Basic Skin Types 101

There are four dominant factors that determine your Skin Type. These factors are: oily vs. dry, sensitive vs. resistant, pigmented vs. non-pigmented, and wrinkled vs. tight. The key factors interact to determine the skin’s appearance, problems, needs, and vulnerabilities, and therefore dictate the kinds of products, ingredients, and tratments useful to address them. To get started, let me introduce you to some basics about the skin.

THE BIOLOGY OF THE SKIN

The top layer of the skin, called the epidermis, is made up of four distinct layers. When you look at someone’s skin, you see the very top layer, made up of cells that reflect light. When that top layer is smooth, it reflects light evenly so that the skin looks more uniform and radiant than it does when the surface is rougher.

At the lowest portion of the epidermis are “mother cells,” called basal cells, which produce all the other skin cells. They divide into “daughter cells,” which rise up to the higher levels of the epidermis. As they travel, they age and eventually die, so that the top layer consists of dead cells which naturally exfoliate off in a process called the “cell cycle,” which can take anywhere from twenty-six to forty-two days. Between the third and eighth decades of life, the cell cycle slows from 30 to 50 percent of its pace in youth. That means that older skin renews itself much more slowly, forming a rough surface of cells, rather than a smooth surface. The uppermost cells contain a natural moisturizing factor (NMF), which holds moisture. The body responds to a dry environment by producing more NMF, but it takes several days for production to rev up, so your skin may become quite dehydrated before help comes. That’s why it’s important to moisturize your skin in any dry environment. Substances released by the cells in the middle of the epidermis form a protective film made of lipids (fats) that surrounds skin cells and helps keep the skin hydrated. Your fingers and toes contain fewer lipids and are therefore not as “watertight” as your legs, which is why your fingers and toes look shriveled after immersion in water but your legs do not. Your skin cracks in cold weather because the chilled lipids become stiffer and less able to adjust to movement. The goal of the best moisturizers is to increase the amount of these important lipids, helping your skin to hold moisture.

Can your baby talk to you? Understading you Baby through Skin Care

Most likely not, so seeing and understanding your baby’s skin will help you to understanding whats happening with your baby’s body.  Many of us have heard it before, “Be sure to take your vitamins every day if you want to be healthy.” These days, vitamin intake has gone beyond just being healthy, it has become imperative. We are finally learning what years of eating processed, fast foods or ‘take out’ meals have done to our bodies – not to mention our environment – and the reports aren’t good. Processed foods that contain high amounts of salts and fats, have been found to cause increases in cholesterol, blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks, diabetes and even liver failure.

One of the most visible signs of poor nutrition can immediately been seen in the condition of our skin. So, the question is what DO the vitamins do? How can you tell if you need one or another. Obviously, every body is different and to make a truly informed choice, a visit to your family practitioner or your local nutritionist may be in order. If you just want to get some general information to start, and see where you might be lacking, the following is a list based on the Recommended Daily Amounts (RDA) from the EU guidance that is used for nutrition tables on food products. If you think you may be vitamin deficient in any area, these would be good points to bring up when you do go in for your next checkup.

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Daily Skincare Routine

Step 1: Cleansing

Simple is key here. You need to find a good cleanser that your skin responds well to, and stick with it. Avoid bar soaps as they tend to dry out the skin. Most cleansers contain oil, water and “surfactants.” The oil dissolves oil on your face, surfactants dissolve dirt and makeup and the water washes it all away. The secret is finding the right mix of oil. Too much on your skin will clog pores, while too little will dry it out. This is why you need to know your skin type. 

Be careful not to cleanse too often. While some skincare experts swear you should cleanse skin with creamy cleansers that you wipe off with a tissue, never letting water touch your skin (some hard waters are especially hard on skin), we prefer the water method. In the morning, a splash of lukewarm water is all you need (we find it’s great for removing excess oils from your nightly moisturizing). Never wash your face with hot or cold water (both can cause broken capillaries). Also be careful about over cleansing skin.

Here’s the best way to wash your face: Use warm water to loosen dirt and clogged pores. Use a dime-sized bit of cleanser, then rinse with cool or lukewarm water. You’ll also want to take off your makeup with a proper makeup remover.

Step 2: Exfoliate

Exfoliation is the step most people skip in their weekly skincare routine. But trust me, if you start properly exfoliating your skin, you will notice an almost immediate difference. According to Berg, one of the reasons men’s skin looks more youthful than women’s is because men tend to exfoliate daily when they shave. There are several ways to exfoliate skin: Microdermabrasion, chemical peels and retinoids. 

Scrubs work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells that tend to dull your complexion. We find exfoliating skin once a week with a microdermabrasion kit keeps skin glowing year-round. Make sure you use a gentle scrub with tiny grains. Big grains in cheap scrubs can tear skin and cause more harm than good.

In the hour it takes to get a chemical peel, you can take off five years from your face. Can’t afford the pricetag for a monthly peel? Try some over-the-counter peels that work over the course of a month. Retinoids (such as Retin-A) also work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells while also generating collagen in the skin. “Collagen is the skin’s structural fiber,” dermatologist Dennis Gross said in the October 2005 issue of O Magazine. “As we get older, it breaks down, creating lines and large pores.” Skincare experts disagree on all sorts of things, but most of them consider retinoids to be a miracle skin saver. 

And toners? Some people swear by toners, but many beauty experts do not (I once read a skincare expert claim, ‘toners are only for copy machines’). Toners are meant to remove all remaining traces of oil, makeup and dirt, but a good cleanser should do this. It’s up to you. If you like the way your skin feels with a toner. Buy it. Use it. Enjoy it.

Step 3: Moisturize

While I know of at least one famous beauty editor who swore skin doesn’t need moisturizer, basically everyone else I’ve read disagrees and is an adamant believer in it. A basic law of beauty is that everyone, no matter her skin type, should moisturize. Even if your skin is oily, it will benefit from moistuizers. (The only exception is those with acne.) Why? Moisturizers seal moisture into skin. So how much should you moisturize? Your skin will tell you. When your skin is tight, it’s crying out for moisture. Be careful not to over moisturize — this can cause clogged pores. And eye creams? Well maybe. Some beauty experts strongly recommend eye creams. Why? The skin around the eye contains no fatty tissue and is therefore very thin and susceptible to wrinkles. Special eye creams are formulated to ‘thicken’ this area and keep it sturdy. Yet other experts (including the beauty editors of Allure in their new book) claim your daily lotion works around the eyes just as well.

Step 4: Apply Suncreen

The number 1 cause of wrinkles is sun damage, so it’s important to use sunscreen from your early years on even in winter and on cloudy days. A great trick is to purchase two moisturizers: one for night and one for day that includes UV protection. Don’t use moisturizers with sunscreen at night, the ingredients are not meant to be used all day and all night and can aggravate skin.

Daily Skin Care Rituals

A nourishing daily regime for your skin means using products and procedures personalized to fit their unique characteristics. Each type of skin is treated differently. To get the best out of these products, you have to make sure that you are using the right procedure and treatment by knowing your skin type and other underlying conditions it may have so as to not compromise it.

Normal Skin Daily Cleansing Ritual

To clean normal skin, any cleanser bar, gel or lotion can be used. A cleanser is recommended even if you have flawless skin since plain water is not enough to keep it clean. Wash your skin twice everyday, morning and evening, and apply a cleanser on your face and neck.

A toner with a humectant and preferably no alcohol can be used. A light moisturizer can be used in the morning and a nutrient dense moisturizer in the evening.

Oily Skin Daily Cleansing Ritual

To clean oily skin, you have to wash it at least twice a day. You can try to use stronger cleansers like a gel or facial bar soap. Salicylic acid can be used to clear up blackheads or whiteheads. When soaping the face, lather gently on your face and neck, giving attention to the T-zone of your face and neck.

A toner with bioflavinoids and a little alcohol can be used with a hydrating spritz containing floral waters, aloe vera or rose water.

An oil free moisturizer is recommended since your skin is shiny with oil production, but make sure that it is noncomedogenic with humectants and includes silicone derivatives. As you age, you may want to use a moisturizer with oil emollients.

Sensitive Skin Daily Cleansing Ritual

To clean sensitive skin, cleansing is limited to once a day. Your skin’s pH balance should not be disturbed because it can make it open to irritation. A lightweight lotion type cleanser should be used instead of a heavy cold cream type. If your skin is sensitive to water, look for a cleanser that does not contain water. Try each product at least once first to see if it is the right one for you. Of all skin types, the sensitive skin is the hardest to clean since it is easily affected.

Spritz a light toner on the skin, that also doubles as a humectant. Do not use any product that may leave a greasy or oil film like bioflavinoids. You can use a moisturizer that has a silicon base or prescribed for sensitive skin.

Oily Dry Daily Cleansing Ritual

To clean oily dry skin, do it with a lotion cleanser that is of the same pH at least twice a day. Avoid cleansing bars and gels and soap that may damage your skin. Use a humectant spritz or apply the toner with a cotton pad. Use a moisturizer that can double as a night cream and is nutrient dense which is important for the body when they go into a rest and repair mode.

Acne Type Daily Skin Ritual

To clean the skin that is acne prone, you need to clean it only twice a day. Avoid cleaning it more often since it might get overstimulated. For this type of skin, a stronger cleanser is needed since it should be able to kill the p. acne bacteria that cause breakouts to happen. Products containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide can be used to kill bacteria.

Other ingredients that are effective against bacteria are sulfur and camphor. Your choice of toner should contain salicylic acid and a humectant to be applied via spritz and cotton pad. Your moisturizer should be oil free or noncomedogenic although tea tree oil is also great for acne type skin. Choose skin care products that are formulated for acne type skin. For treatment, you may use allatoin, cucumber, chamomile, amino acids and trace materials.

Natural Skincare Ingredients A-F

Acacia

Many Acacia species have important uses in traditional medicine. Most all of the uses have been shown to have a scientific basis, since chemical compounds found in the various species have medicinal effects. The Acacia is used as a symbol in Freemasonry, to represent purity and endurance of the soul, and as funerary symbolism signifying resurrection and immortality. In Ayurvedic medicine, Acacia nilotica is considered a remedy that is helpful for treating premature ejaculation. A 19th century Ethiopian medical text describes a potion made from an Ethiopian species of Acacia (known as grar) mixed with the root of the tacha, then boiled, as a cure for rabies.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is alleged to be effective in treatment of wounds. In addition to topical use in wound or burn healing, internal intake of A. vera has been linked with improved blood glucose levels in diabetics, and with lower blood lipids in hyperlipidaemic patients. In other diseases, preliminary studies have suggested oral A. vera gel may reduce symptoms and inflammation in patients with ulcerative colitis. Compounds extracted from A. vera have been used as an immunostimulant that aids in fighting cancers in cats and dogs. A. vera extracts have antibacterial and antifungal activities.

Avocado Oil

This extract of the nutritious avocado flesh is rich in phytosterols, antioxidants including vitamins A and E, as well as a high content of unsaponifiable oils. Avocado extract is soothing and nurturing to dry skin.

Beeswax (Natural Cera Flava)

Beeswax has an open structure that provides a breathable barrier against the elements. It also serves as an emulsifier and consistency regulator.

Calendula

An important healing herb, calendula is high in carotenes, flavonoids, mucilage, saponins, tannins and essential oils. The sun-like marigold contains soothing, anti-inflammatory, astringent, antiseptic and regenerating properties and is therefore used to promote wound healing and discourage infection.  Calendula in suspension or in tincture is used topically to treat acne, reducing inflammation, controlling bleeding and soothing irritated tissue.

Camellia Oil

A Tea seed oil resembles olive oil and grape seed oil in its excellent storage qualities and low content of saturated fat. Monounsaturated oleic acid may comprise up to 88% of the fatty acids. It is high in vitamin E and other antioxidants.

Canola Oil

Primarily derived from rapeseed (Brassica napus), also known as rape, oilseed rape, rapa, rapaseed and (in the case of one particular group of cultivars) canola, is a bright yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family.

Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides (coconut source)

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, a mixed triester of caprylic and capric acids, is a highly refined medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil possessing excellent oxidation stability with an almost indefinite shelf life. CCT is a desirable emollient with quick skin penetration and has no color, odor or taste. Great as a dispersing agent and useful as a solvent for vitamins and actives. Excellent as a superfatting oil in soapmaking and improves spreading of skincare formulas. Used in massage, it will not stain sheets. Also called Fractionated Coconut Oil.

Capryloyl Glycine

The amino acid glycine and the fatty acid caprine from plant oils are combined by simple processes creating an emulsifier and stabilizer with anti-microbial properties. Capryloyl glycine is non-irritating and helps maintain the skin’s acid mantle (protective layer).

Carrot Seed

Carrot seed oil is an oily extract which is rich in provitamin A (carotenoids) and other flavonoids. This extract cares for the skin and makes it soft and supple. It can give cosmetic products a natural yellow color.  This must be one of the most underrated essential oils in aromatherapy. It has a soft earthy smell and not only helps to relieve stress and exhaustion, but is a powerful detoxifier and liver booster, while stimulating and rejuvenating the skin in general, thereby adding elasticity to any skin. At the same time it fights any skin problems, such as psoriasis, eczema, weeping sores, ulcers, boils and carbuncles. The formative action on the epidermal cells help to keep wrinkles at bay and is also helpful when fighting liver spots (age spots). The therapeutic properties of carrot seed oil are antiseptic, carminative, cytophylactic, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, hepatic, stimulant, tonic and vermifuge.

Castor Bean Oil (Organic Ricinus Communis)

Externally Castor Oil is used to treat ringworm and itch. In the Canary Islands, fresh Castor leaves are used externally by nursing mothers to increase the flow of milk. Castor Oil is a natural emollient and can be applied to the skin and hair as a softener.

Cellulose Gum (Hydroxyethylcellulose)

It is also a constituent of many non-food products, such as K-Y Jelly, toothpaste, laxatives, diet pills, water-based paints, detergents, and various paper products. It is used primarily because of it has high viscosity, is non-toxic, and is generally non-allergenic.

Cetyl Esters (coconut source)

A wax mixture consisting primarily of esters of saturated fatty alcohols and saturated fatty acids. It can be used in emulsions and anhydrous products to impart a lubricous feel and soft gloss to these formulations. It can also increase viscosity and improve stability.

Chamomile extract

Chamomile is considered to be an antiseptic, antibiotic, disinfectant, bactericidal & Vermifuge. The main constituents of the flowers include several phenolic compounds, primarily the flavonoids apigenin, quercetin, patuletin, luteolin and their glucosides. Flavonoids have anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties. The main components of the essential oil extracted from chamomile flowers are the terpenoids alpha-bisabolol and its oxides and azulenes, including chamazulene.

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is excellent as a skin moisturizer and softener. A study shows that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective and safe as mineral oil when used as a moisturizer, with absence of adverse reactions.

Comfrey Extract (Symphytum Officinale)

Contemporary herbalists view comfrey as an ambivalent and controversial herb that may offer therapeutic benefits but at the potential risk of liver toxicity. The herb contains allantoin, a cell proliferant that speeds up the natural replacement of body cells. Comfrey was used to treat a wide variety of ailments ranging from bronchial problems, broken bones, sprains, arthritis, gastric and varicose ulcers, severe burns, acne and other skin conditions. It was reputed to have bone and teeth building properties in children, and have value in treating ‘many female disorders’. Constituents of comfrey also include mucilage, steroidal saponins, tannins, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, inulin, vitamin B12 and proteins.

Cucumber

Cucumber extract has many benefits for the skin. It actually is a member of the same family as also. The juice from cucumber has both strong moisturizing abilities as well as mild astringent effects. Cucumber extract is soothing and helps relieve the puffiness of the skin. It also helps remove dead skin cells and tightens skin. Cucumber is a great ingredient to help revitalize the skin.

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