It was a good thing that the first book I read on this subject was written by a dermatologist. Instead of being bombarded by marketing myths I was able to approach the skin as a vital organ of the body and see skin care as an extension of health and nutrition, instead of in the light of glamour and illusions. Here are some of the key elements I learned:
1. All Skin is Unique
The first thing I learned is skin care is very personalized, what works for one person doesn't work for everyone. So getting to know your own skin is key. My skin is not too bad. It tends to be a little on the sensitive side, but a little moisturizing helps that. I also learned that I needed a little gentle exfoliating. Nothing fancy, I just use a clean washcloth and gently rub my skin in the shower once a week now. It helps exfoliate and it also helps with circulation which is an added bonus.
2. Moisturizing After a Shower
I learned that it's best to apply moisturizer right after taking a shower, apparently water drying on your skin actually dries out your skin. This way the lotion seals in the moisture. One of the books I read mentioned that you should not do this because the water on your skin will dilute the lotion you use, but I that doesn't sound very logical to me. I mean if your lotion is good that small amount of water should not make that much difference and you could always use more lotion if you feel you need it. If you wait until your skin has completely dried out you would probably need to use even more lotion anyway right.
3. The One Thing We Should ALL use: Sunscreen
While there are tons of products that promise younger looking skin, the key word in that phrase is "looking". The fact is that all those products don't actually make your skin younger, it's just an illusion. Sunscreen is the only product that actually protects your skin from aging and other dangers that are possible from sun damage. No matter what kind of skin a person has we are all vulnerable to damage from the sun since the rays actually penetrate the skin. This causes signs of aging and can even lead to skin cancers.
Once my current lotion runs out I am planning to look for a lotion that works well with my skin and has sunscreen in it already, which is a good way to get both moisture and protection at once.
I saved some reference material for the future because over time the skin changes. I'm sure as I get older my skin needs will change and my daughters will each have their own unique needs. I did learn a lot of other neat things but I didn't want to make this entry too long. I also feel like I learned new ways to help and protect my family's health from this part of my journey so I'm really glad about that :)
The next part of this saga is where things get scary for me.... make-up... this one might get rough.
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