Who hasn’t tried more than 5 face cleansers? Creams? Masks? It’s so easy to try an array of products and to put hope into each one of those products. Will this be the product that changes my skin? Will I see improvements after one use? (probably not)
So often when using skincare we might solve one issue but discover another, it’s a lot more common than we’d like to admit.
Exfoliated? Hello Dry Skin!
Moisturized? Hello Oily Skin!
It begs the question, are there any products out there built for you and your exact skin type and concerns? Some, if you’re willing to shell out big bucks, otherwise not really.
But now, you can build your own skin products to suit your skin.
‘Build a bear‘ for your face!
Companies like Deciem and The Inkey List have made it easier than ever before. They now sell separate active ingredients in individual vials so you can customize your beauty routine. Searching for that perfect exfoliation but need some anti-inflammatory properties because your skin gets a little irritated, no problem.
With simple individual ingredients, you can bespoke your skin care.
bespoke
be·spoke | \ bi-ˈspōk [ADJECTIVE]
1Made for a particular customer or user.
‘a bespoke suit’
Some Ingredients & Their Use
Glycolic Acid: Textural irregularities & lackluster tone
Caffeine: Puffiness and dark circles
Argan Oil: Supports healthy hair, tames hair frizz and hydrates skin
Niacinamide & Zinc [often seen in combination with one another]: regulates sebum Minimizes pores
Hyaluronic Acid: Hydration, reduce wrinkles and fine lines
Squalene: Hydration
Hemp: Targets stressed skin
It’s easy to get carried away with this concept and there are definitely some combinations you should be wary of:
1.Hydroxy Acids & Vitamin C: Vitamin is terribly difficult to stabilize and so layering it with BHA’s and AHA’s can destabilize the vitamin C changing its pH and rendering it inactive.
2.Benzoyl Peroxide/Salicylic Acid and Retinol: Benzoyl Peroxide and Sal Acid help to unclog pores and Retinol helps to increase cell turnover, however, using them together can cause them both to breakdown. Use them at separate times of the day but remember to be gentle with your skin.
3. Perfume and Chemical Sunscreens: Fragrance can block sunscreens from properly penetrating your skin, opt out of spraying the skin and spritz your clothes instead.
4. Physical Exfoliants and Chemical Exfoliants: Your skin is a living breathing organism and although it regenerates you still need to be kind to the layers that are there. Using chemical exfoliants and physical exfoliants together can often time be too much. use one or the other, using both can cause inflammation redness and even potentially an overproduction of oil which could lead to further breakouts.
Make skincare your own, use these active ingredients and strategically add them into your creams and oils. With some delicacy and mindful placement, you can create an amazing regimen to optimize the condition of your skin.
Do you add any active ingredients to your already formulated skincare? What do you find works best for you?
