Dry/problematic skincare routine

This is a mail recommendation I sent to a friend of mine asking for skin care advice. Her skin is pretty dry, however she really struggles with pimples around the jaw area and is 27 years old – thus starting to worry a little about aging. Her skin is quite sensitive and ‘thin’ so she treats it very delicately. She removed make-up with a cotton pad and cleansing milk. (problem #1)

This is a good recommendation if this skin sounds like yours:

“You never want to use stripping products on dry skin – even though it may be tempting, but the main problem with dry/problematic skin is that cells don’t shed the way they do on other skins, thus there is a barrier of dry flakey skins on the skin (causing dehydration/aging and pimples). And as you can imagine – no product can penetrate a layer of dead skin, so your products are wasted. With your skin being very thin and sensitive, it’s a mistake that lots of ppl make is not exfoliating – it becomes more sensitive with all the dead cells sitting on it – so I cannot emphasize this enough – exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate, don’t treat it that delicately: You need to have a routine and this is what I’m thinking:Morning (this should be a very simple and quick routine): 1.) Cleanse: (no product used) splash the face with water as it should already be clean from the night before. This way you aren’t stripping the skin of it’s oils. You can use a nice warm, clean face cloth each morning – I like doing it this way. 2.) Tone: Dermalogica Multi–Active Toner: this comes in a sprits bottle and can be sprayed once or twice over the face. This will help balance the skin and hydrate it. 3.) Moisturise: Dermalogica Active Moist: this is a general moisturiser that is light yet hydrates well. Smooth a bit of this all over the face and neck area, let it sink in and then you can apply make-up. Night (this can be more thorough as the skin absorbs better during the night): 1.)Cleanse: Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel: this cleanser is not too dehydrating for your skin – it will be perfect and better than the anti-bacterial wash as you will only use it in the evening (feel free to use in the mornings as you feel). The cleanser doesn’t make a huge difference in your facial routine to be honest, it just needs to be sure to clean well, so the rest of the products can do their job. 2.) Tone: Use a sprits of your same toner 3.)Moisturize: apply same moisturizer Treatment Routine (this will be done twice a week in the evenings and this is what will change your skin): 1.) Exfoliate: this will be done after your usual cleansing (face wash) in theevening, so you will wash the face and then use your exfoliater. This will take off all those dead cells that are blocking up the skin, it will encourage product to sink in and do its job and it will make the skin more hydrated, look younger (everything good actually – I am a firm believer that this is the most important part of aroutine!). I’m going to give you two options that you must go in and feel on your hand, I like them to be quite abrasive but it’s up to you:

– Kiehl’s – this is an American brand (previous posts) and pretty cool, but not their other face products. It is call the Microdermabrasion Scrub

– Dr Brandt Microdermabrasion Exfoliater (previous posts)– this is more pricey but so worth it as you need a tiny bit. It is a finer scrub.

(She lives in the States, so an SA version is the Gatineau Gommage peel)

With both of these you must be the judge and decide whether you want to do it once or twice a week – depending how your skin reacts.

2.)2.)Mask – so this should be done straight after the scrub/exfoliater (same thing) as the skin is now perfectly prepped and ready to absorb product. The mask I’m recommending last forever and works really well on the skin. Eve Lom RescueMask. (Any clay mask will do here – one that will absorb and disinfect – think tea-tree smelling masks)

3.) Remove mask 4.) Apply Moisturizer

I can only tell you what I recommend but you need to judge your skin and decide what it needs – like if it’s looking dull then it needs a treatment night – if it seems fine then make your treatment night only once a week etc etc. There are no set rules, you need to learn to read what your skin needs”

Hope that helps some of youand if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask!