"What's your skin type?" A seemingly easy question. Everyone knows their skin type, right? Well, apparently I went a solid 26(ish) years answering this question with the wrong answer. (It's not that surprising considering I also went almost 20 years thinking I had brown eyes [they're hazel], but that's a horse of a different color.) I went nearly my whole life thinking I had oily, acne prone skin. I could clearly see oily spots, I would get acne, so therefore I had oily skin, right? Wrong. It was not until my lovely mother gifted me a certificate for a medical grade facial from Lincoln Park Aesthetics did I discover the error of my ways. Michelle, my facialist, proclaimed, "wow your skin is drinking this stuff, I've had to use twice the usual amount of product on you." and the epiphany began. She explained to me not only was my skin not drowning in oil, it was actually dry. Really dry. Yes, I did have an oily t-zone, but my nose skin was so dry it was cracked and peeling, despite the presence of oil. My acne was more likely a byproduct of dryness than it was oil.
Well, shit.
Now, in a perfect world, I would have continued going to Michelle for bi-monthly facials for the rest of my life and that would be the end of it. But being the broke-as-all-hell twenty something I was (and still am), I needed to try and tackle this on my own. Michelle had told me to stop using "acne" products and physical exfoliants, they were destroying my skin. Instead I needed to focus on hydration above all else. Once my skin was hydrated and balanced, the acne would probably sort it self out. Armed with the two products I could afford to buy from LPA, (Epionce Balancing Toner & Medical Barrier Cream) I started my skin journey. It's been two years and while my skin still isn't "perfect" it's a hellofalot better. Here's what I learned:
1. Find out your skin type. Your actual skin type. It's important to note skin changes all the time for a multitude of reasons (weather, horomones, etc.) so pay attention to it and treat it accordingly.
2. Be picky about products and stick to what works. Research them, read reviews written by people with similar skin types, etc.
3. Be patient. It can take months to see any changes in your skin. If a product is awful for you, you'll know immediately (rash, massive breakout, etc.) but if you don't notice results straightaway, don't fret. Give the products time to really work their magic.
4. Be gentle. As a whole, I am convinced humans treat their skin waaaay too harshly. Case and point: Saint Ives Apricot Scrub is still listed as a favorite product in Allure each year. ::eye roll::
5. Skincare can also mean taking care of your body from the inside out. A body that is well hydrated, well rested and being pumped with healthy foods & vitamins will function better. A healthy body can really help promote healthy skin.
6. When in doubt, ask help from a professional - ideally someone in the medical field. Look, I love me a good salesperson, but a dermatologist or esthetician is the best place to start if you are clueless as to what your skin needs are.
Naturally, I plan to do an in-depth blog post on my skin care routine so keep your eyes peeled for that post in the coming weeks.
Hey, look at that. I finished my first blog post. ::happy dance::
xx
Claire