Skincare: My Skin Type [DRY]

my naked skin...no makeup in sight!

The fashion and beauty industry push many things onto the impressionable minds of society (and by impressionable I'm not just talking about the young men and women...we are ALL impressionable at any age of life).

The one thing that they've actually gotten right, but unfortunately not all of us have...is skin types.

Knowing what your skin type is can mean the difference between a perfect glow and a horrific reaction.  Harsh words, but true.  Am I wrong in assuming that at one point in time everyone has had a reaction to something they've put on their skin?  Or that you had amazing skin, changed the moisturizer you use, and all of a sudden something isn't quite right?

The hardest part for most people is determining what kind of skin you actually have...and to add insult to injury it may be more than one type...and ON TOP OF THAT you skin pretty much changes every 7 years or so...so what you're doing right now may not always work for you.

I've always had normal to dry skin.  I may not have always known it, but the signs were all there.  Wash/rinse my face with only water? Tight.  Go swimming then take a shower? Itchy and tight.  Winter? FLAKIEEEEEEEES!  Dry skin is the bane of my existence because if I don't keep it properly hydrated, it looks like shoe leather.  No joke.  AND it hurts.

For me, this means that I know I need a moisturizer that is fairly thick and creamy, with added hydration.  Bonus if it is time release (Lancome Aqua Vital), contains hyaluronic acid (holds 1,000x it's weight in water), and if it actually repairs the moisture barrier of my skin (hello Murad Hydro Dynamic Moisturizer or Clinique Moisture Surge Intense)

Keeping your skin properly hydrated (and yes oilier skins this means you too! you need oil free moisturizers - your skin needs water and that's what a moisturizer gives you!!) and treating it now, when you're younger helps in the long run (again, I'm speaking from the life perspective of someone who is 27...but had I known when I was a teenager, I would have started long ago).  

Knowing if you've got normal skin, dry skin, oily skin, acneic skin, aging skin, combination skin (the list can go on really...) is very important because it's going to determine what type of skincare is going to best bring your skin back to it's optimum pH level.  Unfortunately I cannot tell you via the internet what your skin type is...but some careful research on your part or better yet, a dermatologist, can be insanely helpful!

With that said...I can always talk about products, tips, and tricks that help with dry skin, and I do know a fair amount about different ingredients and products for different skin types so if anyone has any burning questions please let me know in the comments!  I always try to respond within a week :)  I'm also asking 2 of my closest friends (Em Wyllie and my younger sister Adrian) to write about their experiences with oilier skin - they both have it but they're quite different.  Keep your eyes peeled for that post coming soon!

In case there are any other dry skinned beauties out there, here's what I use in my routine as of today:

My Current Routine [3/27/12]

Facewash:  Fresh Soy Face Cleanser

Serum: Lancome High Resolution Collaser-5x

Day Cream: Ole Henriksen Comfort Me OR Bobbi Brown Hydrating Cream

Night Cream: Lancome High Resolution Night 3x

Eye Cream: Lancome Primordiale Eye Skin Recharge

*of note:  I do not believe that skincare is gender specific...there are specific products and lines that are targeted towards men, but both men and women can use all skincare (for example: Jack Black Beard Lube? best leg shaving gel EVER) - again, it's dependent on your skin and how it reacts...Also, I do not believe that you have to use the same skincare brand for each part of your routine.  currently i am using my Lancome skincare up before I move on to anything else...there are some brands out there that when used together work more effectively, however, this decision is up to each individual and what they feel their skin needs.*








*Also of note: I receive a lot of product through my job.  I know I say this all the time but it can't be repeated enough -- it is up to me and me alone to feature what I feel are good products that I can stand behind 100%.  I always take the utmost care as I write my posts to give you, the reader, the best information I can about my experiences.  If I love the product, I say so.  If I hate the product, I say so.  It's equal opportunity on my blog in all aspects. No company has any influence on what I say or what gets featured on this blog.*