WHY IS SKINCARE IMPORTANT?
As many of you know, I rarely ramble about skincare. I am what some might refer to as a 'skincare rebel'. I have better things to do than spend time in front of a mirror.
But, I did create a skincare product. And even though I despise the skincare market, I do love this product (and hope more people learn about it so they can love it too).
In order for more folks to discover the product, I am told I should post about it, or at least post something about skincare. So, here goes– my 'once-in-a-blue-moon' discussion of skincare... (Is it skincare or skin care, let me know in the comments if you have the answer).
By 2025, the skin care market is estimated to be just under 200 billion U.S.dollars1.
The anti-aging business is a huge, powerful beast...and it prefers its apple cart not to be upset. In this post, you’ll find out why skin care is important enough for us collectively to spend amounts rivaling the market cap of Bitcoin (and what is simply marketing hype).
We all want healthy, well-cared-for skin. It looks beautiful and creates confidence, but it's also one of the most crucial parts of your immune system. By properly taking the best care of your skin you’ll be taking the necessary steps to fight a wide range of health issues.
Now that you understand just how important skin care is, are you still as confused as a blotchy-skinned chameleon in a bag of skittles over all the ingredients and steps? Let’s dive in a little deeper…
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS AND PURPOSE OF SKINCARE PRODUCTS AND A ROUTINE?
Why is it important to have a skincare routine?
A few reasons…
Our skin is constantly bombarded by potential toxins. Both in air and water. We need good quality protection ‘on the outside’ preventing damage from our environment. Skin is a true miracle of nature, it works so very hard to protect us...it deserves some TLC.
We also should strive for protection ‘on the inside’, btw, as the damage comes from two directions. The same habits that produce overall health are the habits that create beautiful, healthy skin. Eating plenty of fresh organic fruits and veggies, exercising, getting amazing sleep, and drinking lots of water will make your skin radiate (and will make you FEEL fantastic too).
Gut health and the microbiome is linked to skin health as well, but this is a topic for another day. Do your best to eat better and you’ll see a difference in no time.
It is worth the time, money, and energy to take care of your skin daily. A good quality skin care product can slow down the harmful environmental effects as well as repair the effects of time. And unless you are 20 something you do have these ‘effects of time’.
There is no denying that prevention is better than addressing an issue. Having a quality routine, wearing sunscreen (in moderation), cleansing your face daily, and using an excellent product to nourish your skin can prevent problems or treatments down the road…(not to mention, give you the skin your friends are envious of).
Having beautiful skin means making smart choices. Doing the right things now can help you down the road, but neglected skin can have lifelong impacts. Unless you utilize a proper routine, the skin you see in the mirror tomorrow can be dull, lifeless, and rife with imperfections and damage. Let’s not let this happen.
PRODUCTS NECESSARY FOR A GOOD ROUTINE
Adopt a few good habits, find a quality product, and with a consistent routine you’ll be seeing benefits quicker than you suspect. It shouldn’t be confusing and shouldn’t take but a minute.
Don’t let the hype of the market lead you astray – it’s a business – let’s not forget that. Just spend a minute here and let’s discuss what exactly needs to happen (and what you can toss).
Basics:
- Washcloth (more effective at removing dirt/makeup than wipes, has the right texture to exfoliate without chemicals and stimulates the skin)
- Avoid anything that ‘foams’ (more on that later)
- Cleanse, apply a quality product that can multi-task and hydrate.
- Done.
Why is it important to cleanse your skin?
As we’ve all been made aware, cleanliness is next to Godliness. Without fail...get that makeup (dirt, sweat, whatever) off – every night.
A light cleanse in the morning – if you wish. If you sweat at night or have acne or oily skin it’s a good idea. I prefer to skip the morning cleanse, personally, but that’s up to you.
Why Is Water Important In Skin Care?
Not everyone will agree that water consumption improves skin… but it certainly can't hurt. Some say it doesn’t seem to make a difference (I’m talking scientific studies here...not random skincare blogs), some say it makes them glow. At the very least, we know it removes toxins and our bodies need it to function...so let’s just assume it is beneficial and consume another glass.
Why is Sunscreen Important In Skin Care?
Simple – to avoid photo-aging and skin cancer. UV is a PROVEN human carcinogen. A tan is not a safe thing...sorry.
We’ll unwrap the different sunscreen options in another article. Get added to our list to be notified when that happens. But for now, just know you should reapply every 1.5 to 2 hours.
Skincare Ingredients and What They Do
The list of ingredients goes on, and on, and on… Many are promising – and some are simply a waste of money. I have favorites and since this isn’t meant to be a ‘book’ I’ll do my best to keep it short and dispense facts over marketing hype.
THE GOOD STUFF
MY FAVORITE INGREDIENT, HANDS DOWN: SPIN TRAP
When I decided in my early 50s that it was time to take care of my skin (yes, I was late to the party) I thought it would be easy. I would research ingredients and then be able to go purchase what I needed. Oh my, was I ever wrong.
I was fascinated with this ingredient that was considered an “intelligent antioxidant”. It interacts with free radicals differently. Without getting overly science-y here...Spin trap traps free radicals, transforms them into useful oxygen, then transports them back to where they should have been so they can go to work.
A typical antioxidant will turn free radicals into water (or straight-up murder them)...but this spin trap, ah, it captures these renegades and plugs them back in. In essence, spin trap transform free radicals into something useful. Nice!
Typical antioxidants destructively deal with free radicals–but spin traps constructively deal with them.
There are a few ‘spin traps’ but the most common for skincare use is Phenyl t-Butylnitrone ...and I wanted it.
But I couldn’t find it. There was one brand that had Spin Trap in the name but when I looked at the ingredients it wasn’t listed. I’ll just leave that there...make of it what you will.
Another favorite:
PLANT STEM CELLS:
BUDDLEJA DAVIDII STEMS
Incorporating plant stem cells into skincare is still in its infancy, sort of. This is my favorite of the stems, it’s been proven to provide immediate and high protection against UVA damage and UV-induced oxidative stress. Buddleja Stems (from the butterfly bush) provide three levels of protection against photo-aging: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and photoprotective.2
RETINYL PALMITATE
The gentlest of the 4 retinoids used in skincare. If your skin can’t handle retinol, this is the ingredient for you. They’re all Vitamin A derivatives with similar benefits. The key difference being how well your skin can tolerate each as well as levels of effectiveness.
This one is the best choice for sensitive skin.
It helps to nourish skin and aids in the skin’s natural renewal process. It can improve the appearance of aged and blemished skin. It’s considered a skin rejuvenator: smooths the appearance of harsh wrinkles, exfoliates, clears follicles to prevent pimples, and assists in collagen processes. It packs a punch...I like it.
VITAMIN C
What would a skin product be without good ole Vitamin C? It serves a few purposes but is best known for its antioxidant properties and the ability to help with pigmentation issues such as age spots. Often used in ‘lightening’ formulas.
Any quality skincare product will likely contain some form of Hyaluronic Acid and Ceramides. Both ingredients are well known and sought after in the best formulas.
GLUCOSAMINE
While glucosamine in skincare isn’t all that common (yet)...it’s been shown to accelerate wound healing, improve skin hydration, decrease wrinkles and address pigmentation issues. It’s another favorite that is not so easy to find.
AND (DRUM ROLL)...LEUCONOSTOC/RADISH ROOT FERMENT FILTRATE
A non-GMO preservative that is used as a natural alternative to the traditional preservatives. It’s derived from radishes fermented with a lactic acid bacteria that has traditionally been used to make kimchi...who knew?
There are a few others but in the interest of time, I’ll stop here. I would like to mention a few less desirables, just so you can do a little research on your own to see if they might be something you would prefer to avoid.
THE BAD STUFF (MAYBE?)
WHAT INGREDIENTS SHOULD I AVOID IN SKIN CARE?
In short, PARABENS, PHTHALATES, DYES, AND MINERAL OIL
The jury is still out as to whether they are all categorically evil. But, since we have better options, why take the chance?
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN SKIN CARE?
Obviously, we are all different and have different skin types and genes. But my top tips for great skin are as follows…
- Get the day’s makeup/dirt/toxins/environmental goop OFF your face EVERY night
- Stop the harsh exfoliants and scrubs...just STOP IT. They cause tiny microscopic abrasions – not good.
- Check your ingredient labels. Learn the INCI names to avoid (and the ones to seek out).
- Use the proper order: smallest molecules to largest (with the eye product first). If you MUST use multiple products...eye product, serum, moisturizer, sunscreen, makeup. Y’all know me...I’m all for simple...its one product and I’m out to feed the critters.
- Do not smoke. Enough said.
- Get out in the sun. Yes, I said that. 15 minutes of un-SPF exposure every day would do you good. We may discuss this more in-depth another day, but for now, just trust me on this. You need Vitamin D and there are benefits–if you don’t overdo it. Over 15 minutes? – wear SPF 30.
- Step it up a notch and use good quality skincare. Avoid poor quality. Ditch the cheap ‘drugstore’ brands. Most don’t have reliable actives and if they do there’s not enough in there to produce any results...only enough to be legally able to list on the label. Don’t be fooled.
- Get fantastic sleep, decrease stress, eat well and drink clean, filtered water.
Remember, any brand can make any claim about any ingredient – it's sad but true and they blatantly do – consistently. Not many test before heading to market.
(At SkinTech, we not only patch test, but we also test for container compatibility. AND we ONLY use airless pump containers. It’s safer, and cleaner.)
If you can’t find the listing of ingredients on a brand’s website...be skeptical. What in Sam Hill are we supposed to do with that? How do we know if it has what we need?
Some well-known, high-end, expensive brands have conveniently ‘left off’ the ingredient list from their website. Do with that what you will. Personally, I don’t feel prompted to go on a ‘hunt’ for this information. If they assume we are not intelligent enough to question this, I assume they have something to hide.
Also, check to see if the product is manufactured in an FDA registered, cGMP compliant, and ISO 22716 certified facility. Sterility IS a good thing.
Well, as I said before...I am not particularly fond of chatting about skincare. Honestly, I just want something extremely effective, not complicated or confusing, and simple enough that I can spend a minute or two and quickly get on with my day.
This may be the only ‘discussion’ on skincare here for a while...who knows. There are many areas of life that I feel are more important and enjoy chatting about. Skincare is important, but it’s not. Can you understand or agree with that statement? If so, we are kindred spirits.
Thanks for sticking with me.
For the Love Of Simplicity,
P.S. If you don’t have a great skincare product, I’d be honored if you’d check out my formula– SkinTech. It incorporates ‘my favorite’ ingredients from above as well as some other very beneficial ingredients. Only the best, most effective ingredients. It took over 3 years and 40+ formulations until I was satisfied with it (that’s the perfectionist kicking in). You can read more about the formulas and ingredients here.
Below is a Pinterest-friendly image…. feel free to pin it to your Skincare board!
