The billion dollar worth personal care industry offers you countless products while the ever growing demand for surgical and non-surgical skincare treatments simultaneously lure you into paying for goods and services, all promising to magically transform your skin from so-so to one that is to be envied. The choices have become largely confusing and yet, there are no guarantees.
In fact, products and procedures have been criticized many times for marketing and publishing unfounded claims. Yet, women and men — baby boomers and millennials alike — have skyrocketing appetites to be beautiful and stay young.
The best skin care ever
What many people fail to appreciate is that the best skincare techniques are the ones that you can personally give to your skin every single day. Among countless skincare advice, here are the 5 tips and tricks that have been proven time and again to work for any type of skin:
- Cleanse and clear your skin of impurities. Twice daily, to be exact, no more and no less. Skin that is free from pore-clogging and infection-causing microorganisms and microparticles is the foundation of healthy, beautiful skin.
The study entitled, “Cleansers and their role in various dermatological disorders” published in 2011 in the Indian Journal of Dermatology reviewed the importance of cleansing in a varied array of skin conditions. The bottom line is that cleansing is important in preventing many of these conditions although, the study finds, there are very specific cleansers that work more suitable for each skin disorders.
That means, you should cleanse according to your skin type, your age and your very specific skin conditions. If you have acne-prone skin, you should use a cleanser that contains salicylic acid which not only helps regulate oil production but also helps regulate the unusual skin shedding that normally occurs among acne-prone skin types. People who have atopic dermatitis, on the other hand, should use more alkaline cleansers that will not strip off the skin’s natural oils and scrape off its protective barriers.
- Exfoliate. Regular, not daily, exfoliation, should be a key component of any skincare routine that involves aging skin. Young skin generally turnover skin cells efficiently and do not need help from an exfoliant but, aging skin does.
Several studies have supported claims that regular exfoliation enhances the beauty and health of the skin. One study published in 1996 in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology specifically studied claims that exfoliating with alpha hydroxy acids helps improve skin health. The study concluded that, overtime, use of AHAs helped build a healthier skin barrier, while also improving the production of essential skin precursors that include glycosaminoglycans and collagen. The study further observed that regular application of AHAs also helped brighten skin by inhibiting melanin production.
- Moisturize.In 1995, a study conducted by Simeon, et.al., and which was published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science, tested how differently formulated moisturizers affected the skin’s hydration levels, if at all. The study concluded that, “moisturizers can reduce both primary irritation and dryness, as well as prevent their recurrence”. Glycerin was found to be the most effective ingredient.
Incorporate a moisturizer in your daytime and nighttime routines. Make sure that your daytime product does not contain retinol which readily degrades in sunlight. Layer products that are moisturizing rather than drying, even when it comes to your foundations.
- Wear sunscreen every day. There are at least two million people around the world affected by skin cancer, according to the World Health Organization, and is the leading cause of skin cancer in the US, according to the Center for Disease Prevention and Control. These figures must be reason enough to make you never miss out on your sunscreen no matter what.
However, if it still don’t seem enough, you should know that UV exposure is the worst among all factors in causing your skin to age and become damaged. That makes wearing sunscreen the top tip you should follow.
- Live healthy. What you eat, how much activity you get, what vices you have, whether or not you’ve been getting enough rest and sleep, even stress and your general optimism (or pessimism) all affect your body functions, including your skin health. So, it’s inevitable that you shift to a healthier lifestyle if achieving beautiful skin is the goal that you have in mind.
Conclusion
Skincare that makes a real difference doesn’t have to be expensive. It only needs to be founded on sound science, wisdom and your firsthand experience.
Contributed byhttps://www.solvaderm.com
