If you’ve been to a mega-superstore lately, you were probably overwhelmed when it comes to how many products there are for cleaning your face. It’s not as simple as buying for oily, normal or dry skin anymore. You could empty your wallet on cleansers with all sorts of fancy ingredients. But which is the right one for you? Let’s explore some of the issues you may have:
Do you have allergies to some cleanser ingredients?
This should be your number one concern. You might assume that you’re having an allergic reaction, but sometimes your skin just needs to adjust to the ingredients. For example, I thought I was allergic to Urea and Retinol because I had a reaction whenever I used products that contained one or the other. But I tried helping my skin adjust by only using them once a week. Over 3 or 4 weeks, my skin stopped reacting, so then I used them once every other day. Now I use them every day, and I absolutely love the results.
How do you tell if it’s an allergy? Swelling can be a clue, it’s most likely an allergy, so discontinue using the product and see a dermatologist. If your skin becomes red, hot or itchy within a few minutes, then it’s also probably an allergy. Taking a few hours, or even a day or two, is most like a sign it’s probably not an allergy, and you can try to introduce the product slowly over the course of a few weeks.
Do you have a skin condition?
Having a skin condition, such as Eczema, Keratosis Pilaris or Rosacea, will limit what type of facial cleanser you can use. For Rosacea, Eczema and Keratosis Pilaris, you might need a gentle one for sensitive skin that contains essential oils, and doesn’t strip the natural oils in your skin. Experiencing Keratosis Pilaris? You’ll also want to add a daily exfoliator to your routine. For additional help, check out my blog and search on your skin condition.
What’s your “oil” level?
Some people mistake having acne for having a lot of oil. Having acne with dry skin is actually very common. If this is the case, you don’t want to use “oil-control” cleanser, it will dry you out more and your acne will get worse. You’ll just need to add a daily exfoliator to your routine. If you have overactive oil glands, you’ll want to make sure that your cleanser doesn’t add any additional oil to your face. This is true for sensitive skin formulas because they add essential oils to help the dryness and redness. If you have dry skin, make sure you use a non-drying cleanser.
What type of anti-aging ingredients do you need?
Everyone needs anti-aging, even teenagers. Taking care of your skin early generally helps fend off lines and wrinkles. But everyone’s skin ages differently, so I always talk about “skin age”. Your skin age doesn’t necessarily reflect your real age. For example, if you’re in your 40’s, but you don’t have any crows feet, smile lines or “11’s” (those pesky lines between your eyebrows) yet, then your skin is acting like it’s 30. You’ll want to make sure that the cleanser you’re using is based on your skin age, not your real age so that you get the right type of anti-aging.
The trick is to read the ingredient list and ignore the hype on the front of the bottle. It’s funny that a front label might look fantastic, but the product inside often turns out to be a dud. And don’t be afraid to ask an expert, sometimes it’s difficult to wade through the hype of all the marketing. Feel free to send me an email or post a comment, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
Guest Author Bio – Christine Grudecki
A mobile spa consultant, Christine has had training as a skin care professional and works with clients to help create and maintain beautiful looking skin. She is also the owner of PMICreations Mobile Spa & Gifts, as well as the author of the Spa Blog, which ranges in subjects from skin care to health to relaxation, and everything in between.
