Skincare can be overwhelming when you are first starting off. Any trip down a grocery store or target cosmetic isle and you are met with hundreds of bottles labeled I’m perfect for you! Commercials and ads telling you use me I will make you younger overnight, I will clear your face in one week, I will remove those dark spots and bags under yours eyes in 15 min!! It’s enough to make the most seasoned professional lose their mind at all the claims.
Step one is identifying what your troubles and concerns are. My face is dry … ok how is it dry? Is it rough, peeling, painful, red? Where is it dry? Get out a piece of paper and list for each section of your face what you want to change or correct. An example would be Forehead, lines and suns spots, blackheads, Eyes crows feet, dark circles, need a bellman for my bags, Cheeks, enlarged pores, oily, rough texture, sagging skin, discoloration, Nose, greasy, Chin hyperpigmentation.
Now that you have identified what you are wanting to work on break down the list, first are you over all dry, oily, greasy, combination? This will be the base for your cleansing and moisturizing.
Oily skins need to use a gel cleanser while drier skins should you a cream cleanser. Combination skins I suggested use a gel based cleanser the drier areas can be addressed through the rest of your skin care regimen. Gel based or cream based … there are 75 choices for each how do I know? This is where you go back to your list. What is your overall goal? Are you a younger skin trying to clear acne? Then look for a system that has salicylic acid as it’s active ingredient. Are you a mature skin wanting to keep lines and wrinkles at bay? Look for vitamins A, C and E, or hyaluronic acid.
After cleansing I suggest a toner for all skin types. Toners bring your skin back to proper PH so your treatments and moisturizer absorb and have maximum efficacy. A basic toner with no frills is all that is needed.
Now treatment. Eye creams with caffeine are going to be great for reducing puffiness and helping with dark circles. When using eye cream do not put it on your eyelids. Using your middle finger tap a small amount following the orbital bone. Your skin is like a dry sponge, when you put water in the center of a sponge it travels to the edges. The skin around your eyes is very thin, if you place your serum or cream to the bones edge it will travel to the lash line on its own, Placing product on the lids can lead to product getting on your eyeball and potentially causing irritation.
Now moisture. Oily skins should stay away from heavy creams and use a hydrating cream. ( I will write another blog explaining the difference between moisturizing and hydrating, there is a difference) Dry skins should look for moisturizing creams.
A basic skincare routine should have a cleanser, toner, moisturizer. Treatments such as eye creams, serums, and targeted treatments for specific conditions should be discussed with a professional to ensure you do not over treat your skin causing more problems. I strongly suggest creating a relationship with an experienced esthetician who can guide you through the maze of skincare.
This is your basic outline. I will start a series targeting specific issues and recommendations of products that are tried and true. Your homework is write out your list so you know what you want to treat.
Until next time, Carpe Diem!