The Skinny on Skin

We are very excited about the positive response we have been receiving about our little brainchild here. We were also mildly surprised, but supremely thrilled, when we started receiving beauty questions through comments and e-mail. In fact, we have decided that once a week on Fridays, we'll be posting all of your questions and our answers for everyone to read. Some of the questions I received yesterday required a little more research - and I had a lot of fun doing it. I am dedicated to helping anyone out there who feels they need a little guidance, and if I don't know the answer or solution, I will search high and low until I find it. I'm here for you, man! On that note, most of the questions so far have had to do with your skin - what type it is, what to do for it, what to slather on it. So here I am to arm you with a little bit of information that I hope will be helpful, as well as point you toward some other resources that can give you a more personalized view of your skin.
While it may seem like a completely obvious statement, I'll say it anyway: Your skin is completely unique. There are really more than the typical combination, dry/normal, oily/normal, acne-prone, extremely dry, extremely oily, etc. That's why so many of us are disappointed in our skin-care routine, or in the makeup we buy. We aren't buying the right stuff! Because one person can have such myriad issues with their skin, it really is hard to get a real diagnosis and know which products will work for our unique chemistry. On top of that, because so many of us are using the wrong regimen, our skin is behaving in a way that is different from its true nature. For example, acne can be caused by skin that is too dry just as much as by skin that is too oily. So someone who has dry skin that causes breakouts may treat their skin for excess oil, thus drying their skin even more and exacerbating the problem. The only thing I can tell you for certain is that exfoliation is an important step for any skin, but how often you do it depends on the type. Citing Bobbi Brown's The Makeup Manual, normal skin should be exfoliated twice a week, dry skin should be exfoliated using AHAs. (If you have sensitive skin and don't wish to use a harsh exfoliating product, I recommend using a baby washcloth. It is a perfect - soft with just the right bit of texture to get the job done gently and effectively.) Also, no matter how oily your skin may be, it still needs a moisturizer, especially one with SPF. You just need to find the right one.

In February's Allure magazine, there was an article called "Type Face" about people with unique skin issues. They each went to a department store cosmetics counter to get the salesperson's recommendation for their skin-type. Dermatologists then weighed in on what they thought of the department store's recommended regimen. It was very interesting, and I tried to find it online so I could link to it, but unfortunately I can't find it. At any rate, the following are a few of their recommended online skin quizzes. Dermadoctor.com covers a wide range of skin issues, and also links to articles by the founding dermatologist. However, it only covers one issue at a time, making the regimes sometime overlap and perhaps conflict. Honestly, I didn't even take it. It seemed boring. The quiz at Olayforyou.com was fun to take (but maybe I'm easily amused), and very comprehensive. You can also print out the recommended products or e-mail them to yourself. Don't take it at work, though, it's an audio quiz, and I don't think you want your neighbor to know you are concerned about the mountainous growths on your face. But then again, if you truly have mountainous face growths, they may also be concerned and therefore relieved you plan to do something about it. You can also find skin care quizzes at Neutrogena.com, SkinStore.com, and TotalBeauty.com.

On that note, I've just bought Neutrogena's 14-day Skin Rescue kit. It's a little pricey at $23.99, but it also contains three products: a cleanser, SPF moisturizer for day, and an intensive moisturizer for night. The regimen is intended as a way to jump start your skin into being healthier, and looking more radiant. So, because it is pricey for us regular folk, I'm testing it for you! Starting today, I will be using these products exclusively so I can give you the scoop lest you are tempted to shell out the dough. At the end of my 14-day skin rescue, you will be the first to know if and how well it works. Keep your fingers crossed - if it works, it just might be a future giveaway...