Month: September 2019

This week we’re covering one of the most common skin types- oily skin! Not only is it the most common skin type, but it’s notorious for being the hardest to treat. There is so much advice flying around about what you should do, what you should use etc. So I’m going to try and give you a straightforward answer and skin care plan to stick to.

First of all, let’s make sure that you definitely fit into this category. If you are treating your skin for the wrong skin type, that may be where your going wrong. These are the most common symptoms of oily skin:

• Visible pores
• Shiny or thick skin
• Prone to getting blackheads
• Prone to blemishes
• Highly influenced by hormones
• Ages more slowly, with fewer lines than people of the same age
• Comfortable upon leaving the shower, or after cleansing
• A singly-ply bit of tissue pressed to the chin and nose an hour after cleansing will show translucent patches of oil

 

Sound like you? 

Here are some do’s and don’ts:

• Consider exfoliation once or twice a week MAX. Exfoliating too often will encourage inflammation and irritation. If you feel you need more than just a cleanse, try a face mask like the ‘Clear Skin Blemish Fighting Mask’ from Tropic.
• Moisturisers and oils are not to be avoided!
• However, AVOID mineral oils, shea, cocoa, butters and super-rich emollients
• Don’t avoid oil all the time because you have oily skin!! Oil-free moisturisers and sun creams are great advocates of makeup throughout the day but I would still invest in a nice light oil to wear as a sort of facemask at night or every so often. Not all oils are made the same and some will actually help you combat your oily-ness. When you strip your skin of oil, your skin will panic and make more oil. Therefore increasing your oily-ness. Make sure you have a good variety of products to try out and find what works for you. I recommend a good oil to start your experimentation is Tropic’s Blue Lagoon Blemish Prevention Serum.
• Treat yourself to a facial every so often, this skin type needs it!

A Skincare Plan for Oily Skin

AM

1. Cleanse
2. Serum – (Use an antioxidant serum if ageing is a concern)
3. Moisturise with a product that contains spf. (Oil-free versions are best, we recommend Clarins as they do oil-free versions.) For a separate moisturiser with no SPF, we LOVE Origins Ginzing!! 
4. Then apply your makeup.

PM

1. Double cleanse (clean twice!)
2. Spot Treatments if needed. (E.g. Retinoid.)
3. No need for a night cream unless your skin feels dry or tight at this stage.

If you would like any more advice on what to use on oily skin please get in touch!

So in my last blog post I spoke about dehydrated skin. This week I want to talk to you about dry skin. Your skin type will most likely change over time and this can be due to many different contributing factors; location, diet, pregnancy, age and many more. YOU can also have an affect on your skin type. I have always been someone with dry skin however, due to my obsession with makeup and trying new products, I have managed to manipulate my skin into a combination skin type. Where I frequently used to overuse face masks, cleansers and exfoliators, I stripped the oil from my face when I had little to begin with. In reality I encouraged my skin to start producing more oil around my t-zone therefore creating a combination skin type. (Blog post coming soon.) The moral of the story is, only treat your skin based on it’s specific needs.

So let’s find out what those specific needs are for a dry skin type! If you are not sure if you have dry skin or not, read these common symptoms:

• Redness
• Scaly patches
• Flaky skin
• Feeling of tightness, especially after baths or showers.
• Visible lines in your skin
• Rough feeling
• Itchiness
• Easily irritated
• Worse in the winter months and aggravated by cold.
• You have small pores
• Your prone to milia, the little white lumps that can hang around for months, especially around the eyes. (See picture)

Dry skin is common, particularly after menopause and if you do suffer from the above symptoms you can safely say you belong to the ’dry skin’ category! Join the crew!

I would say that dry skin is one of the easier skin types to manage providing you have the correct information. Here are some do’s and don’ts:

• Avoid long, hot showers. This can strip the skin of moisture even more.
• Use gentle soaps and cleansers.
• Avoid exfoliation as this will lead to more irritation. If you have flakiness use a milk cleanser and flannel to exfoliate, rotating in circular motions. Avoid products with small beads in. [Tropic’s Smoothing Cleanser Complexion purifier and Bamboo Face Cloth are amazing for this]
• Scrubs will really aggravate dryness.
• Opt for rich textures, butters, and oils to make your skin feel as soft and supple as you can. 
• Overnight moisturising masks are good every once in a while.

A Skincare Plan for Dry Skin

AM

1. Cleanse – Cleansing milk is the best type of product for dry skin. You use this product with a cotton pad rather than using water. Cleansing milk dissolves oil and dirt without drying the skin out further.
2. Serum – Use a hydrating antioxidant serum
3. Moisturise with a product that contains spf. 
4. Then apply your makeup.

PM

1. Cleanse – ensure all makeup has been removed first.
   
2. Use a night cream or oil. Our favourites are Tropic’s ‘Super Greens Nutrient Boost Oil’ or if you prefer a cream Origins ‘High Potency Night-A-Mins Resurfacing Cream with Fruit-Derived AHAs’.

If you have discovered that you have dry skin or the opposite, you thought you had dry skin but maybe you don’t, comment below! As always feel free to contact us if you need any advice or product recommendations for what to use on your skin! 

Thanks for reading x