Skin care products are no doubt used to heal the skin and improve the overall condition of your skin. However, sometimes certain skin care products do not suit your skin type and cause irritations and allergic reactions. The most obvious signs of irritation are redness, rashes on the skin surface, excessive oil secretion, skin dryness, blemishes and breakouts. Sometimes people recognize the initial tell-tale signs but often they fail to decipher the symptoms until damage has been done.
Skin care products are no doubt used to heal the skin and improve the overall condition of your skin. However,
sometimes certain skin care products do not suit your skin type and cause irritations and allergic reactions. The most obvious signs of irritation are redness, rashes on the skin surface, excessive oil secretion, skin dryness, blemishes and breakouts. Sometimes people recognize the initial tell-tale signs but often they fail to decipher the symptoms until damage has been done.
It is very important to recognize and identify the substances that are responsible for causing skin irritations rather than just switching over to something else in the hope to rectify the damage. Moreover, you never know if the correcting product aggravates the situation even more and can make things worse. If not treated properly, irritations can hamper the skin’s immunity, promote acne and inflammations and further accelerate the process of premature aging. Therefore, it is very important to use skin care products with utmost caution and make sure they work absolutely well for you.
Here are some tips to use skin care products wisely:
Check the Ingredients List
Apart from getting excited at the dazzling packaging and wonder-claims of the skin care product that you are ready to purchase, make sure to turn it around and go through the ingredients list. Look out for any ingredient that you know don’t suit you or have had bad experiences with in the past. Products that have simple formulations are least likely to cause any skin irritations.
Avoid Perfumed Products
Perfumes smell nice but they might not work as nicely when applied on your face. Try to avoid fragrance skin care products unless you are very sure about them. This is because perfume agents within them can be the primary cause of skin irritations. Also, don’t be careless about products that do not have any scent. Often, chemicals used in these products are so unappealing that neutralizing fragrances are added.
Also, avoid using products that have a high alcoholic content. Though alcohol cleans and disinfects the skin, it is also responsible for skin dryness.
Understand the Terms
Don’t be fooled to believe that a product is totally safe to use if it is ‘hypoallergenic’ or ‘non-comedogenic’. They can be, but there are no rules and regulations on the use of these terms. That means just anyone can use them to describe their skin care products.
Know the Exceptions
Some inherently irritating chemicals and substances may actually be good for you. This list includes AHAs, preservatives and a certain form of Vitamin C called Tretinoin. They have their benefits but people with sensitive skin should consider doing a patch test before using them. Just place a small amount of the product on the inside of your wrist and allow it to sit for sometime. If there is no sign of irritation like redness, itchiness or swelling, then the product may be suitable for you. However, if there is any irritation don’t purchase it.
Take Care of your Skin
Even if you are using skin care products religiously, relying solely on them is not enough. You should provide them with a platform that they can perform efficiently on. Make sure you keep your skin hydrated and have a healthy diet. In addition, wash your face twice a day in order to keep the skin squeaky clean.
Use Products According to Your Skin Type
While purchasing skin care products, check if they cater to your particular skin type. Using products especially formulated for the needs and requirements of your skin will ensure they have efficient results.
Don’t Overuse Products
People with oily skin or combination skin often adopt harsh cleansing measures in a bid to dry-out the problem areas of the skin. However, over-cleansing is not the solution for over-oiliness. It just serves to strip off natural skin moisture and damage the protective barrier thus promoting bacterial infection and consequent breakouts and blemishes.
Be Careful About Antioxidants
The molecules of free radical oxidants attack the skin surface and kill the skin cells thus causing inflammations, dry skin and premature aging. Because free radicals enter the skin surface from external factors like pollution, cigarette smoke, water etc., you cannot control their advent. However, what you can do is to take healthy supplements of vitamin A, C and E to counter these effects.
