I don't have perfect skin, and anyone who says otherwise have obviously never seen me without my lifesaving MAC Prolongwear foundation. Or maybe it's a testament to how well I've been treating my skin lately. Until 2012, my face was acne-free except for the occasional pimple here and there from either hormones or lack of hygiene. But when I hit 17, I started developing pimples, so obviously I had to step my game up in the skin care department. Having clear skin is a prerequisite to, well, life. If you have clear skin, you pretty much have life wrapped around your pinky finger. However, I have learned so many things about dermatology that I wouldn't have known if I had perfect skin. So here are just some of the general rules I live by.
Let's get to it:
1. Research the products
I don't mean just going to their website and reading about their products because they wouldn't tell the whole truth. Go to makeupalley for reviews about skincare or cosmetics and read all of the reviews. I usually read as much as I possibly can so I know how to use it properly. Sometimes people have allergic reactions and it would alert me to the possibility that I would wake up with blisters on my face. Most importantly, go to YouTube and watch every single review. This pertains to cosmetics as well. Never buy a product on the spot or with minimum knowledge. Never.
2. Read the ingredients before you buy anything
Don't be a fool and think that alpha-hydroxy acids and ceteareth-20 are just fairy dust in your face wash. It isn't. You better know what you're putting on your face because some are toxic and could worsen your skin. Go to cosdna to look up your products or specific ingredients to see how healthy a product is. Never skip a product ingredient list. For every ingredient you read over, a baby dies.
3. Ask for a free sample
They will have free samples, trust me, and you will get them with force if necessary. Just jump over the counter and hold the salesperson at gunpoint until they give you a free sample. Free samples are necessary. Sometimes after one application you'll see direct results, or sometimes you'll wake up with severe allergies. I used to go from store to store collecting free samples. At one point, I couldn't afford this brand's product, so I just went from chain to chain around the city to ask for free samples for said product. I lived off free samples for months.
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| My collection of free samples from Kiehl's, Aesop, Cetaphil, Body Shop, Lush, and Dermalogica | . |
4. You'll get zits, that's good sometimes
This is called purging. Sometimes you buy a skincare product and it makes you break out. That's actually a good thing because it's expelling all the zits from your face, and then you will have a smooth canvas that will make toddlers jealous. However, if after a month or two your face is still purging, it's a sign that your product isn't doing its job. Ditch that and move on.
5. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid
These come in tubes respectively, or can be ingredients in your face wash. Basically they're the two main pimple-fighting ingredients, and you dab them on your zits if you buy them raw from a tube. With benzoyl peroxide, the 2.5% tube can be slathered on your face after cleansing it in order to kill severe acne. This is also called The Regimen and has been promoted often in acne.org. If you want a review on that, you can comment down below and I'll post one up. I did The Regimen last year and I shall give you my two cents if requested. Probably not. Y'all are a tough crowd.
6. Tea tree oil
This has to be in your arsenal, no questions asked. You will need them, even if you think you don't. Tea tree oil is natural, and thus is good for your face. Dab them on your scars to lighten them, and on your pimples to combat the tiny volcanoes. Pro tip, if you ever decide to pop a zit, quickly put tea tree oil on it because it's an antibacterial and helps lessen future scarring and infection. Another reason you should have tea tree oil is if you have dandruff, just squeeze a couple drops on your shampoo every time you wash your hair and you'll be dandruff-free in a matter of days.
7. Face masks
These little bundles of joy have ingredients in them that normal face washes and moisturizers don't have. Different masks do different things but they always brighten the complexion and remove all the dirt clogged in your pores. Using a face mask at least once a week will give you a nice healthy glow. I use mine twice a week, depending on the mask. Right now I'm using Asia's #1 face mask, My Beauty Diary, only because my normal Lush face mask isn't available in Jakarta. Lush is a great organic skincare line, by the way, and those who haven't tried it yet definitely should. Or at least just their face masks.
8. Makeup removers
You can either opt for a face wash/makeup remover combo like Neutrogena's Facial Foaming Cleanser (which I'm currently using), or a separate remover in the form of a liquid or a moist towelette. I urge you to use a separate eye makeup remover like the drugstore L'oreal one and then follow up with a wash/makeup remover combo for the skin because it's faster and does the job well. Also the number one skincare rule: never sleep with makeup on. I never do and never will.
9. Brushes
How is this skincare? Because the brushes you use to put your foundation on is a breeding ground for bacteria. You have to spot clean your brush every time you use it (like by using a brush cleanser), and deep clean it once a week (water it, wash with normal shampoo, rinse, let air dry through the night). That's what I do, hence why my brush is always whiter than Mitt Romney in a snowstorm.
10. Stop changing
If you find a product that doesn't break you out, stick to that. When it comes to the necessities like face wash and moisturizer, finding the holy grail combination for both is like finding Nemo. Don't be fooled by celebrity-endorsed products and clever commercials, because as the daughter of an Ad Man, I've learned that advertising is 50% deception and 50% persuasion. The only products you can change are zit creams (although nothing beats 2.5% benzoyl peroxide) and face masks. There are tons of face masks out there, so enjoy the incredible calmness of using one late at night.
11. Less is more
Your face is the most sensitive part of your body, excluding your genitalia. So obviously when your bathroom cupboard has 101 products, that's never a good thing. Don't slather whatever product on your beautiful face just because a very convincing saleslady or a commercial tells you to. Be wise and keep it simple.
With all this in mind, my current morning and night routine is the Neutrogena Facial Foaming Cleanser for a face wash, SKII Facial Treatment Essence, and finally the Cetaphil Daily Moisturizer SPF 15. Then every Wednesday and Saturday night I put on a face mask. My routine is simple but effective, which is what skin care should be.
With all this in mind, my current morning and night routine is the Neutrogena Facial Foaming Cleanser for a face wash, SKII Facial Treatment Essence, and finally the Cetaphil Daily Moisturizer SPF 15. Then every Wednesday and Saturday night I put on a face mask. My routine is simple but effective, which is what skin care should be.
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