Skincare FAQs: Part 2 of 2
Tarrah Bouts
Hi again, friend! I see you are back to learn more about those commonly asked skincare questions! (And if you haven’t read part 1 of this series, do that here first! I promise it’s mind-blowing!)
So in Part 1, we determined so many things that you thought you knew, but probably didn’t about skincare! At least that’s my hope in writing this, and you taking your precious time to read my ramblings! Haha! I digress…
Today, let’s learn about those FUNDAMENTAL steps, and talk about where they fit together with your VITAL, actives/serums to address your skin type and conditions! Today is going to be more superficial, but I promise I have a lot of information out there to help you dive deeper, on your busy schedule, with no sales-y approach. I truly just love to educate!
My team and I are all super busy, powerhouses, who like easy and convenient products. I am guessing you are like us, since you seem to like hanging out with us! That is why we put together some pre-fab bundles of products. Now. There’s no pressure to actually spend your hard earned money on our stuff! These are just suggestions of what types of products are good for what skin types! (Not sure of your skin type? Take this quiz here when you get a minute if you would like to learn what yours is!) So let’s dive in (superficially) to our FUNDAMENTALS…
FUNDAMENTALS are what everyone should have in their routine: Cleanser, Toner, and Moisturizer. (Ideally an SPF over this too. If you use SPF daily, we literally do a happy dance, and I can totally show you my moves next time I see you!) What does each one do? The Cleanser removes makeup, dirt, oil, dust particles, and most importantly, creates a “clean slate” for every other product you will use. Imagine spackling holes in a wall, and then you don’t bother to sand and dust before you paint. How well does that paint job look? (Are you feeling me?) This is also one key area of where your skin type comes into play. If you use the wrong cleanser to try and set the stage for your other products, the rest of your investment may not give you the maximum benefit. Now I don’t know about you, but my momma always told me money doesn’t grow on trees, and I don’t like feeling like I’ve wasted my money on a good product because I washed my face wrong?! Next step will almost always be the Toner (you can do a face scrub and then Toner, but that’s a little more MASTERY). This next step is where you have some choices to make; if you are a super streamlined person, who is overall happy with their skin, and you are not looking to be corrective or proactive with your skin’s health, then you would forge into your moisturizer and SPF in the daytime! BOOM! Easy as that! However, if you are trying to do some corrective work on those wrinkles and brown spots, or you feel as dry as the Sahara even with moisturizer, you will need to take a few VITAL steps…
VITALS are what everyone would ideally have in their routine, but you can make them optional if you are just truly happy with your skin! VITALS are the transformers of the skin. Also known as Actives or Serums, these VITAL products do the heavy lifting when it comes to skin conditions! Skin conditions are very different from skin type (read more about the skin types here). For example, did you know you could have a dry skin type, but suffer with acne as a condition? Or maybe you are an oily skin type, who suffers from hyperpigmentation! Whatever the concern, the FUNDAMENTALS handle your skin type, and your VITALS make changes to the condition!
A VITAL line does not have to include a 12 step routine, either! By simply adding one serum in the morning, and a different active at night, we can start seeing marked improvement in the skin. Your actives will have a completely different feel. They can range from a liquid that just looks and feels like water, to a very lightweight lotion, or even a gel! Whatever their texture, they all have one thing in common: active cosmeceuticals in a formula with a special delivery system. Why is this important? Our very top layer of skin cells is dead (stratum corneum) and beyond help for our active products to make changes. These serums need to be delivered to lower levels of the skin (specifically the epidermis) to reach certain types of cells that are found there (the goal is to reach the stratum basale, or even reach or affect the dermal/epidermal junction! I’m secretly a smarty pants, but I try not to show off! It’s so off putting! LOL!) These are skin cells that can be positively affected, to the point where you can still see changes in your overall complexion!
A very popular ingredient that has been on the market for a million years, is hyaluronic acid (or another derivative, sodium hyaluronate). This is such a commonly found ingredient, that gives zero downtime, and an almost instantly plumped up affect, which is why it’s so popular! This ingredient works the BEST if it has a little bit of water either mixed in with it (hello, toner!), or when layered with more water containing products! Moisturizers almost always contain water first, and emollients second! The water in the moisturizer “activates” your hyaluronic acid, and the emollient “locks it all in,” keeping the water from just evaporating away from your skin! (This is why many of you are not getting the results you want from using a lot of facial oils, by the way!)
Ready for the re-cap? Here we go:
Cleanser (and always do a double cleanse at night!) to create a clean slate!
Toner regulates pH and starts hydrating the skin with water!
Actives/Serums- these should almost always be applied from the thinnest texture to the thickest! (Example, you have 2 serums, one a water and one a gel. ALMOST always, the liquid will go first, then the thicker gel!)
Moisturizer
SPF!
Hope this helps to give you a little guidance, friend! And remember I’m always a message away if you have any questions! xo