Beauty Article #1: Skin Talk

Hi girls!!
Did you know that proper skin care can slow the appearance of ageing? And who doesn't want to look younger right? Many of us however, can confess that we have issues with our skin; and if you're like me, a trip to Pennywise or SuperPharm is not always helpful. The truth is, many of us may have issues with our skin because we do not take proper care of our skin. I don't think however, that NEGLECT is the cause of our lack of care, but it is in fact the knowledge that we lack...we just don't know what products to use! But even more importantly, if we do not know what our SKIN TYPE is, we would not know what to use on it; and believe me, different skin types require different products. Your cousin may use Proactiv and get tremendous results with it, but your results may just be on the opposite end of the spectrum! But fear not girlfriends!...Knowledge is POWER. I do not profess to have all the answers, but I'll teach you what I know.

There are generally FOUR skin types:

• Normal
• Dry
• Oily
• Sensitive

Before you start wondering why I did not mention Combination skin, here's why:

Many people do not know that the T-zone area FOR ALL SKIN TYPES tends to be more oily than the surrounding areas. The T-zone area naturally produces more sebum. Because of this, if they notice that this area is more greasy, they think they have combination skin. Read below for a better understanding of your skin type.

Let's start with NORMAL skin:

The reason this type of skin is deemed as normal is because it is neither too oily, nor too dry. Congratulations to you if you have this skin type. You may not have as many skin issues as the rest of us! If you have normal skin, your texture would be more or less smooth and even. Having normal skin MAY not exclude you from having pimples, however, chances are you will have little to none at all. Your pores also are medium to small in size. With this skin type you will need to use pH-balanced products.

DRY skin:

The human body loses approximately 16 oz (2 cups) of water daily. This loss is primarily due to evaporation through the skin! Dry skin loses moisture faster than it can be replenished by the underlying tissue and thus becomes dry. Natural sebum production is also low and pores are small so the upside is that this skin type rarely breaks out. On the downside this type of skin does show signs of ageing, wrinkling easily, and also can be flaky. One key factor in determining whether you have this skin type is that it feels tight soon after cleansing, and is not very elastic...this is why it wrinkles so easily.

Be sure to drink lots of water! The skin care products that you use should have a high WATER content and also rich in anti-oxidants (which slows the effects of ageing). Try not to use astringents which are specifically formulated for oily skin as these will dehydrate your skin. And of course, moisturiser is a must! Hydrating serums may also be worth investing into.

OILY skin:

Oily skin is just that...OILY! The greasy nature of this skin type is due to over-active sebaceous glands and larger, open pores. Because of this, oily skin is more prone to the formation of pimples and blackheads.

That was the downside...the upside is, oily skin wrinkles less and hence looks younger for longer! It can also be very elastic, which locks in youth!

Some common mistakes people tend to make with oily skin is they do not moisturise. This is a mistake because if the skin is not hydrated, it will try to produce more oil to prevent drying out. People with oily skin should either use a water based moisturiser, or one specially formulated for oil control.

Also, using oil-stripping products or over washing the face will produce the same result of stimulating sebum production. 

Use oil-free products, noncomedogenics (products which DO NOT clog pores), or products enriched with oil-absorbers.Refrain from products with high alcohol content.

Lastly, SENSITIVE skin:

If you have sensitive skin, you would observe that your skin is sensitive to many products and burns or flushes easily. You may find that you develop rashes easily and so you are unable to use products that include fragrances or colouring. For this skin type you should try your best to avoid products with fragrances and colour (obviously), but also avoid any harsh products, such as those that include other alcohols or chemical sunscreens, and avoid harsh exfoliants. You should invest in hypoallergenic formulas (products that are unlikely to cause allergic reactions).

No matter what your skin type is, you should cleanse, tone and moisturise twice a day. Beauty is not only skin deep since what you put into your body can also affect your skin. So eat healthy and regularly exercise (which promote circulation) in order to maintain healthy skin.

I hope that this article has been helpful. Next time you visit Pennywise, SuperPharm, or whichever cosmetic counter you find yourself facing, be sure to read the labels. You now know what skin type you have so you can experiment to see which products within the allowed brackets work best for you. Feel free to comment below and let us know what type of skin you have and the products that you have found to work well for you, so that we can all learn from each other.

And also, just as you take care of your skin and feed it daily, ensure that you feed your spirit daily as well. Pray and read your Bible everyday. "Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright." Psalm 33:1 (KJV)...in other words...praise looks good on you :)

Be blessed!
Krystal