The Complete Make-Up and Beauty Book. Leigh Toselli
– and creams that contain water.
Air conditioning and wind exposure aggravate dry skin, so apply moisturizer at least twice a day, and give yourself the occasional intensive night treatment.
Dry skin doesn’t retain moisture well as it produces few protective oils – no visible surface oil. Dehydrated skin is different – it’s a symptom of an overall drought in your system. Signs include ultrafine crisscross lines over the cheek areas and the presence of oily areas.
Oily skin
An oily skin has definite advantages; it’s a natural moisturizer that protects the epidermis from in- and outdoor climates so that you won’t age quickly. But excess sebum has its downfalls too. It leaves the skin prone to seborrhoea (too much oil), which brings open pores and break-outs.
People with oily skin tend to overwash and over-stimulate the skin, which only serves to increase the activity of the sebaceous glands, resulting in more sebum production.
Combination skin
All skin is essentially combination skin. It is usually plump and evenly coloured, but may have a slight oily panel across the nose, chin and forehead, or T-zone. Quite a few of us have large pores and lots of oil around the nose, chin, and perhaps the forehead. But we also have normal or dry skin under the eyes and on the cheeks. To treat combination skin, you treat the two zones separately, giving the oily bits the sebum-absorbing care they need, and moisturizing the dry or normal bits.
Combination skin
Avoid
• harsh products for the T-zone; exfoliating scrubs; leaving make-up on overnight; and strong-alcohol-based toners.
Look for
• nourishing masks as treats; night cream to maximize beauty sleep, and moisturizers with sun protection.
Sensitive skin
While sensitive skin is a skin condition rather than a skin type, it is true that some skin – regardless of whether it is oily, dry or combination – is easily irritated and shows red, dry patches where the skin has started to flake.
Sensitive skin
Avoid
• products containing alcohol; surfactants (detergents used in certain cleansers and soaps); fragrances and some plant extracts. Stay out of the sun and protect yourself with high-factor sunscreens.
Look for
• products labelled hypoallergenic or containing skin soothers such as kaolin, camomile and aloe.
What’s your skin type?
When you know your skin type, you’ll be able to buy the right cleanser, exfoliator and moisturizer.
1. After washing my skin feels:
a. so tight that it hurts to smile
b. clean, but it gets shiny 20 minutes later
c. just fine
d. slightly shiny 20 minutes later, only on the T-zone
2. When I don’t use a night cream, my skin looks: a. rough and flaky
b. rather oily
c. same as it did the night before
d. slightly shiny only on the T-zone
3. The pores on my T-zone are:
a. nearly invisible, even when I look in the mirror
b. clearly visible when I stand 30cm (11.7in) from the mirror
c. only visible close up or with a magnifying mirror
d. somewhat visible in a regular mirror
Mostly a answers = dry skin
Mostly b answers = oily skin
Mostly c answers = normal skin
Mostly d answers = combination skin
SKIN-CARE NECESSITIES
Skin-care technology has grown in leaps and bounds, allowing us to manipulate our skins in ways never before possible. Today mattifying agents can improve oily skin, retinoids can erase the years and full-spectrum sunscreens protect all year round.
Yet increased awareness and the proliferation of beauty products has led to a lot of confusion when it comes to skin care. Bathroom cabinets are filled to capacity with every imaginable cream and improver, yet problems persist.
Perhaps it’s time to get back to basics, to really listen to your skin. Making the effort to understand the effects that lifestyle, stress, the environment and time can have on the appearance of your skin is crucial. Only then can you make informed choices and start to reap the benefits.
As you know by now, there is no good make-up without good skin. Make-up should enhance your natural beauty, not mask it. Taking responsibility for your skin, means getting into a proper regime and looking after it correctly each and every day.
The better you take care of yourself and your skin, the better you look. Although you can’t change your genetic make-up, you can be kind to your body and you can control your skin’s condition.
SLEEP
Try going without it and you’ll see why you need it so desperately. Under-eye circles and bags are just the beginning.
WATER
Whether it’s drinking eight glasses a day, washing twice a day or hydrating whenever you need it – water is crucial.
SUNSCREEN
To avoid wrinkles, sunburn, brown spots and cancer protect your face with one of the new foundations containing built-in sun protection. Even a basic foundation creates some protection from the sun’s rays.
DON’T SMOKE
Never mind what it’s doing to your lungs, smoking causes wrinkles, especially around the mouth.
TAKE IT OFF
Leaving make-up on overnight clogs pores and is probably the worst thing you can do to your skin.
HEALTHY FOOD
Avoid processed food, which is full of chemicals and preservatives.
Eat a diet rich in antioxidant nutrients: you will find vitamins A, C and E in dairy products, citrus fruits, green vegetables and vegetable oil.
The minerals selenium, zinc and magnesium in fish, nuts, pulses, milk, poultry and wholemeal breads, help combat free radicals.
MOISTURE
Whether you opt for a gel, a cream or a lotion, you will need a moisturizer that suits your skin type. Anything too rich or unsuitable will simply block pores and create unsightly problems.
“Sleep and water are essential to great looking skin.”
SKIN CARE
A clear, glowing, healthy complexion is an ideal that we all aspire to. Some are luckier than others, but whether you’re trying to improve the skin you’ve got or just maintain it, understanding how your skin functions, and what is actually happening when it starts to wrinkle