A Guide to Good Skin
Written by: Smriti on:
It's quite normal to have your skin transition from one state to another. A whole bunch of factors affect what your skin's going to look like, including nutrition, hydration, the weather, and even your monthly cycle! I think that's one of the major things wreaking havoc all around.. -_-
Good skin starts with good sense. Learning to identify your skin's daily needs and working with it can make a huge difference in the way it looks. Very often, we get into the habit of sticking to one product, ignoring the little signs our body exhibits.
When I moved to another city for college, I went through a phase when my skin went bonkers. I'm sure you'll remember some old posts where I mentioned how I was battling oiliness and dullness, and occasional acne bouts with very little success. It took a while for me to realize the importance of what I was blindly overlooking! The state of your skin is your best guide to know how to restore its radiance!
Skin is the largest organ of the human body. It is constantly exposed to the harsh environment outside. It's also the last to receive wholesome nutrients , including water, from the circulation. Imagine what a hard job the skin must have in maintaining itself! That's where external help plays a major role to keep your skin healthy.
1. Moisturization : Humectants vs Emollients
Humectants are substances which draw water from the environment into your skin, essentially replenshing the water content in it. They're best used if your skin is dehydrated. Honey, glycerine, hyaluronic acid are some common humectants. One drawback of using humectants is that they feel sticky or tacky. To avoid this, you can apply it at leisure, cover your face with a damp handkerchief, and leave it for 20-30 minutes.
Emollients are substances used to soften the skin. They are your best bet if dryness/flakiness is your concern. Many emollients also prevent water loss from your skin by creating a barrier. Oils are good emollients and you can choose the best for your skin type. Jojoba oil especially, is very similar to our skin's natural oils and such emollients can also increase the rate of barrier repair. Petroleum jelly and mineral oil are also a few examples.
2. Cleansing
Oiliness is not an excuse for over cleansing. It's easy to give into the urge to thoroughly foam cleanse each time your face feels greasy, but that will aggravate the problem in the long run. A better option is wiping your face with toner. It removes excess sebum and also shrinks open pores without excessively drying out your skin.
Clay based face packs are well suited for oily skin as it draws out not just the oil, but also impurities, thereby cleansing your skin deeply.
On the other hand, having dry skin does not mean you can skip face wash. Choose a cleanser specially designed to provide moisturization, like cleansing milks and lotions, to keep your skin soft.
3. Treatments
Often you'll find that your skin has different zones. Combination skin can either be perennial or may be seasonal. Subjecting your entire face to a single treatment is not the best idea in this case. There's a new concept called 'multi-masking' that is worth looking into. Basically it calls for identifying different patches in your skin and applying different face packs simultaneously. Mix appropriate ingredients according to your need. My favorites are honey, milk or cream for my drier patches, and multani mitti, chandan, neem powder for oiler areas. Besan is always my base ingredient, and sometimes I throw in soaked green tea leaves, or drops of lavender oil just for a change :)
I usually do not have the time (nor the patience) to make a home-made face pack in the hostel, so store bought ones come to the fore-front. I love Aroma Magic face packs for their convenient packaging and organic ingredients. The activated bamboo charcoal face pack goes onto the T zone, and the hydrating seaweed face pack everywhere else. Sure, I look like a complete cartoon but the end result is worth it!
xoxo,
Smriti
Good skin starts with good sense. Learning to identify your skin's daily needs and working with it can make a huge difference in the way it looks. Very often, we get into the habit of sticking to one product, ignoring the little signs our body exhibits.
When I moved to another city for college, I went through a phase when my skin went bonkers. I'm sure you'll remember some old posts where I mentioned how I was battling oiliness and dullness, and occasional acne bouts with very little success. It took a while for me to realize the importance of what I was blindly overlooking! The state of your skin is your best guide to know how to restore its radiance!
Skin is the largest organ of the human body. It is constantly exposed to the harsh environment outside. It's also the last to receive wholesome nutrients , including water, from the circulation. Imagine what a hard job the skin must have in maintaining itself! That's where external help plays a major role to keep your skin healthy.
1. Moisturization : Humectants vs Emollients
Humectants are substances which draw water from the environment into your skin, essentially replenshing the water content in it. They're best used if your skin is dehydrated. Honey, glycerine, hyaluronic acid are some common humectants. One drawback of using humectants is that they feel sticky or tacky. To avoid this, you can apply it at leisure, cover your face with a damp handkerchief, and leave it for 20-30 minutes.
Emollients are substances used to soften the skin. They are your best bet if dryness/flakiness is your concern. Many emollients also prevent water loss from your skin by creating a barrier. Oils are good emollients and you can choose the best for your skin type. Jojoba oil especially, is very similar to our skin's natural oils and such emollients can also increase the rate of barrier repair. Petroleum jelly and mineral oil are also a few examples.
2. Cleansing
Oiliness is not an excuse for over cleansing. It's easy to give into the urge to thoroughly foam cleanse each time your face feels greasy, but that will aggravate the problem in the long run. A better option is wiping your face with toner. It removes excess sebum and also shrinks open pores without excessively drying out your skin.
Clay based face packs are well suited for oily skin as it draws out not just the oil, but also impurities, thereby cleansing your skin deeply.
On the other hand, having dry skin does not mean you can skip face wash. Choose a cleanser specially designed to provide moisturization, like cleansing milks and lotions, to keep your skin soft.
3. Treatments
Often you'll find that your skin has different zones. Combination skin can either be perennial or may be seasonal. Subjecting your entire face to a single treatment is not the best idea in this case. There's a new concept called 'multi-masking' that is worth looking into. Basically it calls for identifying different patches in your skin and applying different face packs simultaneously. Mix appropriate ingredients according to your need. My favorites are honey, milk or cream for my drier patches, and multani mitti, chandan, neem powder for oiler areas. Besan is always my base ingredient, and sometimes I throw in soaked green tea leaves, or drops of lavender oil just for a change :)
I usually do not have the time (nor the patience) to make a home-made face pack in the hostel, so store bought ones come to the fore-front. I love Aroma Magic face packs for their convenient packaging and organic ingredients. The activated bamboo charcoal face pack goes onto the T zone, and the hydrating seaweed face pack everywhere else. Sure, I look like a complete cartoon but the end result is worth it!
xoxo,
Smriti
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