Skin Care 101

I've always loved makeup, but what happened underneath with my skin was not a big concern. The extent of my skincare knowledge was: no alcohol on the face and exfoliate. So, of course I was surprised when rubbing granulated sugar and lemon juice caused huge blotchy rough patches of textured skin. I found a bit of help on YouTube. My first stop was the Golden Rx. She has a skincare routine that has 11 steps (if you count sunscreen). I lasted a week before I punked out. It was way too much to remember. And the products on my "To Buy" list just kept getting longer and more pricey. Then I found Hyram.

Hyram's first video I ever saw was a critique of Jackie Aina's skincare routine that was sponsored by Dermalogica. He seemed really fair in his assessment, and after a few laughs and a simple premise: Less is more, well I was hooked. So what did I learn?

1. The less fragrance in products the better. Leaving little room for skin irritation from harsh perfumes is key on sensitive skin like mine. He also mentions that essential oils, although "au naturale" have a similar trigger factor as an irritant to skin.

2. Expensive does not equal better. Just let that sink in. I spent so much on this toner that ultimately was irritating my skin. I was so, so sad. Now I use it to freshen up between my breasts or as a last resort to freshen my cuticles after I use acetone on my nails.

3. Essences and toners are non-essential to your skincare routine. As beautiful and colorful and fresh smelling as Mario Badescu's facial mists are, in terms of skincare, they are pretty much useless. Their ingredients don't provide any essential function to your skincare routine. But they seem to do little harm if used in moderation.

4. Be gentle as you exfoliate either-- chemically or physically. I used to tug and scrub until my skin was red after exfoliating. Not the best idea. Try to use physical exfoliates less frequently during the week (these are your apricot scrubs and anything with any sort of grit to it). And while I'm at it, it may be time to let your St Ives. apricot scrub go, but I'll let Hyram tell you why. I don't want that smoke.

5. Please, for the love of G-O-D, do not forget sunscreen.

6. Change in your skin takes time. Try not to overwhelm your skin with a gang of new things at once in your routine. Take your time! You literally have your whole life to be in your skin right?

#skincare #selfcare #exfoliate #fortheloveofgodusesunscreen