Before you ever invest in any makeup products you first need to understand your skin type. That's the key to the best skincare for you and that will lead to the best-looking makeup application.
It's important to keep in mind that your skin type can change over time; depending on your age, geographical location or climate, and the particular time of year. In the winter, most people tend to deal with drier skin than in the summer. Likewise, hot summer temperatures often cause your skin to become more oily, thus requiring you to change your approach to keep a balanced completion. It's so important to understand these details because every skincare and makeup product is formulated for different skin types and the changes that you will experience throughout the year. For example, mattifying products are great for oily skin, while hydrating or dewy products are great for dry skin.
Knowing your natural skin type and how the above-mentioned factors affect you from month to month will help you choose the makeup products that will work best for your individual needs.
The easiest way to determine your skin type is to wash your face in the morning and not put anything on your skin once you are done. How does it feel mid-day? Is it oily? Is it dry? Is it mixed?
There are 4 main skin types:
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Skincare 101
It is essential to understand the importance of skin care when it comes to applying your makeup. How to properly cleanse your skin and remove your makeup is a key factor and something you must be conscious of and understand the ramifications if done incorrectly.
Girl, wash your face! Maybe you have heard this a couple of times in your life, maybe you even read the book from Rachel Hollis (if not I highly recommend it), but this is soooo true. You should wash your face twice a day. Our skin renews during the night when we sleep, and that's why it's so important to cleanse it in the morning and make sure we wash off the impurities that our pores have processed and pushed to the surface. But remember, it’s also needed after you remove your makeup in the evening to cleanse and apply skincare.
Make sure to apply these three easy steps to your daily routine every evening to ensure you remove all the makeup, dust and dirt we get built up on our skin during the day that can lead to irritation, breakouts, or even speed up the aging process.
With this, you'll be one step closer to better and more youthful-looking skin.
First Step: Remove makeup
Second Step: Cleanse your skin
Third Step: Hydration and Moisture is the holy grail of young and healthy-looking skin.
Facial cleansers are not designed to remove your makeup, and skipping the makeup remover and jumping into cleansing will not cleanse your skin effectively. It will most likely leave makeup residue on your skin only to be smeared around.
Moisture Vs Hydration
Do you need both hydration and moisture for your skin? YES!
Hydration comes from water and Moisture comes from Oils. Hydrators fight dehydrated skin, while moisturizers lock in that hydration and create a protective barrier. No matter if your skin type is dry/oily, or if you’re concerned with acne, aging, or dullness; EVERY skin needs hydration! A moisturizer contains oils that help lock in hydration and keep the skin feeling soft and smooth. Without a moisturizer, the hydration can quickly evaporate. Our skin has a natural oil barrier, but when our skin is dry or aging, that barrier starts to break down and the skin loses moisture and voila; here come the wrinkles!
I often get asked, "Does oily skin need hydration and moisture"?
And the answer is absolutely! That's why there are skin care lines and systems for oily skin types that will help you control your oil production and that won't make you feel greasy. All skin types, even oily and acne-prone skin will benefit from hydration and a moisturizer.
I’ve learned this the hard way. I have always struggled with acne and used to have big painful pimples that I would try to dry out or heavily conceal that only led to more problems. Yes, my acne was partially hormonal, but I was also making it worse with the approach that I was taking. The more I tried to battle and dry out my acne the more my skin was “thirsty” and that forced my skin to make more and more oils to keep my skin “moisturized” even though it desperately needed some hydration, just like we are in need of a cold glass of water after a hot day in the sun. After thousands of dollars spent on treatment and dermatologists, it made a world of difference when I simply switched up my skincare once I realized that my skin type is naturally dry. I still break out every now and then with my hormonal cycle, but my skin is much healthier overall, and more importantly, I know how to properly treat the problems when they arise.
Lastly, exfoliation. It's often overlooked but absolutely necessary. The process of exfoliating (both chemically and physically) removes dead cells that are on the top layer of your skin. If you put makeup on top of the dead skin cells, it will look patchy, flaky, and overall unhealthy. Chemical exfoliation tends to be more gentle on your skin and is recommended by many professionals but also needs to be performed by professionals. If you use a physical exfoliant at home, avoid any products that are extremely abrasive; such as apricot or walnut scrubs which can cause micro-tears in your skin. Instead, opt for a more gentle volcanic ash or sugar scrub. To ensure that you have a smooth base for skincare and makeup, it’s recommended that you exfoliate your skin 1-3 times a week, again, depending on your skin type and how your body reacts to the products you use. Even acne-prone skin could benefit from exfoliation.
If you don’t exfoliate and use advanced skincare treatments or serums then you are unfortunately wasting your money by applying your product to layers of dead cells instead of your fresh skin. You should be applying your facial product to their molecular weight. You always want to put the smallest one first.
- Cleanse
- Treat
- Moisturize
Fresh, cleansed and moisturized skin is ready for flawless application.
More next week!
Sara was born and raised in the Czech Republic. In 2012, she moved to the US and worked many jobs but never felt fulfilled, which lead her to share her story and her passion for fitness (former fitness professional), nutrition tips (vegan) and makeup. She is also a new mom. Sara and her husband welcomed their baby boy in June 2020.
Sara is a makeup junkie at heart and decided to start her own business to help women look and feel their best. She loves supporting other business moms feel beautiful inside and out as they work to create their own destinies. You could find out more about her HERE.
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