When I was a senior in high school, I noticed that my skin was particularly dry and in a bad condition. The breakouts on my face occurred more often and my face peeling from the weather became a big problem. I began to use different cleansing products in hopes of fixing my problem, some days my breakouts were under control and others they were lowering my self-esteem. At this time, I eventually accepted the breakouts as something that would one day pass. When I went to college my problem became a priority that needed to be faced once and for all. I began to look on the Internet for helpful tips to treat and prevent breakouts. After learning some factors that can cause breakouts, I figured mine were caused by the wrong cleansing and moisturizing practices, lack of proper sleep, poor nutrition, touching my face with dirty hands and stress. Yes stress!! I was a busy body when I was in high school; I thought I could take on the world. I was involved in everything I could get my hands on. Everyone around me encouraged participation, but I didn’t realize at the moment that I was doing TOO MUCH and it was wearing down my health. There are many factors that can affect the condition of your skin, starting with what you eat. There is a quote that I’ve been told about your skin, “You have to take care of your skin from the inside out.” Makes sense, but I thought lotion would do the trick. But guess what? It’s not that easy! Your skin needs antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids to build and nourish your skin. You can get omega 3 fatty acids in salmon, vitamin A in fortified cereals, vitamin C in oranges and Vitamin E in various nuts.
Instead of helping my skin out I was stripping the natural oils that it created by washing my face with various cleansers and facial scrubs. Harsh cleansers cause your skin to overproduce oil to compensate the oil it lost, causing even more breakouts. Therefore it's important to find a mild soap or cleanser that works best for you. Some people can use the same soap for their body and face, while others can’t. I use a facial soap I bought from Skin Essence a local day spa in Inglewood, the soap works wonders.Exfoliation is another big thing to remember. They say there is dead skin that is waiting to be removed to allow the new vibrant skin to shine through. I think exfoliating once a week is a reasonable amount for young girls. That is not to say you have to scrub, scrub, scrub. A bath sponge, loofah or shower mitten will do the job. Make sure to gently scrub your body in circular motions.
To ensure that your skin stays protected and sealed away from the free radicals in the air, moisturizing is very important. I try to use jojoba oil, extra virgin olive oil, raw shea butter and occasionally lotion. Lately, I use the jojoba oil the most, and during the colder winter days I melt the shea butter and mix in the olive oil.
Tip that will save your skin:
- A great tip for soft feet is to apply shea butter to clean feet before bed and wear socks. When you wake up the next morning your feet will be so soft.
- If you wear make up, remember to clean your brushes often to get rid of the bacteria that may grow.
- Don’t forget to change your pillowcase often. There is build up on you pillowcase too! Wash away those germs.
- Drink a lot of water to flush out toxins and proper hydration. You’re going to need that extra moisture especially in the winter months.
- Sun block is needed in the rain or shine. Protect your skin from UV/UB rays
REMEMBER: Not ALL skin types are the same. Find out what works best for you and stay ahead of the game with your skincare.
Below are a list of helpful products I mentioned in my post:
- Hydroquinone Soap $6.59
- Shea Butter $5
- Loofah Bath Brush $4.37
- Bathery Body Sponge $3.79
- Bathery Luxury Mixed Sponge Tube $5.14
- Desert Essence Jojoba Oil $7
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil $5.99
-- Carla Banks
Brownstone Intern
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