Skincare 101 – Keeping It Simple
Skincare can be an intimidating and confusing topic for many since there is endless information available to us today. This is because skin is a very personal topic. Everyone is different & so is their skin. However, this post offers to highlight 3 simple steps that are universal and can help everyone achieve healthy, balanced, radiant skin.
- Cleanse
- Tone
- Moisturize + SPF
Cleanse
It is important to remove dirt, oil, makeup & impurities everyday. Failure to do so can result in skin being prone to breakouts, acne, congestion & infection.
The type of cleanser you use depends on your skin type & what it requires.
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Dry skins will benefit from milky or sulphate-free cleansers or those without alcohol & drying ingredients. These can further strip the skin and leave them even drier than they were before. Dry skin is also prone to wrinkles and premature aging. It is important to that this skin type is well hydrated & moisturized. When looking for cleansers, look for the word “moisturizing”, ”hydrating”, “for dry skin”or ”anti-age”.
Oily skins will benefit from cleansers with oil control properties, bacteria fighting & deep cleaning ingredients. Oily skins are prone to acne, pore clogging & bacterial infections. It is important to cleanse well but be mindful to moisturize this skin type properly.
Combination skins have a dual battle. This skin type usually has an oily T-zone with drier cheek & chin area. There are cleansers made specifically for this skin type & would usually be marked on the packaging. These cleansers are formulated to clean the oily parts of the skin well while aiming not to cause dry areas to become drier. This skin type is prone to whiteheads, blackheads & pore clogging also.
Read Also: Rosemarie’s Cosmetics Essential Nutmeg & Green Tea Facial Cleanser Review
In the cases of problematic skin such as acne prone, sensitive or overly dry, I will dedicate an entire post with helpful remedies. Problematic skin types’ causes are usually challenging to identify so I will speak more on these at another time.
Tone
Facial toners help to balance the pH, or potential hydrogen level of your skin. pH levels are an indication of the acidity or alkalinity level of your skin and are measured on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral, 1-6 being acidic & 8-14 being alkaline. Having a balanced pH level means your skin is less prone to oiliness and infection, creating a healthy zone which will be more vibrant and have a smoother appearance.
Moisturizer + SPF
One of the most overlooked and avoided steps for many people is daily moisturizing. This also happens to be the area where your skin can be transformed if you make this a ritual in your skincare regimen. Absolutely every skin type needs moisture, with the main difference being in what forms and in what amounts.
Oilier skins need moisturizer just as much as dry skins. When skin is oily, it is an indication that our oil glands are in overdrive, trying to lubricate the skin’s surface. It is also an indication that oil is being stripped too often (excessive washing) or the skin is suffering from unbalanced pH or hormonal levels. Light lotion & gel based moisturizers, specifically created for oily skins will help control excessive oils as well as give you the right amount of hydration so that your glands will not overproduce as much.
Dry skins cry out for moisture. This skin type will benefit from richer, heavier, creamy moisturizers that also aim at firming, lifting & preventing signs of aging. This skin type is prone to wrinkles sooner than other skin types because of lack of oils, so do your best to keep it hydrated always.
Combination skin types, as explained earlier, have their specific types of moisturizers, usually labeled accordingly to create balanced hydration in all areas.
SPF (sun protection factor), suntan, sunblock etc is a topical gel, spray, lotion or cream applied to the skin to block some of the UV (ultra violet) rays of the sun. It also prevents the skin against sunburn, skin cancers & premature aging. This is a very important step and with it becoming a more encouraged. Many companies create moisturizers that already contain some level of SPF so you can save on time for application as well as the amount of products you need in your routine.
Just by following these simple steps, you will surely see a transformation in your skin. If you don’t have a routine, I urge you to try this today.
For more skincare tips, visit my site at www.amarnanixo.com. You can also join me at Phenomenal Woman hosted by Info Pursuit on July 9th, 2016, at the Public Workers Union Building, St. George’s, to hear more from me on skincare.
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