Before I start with this post, I’m just gonna throw out there that the 3 best things you can do to take care of your skin are:
- Eat and sleep well.
- Stay well hydrated.
- Sun protection.
Sadly, this is one of those things where I really can’t practice what I preach. I’m currently in my second year of residency, and although Family Medicine is arguably one of the “chill”-er residencies and we’re capped at 80-hour work weeks, I’ve been running on an average of 5 hours of sleep per night since I started college. I’m also somewhat of a cactus (working on changing that).
…So sometimes, you need that extra stuffs to help out your skin! (Or you just wanna pamper yourself. Either way.)
The first blogs I ever followed were Asian beauty blogs and stems alll the way back to 2007, a year after I started college and caught girl disease (hah). I’ve adored skin care products pretty much ever since then, so we’re gonna go over how to target your skin care concerns today! :]
CosDNA is a really great site to check out if you’ve ever wondered about the ingredients in your skin care products or cosmetics. You can search by product, ingredients, or just throw in the entire ingredient list and find out what the ingredients are for, whether or not they’re safe, and which ones can potentially be irritating and/or cause acne.
As with food labels, skin care ingredients are listed in order of most to least. I put together a handy little table (somewhat based off of Fifty Shades of Snail’s post on Ingredient Awareness) for convenience!
| Skin Concern | Ingredients To Look For |
| Acne |
|
| Anti-Aging |
|
| Dry Skin |
|
| Dullness / Hyperpigmentation from sun damage +/or acne |
|
Disclaimer: I am not a dermatologist and most of the things I learned about skin care were from me reading about it in my spare time as opposed to during medical school/residency. Please do a patch test (apply a small amount of product to your skin + wait 24 hours–observe for signs of redness/irritation) with new skin care products and avoid using products with ingredients that you are allergic to.
- Do you ever look at the ingredient lists for your cosmetics/skin care products?
- What’s your biggest skin care concern?
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I’ll be 35 this year and I always get tons of compliments on my skin, Water! Water is my secret weapon. I drink about a gallon a day and it does wonders for me. I’m obsessed with Asian beauty products, my friend introduced them to me a few years ago and I’ve been hooked ever since.
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Hydration is one of the best things you can do for your skin! I really need to drink more water! :o
I don’t pay much attention to ingredients, though I should. Granted, I don’t wear a lot of skin care or makeup products. I like these guides though! Thanks for sharing.
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…There’s Someone Inside Your House + Release Book Reviews
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Anytime! I’m not much for makeup, but I’m definitely a huge fan of skincare products! :P
This is such a brilliant post!
I think another thing I never realised was that some acne won’t respond to certain products just because it’s not dirt or build up that’s the issue. I struggle with hormonal acne and for a while I just went around buying ALL THE THINGS trying to find something that would work – not realising that it was actually my hormones I needed to deal with instead!
Kristy from Southern In Law recently posted…Recipe: Raw Licorice Bullet Truffles
Thanks, Kristy! I definitely used to think that acne happened because I wasn’t washing my face well enough and I did the same thing as well! :[ Hooray for learning since then! Darn those hormones, hahah.
I don’t use a lot of skincare products, but definitely sunscreen! And I started making my own own lotion/body butter because it’s so much cheaper to get good ingredients that way, plus I have sensitive skin so it’s easier to make sure all the ingredients are ok.
Hannah recently posted…Learning the obvious: week in review
Sunscreen is so important! I need to find one that I can use every day on my face! :P That’s awesome that you’re making your own lotion/body butter! Do you have a recipe? :D!
Farrah recently posted…Cinnamon Breakfast Coffee Shake
What a great way to revive your skin. I’ve had great luck with some oils!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt recently posted…3 Ingredient Pumpkin Pie Nice Cream
Agreed! What’s your favorite one? :]
Farrah recently posted…Cinnamon Breakfast Coffee Shake
I think that with those first 3 best things you did said the most important things for our skin. If everyone would keep in mind only these there would be more happier people around :-)
Some time ago I did not know that sun can be so bad for the skin and did spend lots of time on it but in the last years, I rarely get direct sun exposure as I know the consequences.
About the water and good sleep, probably everyone knows it but so many of us do not follow so simple but genius methods how to look much better.
Megan recently posted…6 The Most Effective Anti-Aging Products Revealed
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Agreed! I really need to work on drinking more water! I’m doing better at the sun exposure one though!
My skin recently broke out like crazy and it’s the worst its been…ever. I think it has a lot to do with the stress and sleep deprivation of residency. SO lately, I’ve been quite interested in skin care. Great post :)
AZ@…And A Dash of Cinnamon recently posted…Tomato Artichoke & Egg Pizza [LC, Vegetarian, Clean, GF]
Aww, I’m sorry! I think we’re kinda in the worst of it with the lack of sleep/increased stress/lack of time to take care of ourselves. :[ I hope this helps! <3
Farrah recently posted…Cinnamon Breakfast Coffee Shake
I just stick to natural skin care products to save my skin instead of using the chemical based product and it works for my skin to keep healthy and glowing. Thanks for the great stuff.
That’s awesome! I’m glad you’ve found what works for you!
Loving this breakdown! Understanding my skin concerns has totally changed my routine. Now I can focus on the right products to target what truly matters for me. 🙌 Thanks for the clear tips!