ingredients directly. This makes a serum an ideal product for improving specific skin conditions.
PRE- & AFTERSUN serum-lotion
PRE & AFTER SUN serum-lotion has been developed to moisturise and strengthen the skin on the face and bodybeforeandaftersun exposure. As part of your skincare routine, apply it as a serum under your face cream/sun cream and under your night cream.
PRE & AFTER SUN is an extremely moisturising and soothing skincare product and can be used as a serum even when you’re not in the sun.
At Karmameju, we refer to it as a refreshing drink for the skin. We are all deeply reliant on it in our skincare routines.
Eye cream
Apply COUTURE eye cream morning and evening before your face cream for best results. COUTURE can also be used on the upper lip, marionette lines, between the eyebrows and other areas of the face that need firming care.
Read more about the effective COUTURE and how we recommend applying it here.
Face cream
Your face cream plumps the skin with moisture, nourishment and active ingredients tailored to your skin type. Face cream is the most essential product in your daily skincare routine, as it helps your skin protect itself against external factors such as dryness, free radicals from pollution and bacteria. In addition, face cream offers many more wrinkle-reducing, smoothing and preventative benefits.
Massage your face cream into your face, neck and décolletage in the morning and evening after applying HERO, serum or serum-like products.
Karmameju’s four face creams work as both your day cream and your night cream. So you only need one cream – to protect your skin during the day and to support your skin’s needs during the regenerative night-time hours.
Are you unsure which face cream to choose? We’ve written an article that deals with exactly this. Read it here.
Facial oil
We recommend finishing your skincare routine with facial oil, both day and night. That is, on top of your serum and/or face cream. If you don’t want to add another step to your skincare routine, or if you feel that too many layers are too much for your skin, then adding one or two drops of oil to your face cream can also make a difference. Facial oil has a smoothing, softening, moisturising and protective effect, which helps make the skin more resilient to the many drying elements in your environment. These precious oils preserve the skin’s natural barrier, prevent dehydration and protect the outer blood vessels.
Facial oil should not replace your face cream. Instead, let the oil be your skin’s soft jumper, your serum your moisturising undershirt and your face cream your skin’s tailored dress.
During the summer months, when you’re also using sun cream, or if the humidity is high, facial oil may feel unnecessary for some people. In that case, you can put your oil back on the shelf for everyday use and instead use it for a soothing facial massage a couple of times a week and as part of your evening skincare routine. You can also use our LIGHT facial oil – a light oil treatment for day and night with a gentle texture that is easily absorbed by the skin.
Sun protection
Always apply mineral sun protection as the final step in your skincare routine. Karmameju’s facial sun cream and BB cream can be applied over your usual daily skincare routine, but can also be used instead of your face cream. Ideally, use in combination with PRE & AFTER SUN.
Sunscreen with physical filters provides sun protection immediately after application.
You can read more about how we recommend you apply your facial sun protection on the individual products below.
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Skincare from within
There’s a saying that goes: “Beautiful skin starts in your gut.”
Many skin problems actually stem from our digestive system or imbalances in our organs – this can be caused by digestive issues, food intolerances, vitamin deficiencies or stress in the body. You may have already given this a lot of thought, but it’s important to emphasise that a healthy body is, and always will be, a key factor in healthy skin.
I’d recommend you read more about:
- Lactic acid bacteria
- Essential fatty acids
- A liver-friendly diet
- Acid-alkaline diet
You can also find easy recipes for internal skincare with skin-enhancing ‘skin food’ smoothies here.After all, a smoothie a day is also a form of skincare.
