I don't believe in the myth of "normal" skin, I actually believe that the basic skin type that each and every one of us shares is combination skin. All skin is dry in some areas and oily in others; its down to the distribution of your sebaceous glands, the stuff that produces sebum. Sebaceous glands aren't neatly and evenly distributed around your body; they are more abundant on the scalp, forehead, nose and sides of nose, while scarcer around the eyes, neck and outer cheek area. Treating this skin type doesn't have to be complicated at all. Skincare should be flexible anyway; you need to take into account your current lifestyle, environment and those pesky hormonal cycles. With a gentle skincare regime and an awareness of your skin you can head off any trouble.
Dry skin feels hot to the touch, has areas of flakiness (particularly around the nose and cheek area). The skin is also prone to very fine lines, but don't worry, these are only dryness lines and do tend to disappear when you apply a nourishing product to the area. The skin can feel uncomfortably tight after cleansing. Dry skin is caused by a lack of natural oil (sebum) and moisture in the skin. Unfortunately, due to this lack of protective oil the skin does show signs of ageing sooner than other skin types. Your skin is made up of around 70% water, but as the skin cells travel up through the dermis and epidermis towards the surface much of that water content evaporates. If too much water evaporates the skin becomes parched and as a consequence the natural oils are depleted and less water is held in the skin. You may have a natural predisposition to dry skin but it can also be triggered by some of the following:
Irritating Products anti-ageing treatments and products targeted to soothe breakout can be real culprits. Sun Exposure Sorry to go on, but please use a decent spf! Extremes of Temperature Extreme hot or cold can injure skin cells, causing skin to dehydrate and cause surface capillaries. Please be very wary of facial treatments that involve any extremes of temperature, they really are not necessary and can cause a whole load of problems! Back in my training days I was taught that a mature skin type was anyone over the age of 25 (how depressing is that?). But to be honest I never bought into that theory. Yes, changes do occur as we get older but lifestyle choices and genetics play their part too. Skin ageing is reflected in two ways - intrinsic & extrinsic ageing.
Intrinsic Ageing - Bad news; this is the stuff you can't change, its your genetics and it happens to us all darling! Good news; on a physical (and purely shallow level!!!) this is not as noticeable as the effects of extrinsic ageing are. The signs of intrinsic ageing are sneakily slow. Subtle changes take place within the structure of your skin. The epidermis thins, there is a loss of collagen and fat within the skin, elastin fibres become coarser, hair follicles and oil glands become less dense and oil production slows down. Extrinsic Ageing - Bad news, this is the stuff that makes you look older than your peers. The good news is that you can fight this. Extrinsic ageing is down to environment and lifestyle choices. Long term exposure to UV rays is responsible for the majority of extrinsic ageing problems such as spider veins, pigmented skin, thick, rough texture and wrinkles.
So sorry to disappoint you but there is no such thing as a healthy tan! A tan is visible proof that your skin has been damaged. In my earlier description of the structure of your skin I mentioned cells called melanocytes. These cells produce a dark brown pigment called melanin which gives the skin its natural colour. When skin is exposed to UV rays the melanocytes spring into action by producing more melanin in a bid to absorb the UV and protect the underlying structure. I suppose you could say that melanin is your body’s natural sunscreen but with an SPF of just 2 it really offers only the scarcest of protection. Even if you possess gorgeous skin of colour such as an Afro-Caribbean or Asian skin tone you still need to protect your skin. Yes, darker skin does have increased melanin, but definitely not enough to protect you from the harsh effects of UV rays. The sun may feel good on your skin but UV rays cause the skin to age rapidly - leading to uneven pigmentation, leathery texture and deep wrinkles. Repeated sun exposure can also cause age spots. An age spot is really a solar lento (a tiny bit of pigmentation caused by sun exposure). But the dangers of sun exposure are not just on the surface. Your skin protects your body from destructive outside forces and contains the necessary elements that are essential to the good health of your immune system. The epidermis (outer layer of skin) contains Langerhan Cells which prevent bacteria from attacking your immune system and just a few minutes of UV exposure can damage these cells. The best way to protect yourself is by using an effective sunscreen, of which more later! http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2009/12/healthy-tan.html o really make the best choices for your skin you do need to know about UV. Ultra Violet Radiation from the sun is categorized into three different bands - UVA, UVB & UVC. Don’t worry about UVC, it gets filtered out by the atmosphere and doesn’t reach the earth’s surface. But we all have to be concerned about UVA & UVB radiation.
UVA - Think A for ageing. UVA is a major culprit in the process of skin ageing. It is a pretty insidious thing as it travels deeper into the skin than UVB. It penetrates deep into the dermis and damages collagen. Damage to the collagen causes the skin to increase its production of elastin, but this is not a good thing! The large amount of enzymes being produced also results in a large amount of enzymes (metalloproteinases). The goal of these enzymes is to rebuild damaged collagen but unfortunately they don’t do that job well (think of them as the dodgy builders of the dermis world). They often break down and damage the collagen even further resulting in incorrectly rebuilt skin. As this process is repeated with daily UVA exposure, the incorrectly rebuilt skin forms wrinkles and the depleted collagen results in leathery skin. Its hard to escape the damaging power of UVA as it can even penetrate glass, so even sitting by a window on a sunny day or on a car journey we are all susceptible to UVA damage. UVB - Think B for burn. At first glance UVB doesn’t seem to be as threatening to your skin as UVA but trust me on this; it is very, very, very destructive! Though UVB rays don’t travel as far into the skin as UVA rays they are still incredibly damaging. UVB causes sunburn and sunburn is directly linked to skin cancers such as malignant melanoma and basal cell carcinoma. If after reading that last sentence I cannot persuade you to use a sunscreen I give up in absolute despair!!! http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2009/12/sun-your-skin.html What does SPF mean?
All sunscreens in the UK are labelled with the letters SPF. SPF stands for sun protection factor. The SPF number is determined in lab tests by exposing skin to a light spectrum that mimics the level of UV at midday. The SPF is the level of protection that is offered against UVB (it’s the measure of time that you can stay in the sun with sunscreen on before redness occurs on the skin). So if you are a person who would start to burn after about 10 minutes in the sun without sunscreen then by applying an SPF 15 (10 minutes till burn time x 15 spf = 150) you would gain 150 minutes of UVB protection. UVA & Star System On sunscreens purchased in the UK you will find the UVA logo (“UVA” printed in a circle) accompanied by up to 5 stars.The UVA logo indicates that the UVA protection is at least a 1/3 of that of the SPF.The stars indicate the amount of UVA rays absorbed by the sunscreen in comparison to the UVB. So if you purchase a sunscreen with a low SPF, it might have a high star rating but that doesn’t mean its got super powerful UVA protection it just means that the correlation of UVA & UVB protection is about the same. So to ensure that your skin is getting the best protection opt for a sunscreen that has both a high SPF and high UVA star rating, these are the sunscreens that are referred to as “broad spectrum”.SPF in MoisturizersThough they are tested in exactly the same way as regular sunscreens, they are less likely to give you the same level of protection. They tend to be thinner formulations and don’t last on the skin as long as a separate sunscreen. Though they are perfectly adequate for limited exposure to the UV that you will encounter in your daily routine but for exposure time of over an hour you are better off with a separate sunscreen. Organic & Inorganic Filters If you only buy one single skincare product PLEASE make it sunscreen. Unfortunately buying sunscreen can be both confusing and frustrating, so lets go through the basics of sunscreen. How Do Sunscreens Actually Work? Sunscreens are available in two types Organic and Inorganic filters. Organic Filters (also known as Chemical Filters) Don’t think that “Organic” means lovely, all natural ingredients organically grown; I’m afraid its just the scientific term for this type of sunscreen. Organic Filters work by actually absorbing UV radiation, converting it to heat and then allowing it to disperse “harmlessly“. Organic Filters tend to absorb more UVB than UVA rays. Organic Filters are absorbed by the skin and secreted in the urine. Dermatologists advise that this type of sunscreen should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and should NOT be used on children. Inorganic Filters (also known as Physical Sunscreens) Inorganic Filters protect the skin by providing a physical block against UV rays. They tend to be opaque and have a thicker consistency (but they are getting lighter and better!). I prefer Inorganic Filters as they are not absorbed by the skin and at the end of the day can be simple cleansed away. They are also more suited to sensitive skin as they rarely cause any problems. Think of Inorganic Filters working like a mirror on your skin reflecting away those nasty UV rays. There is a great debate about Organic V Inorganic Filters, more of which later. http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2009/12/sunscreens-labels-unscrambled.html Before we delve into the fabulous world of skin type lets take a short detour and learn some basic (I promise you I won't ramble on!) physiology. Just knowing the physical make up of your skin will make it so much easier for you to cut through all the nonsense of those so called "miracle" products and enable you to make the best possible choice for your skin. Your skin isn't just a gorgeous layer of loveliness; it does some very important work. It provides protection from the elements, maintains your body temperature, eliminates toxins, protects you from all sorts of bacterial nasties and best of all is home to all those gorgeous nerve endings which give you your glorious sense of touch!
Epidermis The epidermis is constantly being renewed. It takes around 28 days for the skin cells to travel from the base of the epidermis to the top, unfortunately this process slows as we age. This is why many skincare companies produce quite harsh skin treatments to irritate the skin and slough off dead cells in the hope of speeding up the process of epidermal regeneration. Unfortunately these harsh products are extremely effective causing the skin to become irritated and inflamed. Even more worrying is the fact they thin the skin making it even more susceptible to sun damage & broken capillaries! Your epidermis has six layers (don't worry, I won't bore you, I'll just stick to the need to know!). The uppermost layer (the bit you can feel) is called the stratum corneum. It's tightly packed with scaly cells called keratinocytes. These cells are little elevators that move upward from the bottom of the epidermis to the top, but on their journey they stop at every floor to fill up with keratin. Keratin is a tough little protein that provides the skin with its waterproof barrier. The barrier that those cells create forms a protective layer that protects against harm from water loss, pollutants and unfriendly bacteria. At the base of the epidermis you will find melanocytes. These fab little cells are responsible for producing melanin, which protects your skin and the underlying tissue from sunlight. Melanin produces the pigment that causes your skin to tan. Melanocytes produce and move melanin in cells called melanosomes; these little cells are then taken up by the keratinocytes on their journey to the top of the epidermis. Another Good Reason To Use SPF The epidermis also contains Langerhan cells, which provide protection for the immune system against invading micro organisms, viruses and bacteria. When skin becomes damaged by UV radiation it also damages the Langerhan cells, causing few to survive in the skin and carry on providing protection for your immune system. Dermis Located directly under the epidermis, the dermis acts as a support. This is the skins most active layer, its where the most vital functions take place. The dermis contains (amongst other things!) blood vessels, nerve fibres, lymph glands and of course collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin are that wonderful duo of fibres that give your skin its flexibility and strength. Think of them as a firm mattress providing your skin with real tone. Collagen and elastin's mortal enemy is the sun. UV rays are kryptonite to this fabulous duo, causing them to become damaged which in turn causes skin to become wrinkly and saggy (the not so fabulous duo!). http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2009/12/your-skin-basics.html This is a fabulous treatment to help brighten and zing up your skin. It's particularly effective at banishing ashy skin and boosting radiance. It also works wonders at unclogging horrid pores and clarifying skin prone to congestion & breakouts. Yogurt is a terrific natural skincare ingredient as it's chock full of gorgeous lactic acid which not only acts as a gentle exfoliant but also has a gentle bleaching action making it rather fab at brightening dull skin. Plain old white sugar is also perfect for skin as its not just rich in glycolic acid (just like lactic acid, this is a natural alpha hydroxy acid) to gently banish those horrid dead skin cells but its gentle enough not to tear or damage skin.
Here's What You Need a teeny little bowl 3 tbsp of natural yogurt 2 tsp of granulated sugar (nothing fancy just the regular stuff) Step One - Mix together the yogurt & sugar in a small bowl. Step Two - Gently massage the mixture into freshly cleansed skin. Massage into the skin on your face and neck with a gentle circular action. Always use a gentle pressure, you want to exfoliate not irritate! Do make sure that you pay particular attention to your chin, nose and jawline (or anywhere where you suffer congested skin). As you massage the mixture into your skin you will notice that the sugar will gently dissolve. Once the mixture has turned smooth, gently rinse off with tepid water. http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2013/08/store-cupboard-spa-illuminating-yogurt.html Step away from the magnifying mirror and let yourself off the hook. Rest assured that is not how the rest of the world sees you. That is unless you carry around your own hideous fluorescent lighting and invite all and sundry to check out your pores with your handy handbag size magnifying glass! One teeny weeny spot does not mean you have acne. One fine little expression line does not mean you need to be prodded with a syringe full of botox. Be kind to yourself and be honest, it really is liberating! I have seen far too many facial clients who have overreacted to a simple stress breakout, gone out and purchased mega watt acne treatments and created red, irritated and very, very, very spotty skin for themselves. Deep down we are all truly sensitive souls and that includes our skin. Would you wash a baby's delicate skin with harsh products loaded with chemicals, follow on with a drench of alcohol rich toner then follow immediately with either a thick and uber cloying cream or a moisturizer chock full of acids that will "reveal your skins natural radiance". Hmm, didn't think so! Your skin already has the ability to reveal its radiance naturally, its your job to treat it as gently as possible and support its own inbuilt protection and rejuvenating ability. It certainly doesn't need any harsh chemicals it just needs you to treat it kindly and protect it from the harmful rays of the sun. http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2009/12/be-kind-to-your-skin.html |
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