SKIN CARE 101
Now
that the science crash course is out of the way, let's get into skin
care a bit more. Please note that when I talk about moisture I am referring to hydration ie. the lack of water.
First thing is first. The skin on your face if different than the skin on the rest of your body! It requires a different sort of care. The majority of the Sebaceous glands (Oil producing glands) can be found on the face, scalp, chest and back. They exist in the Dermis (2nd layer) of the skin. Not surprising the face, chest and back is where people will have the most acne issues. It is why we need to treat the face with different products than we do the rest of our body.
SOAP IS BAD FOR THE FACE M'KAY? (and sometimes the body too)
Most people think: what is the big deal? You wash with soap to scrub off all that dirt and your good. Right? Wrong. Teachers and esthetic students are taught the "S word" is the unmentionable word. A Soaps PH balance (Alkaline Vs Acidic levels) is usually very Alkaline. The human skin is a little more on the Acidic side. When you use the soap you are stripping your skin of all of its natural moisture (water) and disrupt the skins natural PH balance. Most people believe that, that "squeaky clean" feeling is a good thing. It's not. It's a bad thing. That tightness and sometimes itchiness is your skins way of screaming at you for moisture (Hydration). As I mentioned before depriving your skin of that moisture (hydration) will lead to wrinkles in the face. On that note your entire body benefits from a product that promotes hydration.
We will get into dehydration and the products that can help fix that later.
KNOW IT!
First thing is first. The skin on your face if different than the skin on the rest of your body! It requires a different sort of care. The majority of the Sebaceous glands (Oil producing glands) can be found on the face, scalp, chest and back. They exist in the Dermis (2nd layer) of the skin. Not surprising the face, chest and back is where people will have the most acne issues. It is why we need to treat the face with different products than we do the rest of our body.
SOAP IS BAD FOR THE FACE M'KAY? (and sometimes the body too)
Most people think: what is the big deal? You wash with soap to scrub off all that dirt and your good. Right? Wrong. Teachers and esthetic students are taught the "S word" is the unmentionable word. A Soaps PH balance (Alkaline Vs Acidic levels) is usually very Alkaline. The human skin is a little more on the Acidic side. When you use the soap you are stripping your skin of all of its natural moisture (water) and disrupt the skins natural PH balance. Most people believe that, that "squeaky clean" feeling is a good thing. It's not. It's a bad thing. That tightness and sometimes itchiness is your skins way of screaming at you for moisture (Hydration). As I mentioned before depriving your skin of that moisture (hydration) will lead to wrinkles in the face. On that note your entire body benefits from a product that promotes hydration.
We will get into dehydration and the products that can help fix that later.
KNOW IT!
Before we go any further it is EXTREMELY important to know the difference between having Dry skin and Dehydrated skin. It will help you tremendously when out there trying to find the right products for you.
Dry skin= lacking oil. Small sebaceous (oil) glands or glands that do not produce enough oil.
Dehydrated skin= Lacking water. You have dried out or stripped the skin of it's water content or is caused by medication, aging.
You also need to do away with the whole 'Black heads is dirt' thing. It's so not true but we will talk about that when we get to the oily skin section.
ABSORPTION VS PENETRATION
There is something else that you do need to know. If you go on google and you attempt to research about skin penetration or absorption, you are going to be there for an awful long time. There is some craziness floating around that says the skin has a 60% absorption rate. (I came across it when trying to find research for myself while in school) If you look at this from a logical standpoint, never mind a scientifical one, if it were true...we ought to be dead by now. There is lots of debate of this topic. Should we be concerned? How much should we be concerned? Are we safe from what's in these products? What is the risk of topical concoction's we place upon our skin? All very valid questions of course.
It would be good then to firstly know the difference between Penetration and Absorption: Penetration stays within the Epidermis essentially.
Absorption means to go beyond the layers of the skin to enter into the blood stream.
When we speak about cosmetics and topical creams and such we are talking about penetration not absorption. Our skin therefore does NOT absorb everything that we touch. Hence why I said that if it were true...we'd surely be dead by now.
Now, if the sum of what we have learned is that the skin is designed to keep mostly things out, then judging by the information I just gave you, it's looking like all those creams and topical products out there are a sham. Right? Well...it's more complicated than that. Our skin is an amazing organ. It has the right acids, bacteria, and functions to keep foreign matter out but it still is possible to give back to our skin.
You also need to do away with the whole 'Black heads is dirt' thing. It's so not true but we will talk about that when we get to the oily skin section.
ABSORPTION VS PENETRATION
There is something else that you do need to know. If you go on google and you attempt to research about skin penetration or absorption, you are going to be there for an awful long time. There is some craziness floating around that says the skin has a 60% absorption rate. (I came across it when trying to find research for myself while in school) If you look at this from a logical standpoint, never mind a scientifical one, if it were true...we ought to be dead by now. There is lots of debate of this topic. Should we be concerned? How much should we be concerned? Are we safe from what's in these products? What is the risk of topical concoction's we place upon our skin? All very valid questions of course.
It would be good then to firstly know the difference between Penetration and Absorption: Penetration stays within the Epidermis essentially.
Absorption means to go beyond the layers of the skin to enter into the blood stream.
When we speak about cosmetics and topical creams and such we are talking about penetration not absorption. Our skin therefore does NOT absorb everything that we touch. Hence why I said that if it were true...we'd surely be dead by now.
Now, if the sum of what we have learned is that the skin is designed to keep mostly things out, then judging by the information I just gave you, it's looking like all those creams and topical products out there are a sham. Right? Well...it's more complicated than that. Our skin is an amazing organ. It has the right acids, bacteria, and functions to keep foreign matter out but it still is possible to give back to our skin.
For example: It is in my opinion that those topical creams that claim to have
collagen in them...don't really work as good. Why? Because the molecules are too big to
be able to get through the epidermis (outter most layer).
However, if you first do a serious buffing of the epidermis and then applied Vitamin C in the form of a concentrate (Serum/oil concentrate), it helps to stimulate your bodies own natural collagen. The molecules of an oil are smaller and therefore can penetrate further. There's a huge difference there. Stimulating your own body to function is the more natural way to go.
HOW ARE WE TO STAY FOREVER YOUNG?
You want the truth as to what will help to keep you looking your youngest? Look at your life style first. What you eat (spices, hormone injected foods), drink (alcohol and coffee because they are very dehydrating), Are you an outdoors person? (Do you protect against the wind and cold? ), and how healthy you keep your skin (Do you bake in the sun without protection? Do you uses sun care at all? Do you hydrate and exfoliate?). What keeps you young will be partial life style and protection against the environment.
If we are speaking life choices aside and strictly skin care, it is all about exfoliation and hydration ALL the way. They should be viewed like twins. They shouldn't be separated.
YOUR BEST TIPS FOR YOUTHFUL SKIN
Exfoliate that skin remembering to be gentle for daily exfoliation. Use the right exfoliator for your skin type. Exfoliation exposes fresh skin so that way other products can work much better! Get the very most out of your products and your dollars! Why apply creams and expensive serums on dead skin!?
I don't know too many people that don't enjoy alcohol or coffee. I know a lot of people love to ski, bike, hike, swim, all of which help to dehydrate your skin. Help yourself. Re-hydrate your skin. Feel it suck up all that moisture happily. It will show you it's appreciation much like a child does...in due time.
However, if you first do a serious buffing of the epidermis and then applied Vitamin C in the form of a concentrate (Serum/oil concentrate), it helps to stimulate your bodies own natural collagen. The molecules of an oil are smaller and therefore can penetrate further. There's a huge difference there. Stimulating your own body to function is the more natural way to go.
HOW ARE WE TO STAY FOREVER YOUNG?
You want the truth as to what will help to keep you looking your youngest? Look at your life style first. What you eat (spices, hormone injected foods), drink (alcohol and coffee because they are very dehydrating), Are you an outdoors person? (Do you protect against the wind and cold? ), and how healthy you keep your skin (Do you bake in the sun without protection? Do you uses sun care at all? Do you hydrate and exfoliate?). What keeps you young will be partial life style and protection against the environment.
If we are speaking life choices aside and strictly skin care, it is all about exfoliation and hydration ALL the way. They should be viewed like twins. They shouldn't be separated.
YOUR BEST TIPS FOR YOUTHFUL SKIN
Exfoliate that skin remembering to be gentle for daily exfoliation. Use the right exfoliator for your skin type. Exfoliation exposes fresh skin so that way other products can work much better! Get the very most out of your products and your dollars! Why apply creams and expensive serums on dead skin!?
I don't know too many people that don't enjoy alcohol or coffee. I know a lot of people love to ski, bike, hike, swim, all of which help to dehydrate your skin. Help yourself. Re-hydrate your skin. Feel it suck up all that moisture happily. It will show you it's appreciation much like a child does...in due time.
CONCLUSION
I hope I could teach you something useful in my first blog post for you. I know it is a lot of information to take in but this stuff is crucial to the rest of everything else you are about to learn. It will help you to understand what I am talking about as we dive further into skin care.
Next time I am going to talk more about skin types. Don't forget to subscribe and follow my blog so that you can get the updates as we talk further!
Enjoy, Life, Love, Liberty and always yourself.
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