Successful Skincare

Are you confused about what you should or should not be putting on your face? Seductive marketing, coupled with a lack of good scientific data, makes it difficult for even the beauty literate to develop a clear idea of how best to care for her skin.

Successful Skincare

The skincare question we are both most keenly, asked — by both seasoned skin cream aficionados and ardent sceptics alike, is ‘what should I be using?’ Unfortunately, as you probably suspected, there is no straightforward answer. Good skincare is less a matter of what you use than what you do. And what you do depends on your own particular skin and how it behaves.

When it comes to a skincare regime, everyone tends to think of the beauty consultant’s mantra of ‘cleanse, tone, and moisturize’. However, science supports the need for just two: cleanse and, only if necessary, moisturize. The dermatologists’ basics of good facial skincare are more action-than product-based.

They are as follows:

1. Correctly determine your skin type.

2. Keep your face scrupulously clean.

3. Keep your skin adequately moisturized.

4. Protect your skin from the sun.


What is my skin type?

Many of you will already instinctively know what type of skin you have, or you will have been told by a beauty professional in the department store or salon. However, if you do get it wrong, or are wrongly advised, your skin can suffer — so too, can your pocket as you waste money on products that hinder rather than help.

Combination skin

If your complexion has some oily areas, such as the T-zone that runs across your forehead, down your nose and chin, but others areas of your face such as your cheeks and neck are normal to dry, you have this type of skin. About 40 per cent of women have combination skin.

Oily skin

If your skin usually feels greasy, is often shiny, can be prone to spots and has visible, open pores, you have this skin type.

Dry skin

If your skin often feels tight and stretched, particularly after washing; if you never have greasy feeling areas, if you have flaky patches of skin or if you are very fair skinned, you probably have this skin type.

Normal skin

If your skin is neither particularly greasy, nor dry, you probably have this type of skin. If you don’t know if it’s greasy or dry, its probably normal. It might sound rather dull, but just be thankful.