Let's Face It-- Good Skin Care Is Important!

Every morning, people wake up, go into the bathroom, and (depending on the quality of eye-sight) eventually see a reflection in the mirror. What’s the first thing noticed in this reflection: The Face. This might not be such a big issue if that weren’t the first thing that the rest of the world saw as well. The fact is that the body can be covered with clothes, but in most societies today, when someone covers the face it usually means one of three things: 1) they are robbing an establishment and should therefore be avoided or turned into the local authorities, 2) they have SARS or some other airborne illness and should therefore be avoided or turned into local authorities, or 3) they are performing some sort of physical outdoor activity that requires protection, and should therefore be avoided just in case. If none of these situations apply, the proper skin care regimen proves highly important in making a good first impression. Good skin care is a vital component to younger, healthier skin.

The average person will wash their hands multiple times throughout the day, but wash their face maybe only once at night. Though it may not be necessary to wash the face throughout the workday, there is good reason to wash at least in the morning as well as at night. What if the face isn’t dirty in the morning, some ask? Think about what happens to a face overnight: not only does the average person sweat during sleep, but the oils from a pillowcase easily spread over the face and affect just how clean it is in the morning.

Throughout the night, the human body regenerates itself inside and out. As muscles and tissue are being renewed, the skin on the face follows suit. Old flesh is discarded onto the pillowcase and sheets, which in itself is a good reason to wash the sheets often! When it comes to the face, however, the renewed skin needs room to breathe and be clean in order for the process to be most effective. A snake that sheds its skin doesn’t lie in the old cover, does it? Thus, it makes sense to wash off the dead and dirty cells that accumulate on the surface of the face and start the day fresh. Going to sleep with a clean face ensures that the nightly renewal process happens correctly and thoroughly.

With the plethora of skin care products that line the store shelves, it may seem like taking good care of your skin is a complicated feat. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Just a few simple steps will do wonders for a complexion:

1) Cleanse- find a product that effectively removes dirt from the face and neck. Often, it is easy to find something that cleans in addition to performing other steps, making the skin care routine quicker and easier.

2) Exfoliate- whether in a mask, scrub, or part of a cleanser, it is extremely important to remove dead skin cells and allow healthy cells to grow. The average cleanser alone is not intended to exfoliate unless it advertises this function, yet it is possible to find some combined options.

3) Freshen/Tone- this involves the use of a toner or freshener that will remove deeply seeded dirt and help clear the pores and tighten the skin. For those who need it, toners can control oil and remove buildup.

4) Moisturize- the only difference between a raisin and a grape is moisture! Often when the face does not get enough moisture, it releases natural oils to compensate for what it lacks, making one think their face is “too oily.” The normal response for this is to under-moisturize, or avoid moisturizing at all, but that only makes the problem worse! Properly moisturized skin looks younger, healthier, and firmer.

5) Protect- Many external forces play on the skin throughout the day: pollution, dry air, the sun, etc., and it is imperative that skin is guarded where it is not covered by clothes. Anything in the air that can settle on glasses or sunglasses settles in the face as well. If there is a question as to exactly how dirty glasses can get, just go a few days without cleaning them off and see what happens! A good non-comedogenic (meaning that it is not intended to clog pores when used correctly) foundation or tinted moisturizer with SPF will effectively protect the skin from much harm.

Where this may seem like a lot of work, it is very easy to find products that combine several of the above steps. The key to good skin care is to make sure that each step is somewhere in the process. This need not be expensive, though buyer beware of anything too cheap to be true!

A common approach to so-called “good skin care” is to pile on makeup to conceal facial flaws. This proves just about as reliable as covering a dried-out, cracked cake with lots of pretty frosting and hoping that it will taste good! The root of the problem is in the skin itself, and that is where it needs to be addressed; not in expensive camouflage attempts. Makeup is not intended to create a new face, but to enhance the natural features on the existing face.

Remember that the skin you’re born with is the only skin you’ll ever have, and the face is the first thing others notice. Keep your skin looking healthy and give the best impression possible!