Taking care of facial skin

How you care for your skin depends on the type of skin you have: oily, normal/combination, dry, sensitive or sun damaged. Your skin type is determined by how much or how little oil your skin produces and this is connected with your diet, stress level, genetic predisposition and your skin care routine, specifically the products you use.

Your skin condition is never the same at any time in your life because a woman goes through various stages such as adolescence (when skin is oily), pregnancy (when hormones go haywire and some develop pimples or problematic skin), post-pregnancy (when skin gets dull and lifeless) and menopausal (skin gets dry and sun damaged).

Non Drying Cleansers

When I was in my teens, I used bar soaps on my face not knowing that it can lead to dry skin and itching and sometimes aggravate my skin's oily condition. I also had pimples so my dermatologist recommended Oilatum bar soap. When I reached my 20's I discovered that my face tends to dry out so I switched to soap-free, non-drying cleansers such as Cetaphil or Physiogel, which are also doctor recommended for children's skin. I recently came across a product of the same consistency as Cetaphil and Physiogel but is very cheap. It's called Delon which is imported from Canada. For an introductory price of Php 99 for 591 ml at Puregold, it is so cheap, considering that a 300 ml Physiogel could set you back 200 bucks.

However, I don't use soap-free facial cleansers all the time. I try to alternate these with facial washes my skin has grown accustomed to such as Pond's, L'Oreal facial foam, and Korean brand IWhite (which has skin lightening ingredients). Celeteque is also good. There are cream cleansers but I am a water method person; I don't feel that my face is clean if I don't use water with my trusted product.

One product I've tried recently is the Clinelle Deep Cleansing Gel (endorsed by Carmen Soo), which I found at Watson's. Suitable for all skin types, this product is enriched with Lavender, Aloe Vera, Marigold Flower Extract and Pro-Vitamin B5 and none of the six potential irritants known to skin. Clinelle foams away impurities without over stripping the natural pH of skin.

When I cleanse my face I slather on the product all the way to my neck area. If you are a stickler for cleansing like am, alternating between soap-free and foaming facial washes can do you a lot of good as dermatologists say cleansing too often, and with the same product can, over time,lead to poor skin condition as it dries out the skin.The use of makeup removers, the kind that really dissolves makeup like Shu Uemura cleansing oil, is also recommended as it keeps you from rubbing the skin to hard or pulling especially around the eye area.

Deep Cleansing

When it comes to deep cleansing, I would recommend the Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser. It's gentle vibrating motion and massaging action opens up the pores to remove oil, dirt and makeup. Softly textured foaming pads (30 pad refills are sold separately) are attached to the head and is good for one use. After using it on the face and neck, I use it to cleanse my underarms before applying underarm whitening cream. Should you use a toner? I don't. I like to keep my skincare routine simple. Toners are meant to remove residual makeup, oil and dirt. If the cleansers are effective I don't see the need for a toner. Some people use it though for the tingly effect it leaves on the skin.

Exfoliation

A step which most people tend to forget in their weekly skincare routine is exfoliation. Without it, skin feels dull and lifeless. Scrubs work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells that tend to dull your complexion. I recently came across a new product from Korean brand Elianto from their Natural Therapy line called Pearl & Algae Face Scrub (Php499). Pearl and algae are said to contain skin brightening and cell regenerating properties. What's nice about this new product is that when you apply on your face the consistency is grain-free and milky. After you massage it over your face, small sand-like particles appear. These are the dead skin cells that have been scrubbed off. Rinse with lukewarm water and immediately notice your face is bright and glowing. Use this once or twice a week to remove skin impurities and de-clog pores.

Moisturize

After cleansing and exfoliation, your next step is to moisturize, whatever your skin type may be. I swear by Olay Moisturizing Lotion for night use and Olay Regenerist Cream with SPF 15 for daytime use. Tried Clinelle Moisture Glow as well. It's a lightweight moisturizer which leaves skin well-hydrated and moisturised with natural glow to keep skin soft and supple. Should one use eye creams? It depends on you. The skin around the eye contains no fatty tissue and is therefore very thin and susceptible to wrinkles. I use Regenerist Eye Cream.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is essential to prevent sun damage which can lead to premature aging. All dermatologists say that using sunscreen from your early years on, even cloudy days, can prevent UVA and UVB rays from penetrating the skin and prevent wrinkles. Some moisturizers can double as a sunscreen. Armada Sport 70 is one such product. I alternate this with Neutrogena.

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