BASIC SKIN CARE 101
POSTED 11/01/2020
Did you know that your skin is the largest organ in your body?
Skin protects you from the harsh elements of the environment, it prevents pathogens (which cause disease) from invading your body, and it helps regulate your body temperature! So versatile!
Skin plays an important role in your health and your skin’s appearance is just as important. Maintaining a proper skincare routine can improve your overall look and your health. No matter how many steps are in your current routine, a skincare routine should always benefit your skin in some way. There’s no sense in wasting money and using products that don’t target or correct what your particular skin concern is. There’s too many products out there to choose from to be unhappy with results, ya know? Anyone can benefit from a good, consistent skincare routine. Including these steps in your routine can ensure you’re on the path to clear, healthy skin. So, what exactly should be included in any, general skincare routine? Let’s get into it!
Cleanse
Thorough washing ensures that excess oils, dead skin cells, and grime are removed from your skin. Normally, a bar soap or body wash is used to clean the body, and some form of a cleanser is used to clean the face. A cleanser is imperative for any skincare routine. You never want to use the same soap for your face and your body, simply (unless it’s formulated to do so) because the skin on your face is way more sensitive and the product is most likely too harsh for the skin on your face. There's plenty of products that are gentle and more beneficial for your face than your favorite body soap. Do plenty of research before indulging—your skin will thank you. Not all cleansers are equal though, and depending on your skin type and skin concerns, you may change cleansers for various reasons. For me, I even switch up my cleanser during certain seasons since my skin behaves differently in certain weather conditions.
Moisturize
Hydrated skin is happy skin. I’ve never met a single person that flaunted their dry skin, have you? If your skin isn’t properly hydrated, it becomes dry, which eventually leads to flakiness and irritation. Your skin wants to be hydrated like your entire body does. Give it moisture! To maintain fresh, hydrated skin, you should always moisturize after cleansing. If you moisturize before cleansing, you’re basically washing off the hydration you want to stay and soak into your skin.
There's plenty of moisturizers out there, but as long as you know your skin, you’ll be able to decide which products are best. Depending on your skin type, you may find that even certain textures of moisturizers work better for you than others. For me, I prefer a lightweight, creamy moisturizer that doesn’t feel too thick or greasy after I put it on. There’s no problem with experimenting with different moisturizers until you find one that works for you. Just don’t break the bank in the process!
Protect
In day-to-day activities, your skin is exposed to a variety of environmental factors, such as UV rays and air pollution. These factors, especially in today's climate, play a significant role in damaging those healthy skin cells. Damage to your skin from these external factors can lead to skin issues such as overall dryness, premature wrinkles, and even discoloration.
Typically when people hear ‘UV rays’ and their damaging effects, they think of sun exposure. While the sun is a major source, it isn’t the only source of these harmful rays. There’s actually two types of UV rays that reach the earth's surface, UVA and UVB rays, but that’s a lesson for another time. Your skin is exposed to these rays constantly, when you’re on the computer… or scrolling on your cell phone…or if you’re just sitting indoors, doing absolutely nothing, under a typical, fluorescent light bulb. Extended exposure to these factors can even lead to skin cancer, which isn’t prevalent in darker skin tones, but is definitely still a risk.
It’s up to you to create a barrier between your skin and the harmful agents in the environment. Before working at a dermatology clinic, I only used sunscreen in the summer if, and only if, I was swimming for an extended amount of time. I believed, like many others, that Black people don’t really need sun protection. After learning its importance and its role in my skin concerns, I now use sunscreen on my face every single morning with my skincare routine.
You want to aim to apply sunscreen any place on your body that’s exposed to the sun, so that can be anywhere from your eyelids to your toes. Some sunscreens are formulated just for the face and some can be used for the face and body. Just keep in mind your skin type and skin concerns when picking a new sunscreen, as with any other skincare product.
Based on your skin type, you may need to alter this basic skincare routine to fit your skin’s needs. Common skin issues can occur even if you have the best, most non-problematic skincare routine out there. Sometimes your skin just has a mind of its own. I’ll explain some skin types and common skin conditions that may require a more in-depth routine.
As most may already know, the common four skin types are (not including the “normal” skin type because y’all are blessed and don’t need to do much):
Dry
epidermis (top layer of skin) lacks moisture; often marked by cracking, scaling, and itching
Combination
the best of both worlds! skin with areas that are dry and other areas that are oily
Oily
overreactive sebaceous glands in skin; also acne-prone skin; often marked by shininess and pimples due to overproduction of oil
Sensitive
skin that can possess any of the previous 3 types but also has significant redness and irritation
Skin conditions can also come into play and make your skincare routine a little bit more complicated. Personally, I battled with acne for almost two years of my life before I got a good grip on what actually worked for my skin. If you've ever had angry skin, you’re not alone. Here’s a few common skin conditions and their causes:
What prevents perfect, blemish-free skin?
Acne
inflammation of sebaceous glands
can solely be caused by products being applied to the skin
make sure you use products formulated for your skin type to limit irritation
Eczema
extremely dry and itchy patches of skin, can also be scaly; often has triggers (chlorine, hot water, etc.) that can worsen condition
three types of eczema: atopic, allergic, and irritant
limiting triggers is one of the keys to maintaining the condition
Rosacea
prevalent in pale, lighter skin tones; characterized by scaly, red patches mostly present on cheeks
can be really mild or severe
using mild products is key to reducing redness and irritation