Clean Canvas by Toni Acey

Q: How do I know which skin care products are best for my skin?
A: The key to perfecting a makeup application that looks flawless begins with a clean canvas. Selecting the right skin care products can be overwhelming with all of the products available in today’s market. Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! The first step in choosing a skin care system that is right for you, is understanding your skin type. Is your skin oily, dry, normal or combination? Once you know the answer to this question, it will be much easier to select a skin care system that will work best for you. PRO TIP: If your skin rapidly produces oil and your pores tend to be more open, this most likely means you have an oily skin type. When your skin feels tight, flakey and lacks luster, this is categorized as dry skin. Combination skin can usually be characterized, just as the name suggests, as skin that is a combination of two different types. For instance if you are only oily in your “t-zone” while the rest of your face is dry. Normal skin is the more balanced of all the skin types. It is usually smoother in appearance and isn’t oily or dry.

Now that you know your skin type, you are ready to select a skin care system that coincides with your needs. When making this decision, it also important to read the ingredients listed on the back of the product or products you are considering. If the first ingredient is water, this generally means that it is a water based product and will usually work well for combination or oily skin. For combination or oily skin, it is also important to look for products that are oil-free and non-comedogenic (this term is applied to skin creams that are non-pore clogging).

Normal to dry skin will require products that provide more moisture so when reading ingredients; you will want to look for products that contain moisture rich extracts (i.e. Jojoba oil & cucumber). In general, when it comes to skin care products it is best to look for products that contain natural botanical extracts such as Aloe Vera, Cucumber & Chamomile. Don’t let your intimidation of skin care products keep you from putting your best face forward!

For more helpful tips, skin care and makeup recommendations, you will find all of the answers to your most frequently asked questions in my new book, “Makeup FAQ’s”! Order your copy online now at www.toniacey.com