Steps to Great Skin

Well summer has officially ended for almost everyone (YAY! Sorry I hate hot weather) and that means that your skin has probably been the last thing on your mind with the exception of sunburn. Your skin is probably a little dry (drier if you have spent time in the sun, tanning.) R. Patrick Abergal, MD, a dermatologist, says "A simple skincare routine is all you need to get and keep your great skin."

If a product tells you that it will be an overnight miracle beware! Chances are give it time and your skin will have a different problem because of the "miracle" ingredient. Also, you need to get to know your skin type as well so you know what products to go for to help your skin. A recent post I did called Skin Typing was where I explained how to find your skin type. So be sure to research your skin type and what products need and do not need to be used.

Abergal says it takes 3 weeks of routine regular use for any product to really show true results. There are three types of products your must have just get the ingredients right for your skin. I am fixing to go further into detail about all three of them.

Cleansers: Everyone knows that washing your face in the morning and at night is a good thing. However, some cleansers do more harm than good. That means you need to choose a facewash carefully. If you skin feels tight for a few minutes after washing, your cleanser is too harsh and that can cause major problems like zits. If a cleanser is too drying then it has a reverse affect. Your skin will freak out and overproduces oil. Find a cleanser that is lightly foaming. And be sure to rinse off all the cleanser every time you wash.

Toners: To be honest up until almost 5 months ago I had no idea these even existed and now I can't function without it. As a matter of fact I'm positive that's what my first review was on was my toner. Toners are meant to finish off the dirty job your cleanser started. They are great for people with oily skin. I happen to be a combination person and I have weird T zone because between my eyebrows is not oily but extremely dry. If you have a T zone oily skin, then swipe the toner on your T zone. How do you know if your toner has done its job? When it the cotton ball comes back completely clean without dirt, make-up, etc. I love mine because it tingles and smells fresh.

Moisturizers: Go for a lotion that's designed for facial skin (please please please do not even think about using a body or hand lotion for double-duty!) Got oily skin? You still need a moisturizer. Look for a light gel formula. Whatever brand you choose you need to make sure it has a SPF 15. You might be wrinkle-free now but unless you use sunscreen you won't like how your skin looks in 10 years.

I plan on doing more skin posts. Hope you enjoy.

Via