I love anything to do with makeup and beauty; testing new brands, and sharing a good bargain when I find one. Today, I want to focus on a subject I think is rather important to have in your everyday routine - Skincare.
At first, I used to wash, cleanse, and tone every single day; but after becoming a parent, I started to get a little lazy with my routine. Also having children has changed my skin. When I was a teenager, I used to get quite spotty, especially on my nose. My face would always break out at my time of the month or when it started to get cold and I used to have quite a dry and patchy complexion which is why I had to take care of it every single day.
However, it’s important to look after your skin because it is the most significant barrier your body has to protect itself. It helps prevent against skin conditions later on in life and having clear, healthy skin can make you feel beautiful and confident. If you don’t look after it, it can lose its elasticity which makes it look saggy and thin; wrinkles develop and sink deeper if it is dehydrated and unhealthy.
However, before you use any skincare product you need to know what type of skin you have.
There are five common types of skin:
1. Normal
To identify if you have normal skin, you have fine pores, good blood circulation, soft and smooth texture, fresh rosy color, and no blemishes.
2. Oily
To identify if you have an Oily skin you have large, visible pores, a glossy shine, and thick, pale skin that is prone to blackheads.
3. Dry
To identify if you have dry skin, it will feel tight and rough to touch. It also becomes flakey and can peel off.
4. Combination
To identify if you have combination skin, you will have an oily T-zone, enlarged pores with some impurities and normal to dry cheeks.
5. Sensitive
To identify if you have sensitive skin, see if you have flaking, redness, rashes, swelling around your face. It can also be very itchy or tight with a burning sensation.
To find out what’s your skin type, you can try 1 of 2 methods:
1. The Blotting Method
This method is faster and helps to determine between oily and dry skin types. Gently pat a tissue or cotton pad onto different areas of your face. Then hold it up under a good light source to check how much oil is on the tissue or cotton pad. If there is no or little oil, you are likely to have dry skin. If the cloth or cotton pad has picked up little or a lot of oil from the forehead or nose areas, you are likely to have healthy/combination skin.
2. The Bare-Faced Method
Clean your face with a mild cleanser then pat dry; leave your skin bare of any added moisturizer, serums, etc. After 30 minutes re-examine your cheeks, chin, nose, and forehead for any shine. Again, leave for another 30 minutes then check if your skin feels tight, especially when smiling or making other facial expressions. If it does, you are likely to have dry skin. However, if there is a noticeable shine on your nose and forehead, you likely have Normal or a Combination skin type. If there is extra shine on your cheeks, you are likely to have Oily skin.
I have followed through both methods, and they both come back with the same conclusion - I have Normal/Combination skin. My T-Zone gets quite oily, my cheeks get very dry especially during the fall-winter months, and I have significantly large pores on my nose. So, it’s taken me some time to find a routine and products to help my skin.
Now, let me tell you about the skincare routine I follow each day, religiously:
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash
First of all, I use Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash. It feels gentle on the skin, makes you feel refreshed and smells fantastic! It also helps eliminate blackheads and spots. The Grapefruit is full of vitamin C which is also good for your skin and the Micro beads are the little tiny pieces of plastic particles that acts as exfoliate and help clean pores.
Regardless of the type of cleanser you use, it is essential to wash your face every day because:
1. It removes build up
That is the most common reason why you should wash your face every day. It removes dirt, oil, bacteria, viruses, and dead skin.
2. Boosts Hydration
It’s important to keep your skin hydrated. Dehydrated skin looks and feels rough, wrinkled and aged; Cleansing helps manage those pH levels and keep your skin looking younger and healthier.
3. Maintains Clear Skin
Tiny glands under the dermis layer produce oil, called Sebum, to protect it from the outside world. These glands use the hair follicles within the skin as pathways allowing the oil to reach the surface to form a barrier that helps prevent against bacteria and other harmful agents. If you don’t wash your face every day, then this all builds up and can result in acne.
GARNIER Micellar Cleansing Water
Secondly, I like to use the GARNIER Micellar Cleansing Water, specifically the Combination and Sensitive one. It is a combination of purified water, hydrating ingredients, and low concentrations of extremely mild surfactants. The surfactants naturally group to form microscopic spheres called micelles which acts like magnets for dirt and oil. So when you are wiping your face with your cotton pad or tissue, the impurities are sucked out of your skin. It also removes stubborn makeup, sebum, and other daily unpleasantness out of your skin. It is also great for acne prone skin.
Clarity Tea Tree Hydrating Moisturizer
Lastly, I love to use Clarity Tea Tree Hydrating Moisturizer. It helps hydrate your skin, keeping it soft and smooth to touch. Moisturizing helps reduce the chance of skin problems. If you can find the right Moisturizer it can help your skin maintain its balance. Moisturizing daily can help against dryness, evens your skin tone, fights against wrinkles, keeps you looking young and makes you feel like a million dollars. The Tea Tree also helps with spots and reduces the dryness on my cheeks. It also works as an antiseptic in the winter months when my skin gets sore in the coldness. I was given this in a gift set and not sure on the price, but there are tons of brands that sell Tea Tree oil moisturizer, so you can find the one that fits your budget.
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