Book Review: The Skincare Bible by Dr Anjali Mahto- Chapter 3
Hello, Tina here, (+1 662 830 8246, info@nakedactives.com)
This time with another review of Dr. Mahto’s Skincare Bible. Today we will talk about skincare regimes. Or, in other words, how we take care of our specific skin type on a daily basis.
Most people have one of the main four skin types: oily, dry, sensitive and normal/combinational. The tricky part is that our skin type can (and does!) change during our lives and in such a case, we have to adjust our routines accordingly. Let’s have a look at the different skin types one by one and see what such a skincare daily routine could look like. It’s easier than you might think!
Oily skin
In the morning, cleanse your face, apply eye cream, an optional antioxidant serum (if ageing is an issue), followed by a moisturizer. A light one with a lot of humectants (remember from the last time?) will be a good choice, not to clog your pores and keep the blemishes at bay. The next step is a sunscreen and, if you use it, make up. You’re ready for the day!
In the evening, Dr. Mahto recommends to double-cleanse, to spot-treat the blemishes if they appear and to use eye cream. Oily skin can usually do without a night cream unless it is dry or tight. Once or twice a week, you should exfoliate to get rid of the top layer of the dead cells and keep your complexion fresh and smooth. Easy, right?
Dry skin
Although dry skin is usually rosy and soft, it comes with its own challenges: it has a tendency towards redness and irritation. Weather and heating can make these conditions even worse. The main goal for dry skin is to avoid further drying, supply the moisture and keep it in. No unnecessary exfoliation, hot baths or the like. Go for rich creams and use them as often as you need to keep your skin calm and happy. In the morning, cleanse, apply eye cream and a hydrating antioxidant serum. Follow up with a rich moisturizer that creates a protective barrier and keeps the moisture in your skin. Go on with an SPF and make up. Evenings, just cleanse, use your eye cream and moisturize. Be careful with exfoliation – once or twice a month is usually enough. And spoil yourself with a nice moisturizing mask regularly!
Sensitive skin
Did you know that there is no fixed dermatological definition of sensitive skin? There is a number of things that can trigger sensitivity, redness or itching. Sometimes, your skin can also be sensitive for no obvious reason. So try to identify and avoid your triggers, as well as potentially harsh ingredients (hello, sodium lauryl-sulphate! I see you there with fragrance, salicylic acid and alcohol – the usual suspects!). Although it can be tempting to use oils to fight dryness, they can actually make the symptoms worse. Also, try to use mineral filters in your sunscreen (based on titanium or zinc) instead of the regular chemical filters. Avoid exfoliation as it can irritate your skin.
In the morning, simply cleanse, apply your eye cream, a hydrating serum if you skin is dry and follow by a moisturizer, SPF and make up. In the evening, cleanse, use your eye cream and a moisturizer if needed. Try to avoid irritation as much as possible.
Normal/combinational skin
As the name suggests, normal skin has very few issues. It is usually healthy, not too oily, nor too dry, sometimes slightly oilier on the forehead, nose and chin – the so-called T-zone. In the morning, Dr. Mahto suggests to cleanse, apply an antioxidant serum, an eye cream and follow with a moisturizer, SPF (or a product combining the two) and make up. An evening routine can include a double-cleanse, eye cream and, if necessary, a moisturizer. Since irritation is usually not an issue for normal skin, you can exfoliate once a week and pamper yourself with a face mask. Easy as that!
I hope you enjoyed these examples of skincare routines. As you can see, skincare is not a rocket science and can be done in a few simple steps. Just make sure you know your skin type and choose your products accordingly. You might want to check again about the specific ingredients suitable for each skin type here, in the review of the previous chapter of Dr. Mahto’s book.
I am going for my evening routine now. Next time we will talk about hormones – they have much more to do with our skin condition than one would think!
