I am by no means a skincare expert but I think I have a pretty good knowledge of skincare, products and what to look for skincare. This whole post was born from a Twitter conversation with a lovely lady who was confused about skincare so I thought I'd put to together a few tips on what to look for when shopping for skincare.
Know you skin type...
First and foremost the most important part of skincare shopping is know you skin type. It's so important so you can find the right products that are going to work for you. If you use products not suitable for your skin type then this will have a negative effect and you'll probably end up wasting your money. There are 5 main skin types:
Normal - is not oily nor dry. It is normally soft smooth and only occasionally suffers from breakouts.
Oily - This skin type produces too much oil and can often look shiny. Oily skin types are also more likely to suffer from breakouts and have enlarged pores.
Dry - Is the opposite to oily, it doesn't have enough oils and feels tight with dry patches.
Dehydrated - This is different to dry skin. Dehydrated skin is when they're isn't enough water coming from inside the body as opposed to oil on the outside. So even oily skin types can suffer from dehydrated skin.
Combination - combination skin is when you suffer from more than one issue. So you could have an oily t-zone but dry patches on your cheeks.
There is loads of information online to help you determine your skin type. I found this (link) one in particular very useful. Once you know your skin type it should be whole lot easier to find products that work for you.
Key Products...
There are literally products for everything. And even I get confused and see stuff and wonder if I should be using it. But I really think a basic routine centred around you skin type and skin concealers is good enough, especially if your only just getting into skincare. Key Products should be...
A Makeup Remover - if you wear makeup. Removing your makeup before cleansing the skin is so important. More recently known as the double cleanse. It just makes sense to remove makeup before actually cleaning your skin. Makeup removers can take various different forms. For waters, creams to oils. I think it's all down to personal preference. I personally love oil cleansers. They are best at melting down makeup, even mascara without being drying or stripping. My current favourite is the DCH Deep Cleansing oil* | £12.50 | Review | Obviously you only need a makeup remover when you are removing makeup and this isn't essential in the morning if you've removed your makeup before bed.
A Cleanser - Cleansers have become very sophisticated over the years. They come in all forms - Gels, balms, creams and bars! I have dehydrated skin so I really like cream cleansers. I found them the most effective without being too stripping but this varies from brand to brand. I currently love the Purlisse Blue Lotus Cleanser* | $36 | Review | it leaves my skin feeling so soft and smooth!
A Serum - I'm not sure if a serum is essential for all skin types I can only really speak for my own skin and serum is for sure an essential for me. It adds an extra layer of moisture and there are many for different skin concerns. I've also found serums are far more effective in tackling any skincare issue, like brightening or radiance.
A Moisturiser - My best friend never moisturises and it literally makes my skin crawl. This for me is such an important step, regardless of your skin type. It's your protective layer and seals in your other skincare. I read that it's important to get a moisturiser for your skin type rather than condition. My all time favourite moisturiser is The La Roche Posay Toleraine Fluid | £17 | REVIEW | It leaves my skin incredibly soft, hydrated and doesn't break me out!
Treatments - this is the part that is probably the most confusing. Acids, retinols, nourishers, healing you name it there's a treatment for everything, most of which you probably didn't even realise you had or needed. But I really benefit from a good face mask or treatment. I particular love AHA treatments, which are chemical exfoliators. See this Acid 101 AHA for more details and my favourite AHA products. Also see A Face Mask For Any Skincare Concern here.
Shopping...
Now it's off shopping. I actually hate makeup and skincare counters and actually avoid them. I tend to find sales staff way too pushy and try to sell me stuff that wouldn't be beneficial for me or products that they're trying to make targets on. So I tend to do most of my skincare shopping online. Also find it gives more time to research a product. I always read reviews which I think is so important. I can gauge really well after reading a few reviews if a product is going to work well for me or if I'm going to like. So my top tip here is do research before parting with your cash!
Listen To your skin...
This is so important if your skin is acting in way that makes you think it doesn't like a product stop using it! Using the wrong or unsuitable skincare for you skin can actually be worse than using any at all. If it burns and makes your eyes water I imagine this isn't good so maybe step away from it!
If it works than stuck to it...
This is the tip I struggle most with! Sticking to routine is very important and changing up products all the time can also cause the skin to have a little freak out! But being a beauty junkie I just love trying new things. But if you're not like me do what works for you!!!
Please be aware that I am not skincare expert, and what I say isn't set in stone. Skincare is so subjective and what works for me may not work for you! And if you have a skincare routine that works for you then please do carry on!
I hope this was helpful!
What are your top skincare tips when looking for skincare?
Until next time...
Don't forget to follow me on:
No comments