Skincare Basics: Is It Something You Need?
Skincare isn’t just about washing your skin before you sleep or applying moisturizer before you go out. It’s now a multi-billion dollar industry that has experienced an upward trajectory in profits as well as in popularity. A CNN article reports that conservative estimates valued the global beauty industry at over $300 billion in 2018 with the global skincare market valued at $135 billion.
But what exactly is skincare?
Your skin is the largest organ in your body. As the largest and the outermost layer we have, it also serves as our first line of defense against infection. We have all heard about the basics: keep your skin hydrated, moisturize after exfoliating, and apply sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun. But is that all there is to it? Is that all you need to do to ensure that your skin stays healthy? And, most importantly, is it something that you need?
Skincare didn’t become a multi-billion dollar business just because some people deemed it’s important for your skin. Actually, skincare became a multi-billion dollar business because more and more people are taking the guesswork out and experimenting with different types of skincare routines that would be perfect for their skin types. Skin type, allergic reaction, brand (and their environmental practices), and price are just some of the factors to consider when choosing the right products for your skin.
Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way… It’s time to determine why skincare should be a priority in your life!
If you’re unsure about whether or not you need a skincare routine, we’ve developed a short questionnaire below to help you figure it out on your own. These questions are by no means a comprehensive list but these questions should help you kickstart the need for you to take care of your skin.
- Are you satisfied with the way your skin looks?
- Do you think your skin makes you look much older than you actually are?
- Are you experiencing skin issues like blemishes, acne, and wrinkles?
- Is your skin usually dry? Do you sometimes feel the need to apply lotion or moisturizer multiple times a day?
- How do you think your skin will look 3, 4, or even 5 years from now?
- Are you allergic to most skincare products?
- Is being busy something that hinders you from having a proper skincare routine?
- Are you willing to alter your eating habits for the sake of taking care of your skin?
- Are you willing to take care of your skin but frustrated with the plethora of options out there?
- Are you on a tight budget?
This may sound cliché but there is a skincare routine for everyone. Believe it or not, not every skincare routine should be a ludicrous 20-step process to ensure healthy and glowing skin. And, contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to spend hundreds (or, in some cases, thousands) a month to get the glass skin you’ve always wanted. It really boils down to what you, and your skin, needs.
But how can you determine what sort of skincare routine and what sort of skincare products your skin needs?
Adjust to your age
One of the most important things to consider when developing a skincare routine is your age. As we age, our skin undergoes a variety of changes that, in turn, demands different types of skincare products as well as a different skincare routine. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has put out a great guide for women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s that summarizes how our skincare routines and our products should evolve. See below for a quick peek:
- The 20s: A head start on healthy skin
- The 30s: Prevention and treatment
- The 40s (and beyond): Noninvasive interventions
With proper care and the right products, you can ensure healthy-looking and younger-looking skin whatever decade you’re in! Here at TheGetWell, we put health, happiness, and confidence above all else. Aging gracefully is subjective– as long as you’re happy with what you have and are taking the necessary measures to take care of yourself, that’s all that matters.
In an upcoming article, TheGetWell will provide an in-depth analysis of skincare for people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Stay tuned!
Choose according to your skin type
Most sources on the internet list normal skin, dry skin, oily skin, and combination skin as the major skin types. However, some sources also include sensitive skin as one of the major skin types. Regardless of the source, your skincare should depend on what type of skin you have. There is absolutely no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to skincare. Much like any of our wellness routines, like physical exercises and sleeping habits, our skincare should also be tailor-fit to who we are.
Normal Skin
There really is no defining what normal is when it comes to skin. Dr. Doris Day, in an article by Today, claims normal skin is “skin that can tolerate most things without overreacting.” Essentially, normal skin is just skin that can be considered healthy and hydrated. However, normal skin may be the hardest to classify as normal can mean a variety of different things and can vary from person to person.
Dry Skin
What makes skin dry? Dry skin is, you guessed it, rough and dull. Dry skin is when your skin does not produce enough sebum compared to normal skin. For people that are not familiar, sebum is an oily secretion from the skin’s sebaceous glands that helps keep your skin hydrated and moisturized. Having dry skin can lead to a plethora of skin blemishes like cracked skin, chapping, flakiness, tightness, and itchiness among others.
Oily Skin
Oily skin, as opposed to dry skin, is the overabundance of sebum on your skin. An excess in sebum secretion may lead to oily skin and may lead to other skin infections and blemishes like acne, blackheads, and whiteheads.
Combination Skin
Contrary to popular belief, the skin can’t be just dry, oily, and normal. It can be a combination of these classifications depending on your lifestyle, hormones, and genetics. The most common definition of combination skin is when you have an excess of sebum production on your face (on your T-zone, to be exact) while having dry skin in the other areas of your body.
No matter what type of skin you have, there will always be a skincare routine for you. It all boils down to determining what you and your skin need in order to achieve that young and healthy-looking skin you’ve always wanted. Now go back to the drawing board and use this skincare basics guide to help you kickstart the right skincare routine for you!
