During winter, it’s extremely important to maintain a good skincare regime. With the elements against you, your skin becomes vulnerable.
Research from Style Caster suggests that dryness, dehydration and oiliness are all likely to pop up during winter, and in order to keep them at bay, it’s important to up your game when it comes to your skincare routine. Are you using the right products? Here’s how to tell.
Pain isn’t gain
The old adage ‘no pain no gain’ isn’t always strictly true. While some light, temporary tingling generally isn’t a sign of anything too serious, a skincare product that causes intensifying pain or creates redness or rashes is probably not for you. Ditch the product and seek advice from a pharmacist.
Be time conscious
In some cases, it’s unrealistic to expect immediate results from a skincare product. In others, slow progress may mean the product isn’t working. Spot treatments, for example, should work quickly, while anti-wrinkle products tend to be designed for long term usage. This is because wrinkles are a more ‘long term’ problem than spots, which many people want to blast quickly.
Understand your skin type
Knowing your skin type is the only way to source the right products for you. Using products that aren’t designed for your skin type isn’t just ineffective, it can actually make your problems worse. Consider where your ‘oily spots’ are, and whether or not you get dryness. If you get both, then you probably have combination skin. Choose the products that match your skin type, just like someone with coloured hair may opt for a Klorane shampoo with mango butter (http://www.lifeandlooks.com/klorane-with-mango-butter.html), because that product is specially formulated for those with colour treated hair.
Keep tabs on your progress
It’s hard to notice subtle changes in your skin if you are scrutinising it daily. Instead, track your progress by taking a selfie at the beginning of your regime and looking back at it over time. Alternatively, ask a friend if they can notice any changes in the appearance of your skin. If there is no noticeable improvement, then it might be time to change tack. It can be annoying to discard a product that you’ve spent good money on, but if it isn’t working, it really is the best option. Continuing to use it may cause you more problems.