Simple tips to keep your skin healthy

Your skin is not only your body’s largest organ, it’s also your best protection against environmental aggressors. Here are a few tips to help you take good care of it:

Cleanse skin properly

Is there a right and wrong way to wash your skin? Absolutely! Poor cleansing technique can irritate skin and even worsen certain problems like acne and eczema.

How to cleanse your face:

• Cleanse your face in the morning and at night.
• Use warm water. The hotter the water, the more it strips away protective oils from the surface of the skin. 
• Use a gentle fragrance-free, alcohol-free cleanser formulated specifically for the face. 
• Avoid scrubbing skin, which can cause irritation. Use your fingertips to apply and spread cleanser, and lather using circular movements. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.

Washing routine for the rest of your body:

• Wash only those areas that need cleaning, especially if you have dry skin. You don’t need to lather up your entire body each time you bathe or shower! 
• Limit your bath or shower to 10 minutes, and don’t run the water too hot. 
• Use a gentle fragrance-free, alcohol-free cleanser.
• Avoid scrubbing skin when you wash and dry yourself.

Moisturize and nourish skin at the right time, with the right product

To maximize the benefits of moisturizer, apply it immediately after cleansing, while skin is still slightly damp. That way it can trap the humidity in the skin and nourish it with the essential fatty acids it contains. Ideally, moisturizer should be reapplied a second time during the day. 

If your hands are often exposed to irritating or skin-drying products, apply moisturizer in the morning and at night, and each time you wash them. 

When choosing a moisturizing product, don’t get hung up on the price. Popular brands can be just as effective as specialty brands. The key is to choose a product that meets your skin’s specific needs (e.g., dry, oily, acne-prone) and that doesn’t contain irritating ingredients like fragrance or alcohol.

Good to know

• While lotions are easy to apply because they are more liquid, they are less nourishing since they contain very little essential fatty acids.
• Cleansing milks contain more essential fatty acids than lotions, which means that they are slightly more nourishing. With their easy-to-apply liquid consistency, they are rapidly absorbed.
• Creams are the most popular products. Most creams contain as much water as essential fatty acids, which gives them a thicker texture, although they are still relatively easy to apply. 
• Ointments are the most nourishing kind of moisturizers as they contain much more essential fatty acids than they do water. This gives them a somewhat stickier texture, meaning they take longer to absorb. Ointments are a good choice for very dry skin. It is recommended you apply ointment when you have time to let it work into the skin before covering the moisturized area with clothing (e.g., in the evening).

Men’s skin is different from women’s, which is why there are products aimed specifically at them. It is important to select shaving products that are right for your skin, to avoid irritation caused by your regular shaving routine.

If you need help choosing a product, ask one of our beauty consultants for advice.

Avoid poor habits

The condition of your skin is a reflection of your lifestyle, and when your body is healthy, your skin tends to look healthy too.

• Don’t smoke! Smoking speeds up the skin aging process and can aggravate certain skin problems, including psoriasis. 
• Protect your skin from the sun, all year long. Apply sunscreen on all exposed skin every time you go outside, even in winter. 
• If you like looking tanned, opt for a self-tanning product instead. There are a host of products on the market that are easy to apply and give natural-looking results. 
• Opt for water as your preferred thirst quencher. Your body needs a regular supply of water to compensate for water loss through the skin (e.g., sweat) and the rest of the body (e.g., urine)

Stress: a common trigger for skin problems

If you have a skin problem like acne, psoriasis, or eczema, you may have noticed that stress tends to worsen your symptoms. Learning how to manage your stress or eliminating certain sources of stress can help improve your skin health. 

For more information about skin health, pick up a free copy of our Psst! pamphlet entitled Pamper your skin. 

If you have questions about moisturizing products, our beauty consultants will be happy to answer them. For questions about various skin problems and how to treat them, ask your pharmacist.