Do you know your skin type? It’s important to know your skin type so you can determine the best way to look after your skin, how to care for it, what kind of products to use and what things to avoid.

Your initial type of skin is genetically determined, however, the health and beauty of your skin later in life largely depends on what you eat and how you take care of yourself.

There are 5 basic skin types: normal, oily, dry, combination, and sensitive. To figure out what type of skin you have do this simple test:

1. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and pat dry.
2. Wait an hour so for your skin to return to its natural state.
3. Press a separate piece of tissue onto each area of your face: chin, cheeks, forehead and nose.
4. Take a look at each piece of tissue and look for oil or flaky skin residue.

Which type are you?

Normal Skin Type - No oil or flaky skin on any of the tissues likely indicates a normal skin type. Normal skin does not feel dry or oily and only a few, small pores may be visible. After cleansing it generally feels smooth, only occasionally breaks out and is not easily irritated. Even with a minimum care, normal skin is the least problematic skin type.

Oily Skin Type - Oil on each tissue would indicate an oily skin type. Oily skin feels greasy, tends to be shiny with enlarged pores, and is prone to blackheads and blemishes. A good thing about this type of skin type is that oily skin is not prone much to aging and wrinkling. Careful cleansing, reducing consumption of sugars and carbohydrates, and avoiding rich facial creams can be helpful in improving the quality of oily skin.

Combination Skin Type - Oil on only some tissues (specifically those on the T-zone, forehead, nose, chin and cheeks) indicates a combination skin type. Combination skin is generally a normal skin type with a few dry patches and a few oily patches. Dryness is usually on the cheeks and oiliness is usually on the T-zone. Combination skin is the most common type people have and it requires different types of care for particular facial areas. Dry zones should be treated with rich creams and moisturizers, while oily areas will benefit most from frequent and thorough cleansing.

Dry Skin Type - Flaky skin residue on all tissues - without any oil residue - or a tight feeling in the skin may indicate a dry or sensitive skin type. Dry skin feels dry to touch and has very fine pores. After cleansing it feels tight, by midday flaky patches may appear and is generally not prone to breaks out. Dry skin can easily develop a pale tone, wrinkles, and fine pores, and it is very prone to aging and irritating. To keep this type of skin healthy, you should apply a thorough skincare routine and use regular skin treatments with natural scrubs, masks and moisturizers.

Sensitive Skin Type - This skin type is usually dry, feels tight, and becomes inflamed and irritated easily. Typically this type of skin develops reddish and scaly patches, can be itchy, and is prone to breaking into areas. It is the most problematic type of skin and needs very special type of care. To get the right skincare products may require a lot of research and trial and error.

Remember, regardless of your skin type, a consistent skincare routine is very important. Remember to cleanse your face and moisturise twice a day, a treat your skin to a scrub and mask at least once per week. While sensitive skin types will benefit the most, all skin types will also generally get the best results from using only natural skincare products free of fragrance and with as few ingredients as possible.

So, what type of skin do you have? Have you found great skin care products or technique that work for your skin? Or if you have any skincare questions, please share them by leaving a comment below.

To learn more about Charmaine, visit Glamology.com

 

Many of us don't give a second thought to our daily beauty routine - cleansing our face, moisturizing our bodies, applying makeup, or painting our nails. But it may surprise you that the average adult is exposed to over 168 synthetic chemicals each day from personal care products.

photo via tibchris

Chemicals such as phthalates, mineral oils, sodium lauryl sulphate, propylene glycol, and parabens are all commonly used in cosmetics; many of which have known or suspected links to serious health problems like cancer, infertility, birth defects, and hormone disruption.

Part of the problem is that unlike food or drugs, cosmetics come under little government regulation. In North America, government bodies like the Food and Drug Administration don't have the power to approve or regulate most cosmetic ingredients. As a result, manufacturers can use virtually any ingredient in their products without having to conduct any pre-market safety testing.

Recently, non-profit organizations like the Environmental Working Group have begun conducting studies looking at chemicals in makeup, hair and skin products. Among other things, they've found that more than 1 in 5 personal care products contain chemicals linked to cancer, 45% are reported to be potentially harmful to reproductive systems and/or fetal development, and 60% have ingredients that can act like estrogen and disrupt hormones.

That isn't to say all synthetic chemicals are harmful or dangerous, or that products which include them should be avoided. It's just that there is a lack of conclusive long-term safety information and for our health we should try to be as informed, knowledgeable, and smart as possible. We can’t possibly eliminate all exposure to synthetic chemicals; but we can certainly make choices that can reduce it.

Many people have begun to "green" their beauty routines to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals - by buying products with fewer of them. It's easy and in most cases it's as simple as choosing Product B instead of Product A.

• Don't Read Labels - There is no legal definition for words like "natural", "organic", or "herbal" on beauty product packaging and many products advertise these in their name but may still contain petrochemicals, toxins, and harsh preservatives.
• Read Ingredients - Learn to start reading and recognizing harmful ingredients, things such as: butyl acetate, BHT, coal tar, formaldehyde, parabens, phthalates, oxybenzone etc. If you come across any eyebrow-raising ingredients search for them on Skin Deep Cosmetic Database, an independent resource of personal care product safety information.
• Avoid buying products that contain "fragrance" or "parfum". By-law companies don’t have to disclose what ingredients constitute fragrance but often it's hundreds of ingredients which may be toxic to the brain and cause endocrine or hormone disruption. Instead choose products that use natural essential oils.
• Conventional cleansers are often formulated with ingredients like sulfates, parabens, triclosan, and fragrance. Try switching to natural cleansers rich in fruit oils like lemon, avocado, jojoba, tea-tree oils, tea extracts, and aloe leaf juice.
• Avoid lip products that contain lead, artificial colors, lanolin, or petrochemicals like petrolatum. Opt instead for those that contain beeswax, shea butter, and fruit pigments.
• When shopping for beauty products, consider simple substitutions, like using avocado oil on your skin instead of mineral oil, cornstarch instead of baby powder, or try using coconut oil as natural eye makeup remover and a face/body moisturizer.
• Using every day ingredients from your kitchen, you can make many of your own beauty products like scrubs, masks, and skin treatments. Lots of easy recipes can be found online or in the book Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles, such as mixing 1/4 cup olive oil & 1/2 cup brown sugar for a fabulous face and body scrub.
• Read the book Not Just a Pretty Face by Stacy Malkan. It's probably the most important book written about the toxic nature of the beauty industry. The book gives you lots of information on everyday products, resources and tools to make smarter decisions on what to buy.
• Shop online! The easiest place to find organic, natural, and non-toxic beauty products is on the internet. Some of my favorite eco-boutiques are: Mint and Berry, Saffron Rouge, Futurenatural, Spirit Beauty Lounge, Green Line Beauty, Beautorium, Sephora Natural & Organic.

To learn more about Charmaine, visit Glamology.com

 

Oddly enough, there is currently no consensus on whether sunscreens prevent skin cancer. The FDA’s 2007 draft sunscreen safety regulations say: “FDA is not aware of data demonstrating that sunscreen use alone helps prevent skin cancer”.

We can’t get away from exposing our skin to the sun but if you are going to be in direct sunlight; sunscreens can help prevent sunburns, skin aging, wrinkles, and cell damage.

Here are tips for to keep your skin beautiful, healthy, and toxic-free while in the sun:

1. Use a Cream-based Sunscreen with SPF 30
Avoid sprays and powders which may not be safe to breathe. Choose cream sunscreen instead and make sure the SPF is 30 or higher.
 

2. Read the Ingredients
Avoid sunscreens that contain oxybenzone, it’s a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and low birth weight in baby girls. Instead look for sunscreens that contains zinc, titanium dioxide, avobenzone or Mexoryl SX. These ingredients protect skin from harmful UVA radiation, with little penetrating into the body.
 

3. Avoid Sunscreen with Vitamin A
Eating foods rich in vitamin A is great for your skin, but new FDA data shows that tumors and lesions may develop sooner on skin coated with creams containing vitamin A when exposed to direct sunlight. Vitamin A, may be listed as “retinyl palmitate” or “retionol” on sunscreen labels.
 

4. Get Lost of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is very important – it strengthens bones, our immune system, and reduces the risk of various cancers. While the main source of vitamin D is sunlight – experts dissagree on if it’s safe to get it from the sun. Eitherway you can get adequate amounts from a healthy diet that includes foods naturally rich in vitamin D: like dairy products and fish, fortified milk, cereals, and vitamin D supplements.
 

5. Avoid Tanning Beds
Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds dramatically increase the risk of Melanoma, which is the most deadly form of skin cancer. This type of light can also increase skin aging, wrinkling, and cause cell damage.
 

So what’s the best sunscreen? The Environmental Working Group releases each year, a report of the safest, least toxic, and most effective sunscreen products available to consumers.
 

This year the top sunscreens include:

• Badger Balm
• Karen’s Botanicals
• California Baby
• Soleo Organics
   

Checkout the full list of sunscreens to find the best sun protection for you.

To learn more about Charmaine, visit Glamology.com

 
 

During the winter time, indoor heating can cause our skin to become dull and thick. As the temperature warms out outside and gets more humid, we need to adjust our skincare routine.

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Don’t Forget to Exfoliate
You should be exfoliating all year round, Spring is the time you really need to exfoliate. Exfoliation removes the outer accumulation of dead skin cells keeping your skin healthy and more vibrant. Look for exfoliation scrubs that contain natural ingredients dead sea salt, sugar, ground almond, and jojoba beads. During the Spring, try to exfoliate your face and body twice per week since you have a lot of dead skin build up. Remember to protect your skin after exfoliation as you will be more susceptible to the sun.

Switch to a lighter Moisturizer
If you’ve been using a heavier moisturizer when it was cold, think about switching to a lighter one suitable for your skin type. Be sure to moisturize your skin day and night, and pay attention to the area around your eyes and your mouth to prevent fine wrinkles. Look for a light moisturizer that contains natural ingredients like aloe gel or Shea butter and try to stay away from petroleum-derived ingredients like petrolatum, or petroleum jelly these will dry your skin out and may break you out.

Change your Makeup
As the air begins to hold more moisture, full coverage makeup may be harmful to your skin. Opt for a lightweight foundation, mineral powder, or tinted moisturizer.

Eat lots of Fruits and Vegetables
Good Nutrition is the foundation for a healthy and beautiful skin. Spring and Summer is the easiest (and cheapest) time to find fresh antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables. If possible buy organic as it contains fewer pesticides and toxins, which means fewer in your body.

To learn more about Charmaine, visit Glamology.com

 

There are lots of little things we can do and small changes we can make to help improve our skin, our health and the environment.

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Here are some tips to help “green” your beauty routine:
 

• Conventional facial cleansers are often formulated with harmful ingredients like sulfates, parabens, triclosan, and fragrance. Try switching to a natural face cleanser rich in botanical fruit oils like lemon, avocado, jojoba, tea-tree oils, tea extracts, and aloe leaf juice.
• When looking for green beauty products, consider simple substitutions, like using avocado oil on your skin instead of mineral oil or cornstarch instead of baby powder. Try using organic coconut oil as great natural eye makeup remover and as a face/body moisturizer after showering.
• Avoid lip products that contain lead, artificial colors, fragrance, lanolin, or petrochemicals like perolatum. Instead opt for those that contain beeswax, shea butter, and fruit pigments – for a chemical free kiss!
• Use makeup brushes made from sustainable materials, like bamboo, and ones that have synthetic bristles not animal hair.
• You can make your own beauty products like scrubs, masks, and treatments in your kitchen. Lots of easy recipes can be found online, such as mixing 1/4 cup olive oil & 1/2 cup brown sugar for a great face and body scrub.
• Reduce waste by buying products in recycled or recyclable packaging, such as paper boxes or glass bottles. To save on excess plastic packaging, switch products like body wash to a bar of natural soap.
• Read the book Not Just a Pretty Face by Stacy Malkan. It’s probably the most important book written about the toxic nature of the beauty industry. The book gives you lots of information on everyday products, resources and tools to make smarter decisions on what to buy.
• There is a lot of misinformation out there, just because it says it’s made with “natural” ingredients doesn’t mean it really is or that it’s environmentaly friendly. The best way to research beauty products is on The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database website. You can search any ingredient or product and get a detailed profile of its health concerns.
   

Greening your beauty routine is a great way to reduce the amount of chemicals that you are exposed to and reduce the negative impact on the planet.

To learn more about Charmaine, visit Glamology.com