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TBF Project:Blog
Posted by Dain, Tuesday, April 19, 2005 11:37 AM (Eastern)
It would seem like an easy task, to take care of your skin. It's not. There's a billion-dollar beauty industry that reflects that. It's nearly impossible to navigate the morass, obstructed as it is with wonder 'gredients—marine seaweeds, gycolic acid, copper peptide, vitamin C, green tea extract... et cetera. But a lot of it, too, is that most women don't know their skin, and what their skin needs. This is not meant to be any comprehensive guide (I'm no dermatologist), but it might be of some guidance, nevertheless.
STEP ONE: Determining Your Skin Type
It's important to realize that there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to skin types. Many women are in between the classic archetypes, but it's subtler than the textbook "oily t-zone, dry cheeks" definition of "combination skin". Skin will change according to the weather (temperature and humidity both), hormonal influences, stress, diet, sleep patterns, drinking and smoking, and personal habits. Your goal is to bring balance to your skin, to return it to "normal". I, for one, am normal/dry in winter and normal in summer, with mild sensitivities and mild, hormonal acne (usually menstrual). Since many women overwhelm their skin with products, a good way to tell what type of skin you have is to use Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser alone for a week. At the end of seven days, if your skin feels tight and uncomfortable, or even flakes, you have dry skin (the severity as such will tell you how dry). If your skin is perfectly comfortable, congratulations, you're lucky: your skin is normal. If your skin feel slick and oily, your skin is, simply enough, oily. Again, the severity tells you how oily. If different parts of your face react differently, you have combination skin.
STEP TWO: Assessing Your Problems
Another source of confusion, I think, is that many cosmetic companies associate skin problems as skin types. That is, to consider "sensitive" or "acne-prone" as skin types. Such labels, however, oftentimes convey that "sensitive" means "dry" and "acne-prone" means "oily". But any skin type can be sensitive, and any skin type can get acne (or, you might get both, as I do!). It's a false notion. Regarding your skin type, what ones requires is maintenance, rebalancing it (if necessary) to normalcy. Regarding your skin problems, however, what one requires is treatment (and you may not have any skin problems at all).
This is not to say that your skin type and skin problems are separate entities from each other. They're not, one may lead to another. A product used to treat acne may dry your skin out, or a product meant to alleviate dryness may make you break out. And both excessive dryness and excessive oiliness are problems. Still, it's helpful to think of your skin type and skin problems separately. Not only can you target your skin problems more effectively, but you can make the switch easily, from treatment to treatment (if you have acne one day, and sensitivity the next, for example), without worrying about the efficacy of your cleanser and moisturizer.
Some common skin problems: sensitivity (this may include an allergic reaction, or just redness and irritation from harsh chemicals or harsh scrubs), acne (from clogged pores to cysts, the skin demon we all know and hate), rough and dull skin (just exfoliate), aging (wrinkles, fine lines, loss of elasticity and radiance), hyperpigmentation (unevenness and blotchiness, dark circles), overactive oily skin (often the result of too-harsh cleansing and treatment), excessive dryness.
STEP THREE: Essentials
There are two things every skin needs, regardless of its temperament. Cleanser, and sunscreen. I don't believe all skin types require moisturizer, though most do, and there are oily skins that are dehydrated and need a light, gel-type moisturizer.
Cleansers come in all formulations. Personally, I prefer something simple. Cleanser washes down the drain, so it seems useless to consider it a treatment product (ingredients need time on your skin to be effective). My skin is delicate, so I use Cetaphil, but of course, you will probably need something else. From Chanel Aquamousse to Eve Lom, make sure it cleans without stripping, and doesn't leave any residue behind. Some cleansers don't remove makeup very well, particularly eye makeup. That's ok. Just invest in a separate eye-makeup remover (it's actually better for your skin that way). And what about toner? Modern cleansers do an effective job of cleansing without leaving any residue for toners to pick up (though not all, and if you like a cleanser such as, say, Dr. Hauschka's, you'd definitely need a toner afterwards). But I do like to use one throughout the day when my skin is dirty but not dirty enough to merit an entire face-washing (which would mean another tedious eye-makeup application). It's more an accessory than a necessity, but it can be refreshing. Some that I like (I wouldn't recommend you any that I didn't!): Eve Lom Cleanser, Cetaphil cleansers (both the Gentle Skin and the Oily Skin formulae are fantastic), Nivea Refreshing Cleansing Gel (non-foaming), luxurious foaming cleansers by Shiseido, Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil, Biotherm Biosource Clarifying Cleanser, Better Botanicals Calendula Cleanser (I'd use it exclusively if I didn't loathe the smell of almonds, but you may like it), Johnson's Head-to-Toe Baby Wash.
Sunscreens. Right, I actually don't use one. I hate the textures, and I loathe the smell. But I've got other bad habits, and you shouldn't follow them either. Wear a sunscreen. Please. It's the best thing you could do for your skin. There are many great formulae on the market, from the powdriest, Neutrogena Sheer Touch, to a cucumber-scented cream, Estee Lauder's Daywear.
Most everyone will need a moisturizer. Not everyone, but almost everyone. I suggest you find something with a simple, elegant formula. Something that doesn't treat anything, but makes your skin happy. You may need more than one moisturizer: a light lotion for summer months, a heavy cream for winter months... In any case, do what you have to do to find a good one. Your eyes, too, may require a different moisturizer from your face, so you may also wish to invest in a separate eye cream or gel. Some of my favorites (if you've sensitive but dehydrated normal skin): Better Botanicals Dandelion Moisturizer (my staple), Body Time Lavender Cream, Dr. Hauschka Quince Day Cream, Caudalie Vinopulp Emulsion Lift'Age.
STEP FOUR: Fine-Tuning
Now, to move onto the rough stuff. If your skin looks perfectly happy at this point, then you're done. If not, you've got some work to do. I'm a big fan of serums/essences/extracts, myself. They're usually hygienic (pump bottles), more effective (concentrated ingredients, fewer "fillers" to get in the way), and since they absorb into your skin quickly, more versatile, too, because you can layer your regular moisturizer over it. You can, for example, get a spot treatment of benzoyl peroxide for your acne, but you can also get a AHA/BHA serum that will not only treat existing acne, but promote your skin's health as a whole, and prevent future acne. If you've delicate, sensitive skin, you may prefer your treatments couched in a gentle moisturizing cream, but that reduces the efficacy some (which may be a good thing, if you're sensitive). Just remember, don't overdo it. Not only will it wreak havoc on your skin, the product may lose its efficacy if you are overzealous (particularly with acne products).
Some ideas:
acne: La Prairie The Retexturizer (powerful AHA/BHA in a soothing aloe vera gel), Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment (2.5% benzoyl peroxide, gentler than most)
sensitivity: Biotherm Biosensitive Anti-Redness Soothing Concentrate (I've no idea how it does what it does, but it's brilliant)
hyperpigmentation: Peter Thomas Roth, many Asian lines have whitening products, as well
excessive oiliness: MAC Blot (a pressed powder), Smashbox Anti-Shine, Kiehl's Blue Astringent
excessive dryness: rich creams and balms
rough, dull skin: regular exfoliation, be it mechanical (scrubs) or chemical (AHA/BHA/vitamin c/and others)
aging: oh, you've your pick of products... just remember, no matter how expensive the wonderproduct, it can only improve the appearance of wrinkles, not actually change them—even a rich moisturizer will help, by plumping up skin cells and diminishing the appearance of fines lines, as will regular exfoliation. Sunscreen is the only effective product at preventing wrinkles! So, whether you go with La Mer or Olay or Lancome or whatever, keep that in mind.
That's it! Good luck! Just remember, it's like clothes. Put a lot of effort into essentials and basics, and the rest will follow.
Labels: beauty notes, skin
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