Beginning a Skin Care Regimen - Soap

I know growing up I always saw that pink bottle of Oil of Olay in the medicine cabinet. My mom used it and when I started buying my own skin care products, it was the first thing I bought. Granted, while my mom was a beauty consultant with Mary Kay, I used those products, but afterwards I was left on my own.

I hear a lot of different things when I ask people what they do to take care of their skin. Good ole' soap and water is high on the list. I understand, I did it too, followed by Oil of Olay. It wasn't until I turned 25 did I see some changes in my face. Acne was coming back, I had lines around my eyes, skin discoloration and I didn't like what I saw. I tried so many different products (a point I will come back to later), and never found anything that worked until I started using a skin care line, just the one line.

Back to soap and water. I think of the recent Dove campaign. These pink little tabs are supposed to represent our skin and how different kinds of body washes scrubs it away. Its a great picture of what can happen using the wrong product on your face.

To start in a skin care regimen, start thinking face cleanser instead of soap. Soap is for your body. It isn't as delicate as your face and it isn't the first thing people see, including you when you look into the mirror. Face cleansers come in so many formulas that it can make you dizzy. So, what to use?

Start with this question: is my face usually dry, normal, or oily? 

Dry faces are the ones that are constantly "thirsty", skin flakes off, redness and irritated, and can be itchy. Oily, its just after you wash your face and within minutes you already have some oil coming out. There is also the combination skin, which is usually the T bone being oily (across the brow and down the nose) and the rest of the face normal or slightly oily. Most of us have a kind of "combination skin", but the oil doesn't spring out of our face like those with truly oily skin. Keep to the normal skin care lines. That leaves normal, which is neither dry or oily.

Next question: how sensitive is my face?

If you are under a dermatologist care, you have sensitive skin. If you find: regular,  high fragrance cleansers, antibacterial, and/or cleansers with alcohol cause a reaction, you probably have sensitive skin. 

Last question: how old is my face?

Even though the age on your drivers license says one thing, your face could say another. Factors such as the environment, sun exposure, smoking, diet and genetics can all affect the age your face is showing.

Next, look at the products out there that state the type of skin you have. Then, find the ones that have complete skin care, starting from cleansers, moisturizers and creams to specialized skin care and make up and then use the entire line. Those products are made to work together (more on this later). Then, start using it, everyday, twice a day. Just cleaning your face with the right formula will change everything. 

Next, moisturizers. Until then, think Pink!