Today I want to tell you about about skin care products in general, and the ingredients which they contain.
Skin Prep
Skin prep is so overlooked when it comes to the daily routine of make-up application, but it is the most important step to getting a flawless base.
We sometimes have a tendency to overload our skin with so many products that sometimes don’t do anything at all to benefit and aid the staying power of make-up.
Cleanse
A skin cleanse is integral as a starting point to a great base. Use a light product such as micellar water from BIO Derma or Mario Badescu Chamomile Cleansing lotion to get rid of any make-up from the day. Cleansing lotions are very gentle and do not strip your skin of essential oils. Cleansing lotions also help to add moisture to dry skin.
Tone
Toners were once used after cleansers to restore the PH balance to your skin, however as cleansers are so gentle now, this is not the main reason behind their use. A good toner will have ingredients such as niacinamide (Vitamin b3). Niacinamide has been shown to increase the production of fatty acids in the skin and improve the skins elasticity, even out discolouration and revive skin tone and texture. Try to avoid toners that contain alcohol or witch hazel as these can dry out skin and damage skin cell repair. My favourite toner for oily/combination skin is ‘Paulas Choice Skin Balancing Toner’.
Moisturiser
Whether you have dry skin, normal skin or oily skin, it is essential that you moisturise daily. Believe it or not, the main job of a moisturiser is not to put moisture back in to your skin. It is in fact to retain normal and healthy moisture levels. Oily skin needs just as much moisturiser as dry skin. Oily skin simply means that the sebaceous glands are producing more oil than is sometimes necessary. This can be due to our skin being dehydrated and the glands are working overtime to replace our natural oils. I recommend ‘Embroylisse lait-creme concentre nourishing moisturiser’ as a great product for both oily and normal skin types.
Eye Cream
It is not always necessary to have a separate eye cream and face moisturiser. However if your eye area has a different skin type to the rest of your face (usually drier), it is a good idea to invest in a good cream. A good cream will contain lots of antioxidants and skin repairing ingredients. A good eye cream will have an SPF in the ingredients. These can help any dark circles under the eyes by improving their colouring slightly. Look out for eye creams that are in tubes and not in jars. Products that are air tight and don’t allow light to seep in are perfect. Try Cliniques Superdefense Age Defense Eye Cream Broad Sprectruum SPF 20.
Primers
Contrary to current popular belief, a primer is not always needed to keep your make-up in place or to create a smooth base. Primers typically contain silicone which is also one of the main ingredients in most foundations. Sillicone, also known as silica or dimethicone creates a layer over the skin and keeps moisture in. As it is adding a layer over the skin, it can fill in the fine lines that appear on your face with age. If you are using a foundation that already contains silicone (such as Make-up Forever HD Foundation) a primer is simply not necessary. However, if you are using a water based foundation (such as Mac’s Face and Body) then it is a good idea to use a primer. A great primer is Urban Decay’s Primer Potion.