Skin Care Post 1: Getting to Know the Skin
- Tiffany Peterson
- Jun 26, 2018
- 2 min read
I am doing a skin care basics series! It will consist of 6-7 posts (including this one) that will talk about all the different steps of skin care! So keep an eye out for the upcoming posts!
I always shied away from skin care because of the sheer volume of STEPS AND PRODUCTS. Anyone else?? I felt like the multiple steps were invented so cosmetic companies could sell more products... but there are actually good reasons behind the different products that are included in a balanced skin care routine!
So let's break it down:
The big picture steps are...
Cleanse
Exfoliate
Treat
Hydrate/Moisturize
Protect
The hundreds of skin care products that I've always been so overwhelmed by can be broken down into these five categories/steps. So what do the steps entail and DO THEY ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING? That's my main concern with this series!
THE SKIN
Before we jump head first into all this skin care biz... let's talk about the SKIN. The body's largest organ. 64% water. You get completely renewed skin about every 28 days.
The "skin" consists of different layers. Skin care products are designed to target the different layers of the skin. How do cosmetic manufacturers create these specialized products? With varying molecular weights (or sizes).
LET'S GET SCIENCE-Y
It's actually pretty simple: the bigger the molecular weight, the harder it is for the molecule to get deeper into the lower layers of the skin. So the products with the smallest molecular weight are targeting the lowest layer of the skin.
Molecular weights also explain why there is a specific order for applying your skin care products: smallest molecules first and biggest molecules last (generally thinnest to thickest formulas). If you put the products with the biggest molecules on your skin first, they make it impossible for the smaller molecules to get past them to reach the deeper layers of the skin (and makes the whole process pointless).
Molecular weights are most important when talking about the products that you keep on your skin, like hydrators, moisturizers, serums, oils, etc. We will get to all of that in future posts!
A QUICK TIP
Ever heard the term "non-comedogenic"? Non-comedogenic means that the molecules are small enough that they won't clog your pores (this is super important for your thick formulas/big molecule products)! Make sure you check that your products are non-comedogenic (most products will state it right on the packaging because it's a big deal)!
Don't let ANYONE bully you into buying/using products you don't understand or don't need! I'm so excited to learn and be empowered together! KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!
XOXO
TIFFANY
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