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Wendy Evans, Independent Business Owner with The Body Shop At Home™ (pictured), shares her considerable knowledge about choosing the right skincare products for your skin type and your budget.
The road to finding the right products for your skin can be long and winding. Most of the time, sourcing products for you skin is an unfavourable journey that can take you to breakout city and have you spending excessive amounts of money (and on products that aren’t doing quite what they promised)! Finding the right products for your skin is imperative for maintaining healthy, beautiful and youthful skin.
Adding to the stress of finding the right products for you are the thousands of different skin care lines on the market today, all claiming to give you gorgeous healthy skin. However the trick to finding your perfect match is knowing what it is you need in a product, not what the product promises to do!
Here are a few helpful tips to make sure you find the right products for you!
1. Find your type!
When it comes to finding the right products for your skin, the first step is to determine what your skin type is. Is your skin dry, oily, sensitive; are you prone to acne, dark spots or pigmentation?
You really need to have a long look at a fresh faced you and find your type. Don’t be put off if you feel your skin doesn’t fall into one specific type; many people have oily and dry skin at the same time or see changes in their skin based on their cycle. If you find this really difficult, you may want to consult a dermatologist who will be able to run appropriate tests to figure out your skin type.
2. What influences you?
Get to know your skin! To effectively determine your skin type you need to recognise any factors that may influence your skin.
Think about internal and external elements that impact your skin; does your skin react badly to certain foods you eat? Or how does your skin react to certain climates? Some main elements that impact your skin are hormones, medications, stress, pollution, smoking, sun exposure, artificial/fluorescent light etc..
Getting to know these influences makes it easier for you to provide your skin with the best care possible. For example if you know your skin gets really dry on windy days, you can counteract this (or help to minimise dryness) by using a heavier and thicker moisturiser like a body butter on the days where high wind levels have been forecast.
3. Pick a budget and stick to it!
Depending on where you shop, prices for skincare products can differ significantly. Some brands can charge exorbitant prices because of ingredients, brand popularity and reputation but that’s not to say that you can’t find quality products at lower prices.
There are skincare products at both ends of the scale, and you will find that most products are relatively similar.
Research what ingredients are the best for your skin type, for example shiso extract helps to prevent uneven skin tone, aloe is known for its hydrating properties and glycerine maximises hydration. Once you know what key ingredients you need for your skin, research the products available within your budget. Don’t just google, visit a variety of stores and speak to professionals who will be able to guide you in the right direction.
4. Inform yourself of the short-‐term and long-‐term effects
All products are designed to achieve different things. Some products may solve some of your skin issues in the short term but have unwanted long-‐term results and vice versa. Be sure to ask the question of how it will affect your skin later on down the track, even a few years down.
Don’t get caught in the trap of proven quick results when you have the possibility to suffer from an allergic skin reaction when you discontinue use – it can happen!
5. Start with the basics!
If you’re starting out fresh and your shopping for an entirely new product range then start with the basics. The three absolute must haves in anyone’s bathroom should be, a cleanser, a toner or exfoliator, and last but definitely not least, a moisturiser! These are the must haves that should feed your skin every day and night. Once you have these as a solid foundation to your skincare regime you can add on nourishing products such as serums, spot treatments, night treatments and masks.
About the Author
Wendy Evans is an Independent Business Owner with The Body Shop At Home™. Joining the business in 2003, her organisation has an annual turn over of more than
$1 million. For more information on The Body Shop At Home™, please visit www.thebodyshop.com.au/TheBodyShopAtHome.aspx or call 1800 355 750.