A flawless face begins with a great skin care routine. To ensure the best possible makeup application, you must, at the very least, clean and hydrate your skin daily.
I urge you to USE the skin care products that you invest in, and know that you don’t need many to get the job done! I cringe when meeting clients who have a plethora of skin care products, lotions and potions, only to hear that they seldom use any of it!
I recommend that you keep it simple and dedicate five minutes, twice a day, to care for your skin.
By being dedicated, your skin will look wonderful and your money won’t be wasted. Speaking of money, I have to advocate that you get what you pay for when it comes to skin care and makeup. However, something is better than nothing, so buy products at the prices that you are comfortable with, whether you choose to shop in a drugstore, department store, or with a professional within the industry, like myself.
Before you venture out to shop for skin care products, I recommend that you read my entire section on skin care first. Most beauty consultants work on commission based sales, which may motivate some to try and persuade you to buy more than is necessary. Create a concise list of what you need to buy. Doing so will make shopping less stressful, since you know exactly what it is that you genuinely need.
Before purchasing skin care, you must first determine what your skin type is. For example, if you have normal skin, you need to look for products with the label, “for normal skin”. Your skin type can change depending on the season, so take the time periodically to make sure that your skin care products help the challenges that your skin currently faces. Below is a guide to determine your particular skin type, which you should record in the blank provided, following the chart.
| SKIN TYPE | CHARACTERISTICS |
| Normal Skin | Little or no pores. Smooth in texture, void of any dry patches. Tolerant to most products. Tans easily. |
| Dry Skin | Redness, flaky and dehydrated in appearance. Tight with visible lines. |
| Oily Skin | Shiny in the T-zone or all over. Large pores. Acne or prone to break-outs. |
| Combination Skin | Shiny in the T-zone, dry/red cheeks with large pores. Breakouts in some areas. |
| Sensitive Skin | Redness in specific areas or all over. Reacts to most products. Burns easily in the sun and barely tans. |
My Skin Type is …………………………………………
I recommend that you have both a daytime and night-time skin care regime. Daytime products need to protect your skin from the environment and sun. Night-time products should help to repair and replenish as you sleep.
In the morning, wash off any oil or perspiration that may have accumulated during the night. Apply a daytime moisturizer with an SPF product to protect the skin against any sun or environmental damage. (see page 12 - Protect Yourself From the Sun)
At night, wash off all makeup, dirt and oils that collect on our skin during the day. Take this opportunity to apply intensive skin treatments, e.g. night creams, serums, etc., which have more concentrated ingredients and work in tandem with the body as it naturally repairs and rejuvenates while we sleep.
Step up your skin care routine by exfoliating your skin twice a week. Exfoliating will help speed up cell growth creating more radiant, youthful looking skin.
A chemical exfoliant is applied onto dried skin for a few minutes and left to gradually exfoliate the skin without any effort by you. A manual exfoliant (better known as a “scrub”) is massaged gently onto freshly cleansed and dried skin, to slough off the surface layer of dead skin.
In either case, follow the instructions on the packaging for best results.
For the recipe of a great aspirin scrub, which is a favourite of mine, visit www.makeupbeautyfull.com and learn how to make your own easily at home.
Facial masks are used mainly; to pull out impurities, like dirt and oil, or to hydrate the skin, with moisturizing ingredients. I recommend that you use a mask once a week to maintain healthy, radiant looking skin.
For dryer skin, look for a mask that is hydrating and will feed your skin moisture, and plump it up. If your skin is oily, a clay mask is the best choice, as it will work to extract impurities and dry out any acne spots.
Our eyes give away how we are feeling or, perhaps, how little we slept the night before! I always recommend using an eye cream morning and night. Most people are not aware that eye creams are formulated differently than creams made specifically for the face. They are ophthalmologist tested, which means they are safe to use around the eye area. They are also formulated with ingredients to help with challenges such as lines, puffiness and dark circles - concerns which are very specific to the eye area.
Take a moment to look at your eye area. Do you have puffiness, dark circles, lines and /or wrinkles?
I want to improve ………………………………………… around my eyes.
HERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW BEFORE YOU BUY YOUR SKIN CARE PRODUCTS.
| SKIN TYPE | CLEANSER A.M. / P.M. | MOISTURIZER DAY | MOISTURIZER NIGHT |
| Normal | A liquid based cleanser which wipes and/or rinses away. (a.m. & p.m.) | A water based moisturizer will work great to keep your skin hydrated. Minimum of SPF15. | A non-greasy cream will be enough to hydrate while your body repairs itself at night. |
| Oily | Look for gel cleansers that you massage onto the face and rinse. | Use a water based, oil free and non-clogging, light weight lotion. A mattifying lotion works well to help control shine during the day | Again make sure it is light weight and not greasy. AHAs and salicylic acid will help to exfoliate clogged pores through the night. |
| Dry | In the morning just splash with water. Use only in the evening cream or milk base cleanser that wipes away. | Heavier lotion or cream, specifically for hydrating dry skin, with ingredients such as glycerine to lock in hydration. | A rich and nourishing cream for night will give you the boost of hydration that dry skin thirsts for. |
| Sensitive | A cleanser that is gentle and designed specifically for sensitive skin. (Be careful not to rub hard.) | Sensitive skin lotion with very mild ingredients and free of scents or dyes. | A light, day cream will work well. |
| Acne prone | For breakouts, use cleanser with salicylic acid, twice daily, to clear clogged pores. | Light non-oily for hydration which will feed the skin but not encourage oil production. | A formula that delivers DHA/AHA for exfoliation at night. You may find that you don’t need a moisturizer for night. |
Using a product specifically for eye makeup removal, (not a cleanser) will ensure that stubborn mascara is removed without irritation or by pulling the thin, delicate, skin surrounding the eye area. Some removers contain oil which will leave a film on your eye lids. This oily film can linger, even until the next day, causing your eye makeup to either fade away or collect in the crease of your eye socket. For these reasons, I prefer a remover that is oil free. If however, you wear waterproof mascara, then you may find that the oily removers are exactly what you need to remove those stubborn products.
ENJOY BRIGHTER, CLEANER, AND SOFTER LOOKING SKIN USING YOUR OWN PRODUCTS AT HOME. Like everyone, I don’t always have time to visit a spa and enjoy a professional facial, so once a week, I treat myself to one at home. These are the steps and products that I use to give myself a facial treatment without leaving the house. I encourage you to give it a try!