Health Club

Healthy, beautiful skin is possible to achieve, but elusive to many. Despite the myriad of advertisements claiming that one cream or one product can give you the smooth, clear, wrinkle-free complexion that most people hope for, skin care is in fact a complex process grounded in real science and human physiology. Many factors contribute to our need for skin care products, so abstaining altogether from them is not healthy for our skin either. Healthy skin begins with a basic knowledge of your skin type, and how to keep it clean, nourished and protected throughout the year. It also requires a consideration of our overall diet and nutritional status.

There are four basic steps to successful skin care: cleansing, toning, moisturizing and special needs such as make-up. Our skin types are genetically determined, but can vary depending on the following factors:

diet
environment, such as climate change or pollution
stress or anxiety
cosmetics and skin care products
illness or trauma
hormone levels, such as during puberty, pregnancy or menopause
exercise levels
age
degree and length of sun exposure

To determine your overall skin type, use this simple blot test. Press one ply of a dry tissue onto your face for ten seconds, then remove and examine the results. Balanced skin is damp with no traces of oil. Dry skin has no oil or moisture residue on the tissue. Oily skin has left oily and possibly dirt traces on the tissue. Combination skin has oily and dry marks on the tissue.

Dry Skin

This skin type is characterized by:

dry, flaky patches and is easily chapped
feels tight across the forehead, cheeks and chin
itchy and easily irritated
sensitive
bruises easily
can appear powdery or scaly
prone to fine lines and wrinkles

Dry skin is a result of decreased sebum production, the skin's indigenous oil, which is important in keeping the skin moist and lubricated. Consequently, this skin type has less of an oily barrier, allowing water to evaporate easily through the skin. This process can be worsened by detergents, heating or air conditioning, pollution, inadequate skin care, certain chemical ingredients in cosmetic products, overexposure to sun and wind and overuse of soaps and alcohol-based products.

Helping to 'restore' dry skin involves protecting the skin with creamy, oil-based products and avoiding harsh soaps, scrubs or products which contain alcohol. The Organic Make-up Company recommends its line of gentle, all natural products, specifically: oatmeal soap, floral toner once or twice per week, rich formulation moisturizer in avocado, calendula or jojoba and facial oil in geranium or avocado at night.

Oily Skin

This skin type is characterized by:

overall shine
enlarged pores
coarse texture
acne spots and comedones (blackheads)
sallow complexion
tendency to repel and run make-up
resistance to fine lines and wrinkles

Oily skin is the result of excessive secretions of sebum. It can be exacerbated by poor health, or a diet high in saturated fats and sugar. Emotional upset or stress can also trigger more sebum deposits on the skin. Oily skin is worsened by hormone level fluctuations, alcohol-based products and harsh soaps, both of which dry out the skin, thereby activating the oil glands to produce more sebum. Comedogenic ingredients, such as mineral oil and other ingredients which are derivatives of petroleum block pores and can lead to acne spots.

Regular cleansing aids in the removal of bacteria and waxy oils from the pores. Oily skin responds well to alcohol-free toner and a lightweight, natural moisturizer. Try the following products from The Organic Make-up Co. to help 'normalize' oily skin and reduce significantly the frequency of acne break-outs and blackheads: Wild Oregano or Chamomile & Calendula soap, acne-prone toner once or twice per day, regular moisturizer in calendula, jojoba or grapeseed for daytime and acne-prone facial oil at night. A gentle exfoliant once per week, such