Skincare chit chat and products I would recommend.
During the last couple of years I have
become more and more interested in skincare, hitting the mid-twenties may have something to do with that. After
lots of reading and video watching (mainly Dr. Schultz, an eminent
dermatologist from NY) I have gathered a list of tips from which everyone’s
skin could benefit.
1. Protect your skin from the sun.
You are probably as bored of reading
this as I am, but it is true. Sun damage is the number one cause of aging skin.
Protect your skin all day, every day. Use a face cream or primer with a SPF 20
or 30. Go up to a SPF 50 during the warmer/sunnier months.
Using a foundation with SPF ain't
cutting it as I found that
it slips off plus you are not applying enough product anyways.
I also avoid tanning and sunbathing completely. I would only go to the beach with an umbrella, sunglasses, three bottles of sun lotion and a "cover-up".
I also avoid tanning and sunbathing completely. I would only go to the beach with an umbrella, sunglasses, three bottles of sun lotion and a "cover-up".
2. Remove your makeup and cleanse your
skin.
Removing makeup and cleansing are two
different things and should be differentiated. I take my makeup off with
Bioderma soaked into a cotton ball or a good ol' facial wipe. For extra heavy makeup I
prefer cleansing oil. Right after that I cleanse my skin with a mild cleanser or some soap. Some
products I rotate are:
Alverde Hammamelis Cleanser (only available in Germany)
Dove Beauty bar (not pictured)
Olay Foaming Face Wash (not pictured)
3. Exfoliate.
The removal of the dead skin cells is
essential if you want a bright and even skin. It also helps improving skin conditions like
acne or hyper pigmentation (if you are suffering any of these conditions, you
should visit a dermatologist that would prescribe the best exfoliating product
for you)
I prefer chemical exfoliation
(dissolving the dead skin cells) to physical exfoliation (removing the dead
skin "manually" with brushes, cloths or little beads). I, however,
try not to overdo the chemicals as they tend to be a bit harsh after a while. I
will dedicate an entire entry to glycolic acid as it can be quit tricky to use.
Some products I have used and would
recommend:
4. Thoroughly hydrate and nourish your
skin.
Once your face is clean you need to give
it back the moisture it has lost. I would recommend a rich cream with a simple formula. If you have oily skin don't make the
mistake of depriving it of moisture, that would only worsen the situation. I use a Cold Cream which may not be suitable for oily or combination types but Avéne has a wide range of moisturizers for different skin types, so you can still look into their products.
I am in love with this cream, I have bought it for my mom and she loves it too. It is a life saver for my skin during the coldest months and I even use it as an eye cream! I know you are not supposed to use the same cream for your under eyes (I'm still unsure why) but I do and it works just fine and hasn't given me any weird side effect.
The bottom line: skincare, the simpler the
better.
This is my newest rule of thumb when
choosing skincare products. After a year using a simple cleanser and a cold
cream my skin is looking better than ever! Simpler products
are usually cheaper too. I believe that all those extra fancy ingredients like
caviar or DNA are just marketing tricks without added benefits. Check out
typical pharmacy brands like Cetaphil, Avene, La Roche Posay, Vichy,
Eurcerin...
(Lastly I would like to add that if you suffer from skin conditions like acne, rosacea, hyperpigmentation, etc. don't hesitate to visit your doctor. These issues are medical conditions that should be treated as such. Skincare is ultimately about the health of your skin.)
During the last couple of years I have become more and more interested in skincare, hitting the mid-twenties may have something to do with ...