Hello World! A little while back I wrote a post similar to this, regarding how to achieve salon quality skin care at home. However, since the post went over better than I'd predicted, I thought I could now expand on this and give a little bit more detail in my set of "guidelines"! If you’d like to see my old post on how to get salon quality skin care at home, just click
here!
Below I’ve written a quick run down of some useful things to know before you venture out into the buyer’s world of skin care. Make sure you follow recommendations for your skin type!
Disclaimer
I am a cosmetologist, and am licensed to give skin care advice. My opinion may differ from other professionals, but this post is purely that, my opinion. If you have any questions, feel free to get in contact with me and I’d be more than happy to clarify anything for you!
Budget
I think this is one of the most overlooked topics with informative posts about skin care shopping. I think first and foremost, you need to set a budget for yourself. If you can only afford one high end product, you’re not going to be able to buy the “trifecta” (explained below) which basically leaves you right where you started, without the right products! Buying from the drugstore instead of department store may allow you to purchase all the products you need. That being said, do your research, as some drugstore products can be very strong or damaging to the skin.
Recommended Drugstore Brands (but not limited to):
Clean & Clear
St. Ives
Neutrogena
Biore
Recommended High End Brands (but not limited to):
The Body Shop
Murad
Philosophy
Dermalogica
Proactive
The Trifecta
There are three things I believe you REALLY need above all else in a great skin care regimen (no matter what skin type!!). Even if a product is marked as “one-step”, you’ll want to use all three. In my opinion (although I know not all other professionals will agree) a cleanser, toner/astringent and moisturizer is as good as it gets, with all else being “floof” or “bonus” product.
Handy “bonus” Products:
-Micro Scrubs
-Eye Serums (Day or Night)
-Hydrating or Firming Masks
-Hyper Pigmentation Restorative Creams
-Acne Spot Treatments
-Many, Many More!
Skin Type
Different skin types call for different products. However, no matter what type of skin you have you do need a cleanser, toner and moisturizer.
Dry Skin; Usually “dry” and “sensitive” go hand in hand when speaking of skin. You should be looking for products that say they are hydrating and/or calming. People with dry skin need to use a TONER, not an ASTRINGENT. Be careful, most companies have stopped labeling products as an astringent, so it may be called a toner but not actually be a toner. Keep looking for the words “hydrating”, “restorative”, or “calming”.
Example Cleanser: Ultra Calming Cleanser, Hydrating Nourishing Vitamin Cleanser
Example Toner: Soothing Aloe Vera Toner, Hydrating Alcohol Free Toner
Example Moisturizer: Intensive Moisture Balancing Moisturizer, Skin Smoothing Cream Moisturizer
Normal/Combination Skin; You’ve sort of hit the skin jackpot if you fall into this category. You’ll have more products open for you to purchase. You would be best off using an ASTRINGENT. Although you could use a TONER in dry spots. Most companies have stopped using the word astringent to label their products, but since this skin type can benefit from either, you don’t need to worry!
Example Cleanser: Enzyme Cleanser, Skin Resurfacing Cleanser
Example Toner: Multi-active Toner, Skin Clearing Toner, Firming Toner
Example Moisturizer: Skin Smoothing Cream Moisturizer, Renewing Cream Cleanser
Oily Skin; Products will usually by marked that they are for “oily” or “oil-prone” skin. Don’t skip moisturizer just because you have this type of skin. People in this category benefit from using an ASTRINGENT, not a TONER. Since some companies have stopped labeling their products as astringents, you’ll want to look for toners that are labeled as “balancing” or marked specifically for oily skinned individuals!
Example Cleanser: Facial Clearing Cleanser, Glycolic Cleanser
Example Toner: Mattifying Toner, Oil-Minimizing Toner
Example Moisturizer: Oil Control Cream Moisturizer, Glycolic Moisturizer
Recap
Know your budget. If you have $100 to spend on skin care, you could probably head over to a department store or makeup store like Sephora. They generally carry higher end brands that tend to be more expensive. If you aren’t as lucky, you could go to a Target or Walmart or any Superdrug or Boots and there will always be something a little less expensive for you! Make sure you pick up at least a cleanser, toner/astringent and moisturizer. Also be sure that the products you purchase are meant for your skin type.
I hope this was helpful. If you have any questions, get in contact and I’ll do my best to help!!
Much Love,
-Stephanie Eva
Labels: makeup, skincare
