Get Your Glow Up: Skin Care Tips From an Expert
Many of you have reached out to me looking for blemish solutions and advice. My DM's via Instagram, my email inbox, and occasionally my phone-- are always overflowing with questions. The most commonly mentioned skin concern? "Acne." I get it--if anyone understands--it's me.
I know the war of "banish the blemish" all too well. In fact, I spent all of my teenage years struggling with a less than ideal complexion--and even the beginning of my 20's. I used hundreds of soaps, scrubs, spot treatments, and so many other supposed magic potions. None worked. I always ended back at square one. But how did I survive apparently "unscathed?" Here are a few of my secrets that I wish I had known earlier:
1) Ditch the idea of the "perfect" product.
It's scary, I know, but there isn't a single solution. If there was a perfect ONE product for a skin concern-- your list of options would be much smaller, wouldn't it? Remember, billions of products exist, because there are billions of people--with very diverse lifestyles. When you hear, "this is the perfect product," --RUN!
2) Understand the DOB or "Date Of Birth" of a blemish.
That's right, pop the thought of popping a pimple when you can banish the blemish from the beginning. This formula really broke it down for me -- and transformed my skin-- forever.
DEAD SKIN + OIL =BACTERIA
Remember, once you get one you get them all. (I know what you're thinking-- and don't worry--it's a easier formula to follow than you may think.) Don't panic--once you erase one you can erase them all!
Dead skin, or "dryness," can be avoided, by "proper" exfoliation. This removes the dead surface cells that block oil from flowing normally to the surface of the skin.
How do you know you're dry? Look for redness (or inflamation) in the skin. This is your first indication. Secondly, The texture of the skin will change. Makeup will become more detectable-- "cakey "or "flaky." Feel the back your forearm-- it's smooth. Compare that texture to that of the face. Face feel "grainy?" or "rough?" That's a strong indication that dead skin cells have been accumulating. Remember that perfect formula for disaster? That's right-- dead skin creates the perfect downward spiral.
Excess oil production will start. This is the skin's only natural way of defending itself against "dehydration" (the lack of internal water content and external hydration.) This natural moisture becomes trapped under a accumulation of those icky surface cells. (Remember, skin survives on water content. Yes, drinking water is imperative, however: your lungs, heart, stomach, muscles, etc will absorb water before the skin ever receives it.) Incedentaly, lack of water content contributes to the perfect cocktail of a less than desirable complexion.
Now that those dead surface cells and oil shacked up to breed "bacteria babies," which are just as ugly as they sound, more and more will start to appear if the "DOB" is still possible. In the perfect world-- you'd have worked smarter not harder. Buying thousands of products that leave the skin feeling dry, flakey, and just plain tormented should be the last thing you do. Why blow up an entire country to get a few bad guys, right? Remember treat the contributors and you've got the perfect formula for success.
How do you know you're dry? Look for redness (or inflamation) in the skin. This is your first indication. Secondly, The texture of the skin will change. Makeup will become more detectable-- "cakey "or "flaky." Feel the back your forearm-- it's smooth. Compare that texture to that of the face. Face feel "grainy?" or "rough?" That's a strong indication that dead skin cells have been accumulating. Remember that perfect formula for disaster? That's right-- dead skin creates the perfect downward spiral.
Excess oil production will start. This is the skin's only natural way of defending itself against "dehydration" (the lack of internal water content and external hydration.) This natural moisture becomes trapped under a accumulation of those icky surface cells. (Remember, skin survives on water content. Yes, drinking water is imperative, however: your lungs, heart, stomach, muscles, etc will absorb water before the skin ever receives it.) Incedentaly, lack of water content contributes to the perfect cocktail of a less than desirable complexion.
Now that those dead surface cells and oil shacked up to breed "bacteria babies," which are just as ugly as they sound, more and more will start to appear if the "DOB" is still possible. In the perfect world-- you'd have worked smarter not harder. Buying thousands of products that leave the skin feeling dry, flakey, and just plain tormented should be the last thing you do. Why blow up an entire country to get a few bad guys, right? Remember treat the contributors and you've got the perfect formula for success.
Here's my list to smarter not harder behaviors:
1) Cleanse with non drying formulas. "Squeaky clean" shouldn't have ever been a thing.
2) Exfoliate -- and not with those scar causing, bacteria spreading scrubs--look into chemical exfoliation.
3) Hydrate inside and out (drink that yummy H2O and smack on some moisturizer
4) Remove makeup / Sunscreen Remember, most modern day makeup / sunscreen is water proof or long wear. Thought you were taking off your perfect look every night with those "makeup removing wipes? Think again! Check the ingredients and I can promise you-- the first ingredient is almost always water. What doesn't mix with water? Oil. Oil cleansers are my nightly go to for makeup and sunscreen removal.
I hope this advice has given you a little food for thought like it did me so many years ago.
Wishing you the best,
Gregorie Styles
For More from Gregorie visit his website here: Gregorie Styles Pro MUA