Skin Care for Beginners | Guide

One of the things we focus on is creating a healthy lifestyle which usually includes personal relationships with ourselves and others, physical fitness and mental well-being. We often times neglect skin care as a way to reinforce that healthy lifestyle. Our skin is the largest organ of our body and it also goes through the wears and tears of everyday life. As the awareness continues to rise, skin care companies have created more and more products catering to individuals' needs; however, this also brings confusion as to which products are good and will deliver the results we want.

I Did What Every Young Adult Did

Growing up, I didn't have many choices as to what to use and how to take care of my skin. My skin care routine consisted of using a hot towel to scrub and cleanse my face from any dirt and impurities built up during the day. Continued over a period of time, this may have conditioned my skin to more breakouts and have an acne prone skin. I wanted to get rid of them as fast as I can and from the disgusted view of acne, I've become an avid pimple popper in no time. I would try to squeeze out every black head that surfaced on my skin even to a point of scarring the surrounding skin and creating larger pores. I saw how this affected confidence and self-esteem as I take time and effort to get rid of them anyway I can.

I started using other products that I thought was helpful. I think many of us can related with using the oil sheets. At that time I had so much oil from my face, it would take more than 4-5 sheets at a time just to temporarily control the oil build up. While it did help take away the oil, it also clogged up the pores even more. This was also the time to use body soap to wash my face because I thought they are the same skin and if it helps with the body, it would help with the face. That was definitely a bad idea as it dried out my skin and tightened it where my skin's reaction is to create more oil when this happen. As time passed, I just dealt with it until I learned more about skin care and what I should be doing instead.

(Beauty Shot)

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How to Choose Products:

1. Know your skin type - There are 4 types of skin, Oily, Dry, Normal and Combination. Each skin type is going to require different types of skin care. You can learn this by cleansing your face and waiting for 30 minutes to see how your skin reacts. If you have a shiny sheen throughout your face, you mostly have oil skin. If you feel dry and flaky, you mostly have dry skin. If you have shiny sheen in the T-Zone but not anywhere else, you mostly have combination skin. And if you feel normal throughout the face you most likely have normal skin. When you see products see what is good for your skin type.

2. Know your sensitivities - Although there are a lot of benefits for skin care, not all ingredients and formulations work for your face. To test out if the product have some sensitivity to your face, you can start to put some behind your ear and let it sit for a while. If it starts burning, wash and remove and the product may not be suitable for you. If it's okay you can move toward the face and do the same. Some products will also take time for your skin to adapt so it's okay to go slowly with skin care products. For me, tingly sensations are okay.

3. Know your benefits - If you have any skin conditions, you can find products made for that like acne, hyperpigmentation or rosacea. Other benefits like suppleness, elasticity, luminosity or anti-aging will be determined by what you want focus on.

What Products to Start With?

It was hard to start from bare minimum to any sort of skin care regimen and that can feel overwhelming. I started with a few products and build a routine that I can consistently use them and slowly add on or try different products that I like. Of course, having a more comprehensive regimen would be great, but without continual use, the benefits are only temporary. What I found useful was to start with the basics, then add on a mask, then any type of serum with the benefit you're looking for. However SPF is always a must and something that I forget every once in a while until I use a moisturizing SPF.

Basic 3s:

Cleanser - Cleans away dirt and impurities

Toner - Tones the face, balance the pH level, and helps absorb the products you're using

Moisturizer - Helps lock moisture in your skin and protects your skin from water loss

** I usually cleanse during a shower. As for some, it can be hard to build a habit or separate routine, starting out during the shower takes care of the cleaning and cleansing of the face at the same time.

Mask 4:

Hydrating - Hydrates your skin cells so they are supple and luminous

Exfoliating - Rids of dead skin cells so products can also penetrate in your skin better (Only use 2-3x a week and less if you have dry skin)

Firming - Can be a deep cleanse for the pores and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

Add-ons - Serums:

Retinol - Brightens skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (Need to build up tolerance)

Hyaluronic Acid - Adds hydration to the skin

Vitamin C & E - Maintenance of collagen, helps prevent oxidation in the skin and retain moisture

SPF:

Adds protection again the UVA and UVB from the sun that causes pigmentation and oxidation.

Diet/Sleep/Hydration/Stress Management:

One thing that we also forget and neglect is that our lifestyle also contribute to the wellness of our skin. Skin care products can take care of the external and some deeper layer of the skin. But how our skin reacts with a bad diet, stress, lack of sleep and hydration cannot be fixed with only skin care products. Beauty is from the inside out so we also need to take care of that. Eating a diet high with antioxidants, collagen and good fats can help with a better skin result. In addition, hydration, hydration, hydration meaning water throughout the day is a must. Finally have a way to deal with stress and a good night sleep can dramatically change how your skin feels.

While skin care can be a daunting task for some, it a must have and need for many. It's one of those where we want the benefits but how to get there feels out of grasp. Hopefully it can simplify some of the aspects about skin care while helping you start on your journey. Please also consult a dermatologist for any specific needs as these are my knowledge and opinion on general guidelines that helped me with mine.

- Cheers,

Q

#skincare #beauty #antiaging #acne #oilyface