There's always a story behind everyone's advocacy and here's mine:
I moved here when I turned 28 and I had to change my skincare routine as my skin is exposed to four seasons in a year. On the first year I experienced winter, I saw a skincare specialist because my skin was so dry. I learned a lot of things from the skincare specialist I met:
(1) That even if I had oily skin, moisturising and using sunblock is as important as cleansing.
(2) People with oily skin can find suitable moisturisers (i.e. water-based moisturisers).
(3) You can use oil to moisturise and it won't clog your pores and add oiliness to your skin.
(4) Different seasons calls for different moisturisers. I was advised to have a richer moisturiser during cold season and a lighter one during warm season.
(5) The earlier you start putting moisturisers, the better.
(6) Drink lots of water.
The sun is harsh these days that it leads to premature wrinkles and sunspots and worse, skin cancer, hence, I have realised the importance of wearing sunblock too.
I've seen men and women who look too wrinkly and "sun-spotty" for their age who love the outdoors and bask in the glory of the sun without wearing moisturisers with sunblock. It's not about vanity really but more about taking care of the only skin we have. It is inevitable for all of us to have wrinkles and sunspots--all of us will have them as we grow older. However, seeing people who take care of their skin well, a part of how they take care of their well-being, is always admirable.
Since I've met a skincare specialist, I've given more attention to keeping my skin hydrated. Below are a few items I trust which works well for me:
Petroleum Jelly. I use this for moisturising the lips at nightime. I also use this to moisturise the hands and feet during winter time (after putting on hands and feet, wear gloves and socks overnight).
Carmex Lip Balm. They're the best thing that ever happened to my lips! I hoard them when they go on sale. I love that they have a variant that has SPF.
Tip when moisturising lips at night: Moisturise the edge of your lips as this will help prevent pre-wrinkles.
Daytime Moisturising with Sunblock:
BB Cream. This serves as a foundation, moisturiser and sunblock. I use them when I go out. If you want to know about BB Creams, please read my article here. I'm currently using Skinfood's Good Afternoon Peach Green Tea and once I'm finished with this tube, I'll be using Missha's M Signature Real Complete BB Cream.
Sunscreen Lotion. I use this during the day to protect the other parts of my body, particularly the arms and legs. I look for a sunscreen that moisturises, doesn't feel sticky and cause blemishes.
Night Time Moisturising:
Sorbolene Cream. Other than moisturising with oil after bath, this works in keeping my skin hydrated during cold season.
J&J Bedtime Lotion. I prefer this during warm season as it's light and mild. Smells great too.
Paw Paw Balm. After putting lotion on my hands, I follow it up with a little Paw Paw Balm to soothe it some more. I take particular care of my hands as it's the most used part of my body (cooking, washing dishes etc).
Eye Moisturiser. Since it's summer time now, I use Garnier's Eye Roll On as it's lighter but during winter, I prefer using Clinique's All About Eyes.
Rosehip Oil. I used this to moisturise my face. Three drops of this and it goes a long way. If you want to know more about my Top 5 favourite oils, please click here.
As we grow older, our skin loses the ability to retain water as it once did so a little help from moisturisers and sunblocks will be beneficial to us. And please, always drink lots of water as it hydrates from the inside and has other health benefits too.
Happy Friday!
