12 August 2013

1:55 PM EST

Entry #1 SKIN: The Basics of Skincare

Dear Beauty Diary,

01. Treat your Skin from the Inside Out

*Observe the effect of different foods on your skin (example: dairy products may cause you to break out).

*Avoid problematic foods, such as salty, spicy, and greasy foods, to keep your skin clear.

*Drink 8 glasses of water (equivalent to 4 bottles of water). This is important!

*The truth is, 8 cups of water is not actually enough. It is recommended to have at least 11 cups of water a day; however, most doctors and health specialist recommend only 8 cups since the other 3 cups of water can come from eating vegetables and fruits. So, not only is it important to drink enough water, be sure to also 'eat' enough water.

*Do not go by how thirsty you may feel. Often enough, once you are already thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

*Do not take big gulps when drinking water, for it may cause digestion problems. Instead, take small sips. It's more important about how often you drink, not how much.

Recommended Beauty Foods:

Raw Salads, Apples, Blueberries, Carrot Juice, Honey, Grapefruit Tea (can help suppress appetite & keep menstrual cycle regular)

02. Hygiene

*Always wash your hands before applying makeup or skincare. Avoid touching your face unless you are cleansing or applying makeup.

*Never over-cleanse your skin. When cleansing, apply a small amount  of the wash onto the palm of your hand and work it up into a foam (this warms up the cleanser, allowing the cleanser to spread more easily and be more effective). Once the cleanser is warmed up, apply the cleanser onto the center of your face. Apply with circular motions (this allows the cleanser to reach deep into your pores). Do not rub too harshly. Be sure to rub over the entire face, starting from the nose, cheeks, down to the mouth area, chin, up along the sides of the face, temples, brows, and to the forehead. Be careful not to get any into your eyes. Massage the cleanser for at least 30 seconds. Rinse with lukewarm water. (NEVER USE HOT WATER, for it will cause your skin to become inflamed and red;  pimples may even swell.)

*Wash only 2 times a day (morning and night).

*Change bedsheets/pillowcases every 2 months. While you sleep at night with your face against the pillow, germs, dirt, and oil may get trapped within your bedsheets. Be sure to change them every 2 months. Even better, do not sleep on your side.

*Be aware of what your skin may come in contact with: cellphones, pillowcases, hands. Avoid having contact with anything that might bring unwanted dirt, oil, and bacteria onto your face.

*Always wash off makeup before going to bed.

03. Tone

*Surveys have shown that all 'perfect-skinned' people have toners as a 'must-use' product.  Toners have a variety of uses. Depending on the type you buy, it can provide many skin benefits. Be careful when choosing the one right for your skin. Some may contain alcohol, some may dry-out your skin, and some may be too harsh.

* The main purpose of toners is to remove excess dirt and makeup that your wipes/cleanser may have missed. Even when your skin looks clean, it may not actually be clean. This can be observed when users notice dirt and makeup stains on their cotton pads after using toners.

*Toners not only cleanse the skin, they help refine pores. By removing the dirt lodged deep within the pores, toners help dramatically shrink the size of enlarged pores.

How to Use:

1) Dab a fair amount onto a cotton pad/cotton ball.

2) Gently wipe over face.

3) Repeat if needed.

4) You may also directly apply onto your face with your hands; however, you would be wasting more product. This technique is used a lot in Asia since women like to incorporate a facial massage while they apply their skincare products. Many Asian women like to ‘pat’ their toners on.

04. Moisturize

Always, always, always be sure to moisturize. Even if you have oily skin, your skin still needs moisture. Too many people make the mistake of overcleansing their face and then skipping the moisturizer. After washing your face, you remove lots of the essential oils your skin needs. Washing should only remove the excess oil, but many cleansers often remove too much. In order to compensate for the loss, you must replenish your skin’s moisture.  If you do not, your skin will be too dry. Oil glands will actually start to produce more oil to compensate for the dryness.

For Oily/Combination Skin: Be sure to choose light moisturizers. In the summer, use a gel. In the winter, use a lighter cream or just stick with the gel.

For Dry/Sensitive Skin: Avoid moisturizers with fragrance/parfum. Use cream moisturizers. During the summer, switch to a lighter formula.

05. Protect

Sun protection is essential. Our depleting ozone layer can no longer protect us from the sun's harmful rays, which makes wearing sunscreen a hundred times more important.  There are two ways to protect your skin. One is through the use of skincare products, and the other is through the use of umbrellas, sun visors, etc. The latter option is a more ‘physical’ solution. Simply, by staying inside, staying covered, your skin won’t be damaged by the sun. Buy an umbrella that can protect from UV rays. Wear longer sleeves (thicker fabrics) if possible. Stay in the shade. All of these can help protect against sun damage; however, the first approach is much more easier and convenient. Simply apply sunscreen every day along with your normal skincare routine. Use a sunscreen that is suitable for your skin. Be sure the sunscreen in non-comedogenic (will not clog your pores). Reapply the sunscreen every 1-2 hours.

It is important to protect yourself from the sun since harmful UVA/UVB rays can cause premature aging of the skin. At a young age, you may experience wrinkling, dark spots, etc. Worst case scenario: you may even develop skin cancer, so protect yourself!

From,

applecyanide