Skin Care Products

Within the global skincare market now there are so many skin care products available. The UK market was estimated to be about four billion dollars last year and is estimated to grow to six billion within eight years.

With the market saturated and so many products available, each claiming to do amazing things, all with different price points, it can be pretty confusing what we should be using and what is just a fad.

I am someone who firmly believes we only need a few items in our basket to clean and hydrate our skin, and we need to forget buying the 'all singing, all dancing' serums and creams that we really just dont need and are just a waste of our money.

Price is also another sensitive areas for me, expensive skincare doesnt normally get you better results, just remember you are normally just paying for the name!

Below is a quick guide to essential and basic skincare products you need in your bathrooms.

Obviously everyones skin is different, and some of you will need to search and trial for that product that is right for you, but I have included some of the items that I use, to give you an idea that not everything has be expensive!

Cleansing -

Most important stage and a stage that cannot be skipped - cleansing your face every day gets rid of any dirt and pollution congestion in your skin.

The cleansing at night should be a DOUBLE cleanse, the first cleanse gets rid of products and SPF and the second cleanse gets deeper into the skin and removes the dirt.

There are several different types of cleansers, foaming and non - foaming, bar, miscellar water and toners.

• Non - foaming - good for dry or sensitive skin. Just ensure all product is rinsed off, these cleansers can leave a residue behind.

  Foaming - good for blemished and oily proned skin.

• Toners - Toners are increasingly popular. They can contain alot of alcohol which can dry the skin, so toners are better off used for oily type skin.

I use a toner cleanser in the morning, and it is very satisfactory to see the dirt that comes off on the cotton pad just after a nights sleep.

• Bar soap - these soaps can be vey harsh to the skin. They can strip off any lipids on the upper layer of the skin, compromising the skins barrier.

• Miscellar water - these use tiny ball of cleansing oil in water to draw out skin impurities. This cleansing option is great to use only if you have no water, but not recommended to be used as a sole cleanser, however like a toner could be used to use as a second cleanse.

I use three different cleansers throughout my day, at night a soft gentle cream cleanser to remove all the products and then a foaming cleanser as a second cleanse to get deeper into the skin.

In the morning I use a toner cleanser, this gives me great satisfaction when i look at the cotton pad just to see after a nights sleep how much dirt can be built up and removed.

My personal choice -

CeraVE - hydrating cleaner ( I use this as my first cleanser to remove make up)

CeraVe smoothing cleanser - with salicylic acid (used as my second cleanser, this will combat any blemishes).

Clean and Clear - something i used when i was a teenager and went back to a few years ago, just to remove the dirt in the morning. It contains salicylic acid, and using this gives me great pleasure in the morning Also great thing, its cheap!

Serums -

Serums over years have become increasingly popular. Serums are normally water based and have high levels of active ingredients.

Serums are generally good for all skin types and can be there to target skin concerns.

• Anti aging - Vitamin C

• Dry Skin - Hydrating serums with hyaluronic acid or vitamin E.

• Oily skin - Vitamin C or niacinamide.

My personal choice -

Inkey List - Hyaluronic Acid. Another cheap find.

Before applying my Hyaluronic I use a Korean Skincare brand, Curel Mositurising mist. I spray this over my face and place the Hyaluronic over the top to lock in the moisture.

Curel moisture spray is my highlight and my most get product, this spray really hydrates the skin.

This area of serums is another blog within its self, to explain what is the right serum for you. So look out for this!!!

Moisturisers -

Moisturisers are there to sustain flexibilty and elasticity in the upper layers of the skin.

Mosituriser ingrediants fall into three main categories; humectants, occlusives and emollients.

• Humectants - ingredients that maintain hydration. These mositurisers will contain mainly hyaluronic to plump and rehydrate. The only problem with moisturisers containing humectants is that they extract water from deeper layers of the skin, making the skin over time more dry than previously before. These moisturisers can be great in the summer months but in the winter months it may be better to us occlusive moisturisers.

• Occlusives - great from dry skin and creating that barrier that seal in moisture. They lock in the hydration rather than add. Commonly using ingredients using squalene, lanolin, shea butter, cocoa butter.

• Emollients - Fill in gaps between skin cells with lipids, improving texture, smoothness, and strengthening the barrier.

Most moisturisers contain a combination of humectants, occlusives and emollients. But for example if you have acne prone skin you would ideally be looking for a mosituriser than contains more humectant, and low on occlusives.

Exfoliation -

You should exfoliate your skin frequently to remove dull dry old skin.

Exfoliation can be done manually using brushes, scrubs or electronic devices. I use an amazing handheld electronic device bought from amazon, it allows my cleanser to get deep into the skin to clean it out whilest also gently exfoliating away dead skin.

Exfoliation can also be done chemically, using acid. At Polished Beauty I offer within my Million Dollar Facials our Immaculate peels, three medium depth skin peels that will help with blemishes, wrinkles, pigmentation. They will exfoliate the outer layers of skin and reveal new skin underneath with improved tone, texture and colour.

SPF -

Sunscreen protects our skin from UVA and UVB rays from the sun.

Even when the sun is behind the cloud, radiation from the sun is getting through and effecting our skin.

UVA is the type of radiation that will penetrate through the clouds and is prominate all through the year. It will penetrate the layers of the skin more deeply and is something that will more likely cause the skin to age.

UVB radiation is the type that is more likely to affect us in the summer months, and is the rays that burn the top layers of the skin and make us go abit red.

When looking for a SPF for our face, it is important that you get something that offers protection against UVA as this will cover you all throughout the year and even apply it on those cloudy miserable winter days.

So in conclusion , all you need are three to four skin care products. Cleanser, moisturiser, SPF and if wanted a serum. None of these need to be expensive, as proven with my highlighted products above.

Good luck with your finds and I would love to hear recommendations if you find any.