The truth about skincare

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

During this lockdown, I got bored and stumble upon Hyram's channel on Youtube. He is one of the most truthful person about skincare products and ingredients and he is also famous on how to get rid of acne and pimple issues. I found many along the way too such as Susan Yara and her other channel Mixed Makeup, James Welsh. For me, I don't have much problem with my skin, it is that I need to start because I've aged. Only that I always have problems on choosing the best products for my skin and understanding my skin.

More expensive products ≠ Better results

The most common thing that, logically speaking, the more expensive, the better product. I mean, models represented these expensive products such as  SKII, Estee Lauder, Shu Uemura, Kheihls and slapping them on their ever beautiful skin. Please don't be fooled, use skincare that are suitable for your skin and condition, not because of the expensive products. Ingredients are important. I love SkinInc (just got to know it is a local brand that made it international circa 20018) as I believed that they are transparent and effective. I've been repeating My Daily Dose of Glow for 4 bottles and impressed with the correction of pigmentation and uneven tone with just 1 bottle. They are the Ordinary of higher brand, with single bottle serums that you could mix and match depending on your skin condition.

Drugstore skincare products are trash

While some products are questionable with the amount of SLS, parabens, fragrance and high levels of alcohol such as Clean and Clear, Himalayan, St Ives, The quite good ones are MediCube, Le Roch Posay, Avene, Bioderma's and Simple's micellar water. Even Neutrogena's new range of HydroBoost is my favourite (even though I am don't really favour the other Neutrogena's line).

DIY skincare is a cheaper version of products to be pretty

SOME DIYs are okay while others mostly are harmful. How can you use a floss stick to take out the whiteheads on your nose?? Or putting orange juice straight to your face?? I can accept those DIYs that are traditional and effective such as wearing turmeric yogurt mask or rice water/ alcohol as facial wash. We need to know the nutritional facts before putting on your face. 

To follow all skincare routines from influencers

That's why they are called influences and not dermatologist nor esthetician. They just put whatever they feel right and sponsored rather than the right thing to do. Some will include toner whereas I feel that my skin doesn't need it. Some don't need micellar water and sleeping mask which I need. Depends what suits your skin to include in your routine. 

How to read skincare ingredients:

SkinInc has this skin identity check that will know what kind of skin condition and which serums are best for your skin. 

Hyaluronic Acid or Sodium Hyaluronate: to hydrate dehydrated skin ≠ dry skin. 

Vitamin B3+ or Niacinamide: to minimize pores, regulates sebum, redness

Vitamin C or Ascorbyl Glucoside (water-based), Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate (oil-based): to brighten the skin and removes dullness and uneven tones

Retinol or Retinoids: to remove wrinkles and fine line, anti-aging serum

Ceramide: to strengthen skin's protective barrier and soothe dehydrated, rough and eczema-prone skin

Squalene: As a hydrator, prevent dull and loss of supplness in the skin

Peptides: to moisturize and rejuvenate aging skin

Caffeine: for dark circles, to brighten under eyes

You can buy single formulas like the above mentioned from The Ordinary, Inkey List or SkinInc. You can layer them according to the lightest to the heaviest product. 

1. Exfoliating Acids (lactic acid, salicylic acid, glycolic acid), 
2. Serum (niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, hydrating serum), 
3. Face Oil (Squalene or any other oils you prefer)/ Retinol (night use), 
4. Eye cream 
5. Moisturizer 
6. In the day: sunscreen. Night: sleeping mask 

Or if you have a favourite line of products, you can read the ingredients where the first few ingredients are are the most % of ingredients added in the product. The fact that my mom told me she ever used a product for 2 years without results means that the anti-aging, brightening, moisturizer, sunscreen and whatnot agent has super small percentage that it did not gave any effect. 

So choose your products wisely. I would suggest use the single formulas to treat your damaged skin and then you could follow through afterwards with products that you wanted to try.

e.g. niacinamide and salicylic acid for enlarged pores and acnes, vitamin C, caffeine and alpha aributin for whitening, retinol and matrixyl for anti aging, HA, ceramide. squalene and peptides to help retain moisture or enhance hydration of the skin.

Good luck!