I am a regular reader of your column, and I want to thank you for the wonderful job you are doing. I am writing because I need information on how to really care for my skin. what are the basic things that I should do? Thank you, Roro, Lagos

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Thank you for thanking me I am surprised that as a regular reader, you do not know the basic steps to a glowing skin. This is a topi c that I have treated several times over the years. For your sake, I went into my archives and I am publishing once more the basic routine for glowing skin. If you follow these steps , your skin will be wrinkle free, even into your 50 and 60s;

Step 1: Cleansing

Simple is key here. You

need to find a good cleanser that your skin responds well to, and stick with it.
Be careful not to cleanse too often. Washing at night should do you. While some skincare experts swear you should cleanse skin with creamy cleansers that you wipe off with a tissue, never letting water touch your skin I prefer the water method. In the morning, a splash Of water is all you need.

Never wash your face with hot or cold water (both can cause broken capillaries). Also be careful about over cleansing skin.

Here’s the best way to wash your face: Use warm water to loosen dirt and clogged pores. Use a kobo _sized bit of cleanser, then rinse with cool or lukewarm water. You’ll also want to take off your makeup with a proper makeup remover.

Step 2: Exfoliate

Exfoliation is the step most

people skip in their weekly skin care routine. But trust me, if you start properly exfoliating your skin, you will notice an almost immediate difference. According to experts, one of the reasons men’s skin looks more youthful than women’s is because men tend to exfoliate daily when they shave. There are several ways to exfoliate skin: Microdermabrasion, chemical peels and retinoids.
Scrubs work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells that tend to dull your complexion. I find exfoliating skin once a week with a microdermabrasion kit keeps skin glowing year_round. Make sure you use a gentle scrub with tiny grains. Big grains in cheap scrubs can tear skin and cause more harm than good.

Should you use a toner? Some people swear by toners, but many beauty experts do not. Toners are meant to remove all remaining traces of oil, makeup and dirt, but a good cleanser should do this. I firmly believe it’s up to you. If you like the way your skin feels with a toner. Buy it. Use it. Enjoy it.

Step 3: Moisturize

A basic law of beauty is

that everyone, no matter her skin type, should moisturize. Even if your skin is oily, it will benefit from moisturizers. (The only exception is those with acne). Why? Moisturizers seal moisture into skin . So how much should you moisturize? Your skin will tell you. When your skin is tight, it’s crying out for moisture. Be careful not to overmoisturize -this can cause clogged pores.

Step 4: Apply Sun Screen

Sun screen is the most im

portant part of your skin care regimen.
The number 1 cause of wrinkles is sun damage, so it’s important to use sun screen .The fact that we live near the equator and have some protection is not enough to ignore the importance of sun screen. A mistake most people make is to think that our natural melanin is enough cover. Well, it is not. We still need some extra cover from sun screen. A great trick is to purchase two moisturizers: one for night and one for day that includes UV protection. Don’t use moisturizers with sun screen at night, the ingredients are not meant to be used 27/7 and can aggravate skin.