Skincare Basics – Basic Skin Care

The Basics of Skin Care

The skin is considered an organ of the body. This is why it is important to know basic skin care.

The Human Skin

The structures of the skin are surprisingly complex, but they’re mainly composed of the epidermis, the dermis, and the hypodermis. Within these layers are found sensory receptors, hair follicles, sweat pores, and other structures. These structures all help the skin play its role as a protection against unfriendly bacteria and pollution and as a regulator of body heat. They help the skin sense heat, cold, pain and pressure, and thus protects the body from injury. Wow.

Because our skin does so much for us, skin care is so important. Here are a few basics. Follow these…

Some of the most important skin care tips include:

Washing and Moisturizing

Since the skin is so good to its owner, the owner should be good to her skin. This begins for most people by washing the face twice a day – once in the morning and once in the evening.

Soap is perfectly alright, especially for people who don’t wear much makeup. However, soap can have a tendency to dry out skin that’s normal or already dry.

Soap is also basic, while skin is acidic. Non-soap cleansers with a pH right for the skin which is about 5.5 can be used instead of soap. People with extremely dry skin may choose to wash just once per day and use a moisturizer as well.

The Sunshine Vitamin

It’s wonderful to be out on a nice, sunny day, but skin needs protection against the sun because the sun’s ultraviolet and infrared rays irradiate the skin’s DNA and basically destroy it. This damage, and the energy the skin has to put forward to repair it, causes the skin to age prematurely.

Ultraviolet rays are divided into A, B and, C Subtypes. The C rays, which are extremely dangerous and actually can cause mutations, are mostly stopped by the ozone layer. Still, we should protect ourselves even if we need some dose of Vitamin D. UVB is the ray mostly responsible for sunburn, and UVA causes wrinkling.

Sunscreen

No one wants to stay out of the sun forever, nor is that a good idea anyway! Instead, use a sunscreen to protect your skin. Even people with very dark skin tones can benefit from sunscreen.

A key here is to actually wear enough sunscreen – which most people don’t. A teaspoon of sunscreen should be good for the face and neck, while a tablespoon is good for each arm or leg.

Sunscreen should also be applied at least 20 minutes before the person goes out into the sun.

Vitamins/ Skin Creams

Vitamins and minerals applied topically can help protect the skin against UV rays. Skin creams often come with antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E and have other ingredients that help keep the skin supple or make it easier to wash away dead skin cells, dirt, and oils.

Skin creams also help hydrate and hold water in the skin.

Also try to get natural skin vitamins from the food you eat.

Other Parts of the Skin

The skin of the face is not the only area of skin that has to be taken care of. The skin of the hands and the rest of the body should be taken care of as well, and moisturizers should be used as needed.

The best time to apply moisturizer is after bathing when the skin is still damp. Moisturizers or lotions can be used liberally on the arms and legs, which tend to dry out fast. Even heavier moisturizers can be used on the elbows and the heels.

These are just a few aspects of skincare to get you started right! For more, continue reading our articles about skin on this website.