Subtext

Love nature? Let it love you back.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Myth 1: Caring for Oily Skin

One of the biggest misconceptions in skincare is that of Oily skin. From teen magazines, to commercials, or even browsing your local drugstore, the message is clear: use strong cleansers on oily skin. All the harshest products are marketed as being for oily skin. Wash off the oil; dry it up!

I tried that, for years I did, and I was always so discouraged when my skin became oily again by the afternoon. So you just keep adding more and more products to the mix. My prescription cleanser was so drying that my skin felt like crepe paper afterwards.

The Truth: Your skin is sending you a message, "I'm too dry!"

People with oily skin should use the same cleanser as a normal complected person. When your skin senses that it is too dry, it produces oil. The more you strip off the more it produces. You can see where that's going. You want to remove the surface oil without drying out your skin.

the routine: in 4 steps
1) Remember to wash your face no more than twice a day using a gentle cleanser.

2) Use a gentle toner. This will take off any residual cleanser and prep your skin for your topical/moisturizer.

3a) For acne-prone skin: Use a good topical. Tea tree oil, neem, and green tea are good ingredients to look for.
3b) Always use a moisturizer! Look for a moisturizer that is light and won't clog your pores.

the optional 4th
4a) Sunscreen: Regular use can help fade spots from blemishes. Natural moisturizers often use the physical sunscreens zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide.
4b) Night cream: A night cream is like a heavier moisturizer. Totally optional, but I like to give my skin a little something extra while it does the overnight repairing. Use at night in place of moisturizer.

PRN
Use masks and scrubs sparingly.

It can take some time and experimentation to find the right combination. Remember that cost is not always a good indicator of how well a product will work on your skin. No two people's skin is the same, so find what works for you!

Third time's a charm--I hope.

Greetings and salutations all! My name is Ashley and welcome to my third blogging effort. I'm really hoping this one takes. Don't get me wrong, I loved the others, but they were superficial. Sounds funny to say that here of all places but my hope is that this will be a useful blog.

All my life I've had dry scalp, poor complexion, you name it. I read the beauty magazines, listened to my mom and the dermatologist but nothing seemed to help. Almost one year ago I moved away from Texas to go to school in Hawai'i. I've always wanted to do my best to take care of the environment (or at least minimize my damage). This is a hard goal in DFW but very easy in Honolulu. Sometimes it's easier and cheaper than buying otherwise! So I took this as an opportunity to experience and learn as much as I can.

And I have learned a lot in this year, so much of which directly contradicts what I was brought up to believe about skin and hair care. If I can do one thing with this blog, I'd really like to help others out there to begin thinking differently and learn to work with your bodies--not against them. Please kokua (cooperate)!