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Some steps incorporated
into your daily skin care routine can help keep
your skin looking and feeling healthy, clear,
and youthful.
However, determining your
skin type is important to know what could be the
appropriate care for your certain skin
type.
Normal Skin is velvety, with small
pores, and no visible acne. Oily Skin has
enlarged pores with shiny patches. Frequent
breakouts may occur on the face, back, arms, and
possibly the chest.
Dry Skin has very
small, invisible pores with possible dry and
itchy patches. The cheeks, arms, legs, chest,
and belly may be particularly dry.
While
a Combination Skin is dry across the cheeks and
oily on the forehead, chin, and nose. Arms may
be dry and back may be oily.
Sensitive
Skin is either oily or dry with irritated and
itchy patches. Skin may also be blotchy and
reddened with frequent breakouts.
If you
are not sure what type of skin you have, ask a
dermatologist (skin specialist) or a skin care
professional. Skin on the body may be a
different type than facial skin.
Once your
skin is classified, you should choose products
formulated for your skin type and use them in
your daily routine. The four steps in your daily
skin care routine should be cleansing, toning,
moisturizing, and protecting.
Cleansing
For the face, any
type of soap works fine to remove dirt, but may
not work as well to remove make-up. Instead,
choose a facial cleansing agent in cream,
water-based emulsion, lotion, or gel form that
is formulated for your particular skin type.
There are many different products on the market
so you may want to try a few brands before you
settle down on one that works best for you. It
is not necessary that only a famous and costly
brand will help. Those with drier skin may want
to choose cream or lotion products; those with
oilier skin may want to use gel or water-based
products. Those prone to breakouts may wish to
use medicated soaps or lotions designed to
reduce breakouts.
First, splash your face
with warm water to open the pores. Apply your
cleansing product to the skin in gentle upward
strokes (to avoid stretching the skin and
aggravating wrinkles), rinsing thoroughly with
warm water for several minutes. If you use a
product that must be applied with cotton balls
or a cleansing towel, again, use gentle upward
strokes and rinse thoroughly with warm water.
Finish with a splash or two of cold water to
close the pores.
This routine is same
for the body. Cleanse your skin in the bath and
shower with a cleansing product formulated for
the body. Rinse with warm water and finish up
with a dip or splash of cold.
Toning
Follow-up your cleansing routine with a
facial toner, which removes any residual
greasiness still left on the skin from your
make-up or your cleansing product. It also
closes the pores, stimulates circulation, and
gives the skin a porcelain-like quality. There
are a variety of toners on the market so try to
choose one that is formulated for your skin
type. Apply the toner with a cotton ball, using
the same gentle, upward strokes that you used to
apply your cleanser.
Only those with
very oily skin need to use a toner on the body.
If you have oily skin and breakouts on areas of
your body, try using a toner formulated for use
on the body. Otherwise, skip to moisturizing.
Moisturizing
All skin types,
even oily skin, need a moisturizer everyday. But
like toners and cleansers, there are different
types of moisturizers for different types of
skin. Some home-made moisturizer may also work,
even better than a well-advertised formula. If
you have dry skin you should choose a
moisturizer containing oil; if you have oily
skin you should choose water-based creams and
oil-free formulations. You may also wish to
choose different moisturizers for the face and
body; facial moisturizers tend to be more
expensive and complex for your most delicate
skin. Some innovation may help handle this cost
factor.
Many moisturizing creams contain
alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), which are fruit- and
milk-based acids that help to remove the dull
layer of surface skin and expose fresh skin
below. AHAs can reduce the appearance of pores
and fine wrinkles. If you have sensitive skin,
you may wish to avoid these products since they
can cause breakouts.
If you have
sensitive skin you should look for
hypo-allergenic products, which are usually free
of perfumes and dyes that can cause skin
irritation. If you go out in the sun daily, it
is a good idea to choose a moisturizer
containing a sunscreen.
The moisturizer
should be applied to the face in upward strokes.
Apply to the body in gentle
strokes
Protection
The most
important step you can take to protect your skin
is to direct contact with sun rays. If you find
it difficult, use some sunscreen but using an
umbrella is still better. Whichever option you
choose, make sure you buy a sunscreen suitable
for your skin type.
Feeding the Skin
A critical step required getting healthy
and glowing skin is to eat a balanced diet
containing plenty of Vitamins A, C, D and E.
Vitamins C and E help to prevent skin damage
from free radicals which can cause visible lines
and wrinkles. Vitamin C also helps the body to
produce and maintain healthy collagen levels.
Vitamin A helps to prevent sun damage and
Vitamins C and D (which is applied topically)
help with skin healing. The following table
lists some common food sources that contain
these essential vitamins for your skin.
Essential fatty acids found in vegetable
oils, fish and nuts help to nourish and hydrate
the skin, and give it a glowing complexion.
It is also important that you get enough
sleep daily, 8 hours or so, and find at least a
little time to exercise. Improving circulation
improves the complexion; just a 20 minute walk
daily can keep skin
luminous.
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