Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined spending an arm and a leg on skincare and dedicating so much time towards daily routines. My vanity has a buffet of serums that I sometimes lose track of.
I had prided myself on saying that I was from a hot country and therefore my skin was accustomed to a special type of toughness that could withstand any type of environmental stressors. I have come to learn this to be untrue. Growing up I used Clean and Clear face wash (a harsh product for the face) and stayed clear of sunscreen and face moisturizer. I have suffered with acne for as long as I could remember and for some strange reason I always felt that perhaps keeping my skin as dry as possible could possibly lead to my pimples drying out and eventually flaking off.
While my skincare journey isn’t 100% perfect and I have had the services of a professional esthetician, these were the hurdles I had to overcome to start seeing skincare as something worthy to invest in.
Skincare isn’t luxury
Good facial services and care are inherently expensive, and one can’t simply run from this. The skin is the largest organ and like any other body organ requires special expertise to care for it. Service prices will vary dependent on your needs and you will sometimes require more than one treatment. Currently I am receiving micro-needling treatments, which will span over three separate appointments. So, believe me when I say estheticians aren’t trying to swindle you out of your money. Treatments vary according to your skin’s condition.
Trending skin care and your friend’s recommendation
Resist the urge to try everything. It is easy to get sucked into a marketing trap and give into every product that promises to cure your facial woes.
It is even more difficult to resist when they are marketed by people whom you like and admire. Not every product is for you and your skin type. Visit a dermatologist or an esthetician to learn about your skin before you break the bank and in addition give your skin the time to respond to the treatment. Cell renewal doesn’t happen overnight.
Listen to the professional
The whole idea of layering products and following steps can sometimes feel pointless but each stage has a purpose. A peel and cleanser achieve totally separate things. Don’t take shortcuts and don’t omit what you have been recommended to do by a qualified professional just because it is not what you are accustomed to. It took me a long time to realise and understand the damage the sun has caused on my skin and why it was so necessary to apply sunscreen as the last step. If you are unsure just ask. In that why you might probably save yourself loads of avoidable treatments because of recklessness.
The goal isn’t to just take care of your skin but to better understand what it needs so you could apply appropriate care and refrain from harmful practices.