Remember all those "2018 favorites" everyone was making about 90 days ago? We've seen it all over YouTube, Instagram and lets face it, you've probably read about 3 blogs all titled "My favorite products of 2018 " or some kind of variation of that... Okay, that's cool and I commend you for taking advice BUT remember, lots of brands made lots of great products last year. I'm sure, if we all had lots of money, we'd invest in these great products and see what they hype is all about but, GIRL that is just not realistic. my bank account isn't set up that way, but neither is my skin and realistically, neither is yours. I can tell you all day long about how great the products I use are for ME, the Colorado native with skin that is drier than the air here, that is suffering from some slight sun damage; how does that help you? The woman that lives in Florida with oily skin that you're trying to get under control? Or the girl in her early twenties with combo skin that's struggling to find the best products that won't somehow cause some random breakout on your forehead? Simply put, IT DOESN'T. We’vediscussed ingredients, we'll eventually talk about products, and what works better for some skin types than others but for now, lets address some common mistakes people make when it comes to caring for their skin and some alternatives.\
Mistake #1: Popping whiteheads with your hands
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY! An easy alternative for any pimple removal is q-tips. Use two clean q-tips to apply pressure to the head and push gently against both sides (the same way you would with your two fingers). This method eliminates the chance of any bacteria going back into the pore when the pimple is removed and causing the pimple to return. It also eliminates any bacteria that we may be carrying under our nails (including feces) traveling into your pores as well. Did that feces comment freak you out? GOOD because its true! It's almost impossible to clean your hands and nails completely no matter how many times you may sing the "Happy Birthday song" while your scrubbing your hands under warm soapy water. Now, imagine how many things you touch in a day. The steering wheel in your car, your keyboard at work which is on the desk that your "always-sick" coworker, Karen decided to have a couch attack near yesterday morning after asking you how your weekend was. What about the door handle to your bathroom? Think about how dirty all of those surfaces are. Does it still sound like a good idea to go pick at that pimple on your forehead? If so, another alternative is using a warm washcloth on the area of the breakout and allowing the pore to open on it's own. This is much less painful and you're less likely to have any bruising to your skin after the fact.
Mistake #2: Using St. Ives Apricot Scrub to exfoliate the face
Can you spell M-I-C-R-O-T-E-A-R-S? This scrub is much too aggressive for the skin on your face so if you're using it to exfoliate dead skin from your face, chances are you're probably getting a little more than you bargained for in the department of irritation and redness. If you're unfamiliar with the term micro tears, they are small tears in the skin that are caused by rubbing the skin to forcefully. These tears eventually make the skin more and more susceptible to environmental damage like sun spots and sunburns. Now I know it smells good and I'm not saying don't use it on the rest of your body, just keep it FAR away from your face. You'll thank me later. If you're feeling like your skin is just too dry and you're experiencing dry patches or flakiness, try an liquid exfoliate that you can use much more frequently like this one by Aveda which uses salicylic acid to gently remove dull surface skin cells. I suggest this product simply because its gentle on the skin and it can be used daily, there are many other brands that make similar products. I would also suggest amping up your moisture routine to something of a thicker consistentcy. Which brings us into our next mistake...
Mistake #3: Using body lotion as a facial moisturizer
I know it seems like it would be make sense to just slather the same product you just put all over your body onto your face but, its not. in reality, body lotions should just never touch the face. They're jam packed with fragrances and ingredients that are much thicker than those we need to fulfill our facial needs. The fall/winter months are the worst times for our skin, so as I mentioned before, opt for a thicker moisturizer during these times. I suggest this one I've been enjoying this winter by Garnier . This has worked awesomely for my skin and I love anything that includes aloe!
Mistake #4: Washing makeup brushes once in a blue moon
We are living in a time where the beauty industry is so popular and social media has really done an amazing job at jump starting careers for many. While there is a large population of influencers on the internet, there is still a lack of knowledge in the area of infection control when it comes to personal makeup collections. Treat your own personal brushes like you would if you were a working makeup artist. You would make it your duty to keep those brushes clean and in condition because you NEED them to make a living. Any brushes used on the face (foundation, concealer. powder. and blush) should be washed after almost every use, if that is a little too ambitious for your lifestyle, I'd suggest twice a week. Any brushes used for the eye area can usually go a little longer without being washed. Eye brushes should be washed at least twice a month.
Mistake #5: Leaving the house without any SPF
Never leave your home without protecting your skin from the sun. Period. I don't care what color you are, I don't care where you're from, your skin is NOT stronger than the sun and you would be a fool to believe such a lie. "I'm black and black women don't sunburn." Is a lie many women of color grow up believing and I have never heard anything further from the truth. My first sunburn did not hurt much but I certainly peeled like a snake and that was enough to change my mind about my stance on SPF. We have had a great relationship since. The use of protection is also important when it comes to maintaining an even complexion. The sun is drawn to melanin (darker skin) so if you have any scarring on your face from past breakouts and you're outside in the Las Vegas heat with no SPF, don't be surprised if that one small dark spot progresses into something much darker that penetrates deeper. I would suggest using nothing less than 15+ for normal activities on a sunny day and 25+ if you're planning on being in the direct sunlight for a long period of time. Shade is also important, wear a hat if you can.
Mistake #6: Your consumption of juice/soda is much higher than your water consumption.
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This may seem pretty obvious to you beauty gurus but you'd be surprised how many clients I see that refuse to drink water. Crazy, right? I know! So, here's the deal, sodas and juices are jammed packed with artificial sweeteners and syrups that all around, just are not good for our overall health. The body is made of 90% water not soda and not juice. Allow your body to refresh itself with such an awesome FREE resource that we tend to take for granted. Your body will be more likely to flush out any toxins it may be harboring with the consumption of water which makes you less likely to see frequent breakouts. Remember, your skin will ALWAYS let you know when things internally are wrong. Pay attention to your breakouts.
While our skin is a very complicated organ and it can be a little tricky to know whats good for your skin and what isn't, it is our largest organ and it deserves the most care and the most attention. Follow some of these tips and you could save yourself a plethora of headaches and confusion.
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With love and light,
Bruklin.
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