Let me get straight with you. The best base you'll ever get isn't your primer, it's your skin. The better in shape your skin is the less make-up you'll need to cover up. Taking care of your skin goes a long way. You only get one face so try to make the most of it. I have some tips from me to you that would/could/should help you refine your daily beauty routine. A healthy skin is a happy skin !
xoxo
1. Cleanse
I can't stress this enough. After a day with or even without make-up your pores fill up with dirt. The dirt might not be visible to the naked it eye but believe me it does. Clogged pores can lead to an uneven skin, blackheads,... and increase your chances of getting wrinkles. Nobody wants that right ? Your skin needs to breath.
Please make sure that you use a soft cleanser. Some cleansers are very harsh for the skin. Be sure to avoid this. Your skin might feel ''clean'' but chances are you took away all your natural moisture and oils. Which leads us to the next tip
2. Hydrate
You should at least try to drink 1,5 l water a day. It'll do wonders for your skin. I must say I don't reach that goal every day, especially in the weekend. Hydrating your skin does so so much for your complexion. To help my skin feel even more hydrated I changed my beauty routine to hydrating cremes with a gel base. I love Vichy and I've been using their products since my teens when I was struggling with acne. These last months I noticed that my skin needed more hydration and I switched over to their most hydrating line and I must say my skins feels good, real good.
3. Mask
Masks are a good way to give your skin that extra boost and take care of those skin concerns. I love them. They come in a large variety for every specific need. I must warn you: don't buy any ordinary mask. Do your research. Your skin is precious so you should be careful with what you put on it. So stay away from crazy painful DYI peel off pore masks !
4. Anti-age
I do use anti-aging products but not a lot. I use a anti aging serum that also takes care of my dull complexion. My eye-cream is anti-aging as well. Make sure you use anti-aging products that are specifically for your age. Most brands have a 'age' directory on the side of the box.
5. Hygiene
If your creams or masks come in a jar don't use your fingers. Use a cheap foundation brush (which you wash out) or a cotton swab (Q-tip). Bacteria thrive in moist environment so don't help them multiply !
6. Protect
Last but not least there's one thing that will keep your skin young. There's a reason why asian people are considered to be forever young. They use sunscreen like it's LIFE. Here in the west we like to be tanned but over there they want to be as white as they were born. Considering it's pretty sunny over there they use sunscreen and spf like there's no tomorrow. And yes it works. Of course it's healthy to get your dose of vitamin D but the sun also damages your skin and will make it age a lot faster. I use sunscreen in the summer underneath my foundation. I should use it in the winter as well but I try to compensate it by using products that contain a spf factor as well. For those selfie queens out there, when your planning to go out with friends and flash photography will occur, take away sunscreen out of your routine ! The flash combined with the high amount of spf will make your face look pale. I mean ghostly pale.