Oily Skin

If your skin is oily, your instincts say,"Dry it out." Your instincts may be right, but be careful how you do it. Wash and rinse your face with warm or hot water no more than twice a day.You can actually overcleanse and overdry your skin by washing it too often and using harsh products or super-hot water.The important thing is to keep your skin clean without stripping away its natural protection.

Use a mild, oil-free cleanser.Antibacterial and deodorant soaps are too drying for even the oiliest facial skin.Your face shouldn't feel tight or dry after washing.

they won't clog your pores. If your face feels oily between washings, use astringent pads.

Dead skin cells clog pores and allow moisture to escape, so use an exfoliant formulated for oily skin three or four times a week.Try a mild facial scrub with small granules, or use a soft, clean face brush or sponge.The body scrubs with shell or seed granules are too harsh for the face.

You might not need to moisturize, but if you do, read product labels. Ingredients to look for include witch hazel, beeswax, some vegetable oils (corn or safflower), sodium lauryl sulfate, octyl palmitate, AHA, and BHA. Ingredients to avoid include most other oils (petrolatum, mineral oil, coconut oil, and olive oil for example), lanolin, cold cream, cocoa butter, isopropyl myristate, and oleic acid.

Choose water-based, oil-free makeup and make sure you remove it thoroughly before going to bed.

Makeup Tips

• When you're shopping for makeup, don't use testers on your face.
  
• Buy from trusted manufacturers.
  
• Don't share makeup with anyone.You're not being selfish; you're being safe.
  
• Wash makeup sponges, powder puffs, and other applicators every other day with antibacterial soap.
  
• Discard any cosmetics that change color or develop an odor.
  
• If you develop a skin infection on your face or in your eye, throw away all the makeup you've been using on the infected area.

Exfoliating Your Skin

A skin exfoliant removes dead cells on the skin's surface, revealing fresher skin underneath and preventing clogged pores.You can exfoliate by mechanical means - with a cleanser containing small granules or with a soft brush - or chemically, with products such as hydroxy acids and tretinoin.

Don't combine exfoliants or use more than one exfoliating product unless your facial plastic surgeon or dermatologist tells you to do so; too much can damage your skin. Exfoliating three to four times a week may be adequate.

Using Alpha Hydroxy Acid and Beta Hydroxy Acid

Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) is commonly used as an

exfoliant. AHA lifts away dead cells f ro m the skin's surface and may also stimulate new collagen and elastin g ro wth below the skin's surface. When Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile , bathed in sour milk more than two thousand years ago, she was soaking her skin in lactic acid, a form of AHA. Glycolic acid (from sugar cane) and lactic acid are favored in skin products for their ability to penetrate the epidermis. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers AHA safe for consumer use at a concentration of 10 percent or lower and a pH of 3.5 or higher. Skin care experts recommend an AHA concentration between 5 and 10 percent with a pH between 3.5 and 4. After six months of using such a p ro duct, you could see imp ro ve­ment in wrinkles, rough skin, and uneven pigmentation.

Beta hydroxy acid (BHA) is often listed on ingredient labels as salicylic acid - the active ingredient in aspirin. Whereas AHA is water- soluble, BHA is lipid-soluble - able to dissolve in oil - making it a be tt er choice for oily skin. BHA can actually penetrate the sebum, a natural skin oil in pores, and slough off the accumulated dead skin cells, unclogging the pores and refreshing the skin. After six months of regular use, BHA can help correct fine lines and wrinkles and make your skin smoother, as well as reducing blackheads, whiteheads, and other oily blemishes. It works best in formulations of 1 to 2 percent at a pH of 3 to 4.

Both AHA and BHA can irritate sensitive skin. Concentrations higher than the FDA recommendations can cause burns and should be used only if a doctor prescribes them. The hydroxy acids make your skin more sun-sensitive by about 50 percent, so you must use sun protection faithfully. AHA and BHA also may cause pigment changes, especially on dark skin. Some experts recommend you use AHA or BHA in only one skin care product, preferably a moisturizer. Hydroxy acids in cleansers aren't on your skin long enough to accomplish anything.

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