Skincare is anything but easy, but do not give up on your skin. It seems like it should be as easy as brushing your teeth; however, it can prove to be more complicated them one might think. What to use for different skin types and when to use it. How often and how much. These types of questions can be very daunting. So, Baby Me Club would like to answer some of those questions for our readers.
Producing oil or not producing oil that is the question?
Let’s start by simplifying the different skin types. When I first became an Esthetician there was dry, oily, combination and acne prone skin types. But thanks to science we can really narrow those down to two different categories; either your are still producing oil or you are not. So rule of thumb is, if you are older than 60 you are no longer producing oil and if you are below the age of 60 you are still producing oil. Therefore, 60 and above have no oil production and 60 below still has an oil production.
Okay, so now that you know what category you are in, let’s discuss what that means. Again, very simple, if you are no longer producing oil you may need a little hydration from time to time. A toner or astringent is a very simple and easy way of adding a little extra hydration without adding too much.
Our over 60 clients love the Aloe-Cucumber Astringent (alcohol free) helps tightens pores, smooth the appearance of the skin, and give the skin a finer, softer texture. Aloe Vera Gel, Cucumber Juice, Witch Hazel, and Horse Chestnut Extract help refine, tone, tighten, and protect the skin, while restoring the skin’s natural pH and oil balance. Glycerin and Amino Acid Complex moisturize. Chlorophyll, Allantoin, and Ginseng possess soothing and healing properties. This product is very effective prior to make-up application to allow a matte, even, and long lasting finish. It also cools and soothes the skin. It is recommended for dry and sensitive skin types.
Now let’s talk about our oil producing category. If you are still producing oil that means that you need to control your oil production. By adding a toner or astringent to your skin regimen you can control your oil production through out your day. This will help with blemished skin types and will also provide the skin with anti-aging properties. Here at Baby Me Club we love to control oil with the Eucalyptus Astringent. A facial, astringent toner recommended only for oily and blemished skin. Its balancing pH helps fight bacteria, reduce oil secretion, and dry up blemishes. The high content of Glycolic Acid and Sodium Glycolate (15%) effectively accelerates the exfoliation of the skin’s dead cells, diminishes superficial sun damage, and reduces the appearance of fine lines.
Do not give up on your skin and don’t forget to cleanse morning and night.
Cleansing the skin is also very important and your first step in any skincare regimen. Cleansing can either leave the skin feeling good or feeling depleted. Controlling oil is best done with a gel cleanser. If acne is a problem make sure to choose a gel cleanser with active ingredients such as glycolic acid or salicylic acid. Active ingredients are good for anyone producing oil. They help to exfoliate the dead skin cells and are very anti-aging. A milky or cream cleanser is a great choice for those who are now longer producing oil. Furthermore, they will leave your skin feeling hydrated and calmed instead of tight and uncomfortable.
When it comes to choosing an exfoliant your options are wide open. I always tell my clients, just like yoga, listen to your skin… observe it. My skin tends to like enzymes over manual exfoliation. I think it’s because I tend to scrub to hard for too long. Enzymes are gentle and you apply them like a mask. Steam helps to activate the enzyme so doing them in the bath or shower adds a little extra exfoliation. A manual exfoliation is one that has some kind of grit: beads, shell, crystals, etc. You apply them with a little water and gentally scrub the skin until it starts to turn pink.
Correctors, treatments or serums… Oh My.
What ever the title, they all should produce a result. Lets say you are on your third jar of Dream Cream, but you really haven’t notice much of a change in your skin, if any. Why keep using it?? Just because you’re comfortable doesn’t mean you should keep doing something that is not working. It’s time to expand your knowledge and start using something that will yield results, real results you can see and feel. Do not give up on your skin real results are with in reach.
Take your vitamins! Vitamin C is a perfect starter serum and is great for all ages. Vitamin C-Serum helps reduce visible signs of photo aging, fight destructive free radicals, and protects from damaging ultra-violet rays. Moreover, resulting in retextured, toned, and younger looking skin. Vitamin-C helps to refine and brighten the skin. Vitamin C needs to be applied after the astringent or on bare skin in order to stop the free radicals and to slow down the signs of aging.
Moisturize if you feel dry or if it’s in your sunblock.
It’s what us women love to do, slather our skin with emollients of any kind. However, that is not the way today. Science has proven time and time again that moisturizers put our cells to sleep. We need to stop doing the job of our cells and our skins health will benefit drastically. But will I feel dry?? That’s the big question that everyone keeps asking. The answer is no. If you stop doing your skins job, it will adjust and it will start working again. Also, using active ingredients like vitamin C, vitamin A, AHA (glycolic acid) and BHA (salicylic acid) will stimulate those cells, which help them to preform at a much faster rate.
So save the moisturizing for when you really need it (snowboarding trip to Utah). Stick to active ingredients and spend a little more for professional products. In conclusion, Do not give up on your skin. Buy products for your age range and not your skin type. Start with an age appropriate cleanser, astringent and exfoliant. Do this everyday and see how your skin looks and feels. Then add in vitamin C and other active serums. Only use moisturizers if you feel dry or if it has SPF. Pro Tip: Using a mask two-three times a week can also provide the skin with hydration and other essential properties.