In this blog our skin experts will answer the 20 most common skincare questions. We'll help you make the best decisions for your skin, while teaching you more about your skincare routine.
As skincare continues to become an important aspect of our daily life, many of us still have some unanswered questions. Like every aspect of our lives, if our skincare questions remain unanswered, we can take a wrong turn and end up damaging our skin. This blog will answer 20 of the most asked skincare questions.
The most common skin types are dry, combination, and oily. Commonly, dry skin causes feelings of tightness around the eyes and mouth, as well as patches of flaky skin around the cheek area. Combination skin presents a shine on the nose and forehead and also includes dry patches on the cheek area. Whereas oily skin is generally soft and greasy to the touch and gives the cheeks an overly shiny surface.
Yes, you should wash your face twice daily, preferably with a gentle cleanser. This is because bacteria builds up in your skin overnight, so it is important to wash it off in the morning. Washing your face in the morning also acts as a great primer before applying your morning skincare routine. An effective gentle cleanser is Osmosis' Cleanse. It works to remove impurities, makeup, and dirt without damaging the skin barrier.
More importantly, you should always wash your face before you go to bed! Dirt, makeup, and environmental toxins accumulate on your face throughout the day. Washing your face at night removes these impurities and stops pores from becoming clogged.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused a change in our environments, such as spending more time indoors. It is a good idea to create a new skincare routine to accommodate those changes. For example, if you are using a lot of central heating whilst working from home, you should incorporate a high-quality moisturiser into your skincare routine in order to combat excessive dryness. The Collagen Hydrator from PCA Skin is great for this as it has remarkable hydrating qualities. It works to instantly revive dehydrated skin and maintain healthy moisture levels.
Vitamin C is a nutrient found in the body that has advantageous effects when consumed as part of a balanced diet. Many people also apply it topically. Vitamin C has incredible anti-aging effects, as it can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. As well as this, due to its powerful antioxidant properties, it protects the skin from free radical damage. This means it prevents premature skin aging. Furthermore, vitamin C enhances collagen production and helps to create tighter and younger looking skin overall.
More often than not, retinol appears in night-time skincare routines. This is because this powerful substance removes dead skin cells from the upper layer of the skin’s surface. This resultantly makes skin more vulnerable to sun damage. Moreover, you should begin by applying retinol 3 times a week and then gradually increase the frequency. This is due to the strength of retinol. By increasing the frequency gradually, you allow your skin to become familiar with the product, therefore minimising irritation.
It's also important that you apply a high-quality moisturiser after using retinol to help soothe potential dryness or irritation. As well as this, in the morning, make sure to apply SPF30+. This will protect your skin from the potential sun damage that retinol can lead to.
Over time, sleep can change the shape and appearance of your skin. This is because your face is compressed into your pillow every night for multiple hours. Ultimately, this can flatten the surface of your skin and cause wrinkles to form. Therefore, it is important to change your pillows every 1-2 years to help enhance the support for your skin.
Moisturiser should always be applied first. As a result, this allows the moisturiser to penetrate into the skin before SPF application. Also, SPF should always be the final step in your skincare routine as it is a thicker consistency, so it must not overshadow the thinner products.
As mentioned previously, SPF is a vital part of any skincare routine and should be the last step. It's even important on days when the sun is not as abrasive. Even in the winter months, dangerous UV rays can still penetrate through clouds, and even windows, making you vulnerable to harsh skin damage. This is especially the case if your skin is not fully protected. Sun damage can lead to dark spots, wrinkles and in some cases, skin cancer. SPF needs to be applied daily!
Anxiety-induced breakouts are very common and are often caused by excess oil secretion brought on by our body’s stress response. As well as learning psychological techniques to cope with stress and anxiety, you may also benefit from using BHAs, such as salicylic acid. These help break down the excess oil found in inflamed or clogged pores. Additionally, using products containing benzoyl peroxide is a great way to fight against the bacteria that causes acne. This helps to keep future breakouts at bay.
Dark circles are very common and are usually a sign of aging and/or a loss of collagen in the eye area. To remove them permanently, try a combination of clinical and natural remedies. For example, try undergoing a light chemical peel that uses glycolic acid, to help stimulate collagen production and give the skin a glowing complexion. At home, apply a cold compress to the affected area for 10 minutes, both in the morning and the evening.
There are a variety of different treatments and products that help to improve the skin’s elasticity and tighten the overall surface. For example, ingredients such as aloe vera contain malic acid, which helps to create plumper and younger looking skin. Moreover, techniques such as lymphatic massage, use specialist tools to increase blood circulation around affected areas, creating firmer skin. Lastly, products such as retinol serums offer incredible anti-aging results, helping more attractive skin to form over time.
Blackheads form when excess hair and oil become clogged in an open pore. The most effective way to remove blackheads is by getting a high-quality facial treatment.
A great example is a chemical peel. This is because chemical peels, especially those that use salicylic acid, help to exfoliate the skin and unclog affected pores, giving you a clearer and blemish-free complexion.
One of the most uncertain skincare questions is the purpose of toners and whether they're necessary. Essentially, toners are products that are used to remove excess oil, makeup and dirt. In reality, toners are not necessary, especially if you are using an effective cleanser. This is because they can often lead to dryness or irritation. However, toners do help to shrink the size of enlarged pores, which is helpful for those with an oily skin type or acne-prone skin.
Acne scars are extremely common but luckily usually require little to no treatment. However, if you suffer from serious acne, or have a compulsion to pick your spots, acne scarring can occur more intensely.
There's a range of treatments which help to reduce and remove acne scars, as well as things you can do to help get rid of them yourself. These include using salicylic acid and lactic acid which help to exfoliate the skin. Retinol products are also a great way to increase skin cell turnover, helping to reduce scarring.
Dry skin is a common skin concern which is easily treatable at home. All you need to do is improve your skincare routine. For example, try using a natural moisturiser that contains no irritants. An example of a good natural moisturiser is pure aloe vera gel. Adding on to this, wash your face twice a day with a gentle cleanser to help wash away any dirt or unwanted dead skin. Finally, make sure to exfoliate once a week to help remove excess dry skin and encourage increased cell turnover.
Often acne sufferers complain about having dry patches that accompany their breakouts. Luckily, dermoi offers the perfect solution. The Osmosis Acne Healing Treatment uses a 2% vitamin A infusion to restore the quality of the epidermis and allow for complete hydro-lipid balance. As a result, this treatment reduces harsh inflammation and leaves you with a clearer and brighter complexion.
Vitamin C serums offer a multitude of benefits when incorporated into both your morning and evening skincare routine.
Using a vitamin C serum as part of your morning skincare routine means that your skin is better able to neutralise harmful free radicals. These can build up throughout the day and tear down much-needed skin collagen. On the other hand, when using vitamin C serums as part of your evening routine, you can avoid the risk of dangerous photosensitivity. This is because vitamin C can make skin more sensitive to sunlight.
Unfortunately, aging skin is a natural part of getting older, but there are some things you can do to help stop your skin from aging prematurely. First of all, apply sunscreen every day to protect your skin against harmful sun damage. Sun damage can lead to the formation of wrinkles and dark spots. It is also recommended that you use gentle cleansers to avoid unnecessary dryness or irritation, which can cause the skin to become inflamed.
Collagen supplements, such as Skinade, are another great way to combat skin aging. As we age, collagen production decreases at a rate of 1% per year. Resultantly, this causes signs of aging including sagging skin, dullness, wrinkles, and dryness. Collagen supplements target and reverse these effects.
This is one of the most common skincare questions. Many experts advise that you begin using anti-aging products in your 20s and continue to incorporate them as part of your daily skincare routine. This is because your skin stops producing collagen in your 20s. Resultantly, anti-aging products offer preventative measures against the visible signs of aging.
Now that we have answered some of your most pressing skincare questions, we hope that you will be better equipped to care and nourish your skin.
If you want to find out more, or have anymore skincare questions, you can book a free 15 minute skin consultation. Our Chief Scientific Officer Eve Casha is on call to answer any questions you may have. To schedule a free skin consultation, call 0203 9639 920.
