What's In a Skin?

#skincare #skintypes #normalskin #dryskin #oilyskin #combinationskin #sensitiveskin

Our skin is only as good as what we put on it and in it. Your skin IS what you eat.

Skin types are as unique as a finger print. One product doesn't fit all and we need to pay particular attention to help it flourish. Just as we learn what products help our hair thrive so should we take the time to learn our skin types. Remember- whatever your skin type (normal, oily, dry, sensitive, combination) you want to keep the three most important things in finding the perfect products to keep your skin healthy; a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer that locks in hydration and a protector high in anti-oxidants.

There are 6 main skin types and they sometimes depending on your genetic make up can cross. This can make for a difficult find especially if you are dealing with sensitive skin but you suffer from acne. Most conventional acne products tend to be a bit rough on the skin with the ingredients used to battle acne which makes for aggravated skin that can tend to be overly dried out.

Here are some skin types and the characteristics behind them:

Normal Skin

“Normal” skin means that there are no extreme issues to be dealt with. The sebum, or the oil naturally produced by the skin’s sebaceous glands, is on regulated production. This means your skin is neither very dry nor very oily. The goal here is to find products to maintain that balance. Changes in the skin may be subtle. Don't assume that just because you have normal type skin that you can pretty much use any type of skin product. Be careful about keeping the balance of your skin's sebum production. If you use say a facial product formulated for oily skin you may actually be doing more harm than good. Because you would be dry your skin out or if using a product specifically for dry skin you may over - moisturized and clog your pores. Even in the natural world, pay attention to how your skin reacts to products. Even with there being natural ingredients some natural oils may leave your skin feeling oily or tight or itchy and dry.

Oily Skin

Often seen as problem skin, this skin type actually has the benefit of staying soft and resilient much longer than others – and taking much longer to show wrinkles. But the over-active sebaceous glands can cause unwanted shine, and in some cases, acne. Because of this, people with "oily" skin tend to do a-lot of over-cleaning, which damages the skin, drying it out and causing it to produce more oil. Be gentle, stop treating your skin like the enemy. Look out for ingredients that remove oil without drying out your face. Natural ingredients

like Willow Bark can help remove excess oils and even fight acne, as well, Tea Tree Oil, and Aloe Vera. Green clay is also a great friend to oily skin, giving the skin a chance to help restore balance of it's. pH levels. Facial masks are a good friend to have in your skin care arsenal. Green French clay is a great one for oily skin and Bentonite helps when you have oily and are prone to acne. Clays help to absorb excessive sebum that those with oily skin produce, and help prevent forms of acne like blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples. You might want to check the label to see if the product is ‘non-comedogenic’ (doesn’t clog pores). An exfoliating facial bar would help to open the pores to help alleviate excessive oils.