Skin Care Routines and Treatments Module 02

1

2. Module 02- How to Care for Specific Skin Types II

Table of Contents 2. Module 02- How to Care for Specific Skin Types II ..................................................................................... 1

2.1 Caring for Normal Skin ........................................................................................................................... 2

2.2 Caring for Combination Skin ................................................................................................................... 3

2.3 Caring for Sensitive Skin ......................................................................................................................... 5

2.4 Caring for Mature Skin ............................................................................................................................ 7

2.5 Debunking Myths and Misconceptions about the Skin ........................................................................... 9

2

2.1 Caring for Normal Skin

Normal skin types can suffer from minor breakouts due to hormone imbalances or stress. People with

normal skin types usually start to show signs of aging sooner than other skin types. Drink a lot of pure

filtered water, exercise, eat the right food and always use sun cream to prevent any signs of premature

ageing.

1. It is important to wash your face twice daily. Use a good cleanser and make sure you remove any traces

of make-up before sleeping. Leaving make-up on your face will block your pores causing an acne

breakout.

2. When you have normal skin, cleanse, tone, and nourish your skin on a regular basis.

3. Always use light make-up to allow your skin to breathe.

4. Moisturize your skin day and night to prevent your skin from drying out and to avoid premature ageing.

5. Exfoliate your normal skin to remove all the dead skin cells; this helps promote new healthy skin cells to

grow.

6. Wear at least an SPF 15 sun cream every day in conjunction with your regular moisturizer.

Things to avoid if you have Normal Skin

Do not tan your body or allow yourself to be over exposed to the sun. Sun exposure causes premature

ageing and encourages the free radicals in the body which destroys the skin’s cells.

Avoid smoking and excessive drinking. Such actions destroy the body’s immune system and create a

buildup of toxins in the body.

Avoid washing your face with harsh soaps and opt for mild cleanser instead. Hasher products will strip

your skin of its natural oils resulting in dry skin.

Do not change products once you discover they are good for your skin type. Experimenting with

different products will wreak havoc with your skin and there is always a risk that you might react

negatively to them.

3

2.2 Caring for Combination Skin

If you have combination skin, it needs more attention due to its blend of dry and oily patches. When you

have a combination of oily and dry skin on your face, you will have to take a dual approach to your skincare

regime; this means that you will have to deal with each area of the skin individually. Most likely, the oiliest

parts of the skin are in the T-zone, with the dry skin affecting patches on cheeks, along the jaw, and the outer

sides of the forehead.

Dos and Don’ts When you Have Combination Skin

Use moisturizers that are oil-free.

If you use acne treatment products, only apply them to the acne-prone areas (T-zone).

Wear sun cream with at least an SPF 26.

Do not use two different moisturizers or cleansers on your face. Opt for mild products that suit all skin

types.

When you have combination skin, avoid using any kind of bar cleanser or soap. Such products tend to

dry out the skin. The best kind of cleanser that works well with combination skin is a mild gel-based

cleanser.

If you opt to use a toner, use one that has glycerin as it is less likely to strip your skin.

It is necessary to exfoliate combination skin. Do not opt for a deep skin exfoliator; instead find one a

beta hydroxyl acid product as this will only gently exfoliate the surface of your skin.

Avoid eye creams. Instead if you want to keep the area around your eyes looking smooth and wrinkle

free, use evening primrose.

Avoid using any kind of leave-in conditioner. These clog the forehead’s pores and as a result the area

becomes even oilier.

4

Caring for your Combination Skin

1. Remove traces of make-up using an oil-based product. This area of the face is very delicate and

susceptible to dryness. Cleanse using a mild gel-based product. The foam of the gel helps cut through the

excess oil in the greasier areas, but at the same time it will not dehydrate other areas such as your cheeks.

2. Hydrate skin by steaming.

3. Exfoliate using a gentle exfoliator. Women with a combination skin type often get small spots around

their nose area due to flakier areas falling and sticking to the oilier areas.

4. Use pore strips to help loosen blackheads. Pore strips allow you to focus on the problem areas only,

which make them perfect for combination skin types. To get the best results from your pore strips, use for

3 days consecutively, and then reduce its use to only once a week.

5. Moisturize during the day with a mattifying product. This will absorb all the excess sebum around your

T-zone, but it will not dry out the rest of your face. Apply your cream generously, especially around the

drier areas and blot off all of the excess cream around the oilier areas with blotting paper.

Make-up for Combination Skin

When looking for make-up for combination skin, it is always a good idea to read the ingredients of the

make-up and test it on your inner wrist to see whether the make-up is suitable for your skin type and needs.

Look for a light non-greasy water-based foundation which will spread easily and still allow your skin to

breathe.

Look for products that have alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA). These acids are 100% natural and come from

milk, sugar cane, and fruit, all of which have excellent anti-inflammatory properties. When these are

applied directly onto the skin, they help exfoliate the skin and get rid of dead skin cells giving you a

more youthful appearance.

5

2.3 Caring for Sensitive Skin

Because sensitive skin is usually irritated easily by products, you need to look out for products that will help

soothe your skin. Those with sensitive skin types are more prone to skin allergies and redness and it is not

uncommon for fine broken veins to appear in the nose and cheeks areas. There are different degrees in skin

sensitivity with some people having such sensitive skin they cannot use any store-bought cleansing products.

In such a case cleanse your face using whole milk and afterwards using a solution of glycerin and rosewater

to moisturize your skin gently.

The Dos and Don’ts if you have Sensitive Skin

Refrain from using normal soaps as these can dry out sensitive skin. Look for soaps that have

moisturizing properties or opt to cleanse your face using mild baby soap.

Always wear gloves to protect your hands’ skin when washing or cleaning to avoid your exposure to

chemicals that might irritate your skin.

Do not have long steaming hot baths or showers. Keep them shorter using lukewarm water to avoid

stripping your skin from its natural oils.

Immediately after you have finished bathing, moisturize to help lock the moisture in.

Always test your make-up and perfume before buying it. Dab a little bit on the inside of your wrist

where it is also sensitive to see if your skin is affected.

Avoid all alcohol-based products.

Avoid using skin fresheners as they usually contain some ingredients that will make sensitive skin more

vulnerable to the elements.

6

Caring for your Sensitive Skin

If you use many different products in your daily skincare regime, you need to eliminate the unnecessary

ones. The average woman over the age of 25 uses approximately 5-6 different skincare products daily,

exposing the skin to well over 100 different chemicals a day. If you have sensitive skin, the chances are your

skin is affected by some of these chemicals. When you have sensitive skin, all you need is a good skin

cleanser, an SPF moisturizer, and eye cream.

There are a number of ingredients that are very likely to cause sensitivity to those with sensitive skin. Such

ingredients usually include colors and preservatives (especially formaldehyde) and fragrances. Natural

ingredients with calming and soothing properties to look out for are chamomile, milk, cornflower, and liquor

ices.

1. Facial wipes are a good way for those with sensitive skin to cleanse their face without having too much

contact to many chemicals. If you do not use wipes, make sure you use a light cleanser with minimal

ingredients.

2. Drying your face also needs special care when you have sensitive skin. Always pat your face dry with a

soft clean towel. Any rubbing of the skin might cause sensitive skin to react.

3. Moisturize twice daily focusing on the areas that are drier. Use light unscented moisturizers with natural

ingredients. If your skin reacts badly with your moisturizer, try mixing it with a little bit of over-the-

counter hydrocortisone cream.

Make-up for Sensitive Skin Types

If possible, avoid all liquid cosmetics and opt for powder-based cosmetics. Powder-based cosmetics are

easier to remove and they have fewer ingredients that are likely to irritate sensitive skin.

While it is important to always check expiry dates of your products, it is more imperative when you have

sensitive skin. When products become too old, their chemicals become more concentrated and may react

negatively with your skin.

When choosing your eye shadows, opt for earth tones. Earth toned eye shadows do not have high

pigmentation concentration like darker eye shadows do.

When possible, choose herbal and organic cosmetics over chemical products.

If you use anti-ageing products on your sensitive skin, look for products that contain Green tea, Aloe

Vera, Rose, or Lavender as these are all considered to be soothing ingredients.

7

2.4 Caring for Mature Skin

Mature skin can mean anyone over the age of 50, and refers to your skin’s evolving needs as it ages. Mature

skin can encompass any skin type, but the treatment regimen is based on replacing cells, hydration, lift, and

rejuvenation.

Caring for your Mature Skin

Cleanse your face with a cleanser that either contains alpha or beta hydroxyl acids. These acids help

replace the skin’s cells that have been lost during the ageing process leaving the skin looking dull.

Moisturize your skin. The more hydrated your skin is the less visible fine lines and wrinkles are. Some

of the first areas to show visible signs of ageing are the neck and chest areas, so it is important to

moisturize past your chin. Look for moisturizers containing Vitamin A, Vitamin C, kinetin, coenzyme

Q10, and copper, all of which have natural anti-ageing properties that kill the free radicals making your

skin appear and feel firmer. Let your moisturizer absorb into your facial skin and neck area for

approximately 5 minutes.

Serums work well on older skin. If you use a serum, use it once a week in place of your regular

moisturizer to give it all the nutrients your skin needs. Vitamin-based serums work best for mature skin.

When applying your serum, apply it using upward movements from the neck up.

8

Make-up for Mature Skin

Apply a primer to your face to build a protective layer between your skin and the make-up. Primers are

necessary to use before applying foundation when you have mature skin. It helps smooth out the skin,

which allows for an even application of your regular make-up. A light diffusing primer applied to the

skin with a damp wedge sponge works best on older skin types.

Opt for a cream-based or mousse foundation. These foundations are better for older skin as this skin type

tends to be drier. Foundations that have yellow undertones work best for mature skin types as they will

give you the most natural coverage where a pink-based foundation will likely appear artificial.

If you want to apply eye-shadows, apply some more primer onto your eyelids to avoid the eye shadow

getting stuck in wrinkles.

It is recommended for those with mature skin types to apply a lip primer before applying any color to

their lips. If you do purchase one, look for a lip primer with Vitamin E properties.

9

2.5 Debunking Myths and Misconceptions about the Skin

All you need to do is to flick through the pages of one of your favorite fashion magazines and you are likely

to be offered a ton of beauty and health advice concerning your skin. However, a lot of the content is highly

inaccurate or completely wrong, such as being told that by simply consuming more water, you’ll fix your

dry skin.

Can you think of any skincare myths that you have later discovered to be untrue?

1. There are a number of skincare products on the market that work like temporary dermal fillers or

Botox.

It is absolutely impossible for any skincare product on the market to work in the same way as dermal fillers

and Botox. It is impossible because even if the product contains some of the same ingredients, they cannot

reach the targeted areas of the body to have the same effect.

2. Age spots or liver spots are simply a sign of getting older.

The word age spot is a misnomer. The brown freckled discolorations of the skin are not a sign that you are

getting older; they are related to external factors related to your lifestyle choice such as smoking or too much

sun exposure over the years.

3. People grow out of their acne.

Not every person has acne when they are a teenager will outgrow it and if you were blessed with clear skin

when you were younger, there is still no guarantee that you will suffer from acne later on in life. Women

have fluctuating hormones throughout their lives, which is why it is also common for women to break out

more when they have their menstrual cycle.

10

4. Expensive skincare products and cosmetics are much better than cheaper ones.

There are good and bad beauty products in all price categories. It is the formulation of the product that

makes it good.

5. Mineral oil is the most dangerous ingredient in skincare products.

It is true that mineral oil is sourced from crude oil, but it is also as natural as any other substance derived

from the earth. There are a number of common products that come from worrying sounding sources, but are

still safe. An example of this would be salt. Your normal table salt that you have in the house is sodium

chloride, but this does not mean that salt has the very same caustic properties like chloride does.

6. It is a good sign when your beauty products or cosmetics ‘tingle’ or ‘cool’ the skin.

Many people say that when your skin tingles after applying a new beauty product, it means that it is doing

its job and its properties are working. That tingling sensation is not good, and it is actually a sign that your

skin is responding to some sort of irritation that is going to result in inflammation.

7. If you have blackheads, it means you have dirty skin.

A person gets blackheads because of a hormone imbalance and result in the body producing an unnecessary

amount of sebum oil. When this oil is secreted, your dead skin cells can often get in the way, which causes

the skins’ pores to become impaired, and as a result the natural passage for the oil is blocked. As this

blockage comes closer to the surface of your skin, the mixture of cellular debris and the oil oxidizes and

turns black.

8. You can control your oily skin by using the right products.

The natural oil production in a person’s body is mainly triggered by estrogen and androgen, the female and

male hormones, respectively. Therefore, it is impossible to alter a person’s hormone levels by simply using a

topical product.

11

9. Drink more water to fight dry skin.

Studies regarding the water content of oily skin and dry skin had the same result.

10. After some time, your skin eventually adapts to the products you use and stop working.

Good skincare products can be compared to a healthy diet, a healthy diet never stops working for your body.

As long as you continue applying good products to your skin and avoid damaging external factors like

unprotected sun exposure, your skin will continue to remain healthy