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I have been an esthetician for eight years and I would say that about 20% of clients know their actual skin type and are using the proper products to encourage healthy skin.

Many people assume that if their skin looks oily, that their skin type is oily, but this isn’t always the case. The body is very good at adapting to your environment. If you are using drying products on your skin, not drinking enough water and are drinking too much caffeine and alcohol, your body will be dehydrated and, most likely, your skin will be too. We have many oil glands on our faces that help to moisturize skin and help protect us from extrinsic (outside) dangers like pollution, cigarette and campfire smoke and other environmental toxins. When we are dehydrated, live in a desert-like climate or we are applying drying ingredients to our skin, the oil glands will kick into gear to try to correct the problem. This natural process will not correct the problem long term, it will create an oily layer ON TOP of the dehydrated, dry skin. If not exfoliated, the dry, dead skin mixed with too much oil can then cause clogged pores, infection and acne. This oil slick is what you see and then assume you have an oily skin type, when in fact you are over dry.

Once you start a proper routine, it takes time for the skin to adapt to the new environment that you are creating. It takes 30-40 days for the skin to be made in the dermis and then work its way to the surface (epidermis) where your visual beauty lies. This time is what is needed to see if your new products are working or if they need to be adjusted. Once you find the right routine, STICK WITH IT! It may take some time (sometimes a few months) to perfect the routine and it may take a few months of consistent daily use to see real progress, so don’t be discouraged if your skin isn’t perfect immediately after starting a new routine.

Dialing in your skin type and its specific needs is what is needed for long term skin health and beauty. Constantly changing products, using chemical laden or highly scented products or overuse of harsh ingredients (natural or not) can negatively affect the skin. People that have acne tend to over dry the skin, making the healing process take longer and causing scarring that is sometimes impossible to erase. Likewise, people who use too many anti-aging products can actually end up thinning the skin rather than plumping it like they want. Although you are trying your best to treat the problem, you can end up making it worse or even creating new problems to chase down. A twice daily routine for your specific needs creates an environment where your skin can thrive, you are correcting the problems daily and preventing future problems instead of constantly chasing problems down.

Consistency is how beautiful skin is created and maintained at any age, although there are a few reasons to tweak the program. Hormonal changes (every 10 or so years we have a shift), pregnancy, changes in birth control or HRT (hormone replacement therapy), menopause, puberty and moving or constantly traveling to new environments can all negatively affect the skin.  Disease and the treatment of diseases can also create new skin issues.  Cancer treatment is a big one and anti-cancer medications like methotrexate used by people with autoimmune diseases can cause many skin issues like dryness, redness, less protection from UV rays causing age spots and burns.  If anything changes with your health or medication list, we may need to redo a skin assessment. 

Find out what your skin type is now — get a custom skincare routine and use it twice per day, every day. Diligently following this plan will correct, protect against and prevent skin issues like acne, redness and remove damaged cells from UV and pollution exposure before they negatively affect healthy cells leading to collagen loss and wrinkles. Avoid changing the plan or adding in new products or skincare services unless your skin, daily environment or health changes.

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Shelly Todd, Licensed Esthetician

J.Renee Organics Skincare

www.JReneeOrganics.com