Chances are that you, just like 99% of people, are completely overwhelmed by the excessive amount of information about skin care, skin creams and beyond. At PHU we aim to remove as much unnecessary info as possible, so you can concentrate in what is the best face cream for you, not for the care products Brand, its re-sellers or anyone else.
Now first what’s first
What is the Best Face Cream for Your Type of Skin
Using treatments that are too harsh, even if they are recommended for oily skin, may send the signal that more oil is needed and you skin starts producing more. On the other side, applying thick and heavy moisturizers can result in decreased natural oil production, making your skin even dryer. So let’s make sure you identify your type of skin before deciding what’s best for a healthier, more radiant skin.
Check on these four characteristics to get a very accurate determination of your skin type:
1. How your skin feels:
- Combination skin: With the tip of your fingers, check if your T-zone (forehead, nose an chin) feels oily, then feel the rest of your face. In a combination skin you will be able to feel two or more textures.
- Sensitive skin: You will perceive extra sensitivity. It can be itchy, patchy, and some times even stingy.
- Normal skin: Feels uniform and not too oily or too dry. Nor too sensitive.
- Oily skin: Greasy and Shiny, you feel you need to cleanse frequently to feel comfy.
- Dry skin: It can usually get flaky and even cracky in winter months, it fills tight and not flexible.
2. Take a look at your pores
- Combination skin:
- Check your T-zone for large and usually clogged pores, while in other areas they are unnoticeable.
- Sensitive skin: Sensitive skin can react to the environment or substances and as a result enlarge its pores. Sensitive skin usually has large pores.
- Normal skin: Normal skin usually shows unnoticeable pores.
- Oily skin: Typically show large pores that easily get clogged from sweat or other body produced or environmental substances.
- Dry skin: Very tight and unnoticeable pores, in an overall inelastic skin.
3. Notice how your skin feels after cleansing
- Combination skin: The T-zone will become normal and other areas like chicks will feel tight. A couple of hours later they will come back to how they were before cleansing.
- Sensitive skin: An itchy feeling after cleansing with normal products, would be a sign for sensitive skin.
- Normal skin: Will still feel normal, maybe some moisturizing might be desired,
- Oily skin: Will feel normal clean and neat, but in a couple of hours, sometimes less it will get oily and shiny again.
- Dry skin: Cleansing can actually lead to excessive dryness, the result is an extra-tight skin, desiring moisturizer.
What is the Best Face Cream for You, According to its Ingredients
1. SUNSCREENS
Experts agree that 90% of skin damage is related to sun exposure and we are talking about the very day normal exposure, not only picnic and beach summer days. So the number one ingredient of any cream should be a broad spectrum SPF for both UVB and UVA. All other ingredients make no sense if sun damage is not controlled first. It’s just like doing your blower under the shower.
Ingredients with broad-spectrum protection include benzophenones (oxybenzone), cinnamates (octylmethyl cinnamate and cinoxate), sulisobenzone, salicylates, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone (Parsol 1789) and ecamsule (Mexoryl SX).
2. ANTIOXIDANTS AND SKIN PROTECTANTS
Antioxidants serve as a barrier to environmental damage, they usually contain vitamin C, grape, green tea, resveratrol, beta-glucan, licorice, vitamin E, quercetin, non-fragrant plant oils, and adenosine.
Products to try: Marie Veronique Balancing HypoTonic (contains beta-glucan and licorice root); Youth to The People Age Prevention Superfood Serum (contains vitamin C and green tea); The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% (contains vitamin C).
3. SKIN RESTORERS
They stimulate the production of younger and better cells in your skin. The ingredients responsible for this highly desirable action are a wide variety of peptides. Retinol and niacinamide are the most researched of peptides and commonly used.
Products to try: Glossier Super Pure Serum (contains niacinamide), Paula’s Choice Resist 10% Niacinamide Booster (contains niacinamide), Honest Beauty Younger + Clearer Night Serum(contains retinol); Differin Gel (contains retinol).
4. SKIN FORTIFIERS
Fortifiers work on the skin structure, they actually re-build it and maintain the barrier function of the skin as young skin does. Common fortifiers are glycerin, lecithin, hyaluronic acid, and omega fatty acids.
Products to try: Niod Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex (contains hyaluronic acid); Paula’s Choice Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster (contains hyaluronic acid); Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel (contains glycerin and ceramides); Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel(contains hyaluronic acid and glycerin).
5. ALPHA- AND BETA-HYDROXY ACIDS
AHA or BHA work on the surface of the skin, they can work overnight with a noticeable result, giving a uniform look and texture to the skin.
Products to try: Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% Liquid Exfoliant (contains BHA); The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution (contains AHA and BHA); Pixi Overnight Glow Serum (contains AHA); Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari BabyFacial(contains AHA).
So Then: What is the Best Face Cream for You?
Even though there is no one magic solution for all types of skin, with all the correct ingredients, you should choose a selection of 2 to 5 creams that are designed for your type of skin and that have at least one ingredient of each of the above five-ingredient groups among your selection.
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