Face Care | Your Skin care help

April 2, 2019August 15, 2023

Japanese Skin Care Secrets

Ever wondered why Japanese women appear not to age and always boast flawless skin? You won’t be surprised to hear it’s down to a tradition Japanese skincare is famous for.

Japanese Skin Care Secrets

Famed for their smooth skin and youthful complexions, Japanese women know a thing or two about looking fresh-faced and incredible beauty, so it’s no surprise that the world of cosmetics is turning to Asia for all things beauty-related. Many ladies are buying Japanese products and saying they have given them the best skin they have ever had.

Skincare has always played an important part in Asian culture, and Asian beauty is enjoying enormous popularity today thanks to its inspiration and the influx of new ingredients. The Japanese were among the first to create skincare treatments and are famous for their high-quality products, which is why Japan is one of the most prominent skincare markets in the world today.

Is ‘Skin Patting’ The Answer?

It is not only down to the quality of the products that Japanese ladies use, but more importantly, it is also down to how they are applied. So, if you are not getting the expected results from your skincare products, it may because you are implementing them all wrong.

Partly, it comes down to a strict regime that Japanese women adhere to every day. Japanese beauty regimens consist of about 7 to 8 steps, from cleansing to using a foam wash, toner, serum, emulsion, brightening serum, and cream. The repetition of daily care is the basis of the beauty secret.

In Asia, skin care is a lifestyle; not only does what you put on your skin matter but also treating your skin carefully and delicately is an essential part of the daily ritual.

Skincare specialists in Japan say that ‘patting’ on lotions, serums, and creams is the correct method for perfect skin – rather than rubbing.

For centuries, Japanese women have been praised and even coveted for their beautiful skin, and this is one of the reasons why.

Most, if not all women in Japan are careful not to rub their skin. They even refuse to use cotton pads on their faces and avoid using face wipes. They also do not like to rub their face with a towel to dry it off. Instead, they prefer to pat it dry.

Japanese Skin Care Secrets – Why Is ‘Skin Patting’ Beneficial?

Often referred to as the ‘skin patting’ method, the technique encourages people to pat on their skincare products – to encourage blood flow and promote collagen.

Some skincare experts say that ‘rubbing’ and ‘spreading’ products, using this type of movement can stretch the delicate layer of skin and this can lead to minor trauma, showing itself in the form of broken capillaries, spots, and irritation. If you are using something like a foam cleanser, then a very gentle circular massage technique is fine. It’s about being super careful and delicate with the skin. For instance, you should never, ever, rub the sensitive area around your eyes. The skin on your eyelids is the thinnest anywhere on your body. You don’t want to stretch or cause any trauma to that area.

Ladies in Japan begin by warming the lotion before applying it by rubbing between the palms of the hands and then repeatedly patting on the face and neck is the recommended application.

By doing this the technique ‘enhances absorption,’ and used with a circulation-boosting massage and other indulgent routines, it yields luxuriously striking results.

Patting is more beneficial than spreading or rubbing in skincare products because you minimize the chances of pulling or dragging on the skin, and is more gentle especially on sensitive skin. Using the patting technique is not only less damaging on the skin structure, but it also enhanced the absorption and effectiveness of the ingredients of the product as well as stimulated the blood flow, giving a delicate glow to the skin.

Gently patting skin uses less pressure, so you’re not as likely to inflict damage on your skin. Additionally, patting limits the possibility to mess with the flow of your lymphatic system. If you spread on your cream, you can inadvertently push against the flow of your lymphatic system, which can make your skin puffy.

The simple matter of rubbing in your skin-care products, especially around your eye area can be problematic. Rubbing generates a lot of frictional forces on your skin, which can be irritating and create unnecessary inflammation around the eyes.

So if you want to ensure your skincare regime is helping your skin, and not contributing to the creation of fine lines, replace rubbing your skin with patting.

Video – 10Yrs of Tatcha

What Are The Benefits?

Patting the skin creates a relaxing ritual of skin-care application that becomes very calming and second-nature.

Many people find that it minimizes redness after application on sensitive skin and helps to speed up the absorption time, and for many, it’s very relaxing. It creates a relaxing ritual of skincare time that becomes quite meditative and second-nature. Patting prompts you to take a deep breath and relax during your morning and night-time routine, which can only be a good thing.

There are two ways to ‘pat’ your skin. Neither ‘patting’ technique is right or wrong; it comes down to each individual’s preference. Some, like to tap their hands in quick motions around their face as they pat in their skin-care products. Others, prefer to press the lotions in slowly, with palm-heavy movements.

My preference is to pour a small amount of product into one of my hands before lightly rubbing my hands together to warm it and to distribute the product evenly. Then, I gently press my hands against my face, with both hands placed vertically on either side of the nose and cheeks, then horizontally over the forehead and chin.

Tatcha – Japanese Products For Beautiful Skin

Tatcha – From Tokyo To The World

How To ‘Pat’ Your Skincare Products

I’m sure you are eager to give it a try. So, here’s what you need to know when applying different types of skin care products to your face:

Facial serum: Facial serums are already capable enough; vigorous rubbing isn’t necessary to make them work any better. Instead, you can focus that energy on patting them onto your face.

Moisturizer: If you have dry skin it is likely you are willing to try almost anything to get your moisturizer to be absorbed better and here’s your chance, so instead of massaging into your delicate skin, pat it in. Why not think of the extra time you’re spending patting your moisturiser into your skin as a new form of self-care.

Read – Skin Management – Learning Good Habits

Eye Cream: If you choose just one place to pat in your products, it is around your eyes. As the skin circling your eyes is thinner and more fragile than the skin on other areas of your face, it’s easily damaged by repeating rubbing motions when you apply eye cream. Dab the Eye Treatment on under your eyes, then use your ring finger to ‘pat’ the product into the skin.

Toner: You might think that patting isn’t suited to skin care products with liquid consistencies, but think again. There’s no law saying toner has to be applied by a cotton pad. The truth is that cotton pads and makeup wipes are absolute no-no’s by supporters of skin patting; instead, you can pat toner on just like the rest of your skin care products! Next time you use your toner, pour a little into the palm of your hand, then dabble it on to your face, and finish by patting your skin.

So, ladies, when in doubt, pat it out. ‘Patting’ your skin doesn’t have any downsides, so you might as well try one of the Japanese Skin Care Secrets.

Have you tried ‘Skin Patting’? Have tried any Japanese Skin Care Products? Please leave any comments or questions below, and I will be happy to discuss them with you.

jo@yourskincarehelp.com

March 5, 2019August 7, 2023

Does Dermarolling Work?

The Derma Roller is the go-to beauty treatment for fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scarring. The quest for younger-looking skin is a never-ending challenge. What people want to know is ‘Does Dermarolling Work?’

Can I Improve My Skin?

We’ll try anything – invest in all the anti-aging goods the world has to offer in an attempt to reverse the tell-tale signs! We will try and drink three liters of water a day to keep our skin moisturized – why is it so easy to drink wine but so difficult to drink the recommended amount of water?

We’ll take the healthiest skin supplements in the belief they will improve the appearance of our fine lines and crow’s feet.

But, if the results are not exactly what we were hoping for, what is everyone turning to now? Introducing the ‘Derma roller.’

The Derma Roller is the go-to beauty treatment for fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scarring.

What Exactly Is It?

The Derma Roller is still a relatively new addition in the field of beauty that originated in China. It is used to help you treat your skin and works by ‘activating’ the outer surface of the body, this allows your favorite cosmetics to penetrate deep into the skin, meaning that skincare products are able to filter further down into the skin where they’re needed.

Can Dermarolling Reverse Skin Aging?

Micro-needling is an effective treatment for reducing fine lines, wrinkles, and pore size, the collagen stimulation gained improves skin texture, as well as improving the appearance of acne scars.

The skin consists of two main layers. The epidermis and the dermis.

The epidermal cells turn over quickly, they are continually being produced below the epidermis, they move their way up and are eventually shed from the surface of the skin. It takes approximately twenty days for the cells to get from the base of the epidermis to the skin surface.

This continual process slows down as we age, but it is still extremely rapid when compared to the turnover of the dermis.

The dermis has a remarkably slow turnover. The half-life of dermal collagen is roughly fifteen years! So, what does this mean?

You are born with a specific amount of collagen in the dermis.

When you are 15 years old, only 50% of the original collagen remains, the rest has been replaced.

When you are 30 years old, only 25% of the original collagen remains in your skin.

When you are 45 years old, only 12.5% of the original collagen is still in your skin.

When you are 60 years old, you only have 6.25% of the original collagen in your skin.

So, for example, you are 60 years old, some of the original collagen you had as a newborn is still in your skin. But, this collagen has had to deal with a lot over the 60 years, the sun creating most of the problems! It is not surprising over the years we get wrinkles and sun-damaged skin!

When collagen gets damaged, the body instantly repairs it but sadly, as we age, the repairs turn out to be sub-standard, and to make matters worse – we’re faced with decreasing collagen levels.

Does Dermarolling Work?

The big deal with dermarolling is that you can deceive the body, and so trigger collagen and elastin much earlier than the natural rate of turnover.

Dermarolling with needles that reach the dermis causes small micro-injuries in the skin, and the body sees it as a high priority to correct them. These micro-injuries will trigger new collagen, but regrettably, the skin will never be as flawless as when you were young.

Alternative methods, such as acid peels or lasers can’t be used to reach the dermis due to the risk of scarring and hypopigmentation. But a derma roller can comfortably go that deep because it does not erode the skin, it only pierces it. As the areas that have been penetrated are surrounded by untreated skin, the regeneration happens very quickly.

Dermarolling will speed up the renewal of dermal proteins, collagen, and elastin in the dermis, and this can help to slow down, but not stop the signs of skin aging.

It takes a bit of time to achieve results because every time you roll, you only prick small fractions of the surface. Be patient and repeat the micro-needling procedure on yourself as often and as long as it takes, following the instructions you are given.

Dermarolling acne scars – perseverance rewarded:

You will need to have patience and persistence for long-term derma-rolling, but you are destined for good results. Significant improvement of acne scars is the most popular feedback I have seen.

Dermarolling sun-damaged skin:

You can expect great results in renewing the sun-damaged skin of the face, neck, and to a lesser extent the forearms and the back of the hands.

What Is Dermarolling?

Video – Dermarolling Done Right:

You can never be sure how people are going to react when you announce to the world that you can benefit from rolling needles into your face.

The Microneedle Roller is a tiny, single manual cylinder device (similar to the electric roller probe you see used in beauty salons but quite a bit smaller) it has micro-needles that are made of stainless steel or titanium.

It is these tiny needles that penetrate the pores of the upper layer of the skin as you carefully roll the Derma-roller across the skin surface so as to penetrate but not cause any damage to your delicate skin.

About an hour after using the derma-roller, the skin pores begin to close again, but it is during this period the skin is able to absorb serums and creams that you apply a lot easier. The redness brought on by the treatment disappears after a few hours.

Derma rollers come in two varieties — stainless steel or titanium needles. There is a lot of confusion about which is better. Basically, it comes down to two things – durability and hygiene.

Titanium is a lot more durable because it’s a stronger alloy than stainless steel. This means the Titanium needles will last longer and remain sharp and won’t become blunt as fast as the stainless steel needles. However, titanium is not as sterile as stainless steel and requires more cleaning and aftercare.

Stainless steel, on the other hand, needles are sharper and more sterile but become blunts more quickly. My personal preference is stainless steel. It’s what medical professionals, tattoo artists, and acupuncturists use. But if you can’t find them, it’s really not that important what type you use.

These needles start at lengths of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mm. The length of the needle you use has to do with the part of the body where the roller will be used, and the problem you wish to resolve. If for example, we want to treat the face we use size 0.25 – 1.5 mm, and if you are going to treat the buttocks, or cellulite you use the size 2.0 – 2.5 for home treatment.

At Home Dermarolling V’s In-Clinic Dermarolling:

The main difference between at home and in-clinic is the needle length used. Although the method of treatment for skincare and professional needling techniques is similar, the course of action provides a remarkably different result.

Micro-needling performed in clinic utilizes a significantly longer needle, this creates a micro-channel for effective product penetration, the goal is to induce trauma. This trauma, deep inside the skin, kick-starts the wound-healing process, leading to stimulation of the fibroblast and increased production of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin. This is in contrast to home treatments where the main benefit is to increase product penetration.

At-home derma roller needles tend not to be longer than 2.5mm, whereas those in a specialist clinic can go up to 5 or 6mm.

Is Dermarolling Painful?

This is entirely dependent on the length of the needles on the derma roller. At-home derma roller needles are short, so they don’t pierce the skin deep enough to cause too much pain. However, the use of anything over 1.5mm can be painful, specialist clinics will tend to apply numbing cream on your face about an hour before your treatments. With the use of longer needles, these might draw blood, but nothing to be frightened of, and with the use of an antiseptic solution this should prevent any infection.

Read Our Review – Swiss Clinic Skin Roller

Basic Advice – Using A Derma Roller:

As everyone’s skin is different and we all tolerate treatments differently, common sense is required and alter any treatment according to how your skin is reacting. Do not increase any treatment believing this will speed up results, in fact, you are probably doing more damage and slowing down the rate of improvement.

To begin with, disinfect your derma roller by letting it soak in 70% isopropyl alcohol for approximately 5-10 minutes. Do this every time you use your roller.

Next, thoroughly cleanse your face using a gentle pH-balanced cleanser.

Very Important, if you are going to use a derma roller with needles over 0.5mm, you should wipe your face with 70% isopropyl alcohol before you start the rolling process.

Depending on how well you cope with pain, you might need to apply an anesthetic cream, most people deal with needles up to 1.0mm without it; however, you will want to use some numbing cream for anything above 1.0 mm, since that needle length will draw a tiny speckle of blood via the pinpoint.

If you use numbing cream, carefully follow the instructions that come with the cream and make sure to wipe it off BEFORE you start rolling thoroughly!

Avoid rolling to close to the orbit (eye sockets).

You should roll in one direction 8 to 10 times (depending on your skin tolerance and sensitivity) making sure to lift the roller after each pass.

Roll in one direction. Lift up. Repeat – this is very important!

Lifting the derma roller after each pass will prevent the dreaded ‘track marks.’

After you roll the same place for 8 to 10 times, move the derma roller over slightly to a new ‘track’ and repeat. Do this until you’ve covered the whole section of skin you are treating.

After this step, you go back over the area you just rolled and repeat the process but in the ‘perpendicular’ direction. So, for example, if you finished rolling across your forehead vertically, you would now go back and redo that entire process, but horizontally.

By the end of the procedure, you should have rolled over each area 16 -20 times (8-10 horizontally, 8-10 vertically). One significant point I would like to make, we do not need to roll diagonally across the face. Doing so creates an uneven pattern configuration with far too much stress on the center area.

Despite pointing this out, some people still fancy rolling diagonally anyway, if you decide you want to do this, please take care not to overdo the rolling and cause an unwanted reaction to your skin.

After you’re done micro needling, rinse your face with WATER ONLY.

Clean your derma roller with dishwasher detergent. Create a soapy water mix in a container, then swish the roller purposefully making sure you don’t hit the sides and damage the needles.

The reason we use detergents like washing up liquid directly after rolling is that alcohol does not destroy the proteins found in skin and blood.

Disinfect your derma roller again by allowing it to soak in 70% isopropyl alcohol for 10 minutes. After washing, I always like to give the roller a dry using my hair drying on ‘cool’ setting, this is to make sure no water is sitting on it when it is stored away, we don’t want to risk any rust appearing on the needles. Put it back in its case, and store it somewhere safe.

Follow up with your basic skin care routine. Avoid comedogenic ingredients; preservatives like BHA; parabens such as benzoic acid; other acids such as glycolic, salicylic, trichloroacetic, alpha and beta hydroxy acids; and artificial fragrances that break down into dangerous compounds within the body.

Apply your serums and moisturizers that are going to be better absorbed deep into the skin. If you want to apply something like Tretinoin (Retin-A) allow a few healing days to pass after rolling then apply.

Wait until your skin is entirely recovered before considering another session! Rebuilding collagen is a slow process and requires patience. Remember that the skin takes approximately 28 days to renew itself.

Often, you won’t begin to see the full results of a micro-needling session until approximately 6 weeks have passed. Keep that in mind when you’re getting the urge to roll again impulsively. Doing it too much, too soon, can result in severe damage. More is not necessarily better here!

What Size Needle Should I Use?

On your face begin using a 0.25 – 0.5mm needle, you would typically use the 0.25mm twice per week, but ONLY if after a few goes and you find your skin is tolerating the derma-roller. The 0.5mm generally is used two times per month, but you could increase to weekly use if your skin tolerates it.

When increasing the needle size on the face 0.75 to1.00mm use every four to six weeks, this can be increased to every two weeks ONLY if your skin is tolerating the treatment, but never use it more than every two weeks.

As stated before patience really is the key to successful Derma-Rolling.

I would not recommend using any needle over 1.0mm on your face at home, if misused this could be harmful to your skin. If you are thinking to use anything over 1.0mm, you really should consider going to a specialist clinic.

0.25mm Needle:

This isn’t really going to rapidly improve fine lines or wrinkles. A Derma Roller with needles of this size is more beneficial as a means to get better absorption of topical skin creams. You could if you find your skin tolerates it use this size needle 2 or 3 times per week to improve the effectiveness of skin care serum/cream. You should experience minimal pain, and should not see any bleeding with this size needle.

0.5mm Needle:

This size needle on your Derma-Roller will treat fine lines, shallow scars, sun damage, and hyperpigmentation. It should produce collagen growth but at a slightly slower rate than if using larger size needles. It will also boost the absorption of skin care serum/cream.

This size needle should be used once or twice per month but can be increased to once a week if your skin is able to tolerate it. NEVER use more than once a week with a 0.5mm needle contrary to what is said else where on the net! You may experience mild pain but should not require any numbing cream, you may see minimal bleeding with this size needle. Skin redness and peeling should generally clear within a few days.

0.75 – 1.0mm Needle:

This size needle is perfect for treating wrinkles, scars, sun damage, and stretch marks and will induce collagen growth at a faster rate than the 0.5mm needle. It will increase skin absorption of skin care serum/creams.

As it is penetrating deeper into the skin, recovery time could be 3 to 7 days, and you will see moderate bleeding. Depending on how well you tolerate pain, you may require the use of numbing cream.

It is recommended to use this size needle every four to six weeks, never use this size needle more than twice a month as this will ultimately slow down collagen production increase side effects.

As I stated earlier, if you are considering using anything over 1.0mm needle on your face I would recommend going to a specialist clinic for this treatment.

Stimulate Your Skin

Swiss Clinic Skin Roller

Never Share Your Roller:

You should never share your roller with another person. This can transfer disease and infection from one person to another. It is for your sole use only. NEVER SHARE YOUR DERMA ROLLER!

I hope you found this post resourceful and helpful. Be safe, be smart, and be successful with your Dermarolling adventures!

Have you tried Dermarolling, have you found it helpful for your skin problems? Does Dermarolling Work? I would love to hear from you. Please leave any comments or questions below, and I will be happy to discuss them with you.

jo@yourskincarehelp.com

February 12, 2019August 7, 2023

How To Cure Dry Cracked Lips

Many people suffer from the discomfort of dry lips. Our lips are covered with a delicate thin layer of skin that is very sensitive to the elements, and this can ultimately lead to them cracking and becoming very sore. This shows that many of us could do with some extra help to keep our lips smooth and prevent dehydration.

The Main Causes Of Chapped Lips:

Lips don’t have oil glands like other parts of the skin, this means they are more prone to drying out and becoming cracked. Lips lose their moisture between four to ten times faster than other parts of the face or body.

The Main Causes Of Chapped Lips:

Environmental chapping due to severe weather and wind.

Irritation caused by excessive lip licking.

Strong – severe substances in skin care products such as anti-aging skin products or acne products that transfer to the lips.

Allergic reaction to foods, beverages, lip balms, and dental products that come into contact with your lips.

Are Your Lips Chapped Due To The Weather?

When there is a lack of moisture, this leaves lips vulnerable during the cold winter months when the air can be dry, and there is little humidity. Freezing temperatures and wind draw moisture out of your skin, and lips.

As the body temperature drops and the blood vessels in the lips close, this reduces the oxygen supply that goes to the lips, this is known to cause dry, chapped lips.

Another of the more significant reasons for dry lips is frequent sun exposure during the summer months. But, a word of caution, even when the sun is not shining brightly, and there is cloud cover, lips still need protection against damaging UV rays.

Hot, dry weather and constant exposure to the sun will very quickly dry lips out and burn the very delicate skin, lips need a lip balm with a high sun protection factor during the summer months.

Spending too much time in heated or air-conditioned rooms can strip your lips of moisture as well.

Is Constant Lip Licking Causing Your Cracked Lips

is a bit of a puzzle; do you lick your lips because they are dry, or is licking your lips really causing the dryness? If you touch and lick your lips frequently, try keeping your lips covered with the Natural Lip Balm to alleviate dryness instead of licking your lips. You should begin to see a significant improvement in a matter of weeks.

Are Your Skin Care Products The Problem?

If you are someone who regularly suffers from dry, cracked lips, maybe you should examine other circumstances that might be causing your problems.

Read – Alcohol and Skin Care Products

If you are using anti-aging, acne treatment or exfoliating products, they may be transferred to your lips and causing dryness.

Apply a Natural Lip Balm to your lips before you apply these skin care products to your face. It is important to keep these products away from your lips and use a wet cotton washcloth to clear any of the product that goes onto your lips. Throughout the day, re-apply the Natural Lip Balm to help form a protective barrier so that drying product ingredients don’t go on to the lip surface.

Take care that other personal-care cosmetics are not causing the problems, such as matt or long-lasting lipsticks, lip balms that contain irritating ingredients like perfume or mint.

Could your lip problems be from side effects of the medication you are taking? Certain medicines can cause dry or cracked lips as a side effect. If your condition coincides with the beginning of a new prescription, consult your doctor about this possibility.

Do You Have An Allergy?

If your lips don’t heal with regular use of a good quality lip balm, it might be that you are allergic to particular types of food or the lip care products you are using. People try many chapped lip remedies without any improvement due to the fact various ingredients in lip balms could be causing the allergic reaction.

The most frequent causes of allergic lip chapping are:

Citrus – Even small quantities of citrus can have a massive impact on your lips. This can be from the twist of lemon in your beverage, drinking orange juice, eating an orange, etc.

It is not so easy to avoid citrus if you are a fruit lover, but you can reduce the chapping by applying a fresh coat of good quality Lip Balm just before you eat or drink citrus, and using a straw if you’re drinking anything with citrus, and wash your lips soon after. This might not entirely prevent a reaction, but it lessens the chances.

Mint – Mint is an ingredient found in many products including gum, fresh breath mints, dental products, mint tea, etc.

Cinnamon – Cinnamon in products are not as common, but there is cinnamon in some dental products, teas, and beverages. The careful reading of product labels should help you to avoid it if it causes a reaction.

Lip balms – Many ‘healing’ lip balms designed to treat chapped lips actually contain well-intended healing ingredients that are also allergens!

The most common allergen ingredients include eucalyptus, mint, lanolin, non-mineral sunscreen components and the fragrance and flavors in the lip care products.

If your chapped lips are due to an allergy, they will become sore within a few hours, and chapped within a couple days after exposure to the allergen, but can take a few weeks or sometimes longer to heal.

Could It Be Cheilitis?

The lip chapping that appears from an allergic reaction is called allergic cheilitis (cheilitis means an inflammation of the lip skin). The answer is finding the allergen that causes your lips to dry and chap.

If you see that your lips are red or dark pink, chapped, scaling, and itchy, it could be an indication of a condition called Cheilitis. This can be caused by an infection, identified by cracked skin at the corners of the lips and the mouth cavity may also be affected. A dermatologist can decide whether your dry lips are chapped or if you have cheilitis.

Symptoms Of Cheilitis:

Cheilitis may cause itching, stinging, a burning sensation and discomfort. The soreness associated with Cheilitis spreads a bit further around the mouth creating a ‘red rash’ like effect to the skin.
It can be down to a number of circumstances, both internal and external. The most common causes are eczema, constant sun exposure, and infection.

Cheilitis is usually connected to infections and inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn’s disease. Dental injury and excessive salivating may also turn a typical case of chapped lips into cheilitis. It is also known for Bacteria to enter through the cracks and cause infection.

Eczematous cheilitis is swelling of the lips giving redness with dryness and scaling. It may also be called lip dermatitis. This may be caused by skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis or by coming into contact with allergic or irritant materials. In both situations, you may have outbreaks elsewhere on your body.

Possible causes for getting Eczematous cheilitis range from irritants such as lip licking, which is one of the significant contributors of this type of condition. Other frequent causes of irritant cheilitis may include foods, fragrances, cosmetics, and environmental factors.

Allergic contact cheilitis – a related allergic reaction is identified in at least one-quarter of cases of eczematous cheilitis. Typical sources of allergens include lipsticks and other lip care products, toothpaste and dental materials, foods, medications and nail varnish.

Treatment Of Eczematous Cheilitis:

So that you can determine the type of eczematous cheilitis you may have, there will be an assessment of atopic disease, a complete history that reviews one’s exposure to irritants or allergens and patch testing is invaluable.

Patch testing is required for allergic contact cheilitis. To find out the likely allergens, suspected items from the patient can be tested, along with the general set of allergens available at specialized dermatology centers.

Treatment will depend on the cause. Where an exogenous – refers to an agent or factor from outside the body, has been found, once the reason is found this should be avoided, this should resolve the problem.

If this does not result in change, consider other factors such as a second allergen, irritant or endogenous – refers to an agent or element from inside the body, as possible reasons.

Topical moisturizers and anti-inflammatory creams can relieve the inflammation. Your doctor may decide to prescribe a steroid cream, antibiotics or anti-fungal treatment to help with healing.

How To Cure Dry Cracked Lips:

Chapped lips can usually be treated without a visit to your GP, and with good personal care, prevented in the future. The first step is to make sure that your lips have enough moisture. This can be achieved by using lip balms.

Keep Lips Moist:

Use a good quality, soothing lip balm, lip gloss or lipstick with an SPF30 minimum each day. Sun filters titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or avobenzone (butylmethoxydibenzoylmethane) are crucial as part of your daycare. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, re-apply the product every two hours. In the evening apply a calming lip balm to keep the moisture content in your lips.

Read – Best Lip Balm For Dry Chapped Lips

Look for a lip balm that includes almond oil, beeswax, coconut butter, shea butter, or other natural moisturizers – and try to avoid an extra-long list of ingredients that are more likely to aggravate your lips than help them!

Rubbing some natural nut oils and seed butter on your lips can also provide significant relief for cracked and chapped lips.

Avoid using lipstick as a way to moisturize your lips. Lipstick can be dehydrating – you need a protective balm underneath.

Don’t continually lick or pick at your lips when your lips are chapped, and avoid the temptation to keep touching them. Constant picking at the skin on your lips may cause them to bleed, and you risk infection, or a cold sore developing.

These two habits will significantly make the condition worse. Licking your lips may bring short relief, but as the saliva on your lips dissolves, it dries out your lips.

Avoid excessive use of popular skin treatments as they can dry out your skin. Be sure always to read the label, looking for perfumes or fragrances listed in the ingredients. These can burn or agitate your skin, possibly making your lips worse.

Try to use fluoride-free toothpaste. Some people are sensitive to fluoride that not only affects their lips but can also cause additional soreness in the mouth. Switch your toothpaste and see if you notice any improvement.

Change to a toothpaste that doesn’t have sodium lauryl sulfate. Sodium lauryl sulfate is the foaming agent you find in most brands of toothpaste; it can also aggravate ulcers, mouth sores, and chapped lips.

Prevention is always better than a cure. Lip balm helps to prevent dry lips.

Breathing Through Your Mouth:

Try to avoid sleeping or breathing with your mouth open. When you wake in the morning, and you have dry, cracked lips, it is because your mouth was open while you slept. The air that flows in and out of your mouth throughout the night can dry your lips. Try to change your sleeping position to see if it helps.

If your nose is blocked, you will breathe through your mouth to alleviate this, remember to apply a good quality lip treatment – especially before bed to prevent lips from drying out through the night.

Dehydrated Lips And Dehydration:

Dry lips could be a sign that your hydration levels are low. Dehydration upsets the healthy balance of minerals in your body and causes havoc on your skin.

It is so important to stay hydrated by drinking the necessary amount of water and eating fresh fruit and vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, and watermelons.

Read – Benefits Of Drinking Water For Your Skin

You need to be drinking about 8-10 glasses of water per day. When your body is dehydrated, one of the first places that it shows is your lips. The more water, the better!

Soothing Oils:

For an ultra-moisturizing lip treatment, you should rub a little oil on to your lips. It will help to soothe and moisturize your lips while also protecting them from further damage.

Here are some examples:

Coconut oil

Almond oil

Jojoba oil

Olive oil

Cocoa or shea butter

Rosehip oil

Vitamin Deficiency:

Make sure you are getting the correct amount of the following vitamins to avoid cracked lips. Certain vitamins are crucial to maintaining healthy skin and lips. These include Vitamins A, B, C, B2 (Riboflavin deficiency) B1, B6, and E.

Cheilitis may occur as a symptom of iron deficiency according to the Dermatological Society. Iron dietary supplements can help to improve the problem and in turn, alleviate the itching and dryness.

Get A Humidifier:

Maxi-Cosi Breathe Humidifier

Maxi-Cosi Breathe Humidifier – boots.com

A cleaner, more comfortable environment

A range of smart sensors enable Breathe Humidifier to operate fully in Auto Mode, or if you prefer you can adjust the humidity, mist levels and timers as you go. Breathe Humidifier can also be used as an essential oil diffuser for a scented, soothing snooze.

If you live or work in an air-conditioned environment, use a humidifier. Heating indoor spaces in the winter will cause the air to dry out. Humidifiers can help to put moisture back in the air, and this will definitely help with the problem of dry lips.

Do you suffer from sore, painful lips, what is your secret on how to cure dry cracked lips? Please leave any comments or questions below, and I will be happy to discuss them with you.

jo@yourskincarehelp.com

October 8, 2018August 11, 2023

Best Skin Care for Men – Maintaining Healthy Skin

Photo of a man and website address yourskincarehelp.com

In general, men spend a lot less time and money on looking after their skin than women do. Fellas, it is time to listen up; good Skin Care for Men is just as important as it is for the Ladies! It is essential for men to use good quality products and to follow a daily skin care routine.

When it comes to skin care for men they like to keep it simple. However, men are now becoming more conscious of their appearance and want healthier, younger-looking skin, so guys it really is time to step up your skin care game.

Best Skin Care for Men:

To help men develop a suitable skin care routine, we will guide you through the steps you need to take and advise you how to get the best skin care for men, and maintaining healthy skin. At first, this may feel like it is going to take forever when incorporated into your daily routine, but after a few days and a little practice it will add very little time to your mornings and evenings, but the results will be more than worth the extra effort.

Although there are differences between men and women’s skin – for example, men’s skin is thicker than women’s.

Men also have a higher concentration of collagen in their body; a lack of collagen is a sign of aging, as women have lower collagen levels than men, women’s skin appearance is 15 years older than a man of the same age – even so, the essential elements to using an effective skin care plan remain the same.

Know Your Skin Type:

Firstly, it’s crucial that everyone and these include men, determines and understand their skin type fully. Once you have managed to figure out what skin type you have, then the rest of the process will be a little easier for you to find the products that suit your skin type best.

SENSITIVE SKIN – This means your skin may be irritated or red. Sensitive skin can sting or burn after products with specific ingredients are used, and you may feel that your skin feels worse instead of better after using skin care products.

NORMAL SKIN – The least problematic and you usually won’t have too many issues with products, the pores appear small, and your skin is clear and has a healthy glow to it, and not sensitive to products.

DRY SKIN – If you have dry skin it can feel itchy, flaky and has a rough, irregular texture to it, and it may feel tight. Dry skin can also look red, mainly if you use products that have ingredients that dehydrate skin and irritate it. Your pores are generally small, and you wouldn’t typically have problems with spots or blackheads.

OILY SKIN – Your skin will always appear shiny and greasy, you may have problems with blackheads and white pimples, and generally have spots and enlarged blocked pores. Your skin feels oily and looks greasy during the day, even if you are not sweating.

COMBINATION SKIN – This is the most common skin type. Your skin may have both oily and dry areas. The area that is known as the ‘T’ zone, this is across the forehead, down along the nose and the chin can be very oily. Your cheeks generally feel normal or may be slightly or very dry. The skin around your eyes is usually more dehydrated than the rest of your face.

Products:

Read Product Labels and Ingredients!

When buying cosmetics, it is worth looking at the product labels and ingredients, this will help you to decide if there are any ingredients that are going to cause your skin to react when you apply them.

The skin care products you choose for your daily skincare routine will depend on your skin type. So, If you have Acne-prone skin, look for cleansers and moisturizers that say ‘oil-free’ or ‘non-comedogenic,’ as these won’t clog your pores.

If you have overly sensitive skin, use mild ‘fragrance-free’ and ‘alcohol’ free products, also avoid if they have Citrus in them, if you put anything on your face containing these ingredients they will leave your skin feeling irritated and dry.

Unfortunately, it is a fact when buying cosmetics you cannot always expect to find a suitable product for your skin straight away, what may sound perfect on the packaging, once applied may feel unsuitable on your skin. You will have to expect a little ‘trial and error’ until you find the most suitable cream or lotion for your skin type.

Wash Your Face:

Wash your face with a good cleanser.

So this is a no-brainer, but it seems that some guys are doing it all wrong or more realistically, just not doing it at all! Men will all to often take super hot showers and use harsh soaps or face scrubs, doing this will make your skin dry and irritated, and when your skin is dry it will appear wrinkly and much older, not what you’re looking for, right guys?

It is essential to use a gentle cleanser for daily use, one that will cleanse the skin, removing dirt and pollution that can accumulate throughout your busy working day, and will hydrate while it cleanses. Remember to wash your face both morning and evening, and after exercise.

Video – Practice Good Skin Care for Men

Shaving and Razors:

Most men shave on average five times a week.

When you are buying a razor cartidge that has up to five blades – the obvious thought is, if the razor has more blades the better my shave will be. That may be so, but something you should consider with these types of blade heads is that if they shave too close, you are more likely to get razor burn and ingrown hairs, this is due to the extra blades pulling the hairs below the skin a little too deep.

Buy the blade head with one or two blades, and the shave you get is more than sufficient, and you are less likely to get that nasty looking rash on your neck. By choosing a razor that fits your skin and how sensitive it is, your face will thank you!

Your facial hair will be softer directly after showering or washing your face than at other times, and this will give you a much smoother shave and less skin irritation. It is advised not to use water that is very hot, as this can lead to facial redness and inflammation.

Using a mild moisturizing gel or foam is key to providing a barrier of protection while shaving, so don’t scrimp with it, put plenty on for that smooth shave you are seeking! Always shave with a clean, sharp razor blade. If you continue to use a blade more than five times, you can expect to have irritated skin and ‘razor burn’ which can be very painful and look nasty on your skin!

Don’t be in a rush when you shave, give it a little extra time and you will see the benefits afterward. Shave in short strokes, do not stretch your skin taut while shaving, follow the direction of the hair growth, remember to rinse your razor blade regularly during shaving to stop the blades getting clogged up, and thus giving the less than perfect shave that you are seeking.

After your shave, rinse with cool fresh water to soothe your skin, this will also help to prevent ingrown hairs.

Rinsing your face with cold water causes the blood vessels on the skin to contract, this helps to reduce swelling and any bleeding you may have from the small skin tears.

You should ‘pat’ dry your face with a clean towel, do not rub dry as your skin will be quite sensitive at this point.

So, after your shave those hair follicles are open – you should now apply a product that both hydrates and soothes the skin and helps to prevent irritation and red blotches, this will also help to calm the skin post-shave.

There are four main types of Aftershave:

Lotion – These tend to have a bit of an extra kick them. The scent can be strong enough to take the place of a cologne. Lotions/Creams work as a skin toner and help tighten up the pores when applied after shaving. These also work well for people who have oily skin.

Gels – There isn’t much difference between gels and creams, but gels do wonders for cooling down your skin and reduce the potential ‘burning’ feeling that shaving can cause. Skin absorbs the gel rather quickly, the downside to the skin absorbing gel so rapidly is your skin has less moisture in it and may have a tight, dry feeling after being applied.

Splash – Often alcohol-based, this type of aftershave can act as an antiseptic and works well for those who are prone to cuts and nicks when shaving, but it does tighten and dry out the skin.

Balm – A hydrating lotion with a mild scent that fades quickly after applying to your face. Most balms do not have any alcohol in the ingredients so are suitable for those with sensitive skin, and are great at reducing the effects of razor burn.

The routine, once I have finished shaving, is to apply ‘Soothe and Smooth by Paula’s Choice’ all over my face using a cotton pad. Once the ‘Soothe and Smooth’ is completely absorbed, I apply a generous amount of ‘Lab Series Razor Burn Relief Ultra’ all over the shaved area of my face. My face feels moisturized, calmed and soothed afterward, and this has also helped tremendously with post-shave irritation and redness. I do feel that ‘Paula’s Choice Soothe and Smooth’ is the foundation of my post shave routine and an excellent compliment with ‘Lab Series Razor Burn Relief Ultra,’ I highly recommended both products.

One of these options will be suitable for you depending on your skin type. For those who have sensitive skin, look for aftershaves that are free of parabens, and don’t contain any alcohol, fragrances or irritants like menthol and lemon oil, which could potentially cause breakouts and redness.

Face Moisturizer with SPF:

Men pay very little attention to moisturizing their facial skin, in fact, of all the things that men view as a ‘girly’ thing, it is probably moisturizing that comes out on top!

However, what turns the girls on more than anything is when faces touch, and it doesn’t feel like sandpaper rubbing against their face but nice, smooth soft skin, take note guys!
So, moisturizing your face morning and evening will help you achieve that soft, kissable skin.

Moisturizer works by retaining water in your skin, which can help reduce fine lines and give your skin a brighter, younger appearance. For the best results, you should apply moisturizer to your face and body immediately after bathing, showering or shaving.

Lab Series All-In-One Defense Lotion SPF35 — Lab Series Defense Lotion spf 35 All-in-one – 100ml

When you apply your Daily Face Moisturiser in the morning, it must have SPF – Sun Protection Factor in it, preferably with SPF30+ (never leave home without applying sunscreen) this will give you both a daily sunscreen and an advanced facial treatment. With SPF you will get UVA and UVB, and a good quality product will provide protection plus the added bonus of antioxidants to help shield skin from premature aging due to the sun.

Men who don’t use sunscreen not only increase the risk of getting sun damage, your face will develop a red, almost ‘angry’ appearance, skin irritation, additional blood vessels may appear, all of this could increase the risk of skin cancer. We all want to stay forever young, or as close to it as possible, so apply sunscreen every single day.

With the advance in cosmetic products, you will hardly feel that you have anything on your skin when moisturizer is applied, and it won’t be visible, so don’t worry about your ‘manly’ appearance. Look for something that is a lightweight moisturizer as this is ideal for daily use, and it will visibly improve the appearance of your skin and provides lasting hydration, you can also look for a moisturizer that won’t make your skin appear too oily.

As you will be looking for Fragrance-free products not to irritate your skin, there is no feminine smell to worry about, so applying moisturizer won’t be considered ‘girly.’

Night Moisturizer:

After you evening shower and shave the last step of your daily skin care routine is to apply a ‘night moisturizer.’ The moisturizer you apply is different from the one you use in the morning as it doesn’t have the SPF in it.

Again you are looking for a fragrant free and non-greasy cream that provides fast, lasting hydration for your skin, it calms sensitive skin and helps reduce redness and irritation.

The benefits of a night moisturizer are that it will help to repair and replenish the skin’s natural protective barrier that is needed after all the exertions of a busy day; it should be applied to a clean face and neck about 20 minutes before going to bed to allow it to be absorbed.

Guys, another thing to do after your evening shower is to check your skin regularly. You need to be aware of any new spots or moles that start to itch, bleed or change color, as these are often early warning signs of skin cancer. Do not ignore early warning signs, If you notice anything suspicious, make an appointment to see a dermatologist. Men over the age of 50 have a higher risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. However, when caught in the early stages, skin cancer is highly treatable.

Exfoliating: – Best Way to Exfoliate Your Face

Exfoliate is a word that many guys would not have heard of, and it is entirely possible it is something they have never carried out as part of their skincare routine.

Exfoliating is an important way to keep your skin smooth and radiant. It’s like giving your face or body a helping hand to clear away its dead skin, and this makes way for younger cells to come through and give the skin surface a fresh, radiant appearance.

Exfoliating isn’t something that needs to be done daily, for most people 2 or 3 times a week is sufficient.

If at all possible try to Exfoliate in the morning: Your skin renews itself overnight, so exfoliate your skin in the morning to clear away any dead skin.

There are two ways to Exfoliate your face, one is to use a ‘chemical’ exfoliator, and the other is to use a ‘Scrub’ exfoliator.

A good example of a Chemical Exfoliator –

Paula’s Choice exfoliator PC4 Men Soothe + Smooth.

This is a lightweight leave-on exfoliant, you use it post-shaving. Formulated with 2% BHA (salicylic acid), it is suitable for all skin types, and it quickly calms redness, helps to unclog pores and reduces raised bumps and ingrown hairs. It also removes dead skin cells, and this gives the skin a smoother and younger appearance. It is applied using a cotton pad and left to dry. Leave to dry before you apply your night moisturizer.

Lab Series All-In-One Face Wash — Lab Series Multi-action Face Wash All-in-one

Take care when exfoliating your face, mainly so if you decide to use a ‘scrub’ type exfoliator, this differs from the ‘leave on’ chemical exfoliators. With the ‘Scrub’ type, you apply the lotion onto a wet face and ‘work’ it into the face in a circular motion. Make sure you don’t scrub your face too often, and when you do, only ‘scrub’ your face very lightly. Rubbing too hard on your face and too frequently will cause more harm than good to your skin. The exfoliating beads in your product are sufficient enough to get the job done without needing to get too vigorous! Pat dry your face and apply your night moisturizer.

So guys remember, be gentle and use a light touch to massage any skin products into your facial skin.

Skin Care for Men – Maintaining Healthy Skin: Conclusion

So, I hope we have guided you towards the Best Skin Care for Men.

The critical thing to remember is that it’s all about consistency. Every man’s skin will deteriorate with age, but you can help to slow down the process provided you get into a skincare routine.

If you start while you are in your mid twenties, and have a good skincare routine in place, you will notice the benefits later in life, and your skin will look much younger.

Regardless of your age, there isn’t a better time to start looking after your skin than right now.

So, there you have it guys, this is your essential guide to maintaining healthy skin. Follow this routine each day, and you and your partner will notice a significant improvement in your skin’s appearance.

Also, keep a lookout in our Products/Reviews, we will be having a look at some of the best products for men’s skincare.

So, guys, what Men Products do you use? Please leave any comments or questions below, and I will be happy to discuss them with you.

jo@yourskincarehelp.com

September 7, 2018August 21, 2023

Healthy Skin Care Advice – 12 Steps To Great Skin

When it comes to skincare, we should be less into the latest ‘fads’ and more into long-term benefits of doing what’s right for our skin. We should be looking at the bigger picture, take into account the whole spectrum of skincare and not what might bring short terms results but in the end long-term misery! So, whether you’re confused by exfoliation or pondering what ingredients get results, here are some words of wisdom.

Invest In Your Skin:

You can’t put a ‘value’ on your skin, so it is worth spending that little extra taking good care of it – that includes both products and treatments. Skincare brands are continually developing, with new and innovative ideas and ingredients appearing all too often.

Chanel Sublimage La Créme

Are these pricey products worth the extra cost? You have to be aware of the ingredients, and look for what is known to work in face products, for example, you would want to see Retinol, so much has been done to show the value of it, also Vitamin C, vitamin E, and antioxidant-ferulic acid have all been proven by science to work, to name but a few.

With so much research going into the skincare products, I do believe the more expensive items are worth the extra cost. Do be careful when buying some of the least costly cosmetics, of course, many are perfectly good products, check the ingredients, as you don’t want to buy one that is not so skin friendly!

Healthy Skin Supplements:

The health industry has become saturated with supplements promising to give us a more youthful looking complexion, but as with skincare products, some supplements deliver more effectively than others, so it is wise to do your research before you buy.

Studies show how essential nutrients are for our skin; Vitamin C is involved in the synthesis of collagen, a crucial protein in making your skin supple, they are vital to maintaining a good skin quality. You also need to pay close attention to your diet as well as the supplements you take daily. No one food or ingredient will guarantee healthy skin; however, an inferior diet will lead to poor skin health. We need to love and nurture our body and give it all the support it needs to work efficiently.

Use A Retinoid:

Considered the ‘gold standard’ in anti-aging, you should consider using a retinoid (a derivative of vitamin A) if you’re after a smoother and more youthful complexion. Retinoids work to replenish cells, unclog pores and boost collagen, but not all Retinol products are of equal standard!

Doing your research could pay off, and if you are still unsure speak to an expert who will be able to advise you on the correct Retinol product for your skin type. There are many top quality retinoids, which deliver the active ingredients deep down into the skin where they are needed, you’ll be delighted with the results!

Beware Botox and Fillers:

We are looking to enhance our natural beauty, with non-invasive treatments. Be wary of using Botox or fillers – you can become addicted to them very quickly, and before you know it, they change your identity.

Consider all other treatments and products before you consider any injections! The results might be just as good for your skin, and your overall well-being but without invasive measures.

Facial Massage:

Facial massage is not new, but it quite often gets forgotten. We are more than happy to treat our body to a massage, so why don’t we treat our face? Our facial muscles are continually moving, and could benefit from gentle finger pressure in the right places! By giving yourself a facial massage, it can encourage detoxification, and lymphatic drainage, which can reduce inflammation and swelling.

A good technique that you can use when applying your moisturizer is to put the palms of the hands flat on your forehead, and working all the way down the cheeks and neck then rolling back up; it is very soothing and relaxing.

Prevent UV Skin Damage:

I will always advise people to apply SPF on a daily basis, it is one of the most important steps of your skincare routine, you should never leave home without applying it to your face. Sunscreen formulas continue to improve, and today you can buy sunscreens that do not have a heavy texture feel to them when applied to the skin.

I also understand it’s not for everyone, some people don’t like to apply sunscreen directly to the face, an option is to apply a moisturizer first and follow it with your sunscreen. For the ladies it can be difficult to apply your makeup afterwards, some sunscreens do ‘ball’ up making it difficult to get a nice smooth look. My advice would be to use a moisturizer or serum with Sun Protection Factor included in it, and use makeup that also has SPF in it, this allows you to layer products to build up the sun protection.

What ever way you do, it is so important to do all that you can to reduce the number of UV rays penetrating the skin and causing skin damage, also try to limit the time you spend in direct sunlight. Nothing ages the skin faster than sun damage, be warned!

Read – Sun Care for the Face

Treatment For Skin Redness:

People who suffer from rosacea, and facial redness, that usually affects the cheeks, nose, and chin, just going about your daily life can be incredibly taxing! It is still not clear what triggers troublesome bouts of rosacea. It is essential to try to determine what might cause yours to react, some possibilities are certain spicy foods, direct sunlight, alcohol, and pollution, these are the more common irritants.

Try natural remedies to see if they help to keep it in under control, anything with a strong anti-inflammatory agent that has a soothing effect on the sensitive and over-reactive skin could help to calm it, such as:

Turmeric, Ginger, Aloe Vera gel (apply topically) Raw honey (apply topically)

Enriched Exfoliating and Purifying Lotion for the Face

The Lotion P50V was specifically formulated with added vitamins & walnut extracts, which protect from the ageing process & nourish the epidermis. It not only exfoliates, but it also purifies, regenerates & maintains the pH of the epidermis.

Biologique Recherche Lotion P50V

Be Gentle To Your Skin:

The most common mistake that women who have blemish-prone skin make is to pick and probe at their skin continually; you must resist this temptation if you don’t want to leave your skin scarred. Also, you might want to consider the products you are using, are they causing your skin to react?

If the blemishes are making your skin feel sensitive, be careful not to strip your skin of its natural oils that keep skin healthy and balanced, as this will cause the skin to overcompensate. Women are then forced to resort to heavy camouflage make-up to mask over the problem!

Don’t Be Afraid To Exfoliate:

Traditional granular exfoliators have fallen out of favor in recent years. I believe that ‘scrub’ exfoliating is less popular due to the increased popularity of the chemical ‘peel’ method. However, under-exfoliating is a common mistake people with dry skin make. By not removing dead skin cells this decreases the effectiveness of your moisturizer as it cannot penetrate the skin as efficiently, so make sure to exfoliate at least twice a week using a gentle micro-exfoliator.

Read – Best Way to Exfoliate Your Face

Eye On Your Diet:

Our diet can affect the condition of the skin, so we need to be cautious of foods high in sugar, as these can increase location, a process which breaks down collagen over time, thus accelerating the visible signs of aging.

Drinks can have this effect your skin also, namely alcohol and caffeine – alcohol can be very dehydrating, and too much caffeine is not good for the skin, making it look red and swollen. If your skin is prone to spots and breakouts, dairy and sugar are two things that you need to avoid to keep those outbreaks in check.

Stick To A Routine:

It’s crucial to have a skincare routine, especially when it comes to cleansing and exfoliating. One of the most common reasons I hear why people fail to keep up with their skincare routine is that it seems to take forever, and involves lots of products and repetitiveness; well, we do like to over complicate things, keeping it simple can be just as effective! Use multi-functional products when you can to help cut down on time spent in front of the mirror.

Hygiene is Key:

A simple thing like changing your pillowcase every second day has to become one of your ‘good’ habits! It is something I always advise people; good personal hygiene has to go hand in hand with a good skincare routine. Why spend all that time in the evening cleansing and moisturizing only to go bed and lay on a pillowcase with lotions embedded on it a week old!

All the effort you are putting in to look after your skin will be worth it in the long run. Keep up the excellent work.

Do you follow a strict skin care routine? Please leave any comments or questions below, and I will be happy to discuss them with you.

jo@yourskincarehelp.com

August 27, 2018August 15, 2023

Do Face Masks Work?

The popularity of Face masks has never been so widespread as they are today. Do face masks work? The consensus is that they do work.

But as with a lot of other cosmetics, the options are enormous.

You have Korean face masks, clay masks, cream masks, gel masks exfoliation masks to name but a few. So, how does a person who is looking for a face mask choose?

You then have to decide which face mask is suitable for my skin type?

After you find the suitable product, you have to be sure you are not going to do more damage than good to your skin!

So, let us see if we can guide you through the face mask minefield and, hopefully, find an answer to the question, do face masks work?

What Face Mask for my skin type?

When you try to decide what face mask will suit your skin, it may seem straightforward enough if your skin is the same all over your face.

But for some people, it can be that you have dry skin on your cheeks while your forehead and nose could be oily. Your chin could be prone to breakouts, and your neck could be very sensitive and become red at the slightest hint of a face mask containing alcohol.

It may mean that you have to use a variety of different types of the face mask at the same time, one for dry skin on your cheeks and one suitable for oily skin on forehead and nose.

Just because a particular type of product is trendy at the moment, it doesn’t make suitable for your needs, the worst thing anyone can do is to put an unsuitable product near their skin.

There is usually a solution out there for even the most complex skin types.

Dr Dennis Gross Brightening Mask

View – Brightening Mask

Dr Dennis Gross Skincare Vitamin C and Lactic Biocellulose Brightening Treatment Mask 10ml

A hydrating mask enriched with vitamin C, formulated to visibly brighten and protect skin. This mask delivers an instant boost of moisture, Vitamin C sets to work to protect against environmental aggressors and encourage a brightening effect, while niacinamide absorbs excess sebum. Complete with smoothing benefits from lactic acid, the mask promotes the illusion of radiant, more balanced-looking skin.

Oily Skin:

The temptation for people with oily skin is getting a face mask that they hope will strip off all the excess oil on there face.

People seem to forget that your skin does need some oil to protect it.

The most common cause of oily skin is often due to moisture deficiency.

To combat this, your body trying to keep the moisture in by covering the skin with oil. The kindest thing for your skin is to hydrate it.

You should consider using a CLAY face mask. Look for one that has Bentonite and Kaolin as this will help to absorb excess oil and control shine to leave skin with a smooth looking complexion.

Another ingredient good for oily skin in need of hydrating is hyaluronic acid. It is suitable for keeping the skin subtle and hydrated and very lightweight.

Avoid masks that are likely to clog pores with such ingredients as beeswax or cocoa butter.

Dry Skin:

The cause of dry, dehydrated skin is due to a very thin protective layer that is letting moisture evaporate from the skin’s surface. The best mask for dehydrated skin is something that promotes moisturizing.

A nourishing, rich cream texture mask that combines plant oils, antioxidants, and vitamins A & C to help protect the epidermis. Glycerin to help strengthen the skin surface is particularly useful if the skin is in need of rehydrating.

Sensitive Skin:

If you suffer from sensitive skin, it will be crying out for face mask with calming detoxifying ingredients.

These type of masks will help with breakouts, skin irritation, and rashes brought on by pollution, hormones, and stress. Antioxidants will calm irritated skin and remove free radicals from below the surface.

Again look for an ultra creamy, moisturizing mask containing plant oils, green tea to relieve any inflammation.

Whatever mask you pick you must avoid alcohol and harsh chemicals as these will dry and irritate your already sensitive skin.

Acne prone skin:

Acne prone skin can be brought about by unbalanced moisture levels. If you keep removing the protective oils from the skin surface and then apply creams and balms, you will clog the pores so leading to spots and pimples.

A charcoal gel mask to remove impurities containing bentonite and kaolin to help with excess oils that help decongest pores, BHA (Salicylic Acid) suited to Oily Skin. Glycerin to soothe and lightly hydrate skin. Niacinamide is very good for oily acne prone skin.

How often should I use a face mask?

I would suggest if you have an excellent skin care routine the need for a face mask would be one or twice a week at the most.

I would also think most face mask will say this on the packaging, so do heed what the directions say on the packet.

A face mask that does have harsh chemicals and alcohol or have a specific purpose such as Exfoliating, anti-acne or anti-aging will have ingredients that can irritate your skin if you overuse them, be warned!

Read – Best Way To Exfoliate Your Face

Korean Face Masks:

Korean Face Masks are advertised everywhere these days.

The beauty world is waxing lyrical about the benefits they offer.

Korean Face Masks are also known as sheet masks, and they are for single use only. The sheets are usually cotton pads soaked in skin repair ingredients.

The mask will have the eyes, nose, and mouth cut out and sit on the face to allow the ingredients to infuse into the skin for the duration it is on the face, usually around 20 minutes. It is due to the skin-smoothing ingredients that Korean face mask are so popular.

But despite all of this, the benefits from Korean face masks are limited.

The deep-down healing that our face skin requires to look its best is not possible from the best Korean face mask.

The way Korean face masks work is to keep active ingredients locked against your skin. It acts as a barrier to retain the moisture where it can work best, against your skin.

The sheet mask will not go hard and dry like clay or mud masks, but when they dry, they crack leaving gaps for the moisture to escape when it is the essential thing the skin needs and wants.

Using the Korean sheet mask, you will not get this problem. The mask will retain moisture in the skin for as long as it is on. As good as that may sound to you, Korean face masks are limited in the benefits they provide.

The problem with them is they work on the top surface of the skin (epidermis), but they do not penetrate down very deep into the lower layers, the dermis, and the hypodermis.

It’s In The Elastin!

It is in these lower skin layers we find two precious assets to having healthy, radiant skin, namely Collagen and Elastin.

It is these two proteins that your skin is supported by and gives it that smooth, tight appearance we all crave.

Foods like greens, fatty fish, citrus fruits, broccoli, almonds and walnuts can replenish elastin in your skin. These foods are known to work from within to improve your skin’s health

Korean face masks cannot get deep enough to be of any benefit to these to vital facial structures.

So even though these type of masks are great for the appearance of the skin and very faint lines, it will do nothing for wrinkled skin.

It is the deeper, more stubborn wrinkles that develop as you age and to try to improve them you need to penetrate the deeper layers where collagen and elastin are found.

So, we know Korean face mask do have active ingredients, and they work fine on the top layer of skin, but it’s the fact they keep moisture in the skin is the reason you see benefits from their use.

After about 20 minutes the cotton sheet dries and so loses its moisture trapping capabilities, if you leave the mask on any longer it can in fact start to draw moisture back out of the skin.

In those 20 minutes that you have the sheet on you are not getting to the lower lying problems or do anything to remove deep wrinkles in the skin.

Silicone Patches:

So, that leads us to something that is effective in the form of a mask like alternative, Silicone patches.

The silicone patch works in s similar way to the sheet mask in that it forms a barrier on the surface of the skin. It stops moisture from escaping and traps it next to the skin. The patch will let oxygen and moisture in from the air outside and then becomes trapped under the patch and pushed deeper into the skin.

The silicone patch is worn for longer periods, eight hours or more, and is suitable to have on overnight. This allows the moisture to affect the collagen and elastin, the support your skin relies on to look smooth and ultimately free from wrinkles.

While you are sleeping the silicone patches feed your skin the much-needed moisture, and the other benefit from silicone patches is they can be reused, up to 15 times which is more cost effective than the Korean face mask.

Do Face Masks Work? – Our Conclusion:

Whatever face mask you eventually decide to use you will gain benefits from using it, and the beauty of face masks is that you can use two different types in one week and get double the benefits from them.
Using face masks will also allow you to get the maximum benefits from all the other products you apply daily as part of your skincare routine.
Your moisturizers, skin tone and hydrating products will be to work much better without dead skin cells and blocked pores getting in the way.

You will also benefit by using the time that it is on by closing your eyes and giving yourself a few minutes well-earned relaxation, it’s a win-win situation.

Do you have a favourite face mask you use? Please leave any comments or questions below and I will be happy to discuss them with you.

jo@yourskincarehelp.com

August 23, 2018August 15, 2023

Mineral or Chemical Sunscreen – The Facts

People are finally beginning to realise how important it is to use sunscreen. However, does choosing a safe and suitable sunscreen for you and your family leave you totally and utterly confused!

The most significant topic regarding sunscreens at the moment seems to be choosing between ‘Mineral or Chemical Sunscreen’. We will do our best to present the facts to you, and hopefully this will make purchasing your next sunscreen a lot less confusing!

Video – Physical vs Chemical Sunscreens

Mineral Sunscreen:

Mineral sunscreens are also known as ‘Physical’ sunscreens. They have a somewhat tarnished reputation because in the ‘old’ days they were dreadful to apply and they would leave people looking whiter than a bottle of milk! The good news is that things have got a lot better. Micronization – grinding of the material particles has improved immensely and using mineral sunscreens isn’t nearly so daunting as it once was, that said, people who have a darker skin tone, it will still leave you with a white tainted appearance.

The two main active ingredients in mineral sunscreens are Zinc Oxide and Titanium Oxide. These are the ‘reflectors’ that sit on surface of the skin forming a protective physical barrier between UV rays and the skin beneath. The UV rays are then reflected away so stopping them from entering the skin.

Once applied it creates an instant barrier, you do not need to wait for absorption into the skin before going into the sun. It will protect you from both UVA and UVB rays; it will also stay active longer when in UV rays than chemical sunscreens.

Mind The Gabs!

The critical thing to remember when using a physical sunscreen is that for the skin to get complete protection, the whole area has to be covered with a generous amount to create the barrier that reflects UV rays, an area that is sparsely covered could allow UV rays to penetrate the skin.

Mineral sunscreens are thought to suit people who have sensitive skin but to be on the safe side check the labeling and avoid products that have Oxybenzone or Octinoxate as both Mineral and Chemical sunscreens have some amount of chemicals in them these days.

Mineral sunscreen is also more suitable if you have any skin blemishes, skin that tends to flush or has redness, or eczema, this skin type can be irritated by heat, but as the UV rays are deflected away and not absorbed into the skin, mineral sunscreen is more suitable.

Sand and Sunscreen Don’t Mix!

As mineral sunscreens have a much thicker texture to them, applying while on the beach can be a bit tricky. Imagine the scene, you get out of the water, you are trying to get this thick sunscreen rubbed into your skin, and the dreaded sand starts to get everywhere, it would be like rubbing sandpaper to your body, pleasant situation to be in, is it!

When applying mineral sunscreens more is always better, remember it works by forming a ‘barrier’ so that it can protect the skin, so apply liberally.

For daily use on the face, and for the ladies who want to apply makeup, Mineral sunscreens are not so convenient to use as chemical sunscreens. The lotion sits on the skin and is not lightweight, so when trying to apply makeup, you will get a thick looking appearance and the possibility of ‘balling’ on the skin.

Mineral sunscreens have a long shelf life; although that shouldn’t be a problem for you if you are using it daily, there won’t be any worries it will go out-of-date!

Read – The 5 Best Sunscreens For The Face

Chemical Sunscreen:

Chemical sunscreens work in a different way to mineral sunscreens. It works by the skin absorbing the lotion, these chemicals then stop the UV rays from touching the body by creating a reaction that heats the rays and repelling the UV rays away from the skin.

Chemical sunscreens are thought to offer better protection for the skin as there is no risk of gaps between the molecules when the lotion is applied. Offers a broad spectrum protection from both UVA and UVB rays.

Some ingredients you would find in a chemical sunscreen:

Avobenzone
Octisalate
Octinoxate
Oxybenzone
Tinosorb S and M

You can see from the number of chemical ingredients there is a much higher risk that your skin could react when using a chemical sunscreen. If your facial skin has any blemishes, adding a chemical sunscreen is akin to adding petrol to a raging fire! The skin will release histamine and so lead to inflammation and an angry red appearance.

Give It Time To Work!

The Chemical sunscreen texture is entirely different to the mineral in that it is a thinner liquid type lotion, which makes it very easy to apply to your skin.

After applying a chemical sunscreen, you will have to wait between 10-20 minutes for it to soak into the skin before going out into the sun.

It has to be re-applied more frequently when you are in the sun as the protection diminishes with the more UV light that shines on you.

With chemical sunscreen being more straightforward to apply and not sitting directly on the skin, ladies will prefer to use them as makeup is easy to apply on top of the sunscreen.

Hawaii has banned the use of chemical, water-resistant sunscreens due to the risk some ingredients pose to the declining coral reef. It is the opinion that some 12,000 tons of sunscreen lotion ends up in coral reefs all around the world each year.

Sisley Super Soin Solaire Face Sunscreen

See On – LibertyLondon.com

Which is safe for Babies?

Is Mineral or Chemical sunscreen safer to apply to a babies skin? The consensus seems to be that sunscreen shouldn’t be applied to a babies skin if they are under six months old. The skin of a newborn baby is so delicate; the safer option is to keep the baby covered with clothing or stay out of the sun altogether.

Children that are over six months old, it is recommended using a mineral sunscreen as they have fewer harsh chemicals, use a high Sun Protection Factor 50+

Further Reading – Sun Care For The Face

The Best Protection?

Mineral or Chemical Sunscreen … Seriously tricky question to answer! The main thing to understand is, both Mineral and Chemical sunscreens will protect you from UVA and UVB rays. If you put 10 top scientists in a room and ask them to come up with a definitive answer as to which offers the best protection, I could almost guarantee they would not come to a unanimous decision!

It may come down to what you feel more comfortable with on your skin. Some people are against putting too many chemicals near their skin so will prefer Mineral sunscreen, perfectly understandable. We have more than enough toxic pollutants in the air we breathe and foods we eat, so we don’t need adding more to our body with a chemically loaded sunscreen.

Some people feel overly conscious of applying a Mineral sunscreen when they are on the beach, it is so dense and white, and glaringly obvious, they end up looking like frosty the snowman on vacation! Again perfectly understandable.

Read – Best Sunscreen UVA and UVB Protection

My Conclusion:

The main thing to remember is to apply your sunscreen daily and to reapply generously, only then can you safely enjoy your time in the sun 🙂

What Sunscreen do you prefer use? Please leave any comments or questions below, and I will be happy to discuss them with you.

jo@yourskincarehelp.com

August 19, 2018August 15, 2023

Sun Care For The Face

The media are continually telling us that our summers are getting hotter, and lasting a lot longer. So, if we believe what the weather experts are saying, we can expect it to carry on getting hotter and hotter each year, this is why ‘Sun Care For The Face’ is so important.

We as holidaymakers, and no doubt the tourist industry welcome long warm sunny days with prolonged periods of heat, but on the flip side the extreme weather can have serious implications to our well-being. Intense heat brings serious health issues; the air quality deteriorates leading to respiratory problems, heat stroke, and sunburn. The people most vulnerable are the young, elderly and those who have serious medical issues.

Sun Protection All Year Round

Another mistake many people make is thinking they only need to protect their skin in the summer months. Winter is just as dangerous to your facial skin, don’t be fooled into thinking that just because the sun isn’t beating down at 35’celcius, it isn’t inflicting damage. Clouds might shade you from direct sunlight, but it cannot stop harmful rays from reaching your delicate skin. You need to apply either sunscreen or a moisturizer with Sun Protection Factor (preferably SPF 30 or above) as part of your daily routine.

*I would urge Everyone to watch the following video, it’s only 3 minutes long, you will be very surprised by what you see!

The Dangers – UVA & UVB:

It is your face that is exposed to harmful sun rays more than any other part of your body. So, this is why sun care, for your face, is so important. The ‘deadly duo’ ready to attack sun worshipers are UVA & UVB rays. It is the UVB rays that have intense heat that causes the skin to burn.

People who are heading for their summer vacation seem more concerned about protecting themselves from UVB rays almost ignoring the sever implications from UVA rays. Sunbathers want to be able to stay out in the sun for hours on end and get a perfect golden suntan! They seem to think the only thing that matters is they buy a sunscreen with a high Sun Protection Factor, and they can lay on the beach from sun up to sun down!

Listen To Your Body!

Sunburn is the bodies way of alerting people they are getting UVB damage to their skin; if you keep getting sunburn on your face instance, this will lead to actinic keratosis of the skin. You will see dry, rough, scaly patches develop; these appear more often on the lips, ears, forehead, and scalp. It can become inflamed and red and could ultimately lead to skin cancer.

UVA rays have less energy than UVB rays but they do penetrate deeper into the skin and cause more serious skin cancers. UVA rays are a little sneaky as they cause damage to the skin without it getting sunburned. In particular drivers who cover long distances have to be very careful as UVA rays can penetrate glass and be shining of the drivers face for many hours causing untold amount of damage. UVA rays are what makes the skin go brown and with this comes dark facial spots, lines and aging to the skin and ultimately wrinkles.

SPF = Sun Protection Factor:

Sun Protection Factor is a measure of protection you get from UVB rays. The higher the factor number, the better protection you will get when sunscreen is applied to the face and body to try and protect your skin from sunburn. The most commonly used Sun Protection Factor number can range from 15 up to 50.

Read – The Best 5 Sunscreens For The Face

An SPF of 15 will block approximately 93% of UVB rays from your skin, SPF 30 will block 95%, and an SPF 50 will block 98% of UVB rays. The one flaw with these ratings is that all testing was done in a controlled manner, where the UVB rays that came into contact with the volunteers were consistent, in real life it’s not like that. If you go out in the sun at noon, you will be exposed to much stronger rays than in the early evening, say 5.00pm. So caution is strongly recommended, avoid the hottest part of the day and always listen to what your skin is trying to tell you! You will never get 100% protection from UV rays when you are in the sun!

*Look to the Stars!*

When purchasing your sun protection, as well as looking at the SPF you will also want to look for the number of stars* you will see on the bottle. It is a rating system that tells you how much protection you will get from UVA rays. The star ratings go from 0 up to 5; if you see a bottle with zero or 1 star, it is to be avoided at all cost. Ideally, you will be looking for a high Sun Protection Factor with five stars on your next bottle of sunscreen!

Important – Even on a cloudy day, when the sun is not shining or partially hidden behind clouds, UVA rays are still there, they penetrate the clouds causing skin damage, it is essential to apply sunscreen to your face on a cloudy day.

PA rating System:

You may also see the PA rating system telling you how much protection you get against UVA rays. It is a system the Japanese tend to use on their sunscreen products, although we mostly see the stars system now it’s worth knowing just in case you see it on a sunscreen bottle.

PA+ means Low Protection, PA++ Moderate Protection, PA+++ High Protection.

Broad Spectrum:

Another way you might see your sunscreen labeled is with the words ‘Broad Spectrum’ It will have an SPF rating on it, and basically it’s telling you that it also has ingredients in it that protect you from UVA rays as well. It will have at least one of the following active ingredients in it to protect you from UVA rays: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, avobenzone, Mexoryl SX (ecamsule) or Tinosorb.

A lightweight daily sunscreen with SPF50+ specifically formulated for sensitive skin types.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid SPF50+

Enjoy the Sun – Safely!

Important things to remember when buying your sunscreen are your skin type and skin colour. Pale, sensitive skin will burn a lot quicker than say someone with an olive complexion. Don’t think that if you buy a sunscreen with a high Sun Protection Factor, it will mean that after two weeks on holiday you will still be going home looking pale, you will get that vital suntan but in a safer more controlled manner.

Buying the most expensive sunscreen doesn’t automatically mean you are getting the best sun care for the face, buying an expensive brand and using it sparingly because you are trying to make it last is a surefire way to getting sunburned! Some other important things to remember about sunscreen protection:

Apply at least 15 minutes before going out in the sun
Apply Liberally and remember to reapply every 2-3 hours
Water resistant means it will last approx’ 40 minutes when you are wet
Wear a hat and UV rated sunglasses, these will also protect delicate skin around the eyes
Avoid the sun when it’s at it hottest
Wear sunscreen all year round!
Remember to rehydrate your skin after sunbathing

Which rating system do you follow when buying sunscreen for your face? Please leave any comments or questions below, and I will be happy to discuss them with you.

jo@yourskincarehelp.com

August 16, 2018August 22, 2023

Face Moisturiser – Guide to choosing whats right for you

Walk down the Cosmetic isle in any large store and look at their range of Face Moisturiser and I would not blame you for being confused! The selection is enormous and the Pro’s and Con’s for each product equally confusing! Let us try to take the mystery out of moisturisers!

Face Moisturiser – Why You Need One:

One of the most significant contributing factors, and possibly the main reason why you need to apply Face Moisturiser is due to the damage made to your skin by the weather! Hot or Cold, the impact it has on your face are enormous, if its too hot or to dry outside your skin will let you know it is suffering from the effects of the climate. Watch for the warning signs that your facial skin is having trouble coping with what the weather is doing to it. People tend to think their skin remains the same the whole year round; it doesn’t, the complexion of your facial skin will change with the seasons.

With the winter comes cold icy winds that can irritate delicate facial skin, this has a drying effect on the skin surface that removes the natural moisture from the facial skin, this can lead to itchy red patches and excess dead skin cells. We go indoors to escape the cold and turn up the central heating, great for warming the body but not doing that dry red skin any favors! All of this leads to the skin dehydrating from the dry air outside and inside.

So, with the problems our skin has suffered from the winter weather, we start to look forward to the warm, summer days in the hope it will help with the dry, irritated skin, not a chance! With the onset of summer, this brings some very different skin complications.

Summer Breakouts!

For some people acne seems to come alive in the hotter more humid days, this could be due to the increase in sweat and oil (sebum) by the sebaceous glands that clogs the pores so leading to spots and gives your skin a glaring, shiny appearance. We go indoors to escape the heat and cool down, hoping to alleviate the agitated spots brought on by the heat and sweat and turn up the air con, great for cooling down your hot face and body, but this dries out the skin and so irritates it even more!

We are in a constant battle to try to combat what the weather is doing to us when we are outdoors and create comfortable conditions our body likes and wants when we go indoors, and all the time remain kind to our facial skin.
It isn’t always easy to find a solution to help with this problem, but the one thing we have to relieve our tired, irritated facial skin is Moisturiser.

Read – Is Your Skin Sensitive or Sensitised? Do You Know The Difference?

What Day Moisturizer should I use?

Well as we have seen each season brings its unique problems, add to this the different skin types people have, and this goes part of the way to explaining why stores are so full with many kinds of Face Moisturizer.

Winter – Dry Skin. Look for an Occlusive moisturizer, an emollient-rich formulation. Your skin will be dehydrated, so you need to retain as much water in it as possible. An Occlusive moisturizer gives your skin a chance to re-hydrate.

Other ingredients you should look out for are:

Ceramides – Jojoba oil
Mineral Oil – Paraffinium liquidum
Silicons – Cyclometicone
Essential Fatty Acids
Hyaluronice Acid

Important -Important – Any Moisturiser you buy to apply in the winter should have SPF30 or higher. Just because its winter, do not fall into the trap of thinking those harmful UVA and UVB rays are not causing skin damage. UV rays can cause fine lines, wrinkles and premature aging. SPF Moisturizers will protect delicate facial skin.

Summer – Oily Skin/Combination Skin/Acne Prone – Although you have oily skin you may think applying a moisturiser will make this worse, but it is essential to keep your skin hydrated. Look for a lightweight liquid consistency; this will help with the Sebaceous gland secretion and not block those pores, and help to prevent those skin breakouts that you are more prone to get in the summer months. Also consider oil-free, water.based makeup.

Water Based
Non-Comedogenic (won’t clog pores)
Non-Acnegenic (prevent acne)
Oil-free
Look for ingredients like Glycerin

Important – Any Day Moisturizer should have SPF30 or higher for the summer. UVA and UVB rays cause skin damage. Moisturisers with Sun Protection Factor will protect delicate facial skin.

Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster will hydrate, smooth and minimise fine lines, restoring your skin’s moisture balance.

Dermalogica Daily Skin Health Hydrating Booster 30ml

Night Moisturiser:

It is essential to have a different Night Moisturiser, one that doesn’t contain SPF that your day moisturizer MUST have. Look for a Night Moisturiser that suits your skin type. Your night moisturizer will have skin-repairing ingredients that will work through the night and will create a softer, better-hydrated skin. It repairs the skin barrier that has been damaged by what the weather has thrown at it all day!

It will be working through the night to help make your skin look healthier and radiant the next day. Most night moisturizers are suitable to use around the eye area. Most people end their day with a relaxing bath or shower, so by applying a night moisturizer, it helps to replenish the moisture that has removed throughout the day. Using your night moisturizer should be the last step in your daily skincare routine.

What Suits You?

Finding what is best for you will take a bit of time and research. Knowing what your skin-type is it will indeed narrow things down a bit. Visiting some of the larger stores can help as they will have samples on display for you to try. It will allow you to feel the texture of different brands, find out if you prefer Gels or Liquids, everyone is different and what suits one person someone else simply couldn’t bear to have it on his or her skin!

Another good place to find out about different brands and products is on review pages on the internet. There is a very well known brand that is only available online; it is not possible to go and try any samples in any shop. By going to their website and reading reviews and feedback from customers, this will provide you with a lot of information and assistance to decide if the product would be suitable for you.

Moisturizer Mayhem!

The world of Face Moisturizers is humongous, too many to cover in one article that’s for sure! You can go organic, natural, tinted, tanning, gel, lotion, liquid and so on! All I can say is that it is imperative that you do use one in your daily defense against the elements. To find your perfect match may require a little trial and error. Good luck finding the one that suits you the best!

How do you choose your face moisturizer? Please leave any comments or questions below, and I will be happy to discuss them with you.

jo@yourskincarehelp.com

August 15, 2018November 24, 2023

Best Way to Exfoliate Your Face

Exfoliating your face is something that can bring that ‘sparkle’ back to your complexion, it removes all the leftovers that your daily facial wash doesn’t lift and will leave your skin looking refreshed and glowing with that all-important youthful appearance. Find the Best Way to Exfoliate Your Face.

Why Exfoliate Your Face?

You Exfoliate your face to get rid of ‘dead’ skin cells and to cleanse pores that become clogged up with all the moisturizers and makeup you apply on a daily basis. Yes, your daily face wash and cleansing will help remove some of this but only to a certain degree, to get deep down into the skin this is when slightly stronger products that you use when exfoliating are required.

Moisturiser is applied daily and is an integral part of the process to protect the skin from ageing. When used on the face it moistens the skin, those slightly dry areas soak it up and don’t look so flaky or scaly anymore, this gives the skin a radiant, youthful appearance. The problem this then creates is the ‘dead’ skin cells that are ready to leave your face have also soaked up the moisturizer and so prevents them from falling, which in turn prevents the new ‘fresher’ looking skin from appearing.

Clarisonic Mia2 side — **Clarisonic Mia2 Facial Cleanser Review**

With the dead skin getting thicker with moisturiser it will eventually start to become dull looking and maybe even a little rough and uneven. As a result, this will make it difficult for you to get your make up on in that smooth, silky look you desire.

For people who suffer from acne, the worst thing they can do is leave dead skin cells on their face. The dead skin is the perfect place for bacteria to build up which in turn is the ideal breeding ground for spots! P.acnes bacteria in your skin will lead to more and more spots. It is essential for people with acne to exfoliate to remove dead skin cells and eliminate the bacteria from forming.

Also, it is imperative to keep those skin pores from getting clogged up with dead skin and pollutants, the more of it we leave on our face, the bigger the pores will begin to look, as dirt and grime begin to collect so the appearance of ‘blackheads’ arrives. Exfoliation keeps those pores free from build up!

Can Exfoliating Prevent Wrinkles?

Now that is a headline that gets plenty of attention! Of course, people will say if exfoliating my skin can prevent wrinkles why am I paying xx amount of dollars on expensive anti-aging creams? Well as mentioned moisturisers and anti-aging creams are very important, but they do stop the dead skin cells from falling this, in turn, prevents the younger smoother and better-nourished skin beneath from appearing. The old skins cells become dull and a ‘bit tired’ these need to be removed through exfoliating and allow new skin to come through. New skin will have a more youthful appearance so, to answer the question, yes to a certain extent exfoliating removes the tired, dead skin that would lead to wrinkles.

Skin Types & Exfoliants:

Before you begin exfoliating your face, it is important to know exactly what your skin type is. Exfoliates come in many formulas, so it is essential to use the one that matches your skin type. Generally, there are five skin types:

Normal – Dry – Oily – A Combination of the previous three – Sensitive

Using a product that doesn’t match your skin, you will end up doing more damage than good. All Skin types will benefit significantly from exfoliation, but it is imperative that you use the product that matches your skin type.

Suitable Products To Exfoliate Face:

Scrub – Normal to Dry Skin – Review

Scrub – Oily Skin – Review

Peel – Normal to Dry Skin & Sun Damaged – Review

Peel – Combination to Oily Skin – Review

The Difference Between Scrubs and Peels:

So, do we ‘Scrub‘ or ‘Peel‘?

Choosing to ‘Scrub’ exfoliate, is deemed as a ‘mechanical scrub.’ The solution that you are using will have tiny particles in it; these can be made up from micro-grains of sugar or a finer exfoliating powder like rice grain or even salt. It is these particles that act as the ‘scrub’ on your face. You would either use a brush by hand or a hand-held motorised device to work the solution into your face and almost polish the surface. Now, this way of exfoliating can be deemed to be quite harsh on the skin, and even create tiny micro tears. I would be less inclined to use this type of exfoliation if you have sensitive skin as it can be severe and cause much irritation. Some benefits of using a ‘Scrub’ exfoliant

Deep Cleansing of the Face
Remove Blackheads
Toning the Face
Removes Dead Skin Cells
Unclog Pores

Opting to ‘Peel‘ exfoliate, which is also known as a chemical peel. The solution has acid in it which is the active ingredient that peels away the dead skin. It is generally thought to be less harsh on the skin as it doesn’t contain the abrasive particles like the scrubs have in them. Though more gentle on the surface it effectively removes rough, scaly skin. There are two types of solution to choose from

AHA (Glycolic Acid/Latic Acid) or
BHA (Salicylic Acid)

AHA and BHA are both suitable for daily use, but again caution is recommended, if you have hyper-sensitive skin this might not be appropriate, see how your skin reacts to using either of these products and act accordingly. Both types of Peel can are available in differing degrees of strength so maybe go for a lower strength solution if you feel that you want to apply it on a daily basis.

Helping you to choose between the two types of exfoliants. For skin prone to all forms of breakouts (including blackheads), BHA is preferred over AHA. This is due to the main difference between AHA and BHA.

The BHA ingredients enable it to penetrate into the pore (AHA’s do not do this), and this allows it exfoliate deep inside the pore, and exfoliate the surface of the skin. AHA solutions only exfoliate skin cells on the surface of the skin.

The AHA is more suitable for Dry, Sun Damaged Skin.

The BHA is more suited to Oily Skin and Sensitive Skin types.

Some benefits of using a ‘Peel’ exfoliant:

Deep cleansing of the face
Help unblock pores
Even out skin tone
Removing rough scaly patches

Biologique Lotion P50V

See on – Libertylondon.com

Lotion P50V is an exfoliating acid toner from French clinical skincare brand, Biologique Recherche – suitable for stronger and more mature skin types.

Founded over 40 years ago with a vision of developing formulations for skincare professionals, Biologique Recherche has a reputation for impressive results based on a clinical approach. Offering a range of four different P50 Lotions, each providing the same core benefit but with slight changes dependent on your skin type, these acid toners gently exfoliate the skin.

Lotion P50V contains antioxidant ingredients, making it suitable for more mature and devitalised skin types. Formulated with added vitamin and walnut extracts that protect from the ageing process and nourish the epidermis, the chemical exfoliation works to regenerate and maintain pH levels. Gently renewing the skin over 50 days – hence P50, ‘peeling’ in ‘50’ days – this lotion will leave skin smooth, clear and radiant.

Read – Japanese Skin Care Secrets

How often should you Exfoliate your face?

I can only recommend or suggest what I feel comfortable doing myself. Every solution you buy will have clear directions for use on the packaging that you should read very carefully. I am a little apprehensive to recommend exfoliating your facial skin on a daily basis, especially if using a scrub, I feel it is much too harsh on the skin surface – unless you have skin like an elephant!

Maybe when you are starting out using exfoliators, and you are looking to remove a lot of damaged, dead skin, you could exfoliate more regularly, 3-4 times a week to begin with if using a scrub. See how your skin copes with this amount of cleansing and cut back or stop if you see any reaction. Exfoliating using the chemical peel solution, you can use it daily, but first, try using milder solution to see how your skin copes with the chemicals and to this amount of exfoliating, and act accordingly.

Perfect Steps:

Always Cleanse your Skin before Exfoliating
Exfoliate
Important! After you Exfoliate your face always apply a moisturiser, and if you are going out during the day after Exfoliating you must use a Moisturizer with (Sun Protection Factor) SPF 30 or above.

What method do you prefer too use to exfoliate your face? Please leave any comments or questions below, and I will be happy to discuss them with you.

jo@yourskincarehelp.com

HydraFacial