1. How to choose the right skin care?
First of all, know your skin type.
There are four basic types of healthy skin: normal, dry, oily and combination skin
How to recognize your skin type:
Normal: If your skin feels hydrated and comfortable, you likely have normal skin
Dry: If it feels tight and is flaky or scaly, you likely have dry skin. In most cases a rich textured cream will do the trick.
Oily: If your skin appears shiny throughout, you likely have oily skin.
A common mistake that people make is that if they have oily skin they do not moisturise which is wrong, it is important to get a light textured moisturizer adapted for oily skin.
Combination: If the shine is only in your T-zone, you probably have combination skin, this is the most common skin type.
Please note that except for normal skin, all other skin types can also be sensitive.
2- A couple of general rules:
The skin on your face is the most exposed to pollution as well as UVA and UVB rays, so it is crucial from a young age to use SPF as 80% damage to skin is done by the sun.
Depending in which country you live you might be ok with a factor 20, for hot countries factor 50 (sun block) is highly recommended.
A high amount of rays will create fine lines, wrinkles and brown spot or hyper pigmentation over time.
Eat lots of vegetable and fruits and drink plenty of fluids, water or herbal teas, don’t forget moisture also comes from the inside. Avoid smoking and keep your alcohol intake low.
2. What would be the right Morning care routine?
- First cleanse the skin with creamy/ foamy cleanser depending on your skin type, rinse with water.
- Tone (you can use a spray toner, or toner on a cotton pad)
- Apply relevant eye cream
- Use a serum, it penetrates deeper than a moisturizer, a vitamin C serum is great to brighten up the skin, you can use an anti ageing serum from 30 years old.
- Moisturize with the correct moisturizer for your skin type.
- Apply SPF if not in your moisturizer or not in any makeup product you might use.
- You don’t need to double up on SPF, one product containing SPF will be enough.
3. What would be the right Night care?
At night, your skin switches from “protect” mode to “repair”, and it’s time for it to recover from the day’s stresses.
Remove all makeup, if you don’t wear makeup, you will still need to cleanse your skin, tone and use only one product either an oil or a night cream.
For eye makeup remover, I always prefer a Bi phase which is oily, shake before use and apply on cotton pad.
Then you can use various cleansers for the skin, you can use creamy cleanser that you apply with fingers and rinse with a warm mousseline cloth, that will gently exfoliate the skin and remove any makeup if you applicable.
You can also use a milky lotion on a cotton pad, followed up by a toner still on a cotton pad before applying you night cream or oil to regenerate the skin.
4. Once or twice a week:
Depending on what product you use, it is recommended to exfoliate the skin once or twice a week, followed by a mask.
Use the correct product for your skin type.
For example: use a moisturising mask if your skin feels dehydrated,
Use a deep cleansing mask if you have blemishes or your skin is oily.
Use an anti ageing mask is fine lines or wrinkles are your concerns.
Steps for mini facial at home:
- Cleanse the skin
- Exfoliate
- Use a face steamer to open up the pores
- Dry and apply mask
- Rinse mask according to instructions
5. Two important ingredients that we hear a lot of, what are they and what do they do?
Hyaluronic acid: is a sugar molecule, not actually an acid as its name may imply, that already exists in our skin. Hyaluronic acid is a gel-like substance that has the unique ability to retain moisture; so it works wonderfully as an anti-aging component in face creams and serums, as the hyaluronic acid can hold over 1,000 times it’s weight in water.
We produce less and less hyaluronic acid as we age. From around the age of 25, the skin’s own production of hyaluronic acid slowly decreases. That means the skin loses moisture and volume, fine lines and wrinkles appear.
Retinol: Retinol, a form of vitamin A, is an ingredient added to skin creams, lotions and serums. It has anti-aging effects and can help clear acne. Products containing retinol are widely available over-the-counter, and stronger concentrations of retinoids are available by prescription.
Very important, when you start using retinol, you must start with the smallest concentration and increase on your next bottle, stick to the same brand so there is no confusion with the percentage.
Always use at night on a cleansed skin
You can either do a course of 2 weeks on 2 weeks off or use for one month or 2 every now and then but use it every couple of days. Don’t forget to use SPF as your skin will be more fragile and more receptive to UV whilst using Retinol.
There is a more gentle alternative to Retinol, the natural retinol called Bakuchiol:
bakuchiol is not only as effective as retinol at targeting fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tone; it’s also less irritating. Bakuchiol triggers the genetic pathway in skin cells to create several types of collagen that are useful in skin health.
6. How to tighten a mature skin
Taking care of your skin is half the battle won, however if you would like a more dramatic effect, you can always use what we call: “TWEAKMENTS”.
Top tweakments:
Botox: It prevents lines from forming in the first place by constricting muscle movement. Particularly good across the forehead and around the eyes, effect can last for up to 6 months.
Derma Filler: These injectables usually composed of hyaluronic acid reinstate plumpness.
They fill lines and wrinkles and add volume to areas such as your lips or cheeks.
Fillers are not permanent. How long they last depend on things like the type of filler and where it’s injected. They usually last between 6 and 18 months.
Microneedling: Dermaroller treatments use tiny needles to create microscopic punctures in the skin. This triggers the body’s healing response, activating fresh collagen and elastin, so wrinkles look softer.
7. Common skin issues:
Rosacea: redness, red patches and sensitive skin can be the result of rosacea but not necessarily therefore it is important to be diagnosed by a dermatologist.
Acne: There are various types of acne that can occur at different stages in life not only during the teenage years. It is best to speak to a dermatologist to find the
