Hello Beauties!
For my first official blog post I thought I'd start out by talking about some beauty basics. The thing that can make or break the most beautiful makeup application in the world is having bad skin. Taking care of your skin is vital, it is your largest organ and is your first defense against all pathogens.
A basic skin care routine should include at the very least, a cleanser and moisturizer. Optional thing such as scrubs, toners, masks, eye creams, and serums can also be added for an enhanced skincare experience.
** Please consult a dermatologist with any problems or questions**
Cleanser: The star of the show, cleansers, are used to get rid of dirt, oil, makeup, sweat, and any impurities on and in the skin. They can be specific to your skin type, or contain ingredients to help combat skin conditions. My favorite skin cleanser is the Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser. Charcoal is very good for combating oily skin, and this cleanser leaves your skin feeling like just brushed teeth.
Moisturizer: Moisturizers are vital for skincare. They replenish the moisture in your skin. This helps keep skin soft and reduce the effects of aging or dehydration. For anyone who says "I have oily skin, I can't use a moisturizer!" I say "Yes you can!" If you are constantly stripping your skin of it's natural oils without replenishing them, your body will say ' We keep running out of oils, we should produce more.' Voilà! The cycle continues. But if you are worried about looking too shiny with a moisturizer, there are special gel moisturizers which are geared towards this problem. Gel moisturizers are lighter in weight, and won't be as intense as a cream moisturizer. And if you have dry skin, try a cream moisturizer in a thick consistency. It will sit on the skin and hydrate the top layer. My favorite moisturizer is the Simple Sensitive Skin Experts Protecting Light Moisturizer with SPF 15. A natural option is Aloe Vera juice.
Scrubs: Scrubs are products which help exfoliate dead skin cells and other impurities. These are more harsh on skin and are recommended to only be used ever 2 or 3 days. Like cleansers, ingredients are commonly added to scrubs to help target specific skin needs. Skin calming or brightening ingredients are very common in scrubs. I like the Biore Charcoal Pore Minimizer Scrub. A natural option is an oatmeal scrub.
Toner: Toners are astringents which have properties to help reduce oil production, clean pores, and help prevent blemishes. These are mostly meant for oily or acne prone skin. You can also put toner in a spray bottle and use it as a skin refresher throughout the day. I always use Dickinson Original Witch Hazel. Also a natural option is lemon juice or plain Witch Hazel.
Face Oils/ Serums: Both face oils and serums have beneficial moisturizing and skin balancing properties. Face oils help combat aging and add a glow to the overall complexion. Serums are packed with ingredients that are beneficial to the skin such as vitamins that encourage cell and collagen production. The L'Oreal Age Perfect Glow Renewal face oil and the Seventh Generation Boosts Revitalizing Serum are both excellent products.
Eye Cream: Eye Creams are vital for keeping eyes looking youthful and sparkling. They are designed to be non-irritating so that they can be applied close to the eyes, and are packed with vitamins which reduce the signs of aging and tiredness. Some eye creams can be tinted to wear during the day and other heavier ones are meant to be worn at night while sleeping. Also cooling eye creams were developed to help stop puffiness around the eyes. A good eye cream is the Yes to Grapefruit Dark Circle Correcting Eye Cream.
Masks: Face masks are very condition specific. There are masks to treat acne, hydrate skin, cleans skin, brighten skin, and much more. Masks are meant to be left on the skin for certain periods of time to fully absorb or until hard. Also masks can be done 2-3 times a week, or only once a week if preferred. An amazing facemask (though pricey) is the Glam Glow Mud Mask.
Great tips!
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