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All About Skin Care Mary Kay Independent Consultant
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What You Absolutely Need Every woman should include these basic elements in her skin-care routine:
Cleanser The most important selection for good skin care Your face should feel soft, pliable, and pampered. If your skin feels tight after cleansing, you need to switch to a cleanser that is not harsh.
Do you want to see specific products? Click! ¡¡ ¡¡ Sun protection Wearing hats, sunglasses, and a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher is the only way to prevent the premature wrinkles and freckles that are the result of sun damage. Regardless of how brown and beautiful you are, you need to make the application of sunscreen a central, daily part of your skin-care routine. A broad-spectrum SPF formula protects you from both UVA and UVB rays. UVA, known as the ¡°aging¡± rays of the sun, are most responsible for deep-tissue damage and premature wrinkling. UVB, the ¡°burning¡± rays, activate the melanin production of the skin, causing tanning or burning as the immediate outcome. UVB rays are also the cause of skin cancer. Freckles or age spots are a few less-desirable results of unprotected sun exposure. ¡¡ Sunscreen comes in two types: physical and chemical blocks. Physical blocks provide a literal shield from the sun¡¯s rays. The most common ingredient in physical sunblocks is titanium or zinc oxide. ¡¡ Chemical sunblocks contain ingredients like Parasol 1789 that absorb the harmful rays of the sun. The problem with Parsol 1789, however, is that it loses efficiency after a few hours under the sun, when the chemical compounds that make it effective begin to break down. Right now, Parsol 1789 and zinc oxide are the only two ingredients that are FDA-approved and proven to block both UVA and UVB rays. ¡¡ When it comes to daily wear SPF formula, you must consider how the sun protection is delivered. Most zinc oxide-based forms come in a lotion, which can be off-putting for women with oily skin. If you skip an application of moisturizer, however, make sure that the zinc oxide sunscreen is oil-free or a gel-based formula, non-comedogenic, and that the zinc oxide lotion should not cause any extra oiliness or breakouts for women who are prone to acne. Pair it with an oil-free foundation or oil-absorbing powder, and you should be fine. Women with dry skin have their choice of products but may want to consider a sunscreen with moisturizing properties. ¡¡
Exfoliant The third element every woman should incorporate into her skin-care routine is some kind of an exfoliant. Exfoliants slough off dead skin cells, giving your skin a fresh appearance, and women of all skin types can benefit from them. For dry skin, exfoliating helps remove ashiness or buildup of dead skin cells that leave the complexion looking dull. For women with oily or acne-prone skin, exfoliation removes the excess dead skin that can clog pores and cause acne. Combination skin reaps double benefits. ¡¡ As with sunblocks, there are two types of exfoliants: physical and chemical. Physical Exfoliants include anything from a washcloth with a slight rough texture to a facial scrub, to a cream or lotion with tiny granules in the formula that help to remove excess dead skin. Both accomplish the same thing: They remove dead cells from the top layer of skin. Washcloths are generally used while cleansing the face; facial scrubs can be used in addition to or in place of regular cleanser. Any type of exfoliation should be done gently. Never tug or pull at the skin or scrub roughly. As with cleansing, your skin should feel soft and pampered afterward, not rubbed raw. Exfoliating in this manner should be done up to three times a week. Doing it everyday can be excessive and won¡¯t really make a difference in the appearance of your skin. ¡¡ Chemical Exfoliants come in the form of lotions or creams or toners that you apply to your face after cleansing. The ingredients in these exfoliants are usually some type of acid: alpha hydroxyl (AHA) and beta hydroxyl (BHA) acids are the most common. These acids work by gently sloughing off dead cells from the surface of the skin throughout the day. Some of the creams are gentle enough that you can apply them daily, but monitor your skin to see whether that is really necessary. One bonus of AHAs: In cream form – which tends to be slightly more moisturizing, depending on the skin type they are made for – its repairing properties work to minimize wrinkles by ultimately affecting the deeper layers of the skin. Since the top layer of excess skin cells are being removed, fresher, younger skin is being uncovered, diminishing the appearance of fine lines. ¡¡ As with moisturizers and cleansers, the range of exfoliating creams has broadened beyond the targeted categories of oily, dry, or combination skin. There are exfoliating creams for the hands, undereye area, lips, body, and feet. ¡¡ Sensitive skin types should incorporate exfoliation with a very gentle facial scrub or with a soft washcloth massage. Do you want to see specific products? Click! ¡¡ |