Just Face It 

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If you are anything at all like me, and like 5 million + other people out there, the very reason you started wearing makeup was to hide blemishes on your skin. Between pimples, freckles, undereye circles and wrinkles, your skin gets a hard rep, and most often we choose to damage our skin rather than take care of it. No amount of makeup is going to look as good if the skin underneath is crying out for help. Beauty starts on the inside, and in order to become as radiant as possible, you have to take care of your body, including your epidermis!! (Thats skin in science talk.)

The Smartest Things Anyone Could Tell You About Taking Care of Your Skin:

1. Wash Yo Face! - To Most, this may seem like second nature, but you’d never realize the damage that just one night of sleeping in your makeup can do. Even if you aren’t prone to acne, sleeping in your makeup or in the grime of the day can make your face more oily and shiny, which we all know is not a good look. For the rest of us more unlucky people, makeup is the number one reason for pimples (sad, isn’t it, this bitter cycle we’re caught in?) However, you can also do damage to your skin if you don’t wash it the RIGHT WAY! 

• Cleanse, don’t scrub, your face twice a day. You might not think that a simple cleanser is heavy-duty enough for you, but this simple stand-by is the key to a healthy complexion. A cleanser is a gel-like soap, usually coming in a pump or a bottle, that doesn’t have any abrasiveness and suds minimally. These will remove all your makeup, dirt, sweat, and grime, and purify your skin without sloughing away all of your healthy skin cells (which is unneeded every day.)
• Scrub your face once every other day, because any more than that and you will be damaging your skin!  A scrub is a thicker cleansing agent with abrasive particles in it that are meant to smooth our skin and remove all the dead skin cells.  It’s improtant to scrub your face because it renews your skin, but overdoing can cause tenderness and sensitivity.
• Apply a mask once or twice a week to purify pores and hydrate your skin.  Masks come in all different formulas and types, depending on the issues with your skin that you are trying to correct. Use a clay mask to hydrate skin, a gel peel to dry up oil, and purifying or sulfur masks to clear up blemishes.  Don’t over apply masks because they will lose their effectiveness, just like any other product will.
  
  

2. Be Gentle on Your Eyes! - When removing your makeup, the last thing you should be using is regular soap and water - something way too many people are doing. You should always use a special makeup remover, because this is the safest, gentlest, and most effective method of getting rid of your cosmetics.

• Bottled Makeup Remover - This is a liquid, usually containing oil (but you can get oil-free if you are prone to acne, which I suggest). This is easy to apply to a cotton ball or tissue. Just wipe gently (do not rub vigorously) on your eyes to remove mascara, eyeliner and shadow, even the waterproof brands. If residue is left over, you should rinse your face with water (which you should do anyway if the remover contains oil).
• Makeup Remover Wipes - This is a handy way of removing your makeup, by coming in pre-packaged ‘wet ones’ that are disposable and very effective. Use the same as if you were using a cotton ball, being very gentle, and rinsing with water afterwards.

3. Use Your Products for what they’re Intended to Do - If a product is meant to clean your hands, then it should NOT be used to clean your face or body. Just like you wouldn’t use your Clean and Clear to wash your hands, you should never mix and match cleansing products with different parts of your body, because they aren’t meant to be used there. Doing so could cause painful reactions or irritation! Also be wary of using lotion as a moisturizer. Most hand cremes and intensive body lotion could be used to moisturize your face in a pinch, but this rule does not apply if the lotion is scented. Scents come from additives that will inflame and irritate your skin, often causing redness and breakouts!

• RULES OF SOAP: A bar of soap that looks clear is going to be the most hydrating, whereas solid white or other colored soaps are going to have drying detergents in them. Soap can be used all over the body if it has ‘moisturizers’ in it, and as long as it is not anti-bacterial or something of the like.
• RULES OF BODY WASH: The hydration factor is the opposite for body wash - products that are clear are usually less hydrating than creamy ones. Body wash is fine to use all over your body, but is not advisable for your face, because of the scents and detergents.

4. Sunscreen is your Friend! - You don’t have to visit the beach to be touched by the sun’s rays, so no matter where you’re going or what you’re doing, you should always wear some form of SPF. These days you can find SPF in almost everything, from moisturizer to makeup, and even shampoo and some clothes! The benefits of slathering it on will last longer than the minute it takes to apply it. Here are a few reasons why you should make the choice to wear sunscreen EVERY DAY:

5. Keep It Natural - Especially if you have dry, sensitive, or irritated red skin, you should steer clear of products that use a lot of chemicals. Natural and organic products will not only soothe your skin, but they can eliminate the cause of your issues all together!

• Sunscreen is usually infused with vitamins and moisturizers, so it is good for your skin! Usually you will find SPF with coconut oil or aloe in it, both of which are super-nutrients and calm any irritation you might be experiencing.
• The leading cause of premature aging is sun exposure! Simply by using sunscreen every day, you’ll keep yourself looking sexy for 10x longer! You will also reduce your risk of skin cancer by tenfold.
• Too much sun can cause breakouts! Tanning, outside or in a bed, can initially seem to improve your skin’s clarity, but give it 13 days and your skin will see a sudden barrage of pimples! Especially if you burn, your skin will begin to produce more oil to try and repair itself, which could cause annoying bumps, completely ruining your glow. Sunscreen will help keep your skin healthy during your time in the sun, reducing your skin’s need to produce oil, keeping you clear.

Get to Know your Face!

It is important to fully understand what type of skin you have in order to pick out products that will actually work and enhance your natural beauty! Being educated and knowledgable will help you nourish, protect, and beautify your pretty face.

SKIN TYPES:

• Normal Skin: You’re one of the lucky ones - your skin usually looks and feels smooth, but can also react to changes in the environment… you can become oilier in the summer and drier in the winter. You should pick foundations and powders for normal skin, focusing on matching your skin tone and finding a natural formula. You should only use pressed powder when your skin feels oily, and use moisturizer during the winter to keep your skin fresh.

• Dry Skin: Your skin will dry out naturally as you age, as the oil glands decrease their output. Dryness may also reflect your skin’s sensitivity to skin care products, cleansers, or even your diet and emotions. Choose double-duty foundations that moisturize while helping to smooth the appearance of the skin’s surface. Avoid alcohol-based products, such as harsh toners or astringents, at all costs. Instead, moisturize like crazy, multiple times a day, and hydrate yourself by drinking sugar free WATER several times a day.

• Oily Skin: Oily skin is shiny and sticky. It starts the day by feeling clean and fresh, but by noon it feels greasy and slick, often causing your makeup to slide off. To help combat oil, start your day with a deep cleanser that will wash away dirt, oil, and fight bacteria. Try foundation that is meant to control oily skin, and top with powder foundation or translucent powder. You should avoid touching your face continuously throught the day, because oils from your hands get transferred from your palms and fingers without you even realizing it. Also, you should change your pillowcases often, because oil can get trapped in the cloth from your face, skin care products, and your hair, and it will later irritate your skin!

• Combination Skin: Usually, this skin type will express its unique qualities with oil in your T-zone and normal or dry skin everywhere else. The only way to correct this is to find a healthy skin promoting foundation for your face, and adding powder to oily areas. Use a flexible makeup routine to help cope with combination skin’s many moods!

• Sensitive Skin: Your face will get easily blotchy or irritated when coming into contact with makeup, hair products, or even sudden changes in temperature or humidity. Typical reactions ar itching, burning, chafing, stinging, or hives. Avoid harsh face products and makeup that is scented or contains a lot of chemicals. Your best bet is to go as natural as possible, since chemicals or additives can increase sensitivity. Use an unscented moisturizer to strengthen your skin and provide a barrier against irritants, and see a dermatologist if your sensitivity becomes unbearable or you break out frequently.