Home > Seven of the Best Skincare Rules to Follow

Seven of the Best Skincare Rules to Follow

Following up on yesterday’s post Skin Destroyers: Avoid These Pitfalls, I thought I would post some skincare rules we should all be following.  As a former esthetician, I’ve seen it all.  From people with red, angry skin from leaving harsh face masques on too long, to those with serious scarring from picking at acne relentlessly, skin care is something everyone should fully understand.

As we take care of ourselves by hydrating properly with lots of water and eating nutritious food to keep us healthy and energized, we can boost the positive effects of these practices by taking a few steps to baby and protect our skin. It’s natural to want to pick at a huge pimple in desperation, hoping that squeezing it to death will miraculously make it disappear. It’s also understandable to want to discover that miracle skin scream that will reverse the “ravages of time” and bestow an Adriana Lima-like glow upon us. I think it’s best to just embrace the skin your in and work with what you have.  Armed with knowledge, you can indeed transform lacklustre skin into something you’re proud of.  Read on for more details!

ADriana lima
“Haha! Yes! I am perfect! Thank you for asking!”

Exfoliate

Professional exfoliations or multi-acid peels can be done on a monthly basis to attain healthy, vibrant skin. Since cell renewal decreases by half as we age, forcing skin cells to turnover more frequently will reveal a healthy glow. The word “acid peel” can be scary and elicit thoughts of Freddy Kruger, but try to think of it as a skin treat. Now, these treatments should be done by a qualified professional such as an esthetician at an accredited medispa.  Don’t rush out and buy too-active skincare products and attempt to do this on your own.

Sunscreen

Daily SPF protection is something everyone should be aware of by now. Wearing a broadband SPF of 30 to 50 is a must.  Be sure to apply your sun protection even on cloudy days and reapply every two to three hours for maximum protection.  Want extra brownie points?  Throw on a cute hat!

Royal Ascot Sun Protection Hat Style Domination Skin Care SPF Protection
Perfect! (Pic courtesy of The Independent)

Smart Cleansing

Be smart about how you cleanse your face. Take your makeup off as soon as your get home. This minimizes the amount of time you have makeup clogging your pores and prevents you from skipping the cleansing process when you are too tired at bed time.  It also gives you extra time to do it thoroughly and gives you the chance to apply the necessary skin products you use.

As for how to cleanse, it really boils down to personal preference.  Some prefer to use their Clarisonics (don’t confuse the Clarisonic for an exfoliating device – it can do a better job than using your hands alone) and others swear by makeup removers (micellar water) and makeup remover wipes (not ideal as they usually do not do a completely thorough job). Micellar water also known as “cleansing water”, are often better choices for those with sensitive skin as they are designed to maintain skin’s optimal pH level.  A nice one to try that I have used is Lancôme Eau Fraîche Douceur Micellar Cleansing Water.

Lancome Eau Fraiche Douceur Micellar Cleansing water Style DOminationApply Products in the Right Order

Apply any serums first as they have a higher concentration of active ingredients.  Moisturizers come second.  Basically, always apply your products from lightest in consistency to heaviest.

MOISTURIZE!

Moisturization is key.  Lack of moisture is often the culprit for wrinkles, sallowness, dullness and sometimes oiliness. Now, moisturization shouldn’t stop at your face – don’t forget the rest of your body!  Body moisturizers applied after showering while skin is still damp seal in moisture and lessen signs of aging.  Regular moisturization will also prevent itching caused by winter dryness and can help prevent keratosis pilaris – those little reddish bumps that appear on the back of your arms.

Facial Massage

Now for some experimentation with more non-traditional methods! Try gently massaging facial moisturizer and face oils into your skin.  Rub a small amount of product  between your fingers.  Using small, circular motions, work the product into your skin at the base of your neck and work your way up towards the nose and out.  Keep going to your cheeks and temples. Next, focus on your eye area, which is normally prone to puffiness and gently work from the outer corners of the eyes, inwards. Apparently, this will guide trapped fluids to where they normally drain.

You can also use your fingers to tap your face gently, in a sort of “drumming” motion. This type of massage will increase circulation and believe it or not, relaxes you.  People who see you may laugh at you, but you can laugh at them when they are one giant wrinkle.  ;o)

Retinol

Retinol, the skincare superstar, is a treatment that works to diminish signs of aging, fight acne and reduce sun damage. Those who benefit the most from retinol in particular are those with oily skin who are non-sensitive. A form of vitamin A found in abundance in egg yolks and cod liver oil, retinol works to improve cell turnover and boost skin’s collagen.

If you do want to add retinol and retinoids (prescription-strength) to your skincare regime, do so in the spring or fall as skin tends to be more sensitive in the summer and winter months. Those with sensitive skin may want to seek the advice of a dermatologist or general practitioner first as retinol can induce a dermatitis-like reaction – ouch!

So, that wraps up my list of skincare rules.  A couple of little ones I follow are those from my momma.  My mother swears by rubbing fresh cut aloe all over her face as a masque, and when we take family trips to Barbados, dips in the ocean are considered a must as saltwater is considered a soothing detoxifier and beach sand is a perfect exfoliator!

Wonders of Jamaica Beach Sand SCrub Exfoliate Exfoliator Skin Care Ocean Style Domination
Pic courtesy of www.wonderofjamaica.com

What are some of your tried and true skincare best practices?  Please, please, please share in the comments section!

xo,

Style Domination Logo Blogger Fashion Blogger Beauty Blogger Foodie Ottawa Canada

Dominique Baker
Dominique Baker

Dominique is a Canadian-based fashion and beauty influencer with a strong voice in Ottawa’s black community. Since launching her blog Style Domination in 2015, she has amassed a global fanbase. Dominique shares her life through beautiful imagery and compelling story-telling that speaks to her fans on a personal level. She’s been featured in The Guardian, Flare, The Kit and Cityline. She also hosts events for Dress for Success, the Gem Conference, and has been named a United Way Person 2 Know for the past three years.

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Leave a comment

  1. June 18, 2015 / 6:36 pm

    Absolutely loved this post! Thank you xx

  2. June 18, 2015 / 9:09 pm

    My tried and true skincare rule is to exfoliate! People always ask me why my skin is so smooth and even-toned; exfoliation followed by a great moisturizer

  3. June 19, 2015 / 12:56 am

    Such really great advice! As an esthetician, I agree with all of these, most noticeably, the peel aspect. I just cringe when I hear people buying peels off amazon or like sites of40% glycolic acid for a fraction of the price of a treatment. Their reasoning is that they can do it themselves but they don’t realize the detrimental effects they can cause. Sorry for the rant, lol. I guess I’ll add keeping skin hydrated/moisturized with topical ingredients. 🙂

  4. June 19, 2015 / 1:58 am

    I just love skincare posts and you have one of the best!

  5. June 19, 2015 / 3:08 am

    I have a pretty strict regimen that I have followed for the longest time, and so far it has worked great! I do use a Clarisonic and exfoliate regularly. I never leave my house without sunscreen!

    • June 19, 2015 / 8:27 am

      Good girl! Sounds like a rock solid routine. Contemplating buying a Clarisonic!!

  6. June 19, 2015 / 8:57 am

    Great post! Just like the past one!

    • June 22, 2015 / 1:37 pm

      Thank you! xoxox! There were so many good tips, the former post deserved a sequel. ;o)

    • June 22, 2015 / 1:36 pm

      Thank you so much for checking it out! Glad you find it helpful!

  7. June 22, 2015 / 3:36 pm

    Loved this! Thank you! So why do they up sell the Clarisonic as an exfoliating device?

    • June 22, 2015 / 3:42 pm

      LOL! Not sure, but apparently you can get several different “heads” for the device of varying “softness”. I wish there was a way to sample the device first….it’s awfully expensive for something that could possibly be on the harsh side. Thanks for checking out my post!

      • June 22, 2015 / 3:43 pm

        I have one. Have used it for a year or two. I honestly don’t notice a difference with it. I think it is overhyped. I have the acne head on mine and its a brush! LOL!

  8. June 25, 2015 / 1:17 pm

    Hi! I love your blog and i nominated you for the ” Sisterhood of the bloggers award”! Please go answer the questions and nominate 10 more people, make up 10more questions of your own for your nominees to answer, thank and link the person who nominated you, and put a link to everyone of your nominee’s blogs. Thank you!!!

  9. July 12, 2015 / 12:27 am

    Hi! I’m currently prescribed Retin-A micro and have been using it for about 2 weeks, and my skin is still ridiculously dry and flaky. Any advice on moisturizers or how to reduce this irritation?

    • July 12, 2015 / 11:57 am

      Hi Gracie! When I was on Retin-A, my dermatologist prescribed a moisturizer for me. That would be my recommendation. Speak to your doctor and have him or her recommend something best for your skin type. I find moisturizers from makeup lines, etc. are too fragranced and/or heavy or not heavy enough, and may end up irritating your skin further. Good luck! xo

    • July 12, 2015 / 11:58 am

      Gracie – also, I only used my Retin-A cream every two days. Maybe that will help, applying it every other day to give your skin a bit of a break…

      • July 12, 2015 / 4:42 pm

        I’ll definitely give that a try! Thanks for letting my know what works for you! I’m still struggling to figure out what works for me after seeing a derm two weeks ago.

        • July 12, 2015 / 5:24 pm

          I hate the trial and error too. Hang in there and good luck with your derm!

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