It’s easy to fall into the trap of staying up late and forgetting to take your makeup off or properly cleanse your face, especially in college. However, with all of the stress of school work, the effects of the weather on your face from being out and about, and our age, your skin takes a beating and could be also battling oil production and acne. The easiest way to see improvement in your skin, no matter what the issue is, is to maintain a cleansing routine that treats your skin well. Just remember, it’s worth getting out of bed to wash your face, because your skin will look better.
First, think about your skin type. Oily skin gets shiny and greasy about an hour or two after washing, and blackheads and pimples are often an issue. Dry skin, on the other hand, feels tight and possibly flaky, but could also have acne present. Combination skin is common, too: your forehead, nose, and chin will be oily, while your cheeks will be dry. Lastly, sensitive skin is often irritated, red, or inflamed from products and lotions. Try these options separately or combined to help out your fabulous face!
Oily Skin:
Contrary to popular belief, oily skin will actually get oilier if you constantly try to dry it out with harsh products because it will overproduce oil to compensate for what you take away. So, make sure to use a gentle cleanser that won’t strip your skin of its natural moisturizer. Then, consider a toner with alpha-hydroxy acids that will help to gently exfoliate the skin. Finish with a light moisturizer, and make sure not to skip this step!
Products to try: Cetaphil Oil Control Foam Wash, Mario Badescu Glycolic Grapefruit Cleansing Lotion (toner), Cetaphil Oil Control Moisturizer
Dry Skin:
Your skin needs to be treated and moisturized, but not overloaded with lotions. Use a cream or milk cleanser that gently removes dirt and oil, then a toner that offers very gentle exfoliation. Finish with a more substantial moisturizer, but make sure it is labeled “non-comedogenic”, which means it will not make you break out.
Products to try: Mario Badescu Cleansing Milk with Carnation and Rice Oil, Clarins Toning Lotion, Neutrogena Deep Moisture Day Cream
Combination Skin:
You can easily treat your skin by using products that combine toning properties with moisture for the best of both worlds. Fortunately, many companies recognize that this skin type is common and offer products for it. Your cleanser should gently clean your skin without drying it out, and your toner should be exfoliating without being too strong. You should lean towards a light moisturizer so that your forehead and nose do not get too oily throughout the day.
Products to try: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, Neutrogena Alcohol Free Toner, Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
Sensitive Skin:
Your skin can be treated similarly to other types, but you just need to pay more attention to the products you use. You could easily have sensitive skin that is dry, or sensitive skin that is oily, so follow those routines. Make sure to choose products either labeled “for sensitive skin” or products that contain less chemical ingredients. Avoid scrubbing your skin at any time.
Products to try: Simple Moisturizing Face Wash, Mario Badescu Seaweed Cleansing Lotion (toner), Burt’s Bees Sensitive Daily Moisturizing Cream