Skin care and You

I can go on forever on each topic, however, lets move away from feet for a while and move towards make-up. Now, before we get started it is imperative for you to realize that make-up is very personal. As well, each make-up artist will have his or her opinion or customization and techniques. With that being stated, the information I provide you in this area is how I personally practice make-up artistry. You are welcome to take what you need and if you chose, disregard what does not work for you. I plan to do several articles in this area from time to time. Especially as bridal season fastly approaches. The utmost importance should always be placed on skin care. After all your skin is the pallet that I would create. MAKE-UP does not look good when it is caked on a crusty blemish...do you not agree? I am going to do a little lesson on skin care, then I hope to do something a little more fun next article. I am not going to name any products at this time, however, you will be able to assess for yourself the quality of the product before you purchase it.

Our skin is an amazing organ. It is the largest organ in our body. It is a water resistant layer and its purpose is to protect, secrete, and to regulate body temperature. It is composed of three basic layers. These consist of the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous. The epidermis is the layer that we see, and it is what we work with. Even though our general health comes from within our body, we can topically take care of our skin.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN SKIN CARE

I am going to explain why a good skin care regime is important, therefore I will illistrate a few facts. Below is a ph scale. This scale is what scientists use to measure acidity versus alkalinity (also known as basic).

Ph scale

1----------7-----------14

acidic neutral basic

Acidic is at the lower end of the scale, and as you see the basic is at the higher end. Neutral means neither acidic nor basic.

1-------5.5----7-------9.5----14

skin water soap

Skin sits at 5.5, which means it is more acidic. The skin has an acidic mantle that is there to protect from bacteria infection. We have a lipid barrier as well that provides natural moisture to our skin. There is an actual ecosystem on the skin consisting of good bacteria and bad bacteria. Good bacteria keeps bad bacteria in check. Most people wash their face with either soap or plain water. The problem with water ist that it does not have the necessary acidity that is needed to clean the skin properly. Even if you don't wear make-up there is still a build-up of toxins, debris and free radicals (pollutants) that can harm the skin from prolonged exposure, that needs to be cleaned daily. Plain water does not have that ability. We know that so naturally people turn to soap. However, soap is very high in alkalinity. That means it is actually stripping the skin too much.

A proper ph balanced cleanser is what is required for properly cleaning. Usually cleansers sit at about 4.5 to 6 on the ph scale. It is more acidic thus it has the ability to properly clean the skin. However, the skin is not at it's natural ph, so we must use a toner/astringent that is alcohol free to restore ph, minimize pores, and remove residual cleanser and make-up. We then need to use a moisturizer , fortified with sunscreen, to restore the lipid barrier and moisture levels. Moisturizer should be used even if someone has acne. This will prevent the over production of sebum, thus causing a clogging of pores. Once a week it is necessary to exfoliate with either a clay mask, or gentle scrub, or products that contain AHA (alpha hydroxy acids) or with BHA (beta hydroxy acids) ingredients. AHA is fruit acids, and BHA is salicylic acid both are in small cosmetic levels. Higher levels are treatments done either by dermatologists, or in the form of glycolics by skin care specialists.

In conclusion, skin is the pallette for make-up and it needs to be taken care of on a daily basis. Not properly cleaning and nurturing your skin will speed up your aging process.