Before trying heroic skin treatments I like to spend time discussing my patients lifestyle, diet and of course current skin care routine. I’m a firm believer in starting from first principles. In that spirit skincare 101 starts with cleansing:
First of all – Avoid facial wipes! They are totally inadequate to remove the layers of grime most of us accumulate during the day. Many brands contain chemicals which can irritate skin and strip away your skins protective mantle. I have only resorted to these products of Satan in dire straits – at a festival – even now I shudder at the memory.
Decent cleanse – Double cleansing is an over-complication of a simple concept – ensure your skin is clean. I have been cleansing meticulously with two applications of a gentle cleanser for years. I also use a separate eye-makeup remover, however I have a longstanding fondness for the kind of mascara application most commonly seen on a drag queen.
Avoid paint stripper- In my early teens I sought to punish my skin for having the audacity to produce sebum by using the harshest solvents I could get my mitts on. This merely screwed up my natural skin barrier and caused over-production of sebum . Luckily my mum marched me off to a beautician before I could give myself the equivalent of a primitive chemical peel and I was advised to choose a cleanser for sensitive skin. The difference afterwards was astonishing
Skin should not squeak If so you are definitely over cleansing. Rest assured most of us do not produce Exxon Valdez quantities of serum.
So in summary….
Meticulous removal of makeup and grime with a gentle effective cleanser. Avoid harsh chemicals. remember it will take approximately two cycles of skin renewal (about two months) to see a visible improvement.