How to Properly Care for Your Skin

Monday, October 14, 2019

Learn different techniques and products to use for proper skin care

Have you suffered from dry, cracked, and itchy red skin? Consider this article as a guide to help reduce irritated, dry, and unhealthy skin.

Why is skin care important?

Your skin is the first line of defense against different outside environmental factors. If not taken care of properly, these outside elements can take a toll on the epidermis layer (top layer) of your skin. If this layer of skin is broken down, you are more susceptible to different infections. These infections may include, infected hair follicles and impetigo (lesions on the skin). Not only are you at risk for skin infections, you are also easily influenced by bacterial infections like Staphylococcus (Gram-positive bacteria) as well.

How can you start?

The most important thing to note about proper skin care is to know what ingredients you are using on your skin. Certain ingredients such as sulfates can pull out important oils in your skin. This chemical can leave your skin feeling dry and irritated. Other ingredients such as parabens can attack below the surface of the skin. Being as your skin is the first line of defense for your immune system, you do not want to add anything to irritate your skin more than it already is. In order to know what products you are using on your skin, you can reference the back of the products bottle for information regarding ingredients.

Use plant based products for the correct parts of your skin

For any type of skin it is important that you lean towards more natural based products. Plant based products tend not to be as harsh when coming in direct contact with your skin. It is also important to keep in mind that different parts of your body. When caring for your skin some sections can be more sensitive than others. Your face for example, can be more sensitive than your arms or legs. It is important that when you are buying different products, you use them accordingly. Be sure to use regular soaps for your body and facial soaps for your face. Some plant based products may include:

• Love and Beauty Planet Body Soap
• Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanse 
• Herbal Essence Paraben Free Shampoo
• Herbal Essence Paraben Free Conditioner
• Suave Professionals Almond and Shea Butter Shampoo
• Suave Professionals Almond and Shea Butter Conditioner

Figure 0.1 

What are some helpful tips?

Here are a few helpful tips to help maintain well balanced skin

Keep your skin moisturized

Keeping your skin moisturized is important because it maintains the durability of your skin. Using things like paraben free moisturizer helps prevent excessive dryness. This also helps stop your skin from cracking and breaking later on in the future. This extra defense serves to protect and nourish your skin when exposed to the environment around you.

Figure 0.2

Make sure to add vitamins to your skin

Vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin B are important to add to your skin care routine as well. These types of vitamins help your skin in maintaining a balanced concentration of natural oils in your skin. They also help your skin in fighting off infections you may be susceptible to with age. Vitamins for your skin can come in many different forms such as pills, lotions, and oils. Some examples products containing vitamins may include:

• HUM Daily Clean
• Olay Regenerist 
• HUM Glow Sweet Glow Gummies

Follow the instructions

When your are faced with different skin care products it is important to note the instructions given to you. When using things like facial scrubs it is important to follow the directions carefully to avoid overuse of the product. Failure to properly use the product may result in dryness, cracking, or even permanent damage to your skin.

Figure 0.3 Instructions listed at the top of the bottle

Come up with a daily routine 

As with most things, healthy skin is not achieved overnight. In fact it is a process that you will need to maintain on a daily basis. Gathering together a daily routine is important to keep your skin feeling replenished and well take care of. Your daily routine may consist of:

1.  Wake up wash your face and your body with the proper skin care product
2.  Give your face a break throughout the day
3.  Before going to bed apply moisturizing lotion and cream to your face and body 
4.  Apply a face mask once a week

Keep in mind the products you are using

Not all products are going to work with your skin. It is important to pay attention to any allergic reactions you may have to the products you are using. If so, it is important that you stop use of the product immediately and consult a professional for help. Remember that the entire point of skin care is to have happy, healthy skin. This goal cannot be achieved if your are exposing your skin to harmful products.

Trial and error

Finally skin care is about trial and error. Not all products will produce the result you are wanting. It is important that with skin care you experiment with different products to find the best fit for you. This may take some time, but have patience and remain persistent in your skin care journey!

Works Cited:

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<https://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/moisturizing/products/skin-moisturizers.htm>

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Sugimoto, Ginny. "kitsap sun." kitsaosun.com. 13 February. 2019. 19 October. 2019 <https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/life/2019/02/13/skin-care-prevent-infections/2865447002/>

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