Skin Care Reviews

There are tons of skincare products nowadays touting to be the best and most effective in removing your wrinkles, firming and rejuvenating your skin. Some even tout to be a “plastic surgery” in a bottle or “botox” alternative. Most jargons remain marketing jargons and never deliver what they promised. Have you tried tons of bottled skincare which you bought from the TV Media Site, the top shelf space in the store, or simply from your attraction to some newspapers or magazines advertisements? Well, you are not alone. Having said that, the burning question is, how does one actually determine if a particular skincare is the best one to address a person’s skincare and needs?

Let’s check out the following guide for some pointers:-

1. 1. Identify Your Skin Care Needs

There are three main types of skin: (a)Dry and Matured, (b) Oily, and (c) Combination Skin.

(a) Dry skin usually do not emit much oil even in hot and humid weather and throughout the day. The age group that typically experience dry skin ranges from late thirties to forty and above. People in this age group would need to richer skincare from facial wash, toner, serums and creams. Types of skincare suitable for this age group would be: Hyaluronic Acid Lotions & Serums for hydration, Vitamin C for brightening and firming dull and saggy skin, Collagen for plumping the skin, Retina A for anti wrinkle, unless you are pregnant, and oil based essentials to lock in moisture and glow. Used in combination, these products can transform dry dull skin to radiant and firm supple skin. Don’t forget to top off with a night cream to lock in the wonderful contents you have lavished on your skin. Frequent hydrating mask would also be helpful.

(b) Oily skin are most apparent in the youth and young adults in the age group of around fourteen to early thirties and usually are accompanied by enlarged pores. This skin type is also most prone to acne problems and thus require the appropriate skincare to address these areas of concern. Types of skincare suitable for this age group would be: Light serums and Moisturisers tailored for oily and acne prone skin, glycolic acid based toners and lotions for clearing the skin, tea tree oils for antibacterial properties on acne, AHA based skincares that help to exfoliate and reveal clearer skin and maybe benzyl peroxide to help fight acne. Clay mask should also be applied regularly to help remove excess facial oil as well as close the pores.

(c) Combination Skin will have oily T-zone with the rest of the face being dry. This can be tricky as you may need different skin care products to address the different concerns of your skin. People belonging to this skincare group may experience acne on the forehead or T zone with lines and wrinkles under the eyes or cheekbone. There is no specific formula but generally, deeper pocket would be required here as usually the items listed in (a) above would be applied to the dry zone whilst help would be enlisted from items in (b) above for the oily T zone. As far as mask is concerned, mask your T zone with a clay mask spreading to the cheek area near your nose, if you have open pores and mask the rest of the face with a good moisturising and firming mask.

2. Identify your Lifestyle

Your lifestyle will play a huge part in determining the condition of you skin. A highly stressed executive, feeding on an unhealthy ‘take to go’ lunch, travelling heavily from one end of the world to another exposing himself or herself to climate changes, varying air pressures, jet lag, lack of sleep, overtime, lack of exercise, and other stresses life, will generally need higher maintenance to upkeep the skin than a relaxed homemaker who gets her regular daily exercise, tends the house with help, takes a leisurely lunch and tea break, has plenty of nap for a refresher, eats a well balanced home cooked food, and gets sufficient rest each day. Obviously, the high stressed, high maintenance person would need to look into rejuvenating and anti-aging skincare mainly listed at (a) above with possible oxygen based sprays or products to help awaken and quench the skin, then the leisurely homemaker, who may be able to get by with the basic vitamin c serum, topped up with another layer of night cream.

1. 3. Identify the Ingredients in the Bottle

With tons of products on the shelf, it is no wonder people get confused as to which product is the most ideal. Try to go for pure ingredients as far as possible or where your budget allows. Check the percentages of the ingredient in the entire content so that you get an effective product and not a diluted an ineffective solution. If you can, get your aesthetic doctors to recommend for example the best vitamin c serum or hyaluronic acid for you or glycolic acid for your acne prone skin.

4. Execute the Routine

Did you know that you need to prepare your skin before you apply the products to ensure maximum absorption? Some techniques to prepare your skin are:-

1. a. scrub: this removes the dull ‘horny’ layers of dead skin cells that may prevent your skincare from being absorbed. So remember to exfoliate a few times a week.
2. b. Massage: Massaging your lymph nodes on the face (the under-area front and back of your ear lobe, touching on the back of the jaw line), on the decollege, and arm pits, does wonders to promote great blood circulation for your face and therefore better absorption of critical ingredients into the skin. This also has an awakening effect whereby toxins are flushed out of the face with water retention so that you will look less puffy and tired.
3. c. Never starve but Do not Overfeed: Apply the right amount of skincare according to the instructions on the packaging. Remember to apply the lightest in texture, finishing with the creamiest as the final layer. Never overapply as this may just clog your pores and prevent the skincare from being absorbed. Rotating the type of skincare you apply on different days and nights does help to improve their efficiency as the cells are stimulated to a change in product and reacts accordingly.
4. d. Use plastic wrap or plastic shower cap (with 2 holes cut for breathing) over your skincare to generate heat (sauna effect) and promote better absorption of your skincare.

Remember every effort here will pay off handsomely, or beautifully, I should say and the principle of reaping what you sow certainly applies here. You will know that it is worth that effort when people start telling you how great you look for your age and how you may even look younger than your peers or people actually younger than you. So take your time when choosing and execute your skincare routine well and diligently so that you will have the best skin ever.