To start the discussion on oily skin care, it is imperative to first understand the cause behind oily skin. Put simply, oily skin is a result of excessive production of sebum (an oily substance that is naturally produced by skin). As is known to everyone, excess of everything is bad; so excessive sebum is bad too. It leads to clogging of skin pores, resulting in accumulation of dead cells and hence formation of pimples/acne. Moreover, oily skin spoils your looks too. So, 'oily skin care' is as important as the 'skin care' for other types of skin.
The basic aim of 'oily skin care' is the removal of excessive sebum or oil from the skin. However, oily skin care procedures should not lead to complete removal of oil. 'Oily skin care' starts with the use of a cleanser. However, not all cleansers will work. You need a cleanser which contains salicylic acid i.e. a beta-hydroxy acid that retards the rate of sebum production. Cleansing should be done twice a day (and even more in hot and humid conditions).
Most of the oily skin care products are oil-free; however, it is always good to check the ingredients of the product, before you actually buy it. This is especially important if a product is marked as 'suitable for all skin types', instead of 'oily skin care product'. 'Oily skin care' is also dependent on the degree of oiliness, if you are not too oily, so some of these 'suitable for all'- type of products might be work for you too. For extremely oily skin, only oily skin care products are suitable. Your oily skin care routine can include an alcohol based toner (for an extremely oily skin). This can be the second step in your oily skin care routine i.e. just after cleansing. However, excessive toning can harm your skin.
The next step in your oily skin care routine can be a mild moisturizer. Again, the degree of oiliness of your skin will determine whether you need to include this in your oily skin care routine. If you do decide to include a moisturizer, be sure to use one that is oil-free, wax-free and lipid-free.
You could also use a clay mask (say once a week) as an oily skin care measure.
As far as the oily skin care products go, you might need to try out a few before you arrive at the one that is really suitable for your skin.
In case these measures do not give you the desired result, consult a good dermatologist for advice. He could prescribe stronger oily skin care products like vitamin A creams, retinoid, sulphur creams etc , which can help counter the problems of oily skin.
(Note: This article is the opinion of the author and may or may not be substantiated by scientific fact.)
Showing posts with label skin care tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skin care tips. Show all posts
Friday, August 01, 2008
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
10 Skin Care Tips
Healthy skin is really one of the most important ingredients for beauty-enhancement. This article on skin care tips is an effort to bring the 10 best skin care tips to you. The list of skin care tips has been restricted to 10 because anything more that that would not only be difficult to remember, but also shadow the more important skin care tips.
So let’s see what these top ten skin care tips are:
* Knowing your skin type is one of the most important skin care tip. This is important because not every skin care product suits everyone. In fact, all the skin care products specify the type of skin they cater too.
* ‘Drink a lot of water’. This will not keep your skin moist but will help in overall upkeep of your health (and in turn your skin). It might seem a bit awkward to some, however, this is an important skin care tip.
* Cleanse your skin regularly (1-2 times everyday). A very effective skin care tips that helps in getting rid of the dirt and other harsh elements from your skin. Cleansing is especially important when you have been out of your house (and hence exposed to pollutants, dust etc). This skin care tip also advocates the use of Luke warm water for cleansing (hot and cold water, both, cause damage to your skin)
* Be gentle, after all it’s your skin. Don’t scrub/exfoliate too hard or too often. Similarly, don’t apply too much or too many skin care products. A must-to-follow skin care tip.
* Keep your skin moist at all times. This is one of the most important skin care tip. Don’t let your skin get dry. Dryness causes the outer layer of your skin to break, leading to a rough and unattractive appearance. Use moisturizers/ emollients. Moisturizers work best when applied while the skin is still damp.
* Avoid the use of soap on your face. Soap should only be used from below the neck. A small but important skin care tip.
* Use sunscreen to protect yourself from sun’s harmful UV radiations. You can use daytime moisturizers that have sunscreen built into them. Use them even when it’s cloudy. UV radiations are known to cause skin cancer, so follow this skin care tip without fail.
* A bit of exercise and good sleep are essential too, not just for skin care but also for your health as a whole. Lack of sleep can lead to formation of wrinkles below your eyes and lack of exercise can cause your skin to slack. Moreover, exercise and sleep also help in beating stress. So besides being a skin care tip, this is also a health care tip.
* Treat skin dilemmas with care. This skin care tip is about not ignoring any skin dilemmas. Consult your dermatologist before you go on to use a skin care product (lest you do end up harming your skin even more).
* Beat the stress. Everyone knows the harmful effects of stress, however, sometimes stating the obvious is essential too (and hence this skin care tip found its place here). Yes, stress harms skin too. So, take a break or indulge in a warm bubble bath or just get good sleep.
(Note: This article is the opinion of the author and may or may not be substantiated by scientific fact.)
So let’s see what these top ten skin care tips are:
* Knowing your skin type is one of the most important skin care tip. This is important because not every skin care product suits everyone. In fact, all the skin care products specify the type of skin they cater too.
* ‘Drink a lot of water’. This will not keep your skin moist but will help in overall upkeep of your health (and in turn your skin). It might seem a bit awkward to some, however, this is an important skin care tip.
* Cleanse your skin regularly (1-2 times everyday). A very effective skin care tips that helps in getting rid of the dirt and other harsh elements from your skin. Cleansing is especially important when you have been out of your house (and hence exposed to pollutants, dust etc). This skin care tip also advocates the use of Luke warm water for cleansing (hot and cold water, both, cause damage to your skin)
* Be gentle, after all it’s your skin. Don’t scrub/exfoliate too hard or too often. Similarly, don’t apply too much or too many skin care products. A must-to-follow skin care tip.
* Keep your skin moist at all times. This is one of the most important skin care tip. Don’t let your skin get dry. Dryness causes the outer layer of your skin to break, leading to a rough and unattractive appearance. Use moisturizers/ emollients. Moisturizers work best when applied while the skin is still damp.
* Avoid the use of soap on your face. Soap should only be used from below the neck. A small but important skin care tip.
* Use sunscreen to protect yourself from sun’s harmful UV radiations. You can use daytime moisturizers that have sunscreen built into them. Use them even when it’s cloudy. UV radiations are known to cause skin cancer, so follow this skin care tip without fail.
* A bit of exercise and good sleep are essential too, not just for skin care but also for your health as a whole. Lack of sleep can lead to formation of wrinkles below your eyes and lack of exercise can cause your skin to slack. Moreover, exercise and sleep also help in beating stress. So besides being a skin care tip, this is also a health care tip.
* Treat skin dilemmas with care. This skin care tip is about not ignoring any skin dilemmas. Consult your dermatologist before you go on to use a skin care product (lest you do end up harming your skin even more).
* Beat the stress. Everyone knows the harmful effects of stress, however, sometimes stating the obvious is essential too (and hence this skin care tip found its place here). Yes, stress harms skin too. So, take a break or indulge in a warm bubble bath or just get good sleep.
(Note: This article is the opinion of the author and may or may not be substantiated by scientific fact.)
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