Skin Care: Part 2

Welcome back to part two of my skin care post. We are discussing the five parts of skin: cleanse,
exfoliate, tone, moisturize, & protect. On Wednesday we discussed the first two parts, cleanse and exfoliate. Today we will be talking about the last three. Let’s get going!

Tone

A toner can be beneficial in several different ways. Once again, toners should be chosen based on your specific skin type and needs. Toners can help remove any residue left over from cleansing, they can help balance your skin’s ph balance, and they can also improve the appearance of pores. Toners are very helpful in the treatments of acne as well. My favorite thing that a toner can do is to help plump up the edges of pores to make them appear smoother. You cannot ever change the size or shape of your pores but you can make them appear smoother. Another added benefit of plumping the outer edges of your pores is it will help keep dirt and oil out of them. This part of the skin care team should not be skipped but I think it is one that gets skipped most often.

Moisturize

If you do nothing else in a skin care regiment you must cleanse and moisturize. Moisturization is so important and it’s critical to your skin’s health. There are moisturizers specifically for every skin type. Even if you have oily skin it’s important to have a moisturizer to help balance your skin’s natural oil levels. If you are acne prone, you must restore balanced moisture to prevent over-drying due to the drying capabilities of acne medications. You may even have to change formulas of moisturizer during various seasons of the year. Many people use an oil control formula during the summer months but must use a formula for dry skin during cold, winter months. There are even moisture boosters to extremely dry skin that are applied on top of your regular moisturizer to combat extremely dry skin and particular dry patches. Moisture is what helps skin boost its elasticity and keeps it looking healthy and youthful longer. Do not ever forget to moisturizer!

This is my powerhouse duo. If I use nothing else I use my MK 3-in-1 Cleanser (it cleanses, exfoliates, and tones-all in 1 bottle!) and my MK Age-Fighting Moisturizer

Protect

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times-foundation is skin care. That’s right; foundation can help your skin! The key is to get (not only the correct color, but) the correct formula of foundation that is right for your particular skin type. If you have oily skin, don’t head straight for the dewy, super-luminous formulas. You have luminous skin already. If you are dry, be careful with the matte. Acne prone? Use a foundation specifically for (you guessed it) acne prone skin. Did you know that wearing foundation can help you control oil or balance moisture, depending on your needs, better than going without it? It’s true. Give it a try. Don’t wear makeup on a particularly harsh weather day. Then, next time, wear it. You’ll see a huge difference! Plus foundation helps protect your skin from the elements and free radicals all around you. It acts as a sort of barrier between you and the bad stuff. Foundation-it’s not just for beauty!

Here are some products that I use and recommend:

*This post is NOT sponsored.

What I use regularly:

Toner:

Mary Kay 3-in-1 Cleanser (contains a Cleanser, Gentle Exfoliant, & Toner-all in one bottle!)

Mary Kay Blemish Control Toner

Moisturizer:

Mary Kay TimeWise Age-Fighting Moisturizer for Combination to Oily Skin

Mary Kay Botanicals Hydrate for Oily Skin

Aveeno Protect+Hydrate with SPF50

Foundations:

Mary Kay TimeWise Matte Wear Foundation

Mary Kay TimeWise Luminous Wear Foundation

Mary Kay CC Cream

Maybelline FitMe Matte & Poreless Foundation

Garnier BB Cream

Recommendations:

Take a look at the skin care companies I recommended in the previous post for skin recommendations

Foundation:

Neutrogena (has a great one for acne control)

Mary Kay (5 different formulas in 60 shades)

Nars

Kat Von D

Maybelline FitMe

Cover Girl Ready Set Gorgeous

L’Oreal True Match (Regular and Lummi)

Revlon Color Stay (though it has an odor to me)

Estee Lauder

Bobbi Brown

Note: For high end foundations, you can be shade matched as well as have a consultation with a trained consultant.