The Man’s Guide to Women's Skincare

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March 6, 2015

You want something nice for your lady. You decide to give her facial skin care products. So, you head out to the mall and you’re surprised to see that there’s a whole section (or even an entire floor!) dedicated to skincare products. A big question mark now forms on your forehead. Now what? Here’s a quick and easy practical tip. Find out her facial skin type first. Take a look at the facial skin care products she’s currently using. This is the best way to get to know her skin type. The rest of the instructions will be easier to follow. Let’s keep it simple. According to facial skin experts (dermatologists), there are three main facial skin types out there. They’re the following:

Normal. This type has radiant and smooth facial skin. The reason behind this is because it reflects light evenly on all planes. It’s not too dry or too oily. She seldom has skin breakouts (cysts, blackheads, whiteheads and acne). She isn’t allergic to most of the skincare products out there and has a balanced looking complexion.
Oily. Her face looks shiny and moist most of the time. This is most pronounced during the middle of the day where oil production is at its peak. The skin pores on her face are clogged, making it prone to different types of acne (whiteheads, blackheads, pimples and cystic zits). You may hear her complain about zits on her face regularly.
Sensitive or Dry. This is a very troublesome type. She may complain of skin tightness or dryness even after applying moisturiser. Her skin is allergic to many cosmetic and skincare products out there. You may see some redness (or irritation) when she applies facial skin care products. In addition, she may flush or blush easily in response to certain irritants. Hey, I said blush at irritants, not at you.

Now what? Remember the labels on skincare products? There you’ll find which skin type the product is suited for: normal, sensitive or oily. Choose wisely.

Note: A combination of skin types may also be present. One area of the face, for example the T-zone can be oily while the rest of the face is dry or sensitive. The T-zone is the area on your face that reaches across your forehead, down your nose and around your mouth and chin.

Let’s run through the basics so that you will know which products to buy. The Big Three. A facial cleanser, toner and moisturiser are considered the essentials when it comes to basic skin care for your lady (and for you too).

Cleanser. Warm water plus cleanser will remove dirt and loosen clogged pores. Apply a pea-sized amount and gently rub onto your face using your fingertips. Rinse with cold water to close your pores. Gel formulations are suited for oily skin types, while cream based (milky) products are best for dry skin and can also be used for normal skin types.
Toners. Some use the terms clarifying lotion or astringents. They all mean the same thing. Before, most were alcohol based, but now thanks to technology some are alcohol-free. It’s best to go alcohol-free on this one. Toners make your pores feel tighter and improve your skin tone.
Moisturisers. A great moisturiser will prevent evaporation of water from your skin and at the same time bring water back to your skins topmost layer. Moisturisers range from oil based (for dry/sensitive skin) to water based (for oily skin).

Plus these two. Now that you have the big three down, you’ll be needing a little extra. When it comes to skin care, exfoliation and masks are two products that will help to combat the signs of aging and stress seen on your skin.

Masks. Masks suck the impurities from the deeper layers of your skin. They’re better at this than facial cleansers. They also tone and hydrate your skin while you sleep. In the morning, your skin appears radiant and feels refreshed.
Exfoliators. If you want to have a glow to your skin, then it’s time you used an exfoliator or facial scrub. They remove dead skin cells on the topmost layers of your skin and allow the layers beneath to increase skin cell production and renewal. This produces that glow everybody would like to have.

Now you’re done with the basics, you can do a reasonable job (we hope) finding products suitable for your lady’s skin. Hey, it won’t hurt to buy some for yourself too. Go ahead, don’t be too proud or ashamed. We can all use some skin support to look young and healthy for longer.

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Facial Cleansers	Toners

Lotions & Moisturisers	Masks & Treatments

References

Habif, Thomas P. Clinical Dermatology: A Colour Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh: Mosby Elsevier, 2010.
Bolognia, Jean, Julie V. Schaffer, Karynne O. Duncan, and Christine J. Ko, eds. Dermatology Essentials. Oxford: Saunders/Elsevier, ©2014.
Gross, Kim Johnson, Jeff Stone, and Rachel Urquhart. Woman's Face: Skin Care and Makeup. Chic Simple. New York: Knopf: 1997.
http://www.womens-health-advice.com/skin-care-questions/skin-types.html