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Anonymous Insider

Need some guidance!

Hi beauties, I'm ashamed to even admit but I'm in my thirties and I feel that I'm completely clueless about how to care for my skin, whenever I go to Sephora or ask anyone in general, I get overwhelmed and give up. My skin is combination so I have some spots that are super dry, it does look good for my age but I'd still like some advise on basic routine ideas, like what should I be doing nd using everyday? 

I really appreciate your help!

Re: Need some guidance!

Hello, I think if you would like to get into a basic skin routine to start, you should cleanse, moisturize, and use a sunscreen to begin. I don't suggest using too many products in the beginning since it's hard to keep track of which ones are helping and which ones are not, and try to find products without extremely long ingredient lists, because skin on the face can only tolerate so many ingredients.

I also strongly suggest doing your best to only use products without fragrance, because it does nothing beneficial for skin and only causes irritation and sensitivity overtime, and even potential hormonal imbalances. People also tend to develop allergies to fragrance in skincare over time, so I just stay away from it since it only really yields long-term problems and is only in skin care for you to smell (totally unnecessary). Fragrance in wash-off products is less risky, such as cleansers or masks because they only stay on your skin for a short period of time.

Maybe start off with cleansing once a day before bed, because cleansing twice can be too much and cause some irritation and dryness. You can definitely cleanse twice per day if you have oily skin for instance. A double cleanse can be necessary when you wear makeup during the day or water-resistant sunscreen, because one cleanser will most likely not be enough to remove all of that at once. A double cleanse uses a oil-based or cream cleanser, or cleansing balm (which is an oil cleanser in solid form) first, to break up all the products on the skin, rinsed off, and then followed up with a water based cleanser to lift the excess sebum, dirt, and pollutants from within the inside of your pores. I personally use The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser 5 oz/ 150 mL as my first cleanse because it is in the form of a cream and melts away my sunscreen and makeup from the surface of my skin, without feeling uncomfortabley greasy like an oil does. You can find many types of good oil cleansers such as the CLINIQUE Take The Day Off Cleansing Oil Makeup Remover 6.7 oz/ 200 mL  or cleansing balms on sephora that are very effective, as these types of cleansers are harder to find on the drugstore. In terms of the second water-based cleanse: if you would like products that are not too expensive and simply perform their function with no nonsense, I recommend looking into the brand Cerave. They have good gentle cleansers and moisturizers for different skin types. Their cleansers all have ceramides in them, which I think is a great ingredient to have in cleansers because they help to keep the skin hydrated and conditioned while cleansing; cleansing can be the most stripping and drying part of your skin care routine, so the ceramides are very smart in cleansers in my opinion. They have a cleanser for normal to oily skin ("Foaming Facial Cleanser"), normal to dry skin ("Hydrating Cleanser"), and for acne-prone skin ("SA Cleanser").

After cleansing, I think it is important to apply a moisturizer to your skin while it is still damp; don't dry your face and then apply it. This is great because the ingredients in your moisturizers such as hyaluronic acid and proteins will penetrate and seal in the hydration even better. This isn't an imperative step, but I always apply moisturizer to damp skin because it works better, and it prevents bacteria from spreading when you use a towel. If you do choose to dry your face first, use a new face cloth each time, or you could even use paper towel since it is always clean and biodegradable. Also, if you do dry your face after cleansing, be sure to pat it dry instead of rubbing, tugging, or smearing the towel around your face because it can irritate the skin while it is already in a delicate position from the cleansing process. Good affordable moisturizers that I like are The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA 1 oz/ 30 mL as an option for just basic normal skin, the Cetaphil "Moisturizing Lotion" for dryer to normal skin, or the Cerave "PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion" for oily skin, and you can use this during the AM as well. One that is a bit more expensive that I really like is the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration 2 oz/ 56.7 g for almost all skin types; I love this because it works for me on really hot sweaty days because it is light weight and it works during time periods that i have really dry flaky skin. It has colloidal oatmeal in it, which is very soothing and hydrating, and great for sensitive skin too. I even use it on my body like my legs and underarms after shaving.

lastly, during the day, you NEED to apply a sunscreen! it is estimated that over 90% of skin aging comes from the sun! if you do nothing else, use a sunscreen. There are two types of sunscreens: chemical and mineral. Chemical ones block UV by trapping the harmful rays and turning them into heat on the surface of the skin, and mineral ones are very finely milled minerals that sit at the surface of the skin and reflect (like a mirror) the harmful rays away. Mineral sunscreens also work to physically block out environmental pollution and harmful free radicals too, so you get the benefit of sun protection and pollution protection at the same time. Chemical sunscreens can be more irritating around the eye area, and are more likely to cause breakouts, and mineral ones are non-irritating and non-comedogenic (don't cause breakouts). The only downside to mineral sunscreens are that they tend to be thick and leave a white cast. Just try to find a mineral sunscreen that doesn't leave a cast on your skin, or get a sunscreen that is a combination of mineral and chemical for the best of both worlds. Another important thing is to use a sunscreen that is broad spectrum, meaning it protects from both UVA and UVB. UVA rays cause sunburn and UVB rays penetrate deeper into the skin and damage collagen without you knowing it which cuases wrinkles, crow's feet, sagging, etc (the 90% of pre-mature aging that I mentioned earlier). I have yet to find the perfect sunscreen for my skin, but I am currently using the Neutrogena "Sheer ZInc", Aveeno "Positively Mineral Sensitive Skin", and as a chemical one I like to use the Sun Bum "Original Face".

Other little notes and tips to be ware of: 

- Avoid the ingredient "denatured alcohol"/"alcohol denatured"; it is very very drying and sensitizing, even for oily skin

- Be sure to re-apply your sunscreen at least every 3 hours, or at the minimum thrice per day

- Don't feel the need to splurge on expensive trending skincare! Most of these fad items are not as effective as simpler brands and are full of fragrance and unnecessary ingredients

- If you'd like to exfoliate, use a chemical exfoliant instead of a physical one (which are physical scrubs and brushes)... AHA and BHA are effective exfoliants that you can apply topically in the form of a serum or a liquid such as a toner or essence, or you could use a weekly mask with these ingredients, that gently remove the dead skin and can also remove oil that causes breakouts. I really like the Paula's Choice "2% BHA" as an option to use once per week. Especially for a beginner, you shouldn't be exfoliating too much.

-other things to avoid are wipes, like makeup wipes: I do not like makeup wipes and most dermatologists do not recommend them because most of them contain a lot of fragrance, they do not effectively remove makeup (even if it looks like they do, the makeup and dirt, pollutants etc are still very much in your pores), they are irritating because of is harmful to rub your skin with them (causes aging, sensitivity, and is a form of abrasive physical exfoliation that strips your skin), and lastly they are very bad for the environment.

- if you are interested in anti-aging, Retinoids are the most researched and proven products to use. Look into what retinoid it best for you on youtube or your dermatologist.

If you'd like to do more research, I love Dr. Dray on youtube; she is a dermatologist with a simple and effective skin care philosophy and provides information that is backed up my clinical studies.

Re: Need some guidance!

this is extremely solid advice with some excellent foundation product recommendations

Re: Need some guidance!

Thanks so much! I'm glad you found this helpful 🙂

Re: Need some guidance!

Hi @Anonymous ! Nothing to be ashamed of! Skincare has become ridiculously overwhelming in general. 

 

My approach to skincare: 

 
  1. Decide what specific skincare issues (if any) you want to address. 
  2. Learn which ingredients can address those issues. 
  3. Look for products that contain those ingredients. 
  4. Consider asking a dermatologist for advice. 
Spoiler
There are other things to consider, like product formulation and ensure products don’t contain bad-for-you ingredients. But those 4 steps are my starting point.

For step 1, one issue could be those dry patches you mentioned. Other examples: hyperpigmentation/uneven skin tone, inflammation/constant redness, dull complexion, overproduction of oil, lines/wrinkles, etc. 

For some issues, you may want to see a dermatologist in case you have a skin condition that needs diagnosis and specialized treatment options. Some folks who have flaky, red, dry skin patches find out from derms that they actually have rosacea, for instance. 
Here’s a very basic and effective skincare routine: 
 
  1. Wash with a gentle, non-drying/stripping cleanser at least once a day (preferably night, to wash the day’s crud away). 
  2. Moisturize with something fairly occlusive that’ll help your skin retain hydration. Be sure to apply moisturizer to damp skin; you'll want some kind of hydration layer beneath your moisturizer so it can seal in that moisture. 
  3. Apply sunscreen (daytime) to stop the sun from doing more damage to your skin. Minimum SPF of 30. 

As my derm has told me (more than once), those are the basic ingredients for a good cake. Everything else is just decorative icing. 

Spoiler
I left out the “treat” step because you might not need it. That’s where you’d apply hydration toners/essences, serums, and other products as needed. For most folks, this happens between wash and moisturize. But some treatments can be used after moisturizer, especially on sensitive skin. This is often done with retinoid serums, for instance.

I lump toners into the "treat" step because honestly, most toners these days are formulated as hydrators, exfoliants, or antioxidant delivery methods; they’re not the drying/stripping pH-adjusters of old. Not everyone needs a toner; depends on your particular skin and the issues you want to address. 
 
I also left out the “exfoliate” step, which is where you remove dead skin cells from the surface of your face. That would happen after the wash step. Can be physical or chemical exfoliation, and I recommend doing it just 1-3 times a week.

Chemical exfoliants are AHA (alpha hydroxy acid; there are several of these, but the strongest exfoliators are glycolic acid and lactic acid), PHA (polyhydroxy acid; these acids work more slowly than AHAs, making them better for sensitive skin), and BHA (salicylic acid). BHA can also get down into pores to attack acne-causing bacteria and clear out gunk thats blocking or stretching them. 
I don’t want to recommend products without knowing what issues (if any) you want to address. I’m in my late 40s with combo skin, and my issues might be different from yours—so my skincare routine could look very different from the one that works for you. 

Re: Need some guidance!

Hi @Anonymous ! 

I would suggest a gentle cleanser like Cetaphil, Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser 5.41 oz/ 160 mL , or Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cleanser 4 oz/ 120 mL .

Next, you may want to use a toner or serum. These are optional! Kiehl's Since 1851 Ultra Facial Toner 8.4 oz/ 250 ml, Glow Recipe Pineapple Vitamin C Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL Glow Recipe Plum Plump™ Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum 1.0 oz/ 30 mL 

A moisturizer is essential! I love SEPHORA COLLECTION All Day Hydrator - Hydrate & Glow 1.69oz/ 50mL , which has Hyaluronic Acid, a super hydrator! It is also non-comedogenic (won't clog your pores!) 💧

Finally, sunscreen! SPF should be worn every day, even when indoors! This one also protects against blue light from your screen Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 1.7 oz/ 50 mL .

You might also want a spot treatment for pimples, or a refreshing face mist! Proactiv Emergency Blemish Relief Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Chamomile and Lavender 8 oz/ 236 mL 

I hope this helps! Have a wonderful day and let me know if you have any questions 💕

Re: Need some guidance!

Hi @Anonymous!

 

A good routine to follow is cleanser, toner, essence (not everyone needs this), treatment, serum, moisturizer, eye cream, and sunscreen during the day.  You can use sheet masks a few times a week and exfoliate 2-3 times a week unless otherwise stated.

 

Serums can be layered so you can use multiple at one time.  They're the best way to target your skin concerns.

 

If you go to the Farmacy official site, you can sign up for a free virtual skincare consultation.  They suggest some of their products that might help your skin type and concerns.  There's no pressure to buy their products and they'll send you a list of the suggested products at the end.  I think HUDA official site has a similar consultation as well.

Re: Need some guidance!

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