Fight The Frump Friday!

Ahhh... It's finally Friday again!

Like I mentioned on Wednesday, I am now going to include beauty and fashion in my FTFF.  I thought that having 2 separate days was a bit too much, and I am not the greatest public speaker... So here I am!

Welcome to this Weeks' Fight The Frump Friday!

This week I am going to continue with finding the perfect moisturizer for you.

There are a lot of options out there, and with all the advancements in skin technology you are probably getting overwhelmed with all the choices that are out there.  It isn't as scary as it needs to be though, and you can get glowing beautiful skin, even in this dry winter weather.  

In fact, the other day I was thinking that my own skin could use a bit of an overhaul- and maybe I could include this in my blog- so you can follow me on my own journey to finding a fabulous and perfect moisturizer! 

Let's start with the basics!  First and foremost, let's analyze our skin.

1.  Find your skin type.  You can have this professionally done by a dermatologist, but there is a simple test that you can do at home that works just as well (a technique that I learned 10 years ago).  Simply wash your face with warm water, and let dry.  Do not scrub or use anything moisturizing.  Simple soap and water.  Your skin should be ready in about 20 minutes (Give it time!).  If it feels stretched and tight, you have dry skin.  If it feels the same, then you have normal skin.  If it feels greasy (especially in the T-zone), then you have oily skin.  If it feels oily in some areas but tight in others (like your cheeks), then you have combination.  This may change by season to season, as well as by your age.  

My skin is a "combination" of oily and dry.  My forehead, nose and chin are fairly oily- and my cheeks are slightly dry. 

2.  Your age.  You should categorize your age by decade, (unless you have been exposed to a lot of sun damage ie: sun spots, freckles, wrinkles).  This will determine the density of your moisturizer.

20's:  Lightest

30's:  Light

40's:  Normal

50's:  Thicker

60's:

&      Thickest

Up:

Light- Think Gel moisturizers

Thick- Think Creams & Serums

It is important to note that not talking about thick, dense moisturizers of your Grandmother's era.  I'm talking about creams that are design for more impact, and more moisture.  Think the texture of a gel, compared to the texture of silicone.  One absorbs quickly into the skin and the other takes more time, and provides more moisture.

The younger you are, the less it will take to keep your skin hydrated.  You do not want to have more product than necessary.  Reversely, if you are advanced in age, than you will need a product that hydrates and keeps skin supple throughout the day.

3.  Address your concerns.  Do you have breakouts?  Are your wrinkles and sunspots becoming more and more noticeable?  Focus on your specific skin problems.

4.  What is the climate/environment that you live in?  Hot and sunny?  Cold and Dry?  You need to take this in to consideration as well. 

Ok, now that you've analyzed your skin.  Now what?

You will always have great skin, if you take care of it.  I learned that keeping things simple, and not believing the hype of a lot of products, is really all you need to have in a great moisturizer.  It could cost $40 or $400, and you will probably have the same results.  This is really the first step to finding something that will work for you and your budget.

Remember:

1.  The purpose of a moisturizer is to hydrate skin.  That is all your skin needs!  Beyond that is a lot of claims of things that generally do not work! (Unless you are talking about retin A- I will talk about that later).

2.  You should always wear a level of sunscreen of at least 15 SPF or greater.  Separate if your climate calls for that.

3.  You should have a separate Day/Night moisturizer if you want to target specific skin issues.  Skin repairs itself at night.  Creams and serums that are targeted to specific problems work better during this time period.  Also, sometimes sunlight can interfere with these products.

So what does this mean?

Well, it means that all you need is:

1 day time moisturizer with sunscreen. (separate higher SPF sunscreen in hotter climates)  

and

1 night time moisturizer that targets skin issues.

That is it!  If you are diligent about a skin care regime, all the other stuff is really unnecessary.  

The next thing is to read the labels.  Carefully!

*If your skin is sensitive to chemicals or fragrances, that you will probably want to stay away from products that contain these ingredients. 

*Remember that your skin absorbs chemicals in to the body.  If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, read the labels carefully- you may not be able to use them.  Any sort of retin A products is a big NO-NO!  Same goes for any kind of chemical really... I would suggest choosing a product that is organic, and not tested on animals.  But always double check!  If you are at a loss, check out my favorite site here for ideas!

Murad Resurgence

 *What I am using now!  Perfect for daytime, light and makes my skin amazing*

One of my favorite lines!

Well, I hope that gets you started on your way to finding the perfect moisturizer!  On the Feb. 24th edition of FTFF, I will look at cosmetic vs. organic.  And on March 9th, I'll look at drugstore vs. department store brand moisturizer lines.  It can be confusing, I know!  But breaking it down to the basics, you can see what each line has to offer for you!

Thanks for stopping by!