"Skin Care is Health Care"
FACE CARE - All you NEED to Know.
Of course, we start with what the term Skincare means, If you're a regular you know we define everything here first. So, Skincare is the range of practices that support skin integrity, enhance its appearance, and relieve skin conditions. They can include nutrition, avoidance of excessive sun exposure, and appropriate use of emollients and moisturizers.
Skincare is a routine daily procedure in many settings, It helps your skin stay in good condition. You're shedding skin cells throughout the day, so it's important to keep your skin glowing and in good condition. An effective routine can help prevent acne, treat wrinkles, prevent dermatitis, and skin injuries and help keep your skin looking its best. Skin Care is a broad subject with so many aspects inclusive. I personally like to separate it into two concepts. Body Care and Face Care.
Makes it easier for me to keep up with skincare as a whole. So in this blog post specifically, because Body Care for me is a part of overall skincare that needs to be divided into different parts and will most probably take a lot of time to put into one blog post, we will dive into the Do's and Don'ts of Face Care primarily.
Short Story Time.
I am a big-time skincare enthusiast, having been on this journey officially for about four years, making mistakes and surely learning from them, I thought I might as well share everything I've learnt so far. Right after I took off into my teenage years, like many others, I got introduced to the infamous acne phase. But I was at a girl's school, and that's what three-quarters of us looked like, acne, hyperpigmentation, lots and lots of sunburns, and pimple scars, so I couldn't care less, besides there was no one to impress (boys). Fast forward to fresh out of high school, I'm in the "society", as every school leaver would call it.
Job Definition: Unpaid Sister Nanny.
Job Description: To watch over baby siblings on a daily.
Around this time is when I start to pay attention to my skin, trust me I have all the time in the world, when the kids are asleep it's just me, my bumpy forehead, the TV, and my phone. Here is when I started to surf the internet for answers, to be specific, Low Budget answers. As I said, I'm unemployed, and I have no income whatsoever, so my solution at the time was to try out the DIY or home remedies I saw on the internet. Did they work? Yeah, kind of. Many of them were a bust, but some of them weren't all the way bad.
The year 2019, I'm in university as a retired Sister Nanny, and I can finally start a skincare routine that is more effective. I start out by being all over the place, confused and clueless as well. I don't really know how to go about this thing after all. And just before I got a grasp of it all, all hell broke loose and I caught a skin infection that caused wounds all over my face, parts of my scalp, and arms. And this took me a hundred and one steps backward with regards to this entire skincare mission of mine. If you follow me on Instagram you might have already seen the pictures on my insta-story and story-highlights, It was bad. The wounds healed eventually but it's the scars that got to me the most. I almost lost hope in the whole thing, it took me months to finally get the courage to get back on the saddle and try it out again, but eventually, I did. I'd be lying if I said it didn't take me a lot more time to figure it all out because it did, three years to be exact. And I think I've gotten the hang of things now and at least I know a lot better and that's what I'm sharing in this blog post.
Skin Types.
The largest reason for my delay in discovering my niche in skincare was my ignorance of skin types. I knew most products have skin type specifications written on them but I still used anything. And when i watched videos on skincare not many emphasized the importance of knowing your skin type, most of them were too busy promoting their products or their sponsor's products to highlight that knowing what your skin type is and really understanding what it is is a foundational principle for your overall skincare journey. I did my research and figured it out, my T-zone was always oily, and my cheeks, side, and the tempos of my face were always dry, which meant I have combination skin.
You won't believe how much of a difference discovering this simple fact made. Knowing my skin type catapulted me straight into faster results. So while we're at it we might as well learn what these five skin types are:
OILY SKIN.
Just as the name suggests, a person with this skin type tends to have an excess amount of oil production on their face. They tend to always have a greasy and shiny appearance to them. If they don't treat their oily skin, pores can become clogged and enlarged, and dead skin cells may accumulate. Blackheads, pimples, and other types of acne are also common with this skin type.
DRY SKIN.
Dry skin can feel tight and rough and look dull. 'Dry' is used to describe a skin type that produces less sebum than normal skin. As a result of the lack of sebum, dry skin lacks the lipids that it needs to retain moisture and build a protective shield against external influences.
NORMAL SKIN.
'Normal' is a term widely used to refer to well-balanced skin. The scientific term for well-balanced skin is eudermic. The T-zone (forehead, chin, and nose) may be a bit oily, but overall sebum and moisture are balanced and the skin is neither too oily nor too dry.
COMBINATION SKIN.
Your skin can be dry or normal in some areas and oily in others, such as the T-zone (nose, forehead, and chin). Many people have this type. It may need slightly different care in different areas. This skin type is characterized by non-uniform oil production: more active oil glands in the T-zone and less active oil glands elsewhere
SENSITIVE SKIN.
Sensitive skin is skin prone to inflammation. People with sensitive skin may have acne, rosacea, or contact dermatitis, a type of red, itchy rash. Sensitive skin may also be especially prone to stinging or burning. People with sensitive skin may have overreactions to certain ingredients and, for that reason, they should avoid overly harsh compounds in all their beauty products even beyond skincare.
It is very important to analyse your skin and figure out what your skin type is. Because doing so helps with the next phase of your skincare journey, your skincare routines. Now skincare routines vary with every individual. Some routines are more complex than others. I'm going to share the basic routines that got me to where I am now. They are a simple step-by-step process and if you like simple it will work perfectly for you too.
DAILY ROUTINE.
Cleansing.
Basics are, you have to wash your face, and before I knew of skincare routines and all, I thought you washed your face just to get the sleep out. But that's not the case. Cleansers come in two forms, water-based and oil-based cleansers. An oil-based cleanser is used to remove oil-based impurities, including sebum, sunscreen, and makeup. A water-based cleanser can be either foaming or non-foaming and is used to remove water-based impurities, including sweat and dirt. This is the first step in your basic skincare routine be it your morning or evening regimen.
Toning.
Toners are designed to replenish skin through hydration and remove dead cells and dirt left behind after cleansing. And also serves to even out your skin tone. You either tap directly onto the skin or onto a cotton pad and swipe over the face in an outward motion right after cleansing.
Antioxidants or Acid serums and Essences.
Serums deliver powerful ingredients directly to the skin. Essence is simply a watered-down version. Vitamin E is great for dry skin, while antioxidants like green tea extract can be used on dull complexions. If you’re prone to breakouts, try retinol or vitamin C. Serums contain a high concentration of certain ingredients. An antioxidant-based serum will protect skin against damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Vitamins C and E are common antioxidants used to improve texture and firmness. There are many different antioxidant serums that are suitable for different skin types and different dermatological needs. Research or guidance from your dermatologist is advised to avoid negative skin reactions, some serums should not be mixed or used together.
Eye Creams.
The skin around your eyes tends to be thinner and more sensitive. It’s also prone to signs of aging, including fine lines, puffiness, and darkness. A good eye cream can brighten, smooth, and firm up the area. If your moisturizer and serum are suitable for the eye area, contain an effective formula, and are fragrance-free, it's okay to skip this step.
Face Oils.
The lighter the product, the earlier you should apply it. Easily absorbable oils are lightweight and should therefore come before moisturizers. They’re especially useful if your skin’s showing signs of dryness, flakiness, or dehydration. More often than not, you’ll have to try different oils to see which works best for your skin.
Moisturiser.
A moisturizer will soothe and soften skin. If you have a dry skin type, opt for a cream or balm. Thicker creams work best on normal or combination skin, and fluids and gels are recommended for oilier types. Effective ingredients include glycerine, ceramides, antioxidants, and peptides.
Sunscreen.
Sunscreen is a critical final step in your morning skincare routine because chances are you are going to be outside in the sun during the day. Not only can it lower your risk of skin cancer, but it can also reduce signs of aging by blocking damaging UV light. The American Cancer Society Trusted Source recommends choosing a broad-spectrum sunblock rated SPF 30 or higher that protects against UVA and UVB light.
WEEKLY ROUTINE.
Alongside you're daily routine there are a few more activities you should add to your skincare regimen. These are activities that don't need to be done on a daily but at least two-three times a week.
Exfoliation.
Exfoliation removes dead skin cells while clearing pores. And I can't stress this point enough, your skin cells are always dying and dead skin cells need to be removed in order to make way for newer and healthier skin cells. Unless you have extremely sensitive skin that tends to react or get irritated quickly you should not be exfoliating regularly or at all, hence guidance from your dermatologist is strictly advised. But if your skin isn't as sensitive you need to exfoliate,, But because you do not want to avoid skin irritation, exfoliation whether physical or chemical should be done two-three times a week.
Clay, Sheet, and Peel-off Face Masks.
Clay and peel-off masks work to unclog pores, but can also absorb excess oil. These masks are best applied at night to remove leftover dirt and help the skin soak up other products. Many Sheet masks are for hydrating purposes with the ability to pack a real moisture punch, they’re wonderful for dry skin.
Steaming.
Less sensitive skin types can usually steam two to three times a week. Usually, oily skin is thicker and can tolerate more frequent steaming. If your skin is drier or thinner, once a week is enough. Steaming can be done professionally or just by you at home. Below is a list of benefits that steaming has:
Steam opens up pores and helps loosen any buildup of dirt for a deeper cleanse. Opening up your pores also softens blackheads which makes them easier to remove.
It promotes circulation. The combination of the warm steam and an increase in perspiration dilates blood vessels and increases circulation. This boost of blood flow nourishes the skin and delivers oxygen, resulting in a natural, healthy glow.
It releases acne-causing bacteria and cells. Opening up pores allows a release of dead skin cells, bacteria, and other impurities that clog pores and contribute to acne.
It releases trapped sebum. This naturally occurring oil is produced by the skin sebaceous glands to lubricate skin and hair. When sebum gets trapped beneath the skin's surface, it creates a breeding ground for bacteria which causes acne and blackheads.
It's hydrating. Steam hydrates the skin by increasing oil production which naturally moisturizes the face.
It helps your skin better absorb skin care products. Steam increases the skin's permeability, enabling it to better absorb topical creams or serums. This means you get more benefits from skincare products when applied after steam.
It's soothing. The feeling of warm steam on your face is relaxing, in addition to using soothing scents such as herbs or essential oils for aromatherapy for added relaxation.
It helps with sinus congestion. Steam can help relieve sinus congestion and headaches caused by congestion. Adding certain essential oils to the steam can boost the effect.
It's affordable and accessible. Facial steaming can be done at home using household items.
NOTE!
Make sure to always use products that are SPECIFICALLY MADE FOR YOUR SKIN TYPE or FOR ALL SKIN TYPES if you are finding it hard to find products made for your skin type or you still don't know your skin type. This will save you a LOT of time and money.
Going through your skincare routine at most twice a day will guarantee faster results, in the morning and before bed. And if you do choose to do your skincare twice a day you could reduce the steps in the morning to only cleansing, moisturising, and sunscreen, then go all out in the evening before bed, unless the instructions advise otherwise. This brings me to the next point.
ALWAYS read the instructions and ingredients carefully, you could save yourself from making serious mistakes if you do so. And avoid products that include sulfates and parabens in their ingredients, opt for natural ingredients instead.
If you are not sure about many things concerning your skin or your skin issues are a lot more complicated, PLEASE SEE A DERMATOLOGIST and get advice.
Do Not mix serums anyhow, do some vivid research first, some serums will cause irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin.
You do not need to have everything in the routine order, if you asked me, a cleanser, a moisturiser, an exfoliating serum or scrub, and sunscreen should be enough. You don't have to break your bank account for everything.
BE PATIENT AND PERSISTENT.
EXTRA TIPS.
Break the habit of touching your face frequently, you'll see a big difference.
Always wash your hands thoroughly before cleansing every time.
Sleep on clean pillowcases or beddings. Satin or silk Pillowcases are the best.
Cleanse your face for 60 seconds (the 60-second rule). It's effective.
Drink LOTS of water.
Exercise helps your skin a whole lot too. It doesn't have to be cardio.
If you can, eat a lot more vegetables and fruit.
Use essential oils when steaming.
DO NOT POP YOUR PIMPLES!
Words from the Author.
The brand of the products matters the least, if it's a good cleanser it will cleanse, if it is a good toner, serum, mask, exfoliant, or moisturizer it will do its job just fine. More expensive brands will have a few more benefits over more affordable ones only because the chemistry in their formulations, but overall results, even with different speeds, will be the same eventually.
Remember skincare can add a lot of confidence to a person but honestly, it doesn't add more value. It sure is a very good investment no doubt, but it isn't the answer to everything, It's like investing in good and quality clothing, it makes you more presentable and comfortable with yourself but it doesn't make you complete.
I must add that to get to your ultimate skincare goal you must be patient. There is no shortcut to permanent results, If a brand promises you results in less than a month, it most definitely isn't true. To get visible results it could take at least six months, though within two weeks of you're skincare regimen, you will begin to feel a difference, and though it may not be visible as mentioned earlier, that's cause enough for you to keep going. You could be tempted to give up, but you shouldn't, it took me three years to get my goal and that's with many mistakes along the way. But the truth is you will get there eventually. Be patient and persistent.
Thank you for reading and my sincere apologies for the extremely late blog publication and the random absence. Inconveniences were met, and I'm aware of the impression that this delay gives. The last thing I want is for the website to be seen as inadequate or inefficient. Thank you so much for your patience.
A great post for good skin 💗. I didn‘t know steaming had a lot of benefits thanks to you I will give it a try one of these days .😁