Take a look at yourself in the mirror. What do you see? What’s the first thing you notice? For some people it’s the way they carry their weight. For others, it’s facial features. Now take a closer look. Closer. Even closer. Okay, maybe not that close. What do you see? Take a really good look at your skin. Based on its appearance, are you giving it the care it deserves? Do you know where to start? How well do you know your skin?
Your Skin Oils
The oil your skin produces is a pretty hot topic when it comes to skin care and skin type. Skin oils get a bad rap a lot of the time, but it’s not always as well deserved as you might think. Your skin produces oils naturally through sebaceous glands. These glands, which are located in the second layer of skin called the dermis, are spread out across almost every part of your body, with the palms of your hands and soles of your feet being the exceptions. They are most densely concentrated on the chest, face, and scalp. The oil produced by these glands is your body’s way of making sure that your skin is moisturized, and we all know that adequate moisturization is important to the health and beauty of the skin.
Your Skin Type
One of the very first things you should do if you want to start taking good care of your skin is to figure out what your skin type is. If you have sensitive skin, there’s a good chance that you’re already very much aware of that. Something about your skin reddened, irritated, dry, or burning makes it pretty hard to miss. But what about the level of oil your skin produces? That’s a huge determining factor in what skin care products you should be using, so figuring that out is pretty important.
The good news is that there are a couple of pretty simple at-home tests you can do to determine your skin type. Both start out by cleaning your face using a gentle cleanser and then gently patting it dry. From there, either wait for 30 minutes and watch or use a blotting sheet (paper towel will work well) to determine your oil levels. Oily skin will have a slight shimmer on the face and the blotting sheet will pick up plenty of oil from all areas. Dry skin will look flaky, scaly, and feel tight. The blotting sheet won’t pick up very much oil, if any at all. If you have well-balanced skin, your face should feel comfortably hydrated, but not oily, and the blotting sheet will pick up small amounts of oil from all over your face. This skin type is commonly referred to as normal. Combination skin manifests as a combination of the other skin types. The characteristics of oily skin will usually be found in the T-zone (literally draw a T across your eyebrows and down the middle of your nose), whereas the other areas of your face will likely show characteristics of normal or dry skin.
Taking Care of Your Skin
You may have heard that your skin is your body’s largest organ. It has a seriously important role to play in keeping you healthy, not to mention looking youthful and beautiful. In order for your skin to take good care of you, you need to take good care of it. That means taking the time to work on some preventative skin care.
If the thought of a skin care routine has you feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath. Preventative skin care doesn’t have to be complicated. A simple cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen is enough to get you started. As you get more comfortable with your skin care routine, you can start adding more products based on the needs of your skin to give it some extra love. Regularly cleansing your skin helps keep your pores clean and free from excess oil and dirt that could clog them. Using a moisturizer helps prevent dryness and irritation, further helping to prevent breakouts. Of course, sunscreen helps prevent sun damage and sunburn, both of which can cause your skin to age more quickly than necessary.
Invest in Your Skin
Essential oils can be a great addition to any skin care routine, especially when it comes to improving the appearance of your skin. Frankincense can improve the appearance of damaged skin and has been used in skin care for centuries. The ancient Egyptians used it in rejuvenating face masks. Irritated skin is often visibly different from normal skin but applying Tea Tree oil can help. The appearance of compromised, sensitive skin and stretch marks can be improved with the application of our skin rejuvenation blend called Soothing. Of course, essential oils are very concentrated, so it’s usually best to apply them topically using a carrier oil. Organic Fractionated Coconut Oil is perfect for this because it’s quickly absorbed into the skin without clogging your pores. It can deliver moisture to improve the appearance of dry or damaged skin. We love fractionated coconut oil so much we even have it in our essential oil roll-ons for quick and easy application!
Your skin works to keep you healthy and safe from harmful pathogens 24/7 without ever taking a break. You owe it to yourself to take good care of it so it can continue to do its job effectively. Remember, the more you know about your skin and its needs, the better you’ll be able to make informed decisions about how to care for it that will benefit you for years, even decades to come.
