Healthy Skincare 101: Using The Right Products and Procedures

Kari Romney explains how to choose a skin care product depending upon your skin type. She gives the option of cheap drugstore brands to top of the line quality.

Tips for Healthy Skin all year round…these are listed in application order.

1. Wash: Gently wash your face for a 1-1/2 minutes both morning and night. Use a facial cleanser that is specifically formulated for your skin type and conditions. NO BAR SOAP! Dry to normal skin will usually do well with a creamy cleanser, while oily/acne skin does well with gels. I know most feel that you only need to wash at night. But morning time is just as important. You have been lying in your pillow all night. Many things can gather on the skin at night as well as in the day. I recommend using a clean wash cloth to rinse your skin after washing. The wash cloth aids in helping remove dead skin cells. Always use a new clean wash cloth, as bacteria can gather in used unclean wash clothes.

2. Exfoliation: Everyone needs to exfoliate. Depending upon your skin type and condition will tell you how often and what to use. Dry to Normal skin usually only needs to exfoliate once a week. Oily to Acne skin 2, possibly 3 times a week depending upon climate, and how oily your skin is. Be careful not to over exfoliate. You can do more damage then good. What kind of exfoliation you use is very important as well. I try not to recommend anything to harsh or abrasive, leave that to the professional. My favorite exfoliate is enzymes. Enzymes are a natural exfoliate. Good for all skin types and conditions. You put the product on the skin and the enzymes do the work. They act like little pac-men eating away all those dead skin cells. Then you rinse off. My next recommendation for exfoliation is micro beads. Micro beads tend not to be to abrasive. They are usually evenly smooth and rounds. Good for oily, acne skin. When using micro beads let the beads do their work. You do not have to scrub or add pressure. Gently move the beads around your face, and rinse well.

By regularly exfoliation your skin will have a clean, fresh look. When you apply your skin products they can easily work their way down into the skin, rather then having to fight their way through all those dead skin cells. Your make up will go on smoother and last longer. You may find that you use less make up as well.

3. Hydration: No matter how oily or how dry your skin is EVERYONE should be hydrating their skin. Even if your acne is at it’s worst, you need to hydrate. I like to think of hydration separately from moisturizing. Most moisturizers have larger molecules which do not penetrate the skin as deep. A great hydrator will include Hyaluronic Acid. I recommend serum form. The thinner the formula, the smaller the molecules. Hyaluronic Acid is part of what your skin uses naturally to hydrate. As you age, the production slows down. That is part of why with aging your skin gets dryer. It is like taking the juice out of a grape. You end up with a raisin. Hydration will plump the skin for anti-aging, and help oily skin to become more balanced. Remember when you dry up your skin thinking you are doing your oily skin a favor your are creating your skin to produce more oils.
Hydration, Hydration, Hydration.
Note… for you water drinkers, your skin is the last to receive, as the water goes to all your other organs first. I would not rely on water alone for hydrating the skin.

4. Moisturizing: After hydrating your skin you will want to follow up with a moisturizer day and night. Or for night your night cream. It is important to pick the proper moisturizer that is right for your skin type and condition. Young skin, oily, or acne skin will usually use a thinner moisturizer. As you age your moisturizers may change depending upon your needs. Many moisturizers have several properties in them for anti-aging, skin lightening, and sunscreen. Even though your moisturizer may have a SPF, unless it is a 30+ I still recommend sunscreen.

5. Sunscreen: The sun is one of your skin’s worst enemies. No matter what the weather sunshine or stormy, hot or cold you should apply sunscreen. Even if you never go outside, you still need sun protection. Did you know that you can still get sun rays just by going out and getting into your car. You can get sun rays through glass. A good sunscreen will help protect your skin from harsh environment elements, such as cold weather, wind, and the free radicals that are just waiting to get on and into your skin. For added protection I recommend wearing hats in the summer, and scarf’s around your face in cold, windy weather. My favorite choice of sunscreen is non-chemical zinc, which provides full spectrum protection and is a natural healer for the skin. Avoid using sunscreen that is below SPF 30.

*Consistency is very important. Your skin is your largest living organ. It’s job is to protect all your other organs inside. The healthier your skin is, the healthier you can be.

By following these 5 simple steps you will notice a difference in your skin, and give yourself the care you deserve.

Product Picks for Healthy Skin

Cosmeceuticals

Cleanser

Lucrece Physician’s Aesthetic Research (L.P.A.R)

Creamy Facial Cleanse $29.00 normal to dry

Lucrece Antibacterial Facial Cleanser $25.00 oily to acne

Exfoliate

Lucrece Pumpkin Enzyme Mask $69.00

Lucrece Non-Abrasive Exfoliating Cream $25.00

Hydration

Lucrece Nano B5 Complex $66.00

Moisturizer


Lucrece Intensive Clarifying Peptide Cream $65.00

Lucrece Sensitive Skin Facial Cream $53.00

Sunscreen

Zinc Solar Protection SPF 30 $49.00
(comes clear or tinted)

Drugstore

Cleanser

Cetaphil $7.99

Moisturizer

Daily Moisturizer Cetaphil $11.99

Exfoliate

Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub $6.99

Sunblock Aveeno Continual Protection Sunblock SPF 30 For the Face $9.99

If you would like to order these products, you will receive 25% off your first order if you mention Studio 5.

Kari does skincare classes throughout the year.