Picking the right skincare products can be very challenging, especially when you walk into the beauty aisles of any store and you are met with 1,000’s of products to choose from. But do you know how to pick the right skin care products? Fret not! Below are some tips that I’ve recently learned for myself on how to pick the right skincare products that won’t leave your skin irritated or worse, visiting your local emergency room because the products you tried out were not a great match for your skin type.
Disclaimer: In the testing period of trying out any products, use a small amount on your skin to avoid that trip to the emergency room lol.
Know Your Skin Type.
Know your skin type. Before you purchase or continue to use any skin products, know your skin type. There are four basic types of skin: normal, dry, oily and combination. Normal skin has little to no sensitivities and small pores. Dry skin is typically rough, spotty or itchy. Oily skin means your skin is mostly shiny that has or is prone to acne and other blemishes. Lastly, combination skin means that you have some type of skin from all of the aforementioned.
Are You Addressing A Skin Problem?
Decide whether you are addressing a skincare problem. If this is the case, you want to make sure you are looking for an effective and/or treatable product. For example, if you have severe acne, you want to look for products that treat severe acne, not a basic cleanser.
Consider Your Skin Care Routine.
Decide if you are looking for products for a daily routine. Start with a basic set, a cleanser, and moisturizer. You can eventually add toners and serums as you determine the right product(s) for your skin type.
Skin Type Actually Matters
Find products that tailor to the color of your skin. If you are, for example, a black woman, you want to find products that are made for your skin color and type. Make sure that your moisturizer products have SPF (sun protection factor) in them when picking products based on your skin color.
How Much Should You Spend?
Create a budget and stick to it. Skincare products can be expensive, especially if you are a beginner. I highly suggest that you don’t become a product junkie and spend all of your coins on products, to only have them sitting and not being used. Create a budget and stick to it! This budget can change monthly because some of the products won’t be a revolving expense.
How To Find The Right Product.
Select products that are proven to be effective. Do your research, do your research, do your research! No shade but, your cousin’s new product line that she’s testing out is NOT proven to be an effective product. We want you to support your cousin’s side hustle, but wait to those testimonials come in and it has been proven that the product actually works. Products in stores all have labels on them that let us you know that the product has been “clinically approved” or it lets you know that it’s “safe,”….. “free or harsh chemicals,” ….etc.
Try samples or trial size products if available before making your purchase. More brands have samples or trial size products because they want you to try their products, fall in love with them and buy the full-size product. This should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. If you are unsure of how a product is going to work on your skin, it’s better to be safe than sorry and try a sample or trial size first. That way if it causes irritation or smells horrible or whatever other reasons why you don’t like it, you can toss it into the trash and move on to another product.
Read reviews, thoroughly. We all know the best reviews are probably at the top so do your due diligence and read through the reviews from other customers about the product. People love to give their opinions in reviews so take advantage of avoiding a potential problem with a product and read the reviews.
Final Tip.
How you choose to take care of your skin is important whether you are treating a specific problem or maintaining your daily routine. If you are still unsure of what products to pick for your skin type or daily routine, consult with a dermatologist. You can do skin tests with products again, by using a small amount on your skin and monitor the reaction. Another way to consistently monitor reactions when testing out new products is by keeping a journal. This will help you track what’s working and what’s not working for your skin type. If your skin reacts to a product in a negative, STOP using the product immediately.
Keep up with Felicia, on her blog here, and more beauty posts, here.
