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Face Care
The Basics First off, we'll discuss a daily skin care routine, and then move on to do it yourself facials. Everyone needs to use eye makeup remover, cleanser, exfoliator, toner, eye cream, and moisturizer.
Eye Makeup Remover: This is very important, especially for those who wear waterproof makeup. You need to remove the eye makeup before you cleanse your face. Why? because your face cleanser is not going to take it all off, leaving the skin vulnerable to getting clogged up with residue of your makeup. The skin around the eye area is more delicate and much different than the rest of your face, thus it needs it own cleanser. How To: Put some remover on a cotton ball or pad and and let it sit for a few seconds without wiping to dissolve the makeup. This ensures that you are not rubbing your eye. You can then gently swipe what is left of your makeup off. The Key is very gentle movements so you don't cause small bleeding under the skin, which makes dark circles appear worse.
Cleanser: Always choose a cleanser based on your skin type. Cream or milk cleansers for those with dry or normal skin. Gel cleansers for those with normal, combination or oily skin types. If you have normal skin you can choose the formula you want to your preference. Cream cleansers wash away dirt, debris, makeup and excess oil without leaving the skin feeling parched. Gel cleansers contain alcohol and other which I don't usually recommend, unless you are a teenager and experiencing very overactive oil glands. How To: You should wet your face, put a small amount of cleanser in your palm (a lot of people use way too much, the better quality product, the less you need to use). I use about a pea size amount of product. Add a little water in your hand and rub it to get a foamy consistency. Use upward and outward movement. Skin cells are like shingles on a roof. You have to cleanse upward to get under them. Don't forget to cleanse your neck and chest. These parts are just as exposed to the elements and pollution as your face. If you wear a lot of makeup or waterproof makeup, be sure to use makeup remover prior to cleansing. If you have oily skin, don't be tempted to wash more than twice a day. Cleansing too much can cause the skin to produce even more oil to compensate for stripping the skin.
Exfoliator: There are two types of exfoliants: Chemical and Mechanical. Chemical exfoliators use AHA's (Alpha Hydroxy Acids), glycolic acid etc. These acids work to dissolve the glue that holds the dead skin cells together, making it easy to wash them away. Anyone can use a chemical exfoliant however those who have sensitive skin may find them too irritating and should be under a dermatologist or esthetician's care until they know the skin will react. Mechanical Exfoliants are those with little round beads, crushed up shells etc. The products with the synthetic rounds beads are the best to use. In school we used the type that had crushed shells etc. and we applied to a sheet of glass. It really scratched the glass, whereas the one with the round beads did not. The mechanical scrubs are intended to slough off dead skin, not scratch and damage it. You should exfoliate once or twice a week. More than that and you can cause damage to the skin and dry it out, ending with more dull skin than you started out with. (Don't t forget your neck and chest). CAUTION: Those with severe acne should not use a scrub. It can just exacerbate the acne. How to: wet the face, put a small amount of product in your hand, add water to foam it up. Scrub gently in upward strokes. Scrubbing too hard can lead to skin damage, sensitivity, and even scarring. Be sure to rinse thoroughly.
Toner: I am tired of hearing people say "You don't need toner, it's just a money grab!" That statement could not be more wrong. Quality is very important when it comes to toner. Look for alcohol free toner. It softens the skin and restores balance. Toner lasts a long time so invest in a good one. Toner is used immediately after cleansing as it restores the acid mantle of the skin that is compromised by cleansing, and also restores the Ph Balance of the skin. Toner prepares the skin for moisturizer, aiding it to penetrate further and achieve all the benefits of lotion. Toner also keeps the skin smooth and even in color. How To: immediately after cleansing, add toner to cotton ball or pad and use upward strokes. Don't forget your neck and chest.
Eye Cream: Eye cream is a must! Eye creams help diminish the appearance dark circles and puffiness, and smooth out wrinkles. The skin around the eyes is extremely delicate and should be treated with care. Your facial moisturizer is too harsh to use around the eyes. If you start using eye in your 20's you will slow down the signs of aging. Choose and eye cream based on your needs. How to: After toning and before your moisturizer, use a very small amount of eye cream under, around and on top of your eyes, using your ring finger in very gentle patting movements. A bottle of eye cream should last you months, so don't use too much.
Moisturizer: It is very important to always apply moisturizer after you cleanse. You have to restore the lipids lost during the cleansing process. If you have dry skin, you need a moisturizer with some oil in it. Please remember that not all oil is bad and clogs pores. Good quality products contain safe oils that will not lead to breakouts. If you have dehydrated skin, you need water. A water based product made for dehydration is what you need, and also try to add more water in your diet. If you have Normal skin, (Your very lucky!!) you require a good cleanser especially if you wear makeup, and a light moisturizer with vitamins to help maintain your skin's health. If you have combination skin, you should use a cleanser for normal skin, and and a balancing light weight moisturizer for normal/combination. Mature skin needs moisture. As the skin ages, it gets drier. Anti-wrinkle treatments work well because they add moisture to smooth the appearance of the skin. Choose and anti-aging formula for your skin type. If you have sensitive skin,
you need a product that is soothing and calming and fragrance free.
Many brands have sensitive skin lines. If you have acne skin or oily skin you'll need something that controls shine and grease and keeps the pores clear, usually with an acne treatment in it., such as salicylic acid.
Discovering Your True Skin Type Skin Types A skin type
refers to the state of the skin naturally. A skin condition
refers to problems in the skin that are being caused by an internal or
external factor. When the condition is treated, the
skin will still remain the type it was prior to treatment. Dry
Skin: usually is, but its not limited to aging.
A dry skin is one that lacks oil, usually caused by slow sebaceous
glands. When pinched it’s slow to bounce back and
superficial lines are usually present. Dehydrated
Skin: The skin lacks water. It is important to
understand the difference between dry and dehydrated. Dehydrated
skin doesn’t benefit from oil addition. It needs
water from both internal and external sources. Sometimes
a dehydrated skin may become oily, as the body’s natural defense is to
create more lubrication for the skin. Proper hydration
will stop the excess oil and help treat the dryness and tightness. Combination
skin: in essence this refers to any combination of skin
types. Scientists have discovered that the most
common combination is oiliness in the T-zone with dryness on the
cheeks. (The T-zone refers to forehead, down the nose and chin).
That’s what most combination skin products treat. If
you have a different combination such as dehydrated and dry, you need to
choose products to treat those symptoms, stay away from the combination
creams. Sometimes it's a water you need in the T-zone and oil on the
cheeks. This is very hard to treat and you usually need to buy two
different creams. Oily:
skin that has too much oil, caused by overworking sebaceous glands.
Often this skin has a lot of comedones (blackheads). Aging/Mature
Skin: until recently this was not considered a skin type.
But now we know that just as aging is a natural process, aging and
mature skin can be considered a natural state for the skin not just a
symptom. When we treat mature skin, we still treat the
initial skin type, though most aging skin is lacking oil, and are
thus treated with oil based and emollient products.
Skin Disorders An
esthetician or dermatologist will almost always treat a disorder first,
and the skin type second. The reason for this is that
once the symptoms of the disorder are no longer present the true skin type
will reveal itself. Many disorders of the skin can be
treated in conjunction with the type so as to not cause further skin
discomfort. Acne
Skin: skin that has comedones (blackheads) and milia (whiteheads)
can be accompanied by cysts (also known as acne cysts) and pustules
(pimples filled with pus). Acne skin is always
accompanied by comedones. There is however a difference
between acne cosmetica and acne vulgaris. Acne
cosmetica is when blemishes are caused by topical or beauty products and
sometimes pollution. Acne vulgaris is an internal
disorder that shows itself in the skin (ie. Hormonal changes) and is
usually found on other parts of the body as well, such as the chest and
back. In both
cases the acne can be treated. Acne cosmetica is
usually cured when you discontinue using the products that are comedogenic
(pore-clogging) and “spot treating” the blemishes helps the skin heal
faster. Acne vulgaris is treated by both internal and
external solutions, such as hormone regulation, diet, supplements,
prescription treatments and skin products. It is
important to understand what kind of acne you have. Here’s
how: if you’ve had acne or acne symptoms for majority of your years
during and since puberty, especially into adulthood no matter what
products you’ve used, you most likely have acne vulgaris. If you tend to break out when you use certain products or ingredients, eat certain food (which may indicate a mild allergy), or when you change your skin routine it is most like you have acne cosmetica. Rosacea:
used to be known as acne-rosacea because the skin is red, sensitive across
the nose and cheeks and may be accompanied by small red bumps.
Rosacea has lately been researched extensively and there are many
products and options on the market now that can treat the symptoms,
however, there is yet a cure. Simple things like
staying away from alcohol, extreme temperatures and spicy foods can also
help reduce the symptoms. Couperose skin: this means that you have broken capillaries (blood vessels) in the skin that are usually found around the nose. Once a blood vessel is broken, laser treatments can help, but be sure to go to a licensed professional. There are many non-licensed people doing laser and injections etc. Avoid breaking new blood vessels by being gentle with the skin and avoiding alcohol and caffeine which have been linked to couperose skin. Hyper
Pigmentation: lighter or darker spots on the skin generally
caused by sun exposure and in some cases by oral contraceptives. Vitligo
however, is a disease that causes the pigment (colour cells) in the skin
to diminish. There is no known cure for vitiligo, but
it can be camouflaged with makeup. Hyper-pigmentation
can be treated through skin peels (ie. Glycolic acid), and bleaching.
However, it is most important to protect yourself against the sun.
Peels are photo-sensitive as with all AHA’s and can cause further
spots when exposed to the sun, and you can prevent further spots by using
sunscreen. There are many disorders that are too large in number for me to discuss in detail. It is essential for you to see a professional if you suspect a skin disorder. They can diagnose and offer treatment solutions. Estheticians, dermatologists and your family doctor are all people you can go to with a disorder.
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