Flawless Face...

Hey Gorgeous,

They say, "Beauty is skin deep".

While I'm not an authority on skin care, neither am I a skin care expert of sorts, I'd just like to share my personal skin care regime with you all.

One compliment I tend to get a lot of is "Oh wow, you have gorgeous skin", "Your face is flawless" (I've got loads of flaws, lol!) or "What do you use on your face?". Well, I'd be spilling all my skin care secrets!

First of all, I'd like to say I've got good genes, but then, I'd be lying if I said I don't use anything to improve it and keep it in great shape!

I will take you through a step by step approach of my daily skin care regime. I go through these steps as I feel as though that is what is required to have flawless skin. The steps are Cleanse, Tone, Moisturize, Exfoliate and Sun Block.

Great skin starts from within, so water hydration and a balanced diet plays an essential role in having flawless skin. Personally, I don't like to drink water, but my primary motivation is because of my skin (vain, right? lol!) I also try to incorporate fruits and veggies into my diet.

Skin Types

The first step is identifying your skin type. I've Combination Skin (my t-zone is very oily, while the borders are fairly normal). So I tend to go for products that are "Oil Control", "Oil Free". It is important to use products engineered for your skin type and problem areas, as what will work on oily skin, won't necessarily be effective on dry skin.

There are three types of skin:
• Oily Skin
• Dry Skin
• Normal/Combination Skin

Cleanse

To Cleanse, simply means to clean. Cleansing rids the skin of sweat, dirt and pollution. Ordinary bathing soaps to not adequately cleanse, as they do not really tackle and clean out the facial pores.

You need to find a proper cleanser that caters to your skin type and problem areas. Because I've Combination skin, I tend to use Cleansers that not only controls oil, but also reduces facial pores and prevents acne. I Cleanse daily with Neutrogena Acne Stress Control - Power Foam Wash or Clean and Clear Morning Burst - Shine Control.

Tone

The reason I tone is to refresh and to remove any trace of cleanser left on my skin. It also removes all the extra dirt the cleanser didn't get out.

The main benefits of using Toners are: Brightening of the skin, Tightening of the skin and Shrinking of facial pores. If your skin is unusually dry and uncomfortable, the products you're using might be too harsh on your skin, or you're using the wrong products that is targeted for another skin type.

Personally, at daytime, I love to use as Boots Glycerin and Rosewater as it softens and is gentle on my skin, without leaving it dry and irritated. For nightime, I love to use 42HJ as it brightens my skin.

Moisturize

Your skin care regime will never be complete or beneficial without Moisturizing. A good moisturizer will leave your skin soft and hydrated. A good moisturizer will not only ensure good skin now, but even great skin in the years to come.

A good moisturizer hydrates, protects and smoothens. It can even out skin tone, tackle wrinkles and even fight acne. After my years of product prostituiting (if I may, lol!) I eventually discovered that for me, Shea butter (Ori) and Coconut oil (Adi agbon) in Yoruba language respectively, worked wonders! I tried almost everything, but they left my skin feeling either dry, uneven complexion or left with rashes. 

I use Shea butter and Coconut oil in their natural unaltered form, and it leaves my skin feeling soft, supple and spotless! I apply Shea butter in the morning and Coconut oil at night.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation is the removal of dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, using creams, chemicals or tools, leaving the skin smooth, soft and clean. Exfoliation is essential in removing dirt and debris from the surface of the skin, enabling other skin care products used on the skin to penetrate and work even better.

I must confess that this is my favourite skin care regime, as it leaves my skin radiant and makes me glow. I Exfoliate three times a week, prefarably at night.

My all time favourite is Queen Helene Oatmeal 'n' Honey or Queen Helene Apricot facial Scrub.

Sun Block

Sunscreen is a cream/lotion applied on the skin to protect it from the harmful rays of the sun. Sunscreen is very crucial, but the most ignored especially by us on this side of the planet. 

Sunscreens are used to prevent and protect the skin against sunburn, that causes the skin to darken and be uneven. Sunscreens are also effective in protecting the the skin against skin cancer.

I advise you wear sunscreen everyday (even on rainy days). I use "Total Block - Face with SPF 60". I love it because it is not messy like most sunscreens, and because it not only serves as a sunscreen, but it is also formulated like a foundation that can be worn under makeup.

As far as I'm concerned, I do not believe that the products you use have to be very expensive, but you need to ensure that you use products of great quality and be very CONSISTENT! Infact, I believe that it takes dedication and consistency to achieve a flawless face. And when you find what works for you, STICK TO IT!

There it is, my facial care ritual! I hope you've learnt a thing or two.

What is your facial care regime and what products do you swear by? I'd like to know.

Love & Fashion,

DivaNista...