Posts Tagged ‘skin care routine’

Your skin covers every inch of your body, and keeps all the bits and pieces where they should be, so it’s very important to take good care of it. The skin is also your shop window – everyone can see at least some of it. As if that wasn’t enough responsibility for a body organ to carry, the skin is the protective barrier that keeps the worst effects of the environment from penetrating the body.

While everyone’s skin is individual in sime respects, there are four broad types – normal, dry, oily and combination. Each skin type requires slightly different care, so your skin care routine should be tailored to your skin type. Dry skin is not normal – it is drier than is desirable, whether slightly or severely. These are the basic skin care strategies for dry skin.

Internal beauty treatment

What you eat and drink affects the condition of your skin. The body needs water, and so does the skin, so it’s important to stay hydrated. Dry skin in particular needs water, so drink as much as you can. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can take moisture away from the skin.

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, especially those with high water content, such as melons, grapes and salad vegetables. Aim for a high intake of vitamins A, B and C from citrus fruits, berries, dairy products and leafy green vegetables. Vitamin E is also helpful for dry skin. Find it in nuts, seeds and oils, as well as wholegrains. Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as oily fish and nuts will encourage the skin’s natural oil production.

Cleansing

Cleanse your skin twice a day – morning and evening. Avoid soap, particularly if you have dry skin. Choose a facial wash for your skin type, and look for a product with added moisturisers. Use warm water, as hot or cold water may irritate the skin. If your skin is very dry, it may be better to use moisturising facial wipes for cleansing, rather than wash off cleansers.

Never use a toner on dry skin, particularly one that contains alcohol. If you want to freshen your skin after cleansing, splash with cool – not cold – water, and pat dry with a soft towel. Don’t rub the skin, as this could encourage fine lines and wrinkles, particularly with skin that already has a tendency to dryness.

Moisturising

All skin needs some form or moisturiser, but for dry skin, it’s particularly important. Look for a moisturiser with a high oil content, or you could use coconut oil or olive oil, applied directly to the skin. Apply moisturiser while skin is still slightly moist, to

The skin is the body’s largest organ. And because it’s on the outside of your body for everyone to see, you want it to not only be healthy, but to look great as well. Women of any age want skin that is clear, smooth and radiant. However, the biggest mistake I see women make when it comes to their skin is failure to customize their skin-care routines. Your skin-care routine needs to change and adapt according to the season, your age and your lifestyle. Also, what works for your friend or your sister won’t necessary work well for you when it comes to your skin.

That said, customizing a skin-care routine doesn’t require a lot of time and effort. With just a few easy steps you can create a routine that works for you and simply tweak it over time as your lifestyle or skin-care needs change.

1. Consult a professional. If possible, the best way to start is with a visit to a dermatologist, especially if you feel that you have particularly problematic skin (ex: acne, sun damage, unusual dryness or other skin conditions). Not everyone can afford this step, but keep in mind that the visit may be covered by your insurance plan. Explain your skin care concerns to your dermatologist and ask for product recommendations. They can help get you on track to customizing a routine and can help you narrow down your focus when it comes to product so that you don’t waste your hard-earned money on products that aren’t right for you.

2. Start with the basics. Wash your face every morning when you wake up and again before you go to bed. Never, under any circumstances go to bed without removing your makeup. Clogged pores will lead to unsightly blemishes. Eat well, exercise and get plenty of rest. What you put into your body will show in your complexion, so make sure to drink lots of water (to flush out toxins and hydrate) and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Stay away from cigarettes; they cause premature aging of the skin. If you do one thing for your skin each day (besides your daily cleansing), apply a sunscreen each morning (don’t forget to cover your neck as well), to avoid premature wrinkles, sunspots and skin cancer risks.

3. Customize a skin-care routine. Now that you’ve consulted with a professional and are taking care of your body from the inside out, it’s time to create a routine that will optimize all of your healthy habits. While everyone is different, most people benefit from a gentle cleanser (Cetaphil or Purpose come highly recommended by most dermatologists), a pore-cleansing toner (I prefer SeaBreeze for sensitive skin) and a good moisturizer (again I prefer Purpose, which also has added sunscreen).

I beef up my daily routine according to the season and my skin care needs. During the winter, when my skin gets dry, I like to use a moisturizing mask once a week. During the summer, when my pores tend to get clogged with dirt and sweat, I will add a once-a-week exfoliator or deep-cleansing mask. I also like to use Biore pores strips about once a week for blackheads on my nose and chin. Unfortunately, I am at that in-between age where I still need to worry about breakouts and blemishes, but am beginning to see the early signs of aging (no doubt accelerated by my frequent visits to tanning salons in my youth).

As you can see, taking care of your skin doesn’t have to be a huge commitment of your time or your money. If you take a little time to set up a routine, it will become a healthy habit that your skin will thank you for. Once you’ve taken the time to find out what works for you, making small changes here and there will be a breeze.

In an ideal world, every woman and man would have a customized skin care routine. However, most people don’t have the time, resources or motivation to develop a skin care regimen that is specific to their individual skin care needs. Fortunately, there are plenty of product testers (like myself), who are more than happy to try out hundreds of skin care products in order to discover which brands deliver on their promise of clearer, healthier, younger looking skin.

Although my experience as a product tester allows me to try out high-end skin care products free of charge, I can’t bring myself to recommend expensive products unless they provide really amazing results. Therefore, with the exception of a few “splurge” items, the products on the following list are generally affordable and can be found at your local discount retailer or drug store.

As I mentioned earlier, the best skin care routine is one that is customized to your individual skin care needs, which means that not all of the products mentioned below are the right fit for every skin type. These products are recommended for combination skin (because that is my skin type), but because combination skin is a mixture of oily, dry and/or sensitive areas, some of the following products could be beneficial for these skin types as well.

Before you spend your hard earned cash on expensive skin care products, read the following list of affordable products that offer some pretty amazing results.

* Best cleanser: Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash

Recommended to me by my dermatologist, Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash is the best cleanser that I have found for my combination skin. It’s hypoallergenic and soap-free so it doesn’t clog pores or dry out your skin. Purpose also lathers and cleanses better than Cetaphil, another cleanser brand commonly recommended by leading dermatologists. Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash also received Allure magazine’s Editor’s Choice Award in 2008.

Average retail price in 2009 for a pump bottle (6 fl. oz.): $6.29

* Best toner or astringent: Sea Breeze Fresh-Clean Astringent for Sensitive Skin

I have tried tons of expensive toners and astringents over the years and always find myself going back to Sea Breeze. I have found that the regular Sea Breeze formula can be too harsh for the areas of my skin that dry out easily, but the sensitive skin formula is just right for my combination skin. Simply apply a squirt to a cotton pad and smooth over a freshly cleansed

The skin is the body’s largest organ. And because it’s on the outside of your body for everyone to see, you want it to not only be healthy, but to look great as well. Women of any age want skin that is clear, smooth and radiant. However, the biggest mistake I see women make when it comes to their skin is failure to customize their skin-care routines. Your skin-care routine needs to change and adapt according to the season, your age and your lifestyle. Also, what works for your friend or your sister won’t necessary work well for you when it comes to your skin.

That said, customizing a skin-care routine doesn’t require a lot of time and effort. With just a few easy steps you can create a routine that works for you and simply tweak it over time as your lifestyle or skin-care needs change.

1. Consult a professional. If possible, the best way to start is with a visit to a dermatologist, especially if you feel that you have particularly problematic skin (ex: acne, sun damage, unusual dryness or other skin conditions). Not everyone can afford this step, but keep in mind that the visit may be covered by your insurance plan. Explain your skin care concerns to your dermatologist and ask for product recommendations. They can help get you on track to customizing a routine and can help you narrow down your focus when it comes to product so that you don’t waste your hard-earned money on products that aren’t right for you.

2. Start with the basics. Wash your face every morning when you wake up and again before you go to bed. Never, under any circumstances go to bed without removing your makeup. Clogged pores will lead to unsightly blemishes. Eat well, exercise and get plenty of rest. What you put into your body will show in your complexion, so make sure to drink lots of water (to flush out toxins and hydrate) and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Stay away from cigarettes; they cause premature aging of the skin. If you do one thing for your skin each day (besides your daily cleansing), apply a sunscreen each morning (don’t forget to cover your neck as well), to avoid premature wrinkles, sunspots and skin cancer risks.

3. Customize a skin-care routine. Now that you’ve consulted with a professional and are taking care of your body from the inside out, it’s time to create a routine that will optimize all of your healthy habits. While everyone is different, most people benefit from a gentle cleanser (Cetaphil or Purpose come highly recommended by most dermatologists), a pore-cleansing toner (I prefer SeaBreeze for sensitive skin) and a good moisturizer (again I prefer Purpose, which also has added sunscreen).

I beef up my daily routine according to the season and my skin care needs. During the winter, when my skin gets dry, I like to use a moisturizing mask once a week. During the summer, when my pores tend to get clogged with dirt and sweat, I will add a once-a-week exfoliator or deep-cleansing mask. I also like to use Biore pores strips about once a week for blackheads on my nose and chin. Unfortunately, I am at that in-between age where I still need to worry about breakouts and blemishes, but am beginning to see the early signs of aging (no doubt accelerated by my frequent visits to tanning salons in my youth).

As you can see, taking care of your skin doesn’t have to be a huge commitment of your time or your money. If you take a little time to set up a routine, it will become a healthy habit that your skin will thank you for. Once you’ve taken the time to find out what works for you, making small changes here and there will be a breeze.

Combination skin is skin that has areas of the face that are overly oily and areas of the face that are overly dry. Since skin is both dry and oily at the same time, treating it can be difficult. Products that can be used on oily skin will be bad for dry skin and products that can be used on dry skin will be bad for oily skin.

The most important thing that you can do to take care of combination skin is to make sure that you have combination skin and not one or the other. The best way to do that is to wash your face and wait an hour or so. Take a tissue and rub it on you T-zone area, which will probably be oily. Rub another tissue on your cheeks and chin. These areas should be a lot less oily. Make sure that you examine your skin closely to determine what, if any, other skin conditions should be considered when choosing your daily skin care regimen.

Once you have determined that you have combination skin, and you have taken note of any additional skin problems that you will want to address, choose skin care products that are geared at your specific skin care needs. Combination skin care products are sometimes more expensive and harder to find. If you are in doubt about how to treat your skin, you should seek the advice of a dermatologist.

Having a skin care regimen that includes exfoliating the skin two to three times a week will improve the look of the oily skin and scrubs away the dead skin cells that often make skin look dull. Moisturizing the skin with an intensive moisturizer should also be a part of the skin care routine to moisturize skin that would be dried out by the cleansers and exfoliaters that are used. Exfoliating the skin and following it up with moisturizer will make the newly exfoliated skin look much healthier than just exfoliating the skin alone.

A daily sunscreen should be used to protect the skin from the sun’s UV rays that will increase the production of fine lines and dry out the skin. Ideally, cosmetics that already contain a suitable sunscreen should be used. Using make up that is specifically designed for combination skin should round out the skin care techniques used to care for combination skin. Using make up that is designed for combination skin will not only be healthier for your skin when it becomes necessary for you to cover it up all day, but treating problem areas will be much easier when cleansing and exfoliating.