Skincare FAQ image

Skincare FAQ

Author: Danielle Cauchi, Jasmine Cottan  

Dry, oily, normal or combination, get equipped with all the essential information you need to keep your skin in good condition.

Ruddiness, breakouts, dryness, flakiness, blackheads, excess sebum and all that other icky stuff related to distressed skin. 

Skincare is a hard thing to personalise. You're unsure what type of toner to use and how often you should implement it in your regimen. Is night cream better than day cream? What's the best way to reduce wrinkles. How regularly should you exfoliate if you have oily skin? What ingredients are best for sensitive skin? What face mask should you use? And all that jazz. 

When it comes down to it, the correct skincare regimen for you depends on your type of complexion you possess. 

Stumped on how to solve your skin concerns? We answer all your pressing skin-related questions!

 

General Questions

Dry Skin

Oily Skin

Cleansing

Skincare Products

Self Tanning

Makeup Questions

Haircare Questions

Nails Questions

 

 

Sunscreen should generally be reapplied every two hours. However, you should reapply sunscreen after swimming or increased sweating (i.e. working out, excessive heat etc.).

There is no substitute for sunscreen. Just because a skincare product may contain SPF doesn’t mean you’re applying enough of it for it to be effective. It’s best to use a sunscreen underneath your other skincare products to be safe.

There are 5 main skin types. Identifying your skin type will give you a better idea of which products to use and how to treat it. Read more about them to find out which one best reflects the condition of your skin:

Normal – Normal skin types usually have smaller pores, less fine lines and wrinkles and an even complexion. Whilst normal skin can still experience dryness or oiliness, it usually clears quite easily.

Dry – Dry skin types may experience tightness, scaly patches, flaking skin and/or rough, leathery textures. They tend to fall victim to premature wrinkles and frequent irritation, but their pores are very small.

Oily – Oily skin types tend to have enlarged pores and generate a lot of shine throughout the day. They are more prone to breakouts, blackheads and whiteheads but generate less wrinkles than other skin types.

Combination – Combination skin types present with characteristics of both dry and oily skin types. They tend to have dry, flaky skin on some parts of the face and excessive shine on other parts, most commonly the T-zone.

Sensitive – Sensitive skin types present the characteristics of dry, oily or combination skin with the addition of frequent redness and irritation.

It’s best to avoid any products with harsh chemicals or fragrances and stick to formulas that use natural ingredients. Treat the dry and oily areas individually with two different moisturisers and ensure that you are exfoliating regularly to clear out clogged pores and buff away dead skin cells.

Sensitive skin types should avoid products that contain harsh chemicals or fragrances and stick to formulas that use natural ingredients like chamomile or goat’s milk. You may even need to look out for soap-free cleansing products. Avoid any products that contain alcohol or benzoyl peroxide. If sensitive skin is becoming a concern for you, seek dermatologist advice.

A natural ingredient is anything derived from a plant, mineral or animal. An organic ingredient is farmed without pesticides, chemical fertilizers, growth hormones or antibiotics. Products containing natural and/or organic ingredients tend to be more expensive but are definitely the better option for sensitive skin types.

Refrain from using products with harsh chemicals and ingredients. Use moisturisers, creams and face masks that contain calming ingredients such as cucumber, oatmeal, green tea and aloe vera.

You can read more about how to reduce ruddiness and red skin here

Look for creams that contain hyaluronic acid, Vitamin A, C and E. At home remedies include refrigerated green and chamomile tea bags and the classic cucumber slice trick.

Good ingredients to look out for include Aloe Vera, almond oil, castor oil, coconut oil, oatmeal, tomato and cucumber. Also keep an eye out for citric ingredients that contain Vitamin C such as lemon and grapefruit.

Seek out face products that contain antioxidant Vitamins A, C and E as well as skin-plumping Vitamin D. Ensure that you keep your face moisturised as dehydration can cause wrinkles.

Wash your face regularly using a cleanser that contains salicylic acid. If you wear makeup, make sure that you remove your makeup properly of a night time and are cleaning your makeup brushes, sponges and applicators often to prevent acne-inducing and pore-clogging bacteria from spreading across your face.

You can read more in our guide to treating troubled skin here

Depending on the formula, anti-aging skin products typically work by boosting your skin’s natural collagen production and protecting it from free radicals. They promote elasticity, boost hydration and lessen the visible signs of aging. Anti-aging formulas typically contain peptides, alpha-hydroxy acids, retinol, resveratrol and antioxidants.

As sun exposure also contributes to the aging process, a lot of anti-aging products also contain SPF.

If aging is a major skin concern for you, most people begin using anti-aging skincare products between the ages of 21-25 as a preventative.

Everyone's skin is different, so creating a skincare routine is a personal task. But our experts have put together a 'best approach to skincare' guide to help! You can read it here!

 

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Moisturise regularly with a thick cream-based moisturiser. Avoid any harsh cleansers that over-dry the skin.

Some key ingredients to avoid if you have dry skin are alcohols, sulfates, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide.

Exfoliating is important as it clears away dead skin cells. Ensure that you are only exfoliating 1-3 times per week. Dry skin types should avoid exfoliators with any beads or grains that could graze the skin.

Use a lip balm with sunscreen if you plan on heading out for the day. If chapped lips are a real problem for you, keep away from flavored lip balms or lip products that contain dyes or fragrances. Be sure to moisturize your lips of a night time and use products that contain beeswax, petroleum, coconut oil or cocoa butter.

 

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Use cleansers and gentle exfoliators that contain salicylic acid. Use a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser to keep your skin’s natural oil production balanced and in check.

You should definitely avoid oil-based skin care products, petrolatum and highly emollient ingredients like shea butter. Limit use of products containing retinol, benzoyl peroxide, alcohol and witch hazel as over-drying your skin can be counterproductive.

Moisturising your skin ensures that your skin’s natural oil production remains balanced. If you are using several drying skincare products, incorporate a lightweight oil-free moisturiser into your skincare regime to stop your skin from excessively producing oil to compensate.

 

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Depends on your skin type!

Cream cleansers contain natural oils and emulsifiers to provide the skin with an effective yet soothing cleanse making them the best choice for those with dry or sensitive skin.

Gel cleansers cleanse your skin without leaving it feeling tight or dry making them perfect for those with combination or normal skin types.

Foam cleansers provide a deep clean and are great for oily/acne-prone skin as they clear out any excess oil and dirt from your pores.

Face washes provide a gentle cleanse and remove dirt, oil and makeup from the skin’s surface. Face scrubs offer a thorough deep clean by clearing out your pores and exfoliating dead skin cells. They should only be used 1-3 times a week depending on your skin type.

Face brushes provide a much more thorough clean because of their rotary action, gentle vibration and soft bristles. They’re especially good for clearing away any residual makeup you may have missed. Face brushes aren’t a necessary investment but they’re worth considering if you want that squeaky-clean fresh-faced feel.

 

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BB creams provide light coverage, sometimes with additional skincare benefits such as moisturizing properties, antioxidants or SPF. CC creams work to colour correct the complexion and rectify issues or redness or sallowness.

Aside from differences in individual formulas, a BB cream that has moisturising properties should perform similarly to a tinted moisturiser.

Day creams contain all the factors needed for your skin to thrive during the day such as SPF, free radical-fighting antioxidants and caffeine to wake up and refresh your complexion. They also utilize a light, non-greasy formula that can be worn easily underneath makeup.

Night creams load your skin with restorative ingredients to help it heal from the day and prepare for the day ahead. Their formulas usually contain high concentrations of anti-aging ingredients and powerful slow-absorbing moisturisers that can be left to soak into the skin overnight without interference from sunscreen or makeup.

Moisturisers work to hydrate the skin and keep your skin’s natural oil production balanced. Serums are more concentrated than moisturisers and treat specific problem areas. If your skin is particularly problematic, you may wish to treat certain areas with a targeted serum. Otherwise, moisturiser should suffice.

Moisturiser shouldn’t make your skin oily. If anything, re-hydrating your skin after cleansing will help regulate your skin’s natural oil production as it won’t need to work as hard. If you do struggle with oily skin, it’s best to stick to an oil-free moisturiser.

It’s good to moisturise 1-2 times daily depending on your skin type – once in the morning and once at night.

Toner provides an extra cleanse for those with excessively oily or acne-prone skin as well as those who wear makeup regularly. Toner also helps to refresh your skin, shrink pores, balance your skin’s pH balance and protect your pores from the day’s impurities.

Toner is best used each morning after cleansing and before moisturising.

Face masks are designed to do all different things from moisturising the skin to unclogging pores to giving you a firmer or brighter complexion. Face masks are worn anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes to allow beneficial skin-loving ingredients to penetrate the skin and treat your various skin concerns.

This depends on the type of face mask you want to use. Some face masks can be used daily whereas others should only be used once a week. When in doubt, check the packaging for directions.

There are so many different types of face masks on the market because we all have different skin concerns and lifestyles. Some of us might need a deep cleaning bubble mask to draw impurities out of our clogged pores whilst others may just want a quick and easy hydration-boosting sheet mask.

Pore strips should be used sparingly and with caution. If you do wish to use a pore strip, ensure that you are gentle when removing it and only leave it on for the specified time. Do not use pore strips if you have a skin condition and/or sensitive skin. Keep your skin moisturised after use.

 

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Fortunately, some brands have developed sensitive skin safe self-tanning solutions. But as a precaution, you should always conduct a patch test before use to test for any allergies or adverse reactions.

Self-tan does eventually fade away but if you want to help it in the process, you can take a hot bath and gently exfoliate your tan away. For future reference, there are plenty of one-day-only self-tanning products available if you didn’t want a long-lasting tan. Check out our ranges from Bondi Sands and ModelCo.

 

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If you can't find an answer to your question here, please email us at info@cosmeticcapital.com.au and our customer service team will help you straight away.