Let's talk skincare
If ceramides, non-comedogenic and Glossier all sound familiar to you, then you’ve probably got your skincare knowledge down to a tee.
That, or you’re a cosmetology/ dermatology/ chemistry student – but if you have no idea what those are, that’s totally cool too because it took me a long while to learn them and there’s about hundreds more in the skincare dictionary that I am yet to explore. However, I’m not here to break down what those terms mean because that would be overwhelming for both you and me, so we’ll start with looking at why I think skincare is important and some of my holy grails.
Importance of skincare
As of late, skincare has seemed rather cultish with people willing to sell their left kidney for a Dr. Jart facemask (that’s a joke by the way, at least I hope no one is actually doing that😧) but you get what I mean. It has become a rapidly growing industry with a cult-like following.
Obsessions apart, I think it’s incredible now that people are starting to care more about what they put on their faces and making sure it’s clean. You don’t have to have a 20-step skincare routine and drain your monthly paycheck to ship Korean skincare products to your home but it is important to keep up with your facial hygiene. My logic is, if you wash your hands after every meal, brush your teeth and take a shower, why not wash your face? It’s a central part of your body anyway. Also, having some form of routine helps me feel like I'm in control of something when the world feels so hectic.
Not to mention, there are so many pollutants in our air right now that it builds up our face over time unless we clean it with proper facewash. That build-up might cause blackheads, whiteheads and acne. I already have adult acne (yes that’s a thing, thanks hormonal imbalance🙄) so to avoid aggravating my skin even more, I always make sure that my face is clean after a long day of being out in the city amongst passing cars and dusty construction sites.
Besides, it’s also good in the long run to care for your skin, especially when it comes to wearing sunscreen. Please, I beg of you, put on sunscreen. Not only will it help us age gracefully by minimising the early onset of wrinkles and fine lines, but it also creates a protective barrier for our skin against harmful UV rays. This means that we're constantly faced (see what I did there) with harmful UV radiations which could cause skin cancer, sunburn and DNA damage.
My Holy Grail Products
Disclaimer: This might not work for everyone. Every skin is different, so don't forget to do a little research and patch test before getting into the whole thing.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50+
Now it may sound fancy like you have to board a flight to France or something to get it, but you can just take a quick trip to your local Chemist Warehouse for it. Not only does it take pride in its very high protection of 50+ SPF, but I also like it because it’s not one of those sunscreens that leaves a ridiculous white sheen on my face – it’s invisible as one might say. Most importantly, it doesn’t cause my face to break out and have a horrible reaction to it which is a key factor to me. P.S. Chemist Warehouse does half prices on this product from time to time so stock up on it when it’s cheaper.
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Reading the name of the product gave me a brain freeze and honestly, scared me a little but I gave it a shot anyway after countless hours of research. While their ads on YouTube boast that their products could change your skin overnight, it obviously did not take effect that quick for me but I began to see results eventually in a month or so which is better than any other products designed to unclog pores and smoothen skin that I’ve tried. I was lucky that my skin reacted fine to it and noticed that I wasn’t getting as many flare-ups as before.
Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm
While caring for your face in general is important, making sure your lips stay moisturised is just as important too. I love Carmex because not only is it cheap and accessible, but it’s also one of those lip balms that don’t make your lips super sticky to the point that your hair gets stuck to it. It lasts long and protects my lips from being chapped and dry.