Skin Care For Women

A Guide to Taking Care of Your Skin

Your skin type matters to women

Women may suspect you have dry, oily, or sensitive skin, but do you really know your skin type? Knowing your true skin type can help the next time you’re in the cosmetics aisle. In fact, using the wrong products — or even popularized Internet hacks — for women skin type could worsen acne, dryness, or other skin problems.

Read on to learn:

how to build your own skin care routine
how to treat specific skin concerns like acne or scars
which DIY skin hacks aren’t healthy, even if they seem to work

Building a daily skin care routine for women

No matter what your skin type is, a daily skin care routine can help you maintain overall skin health and improve specific concerns like acne, scarring, and dark spots. A daily skin care routine has four basic steps you can do once in the morning and once before you sleep.

Cleansing: Choose a cleanser that doesn’t leave your skin tight after washing. Clean your face no more than twice a day, or just once, if you have dry skin and don’t wear makeup. Avoid washing for that squeaky-clean feeling because that means your skin’s natural oils are gone. Cleansers known to work well for all skin types.
Serums: A serum with vitamin C or growth factors or peptides would be better in the morning, under sunscreen. At night, looks at night creams which contains CoQ10.
Moisturizer: Even oily skin needs moisturizer, but use one that is lightweight, gel-based, and non-comedogenic, or doesn’t block your pores, like Moisturizer Cream. Dry skin may benefit from more cream-based moisturizers. Most brands will label their products as gel or cream on their packaging.
Sunscreen: Apply sunscreen or sunblock with at least SPF 30 to 50, 15 minutes before heading outdoors, as it takes a while for sunscreen to activate. Darker skin tones actually need more sun protection because hyperpigmentation is harder to correct. Try sunscreen, which offers broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection and is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Choose products that fit your skin type and sensitivity, and remember to read the labels. Some products, such as Co-Q10, retinol or prescription retinoids, should only be applied at night.

For all skin types

Stay hydrated.
Change pillow cases at least once a week.
Wash or wrap up hair before bed.
Wear sunscreen every day and apply 15 minutes before going out.

Start with a basic and simple routine to see how your skin reacts. Once you’re comfortable, you can then add extra products such as exfoliants, masks, and spot treatments to boost your skin’s health.

And don’t forget to patch test new products, especially if you suspect you have sensitive skin. This can help you identify potential allergic reactions.

To patch test a new product:

Apply a small amount of product on your skin in a discreet area, such as the inside of your wrist or your inner arm.
Wait 48 hours to see if there’s a reaction.
Check the area at 96 hours after application to see if you have a delayed reaction.

An allergic reaction may include irritation, redness, small bumps, or itchiness. If you notice these symptoms, wash the area you tested with water and a gentle cleanser. Then return the product and try another that better suits your skin type.

DIY hacks to avoid (even if everyone does it)

People report wonders from using DIY hacks like lemon juice and toothpaste for common skin problems like acne bumps and dark spots. But the truth is these hacks may cause more long-term harm than benefit because they can damage your skin’s barrier.

Avoid these DIY hacks

Lemon juice: It may have citric acidic, but it’s far too acidic and can cause dark spots to appear after sun exposure. It can also dry and irritate your skin.
Baking soda: At a pH level of 8, baking soda will stress your skin, significantly decrease your skin’s water content, and cause dry skin.
Garlic: In raw form, garlic can cause skin allergies, eczema, skin inflammation, and watery blisters.
Toothpaste: The ingredients in toothpaste may kill germs and absorb oil, but they can also dry out or irritate your skin.
Sugar: As an exfoliant, sugar is too harsh for the skin on your face.
Vitamin E: Topical application of vitamin E can irritate your skin and is not proven to improve scar appearance.

Some of these ingredients may be all natural and cost-effective, but they aren’t formulated for your skin. Even if you don’t feel immediate side effects, these ingredients can cause delayed or long-term damage. It’s best to use products formulated for your face. Talk to your doctor or dermatologist before trying DIY applications on your skin.

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