The Basics of Good Skin Care

Now more than ever, people of all ages take care of the appearance of their skin, which is only natural if we consider just how sensitive it can be. But what is surprising is how few give their skin its true importance. Our skin should be treated like any other of our organs, since it behaves like one and it certainly is as important.

However, due to it being an external organ, the skin is continually exposed to its two worst enemies: time and the environment. Together, they make the skin lose its elasticity and wrinkle, which is exactly what most people try to combat from early on in their lives.

The Basics of Skin

Now, before learning how to take good care of our skin, we first need to learn a little about it in order to be able to understand how it behaves and works. Skin is composed of three layers: subcutaneous, dermis and epidermis.

The subcutaneous tissue is the innermost layer of skin. It insulates the body and is the main source of external heat. The dermis is responsible for housing all the connecting tissues of our bodies while the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, is in charge of protecting the inner layers of skin from external contaminants.

Two Basic Steps towards a Healthier Skin

Now that the inner components of the skin have been explained, we can take on these basic needs when it comes to taking care of it:

Cleansing: The first step towards a good-looking and strong skin is to clean it from dirt, dust and any other outer contaminants. While removing these, dead skin cells are also removed. The main purpose of this removal is to prevent the formation of pimples and acne.

This thorough cleaning however has a somewhat negative effect if performed carelessly: it can remove most of the oil on the skin, which serves to keep the moisture in, and cause it to become extremely dry. Here is when the second step comes into play.

Moisturising: The role of moisturising is an essential one. Moisturising restores water to the skin and helps it prevent the loss of elasticity.

Now, these two steps do not necessarily need to be separate from one another. Nowadays many people protect their skin with special cleansers that are made with moisturisers specifically incorporated to combat the drying agents present in them.

These cleansers are far better than traditional soaps for applying onto the skin. Also, when looking for moisturisers, a one-fits-all is not always the best choice. When purchasing them, it is advisable to get two different moisturisers, a heavy one for use during nighttime, and a lighter one for morning use.