Know Your Skincare

It’s pretty safe to assume that skincare is a familiar term to everybody, but it has only been a big part of my routine recently. My regimen only consisted of facial wash and moisturizer—and sometimes an eye cream, and that’s the extent of my knowledge on skincare before. So I was pretty panicked and desperate when my face broke out, and it’s not healing as it would’ve.

So I did some research on what to buy in online stores and trusted the reviews of strangers online. I splurged on countless products—some of them are a complete waste of money, others are a part of my must-haves nowadays. But I’ve only recently noticed that, although I am familiar with which-product-to-use-for-what-skin-problem, I don’t really know anything about the specifics of the products I put on my face and why it is effective for my skin.

So I did another research on the terms and key ingredients on the skincare products I have now. I’m not gonna make it complicated and science-y (duh, I didn’t like science back in high school either so I’m gonna spare you with the scientific terms!), I just thought I’ll tell you what some of these skincare terms basically mean; after all, you really should be knowledgeable of the things you put on your face.

MICELLAR WATER

Micellar is instantly a big thing this year. And who can blame them, it’s a godsend. Apparently, micellar water is composed of these cleansing oil molecules suspended in soft water, which are called micelles. They attract dirt and oil, that is why it is an effective product to help you clean your face from all the dirt accumulated throughout the day.

ACTIVE THYMO-T ESSENCE

For my facial wash, I use the Pond’s Acne Clear Facial Foam. And I’ve been wondering what Thymo-T Essence means and why it’s important enough to be printed in front of the packaging. Basically it is a thyme leaves extract, which has a strong antibacterial effect. Its main purpose is to disinfect and it has a chemical essence that can break bacteria’s cell wall and destroy its root.

TEA TREE OIL

I AM IN LOVE WITH TEA TREE PRODUCTS! If you have acne-prone skin, tea tree is good for you—just make sure not to overuse it or it would dry out your skin or lead to overproduction of your skin’s oils. For seven decades, tea tree has been used to kill bacteria, viruses and fungi; it has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that could help ease your acne swelling, especially if it is about to pop!

WITCH HAZEL EXTRACT

Witch hazel is a plant and extracts from its leaves and barks are mostly used for skin healing and removing excess oil, with its chemical properties made to fight bacteria within the pores. Some people also use it for skin tightening and prevent signs of aging.

BHA

The first time I heard and read about this, I didn’t wanna bother myself because I was pretty sure it would be complicated; turns out it’s not! BHA is also known as Salicylic Acid. Basically its use is preferred for those with oily and acne-prone skin. It has a chemical buildup that gets through the oil clogging the pores, where bacteria accumulates. It’s most effective on targeting blackheads and whiteheads and, although it’s not exactly its purpose, also good in treating your acne because it has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties which also helps lessen redness from acne and helps your skin become smoother even with breakouts.

VITAMIN C SERUM

The first time I bought a Vitamin C serum was out of desperation to rid of my dark spots caused by pimples. And although, it helps in doing so, it’s much more than that. Vitamin C serum helps boost collagen—the protein found in your skin—production, which is good for anti-aging, it protects the skin from sun damage, reduces skin discoloration, and helps in your skin’s healing process!

EMU OIL

I’m not sure how I feel about Emu oil after what I’ve researched about it. It has fatty acids which helps reduce pain and inflammation; this is helpful especially for those with skin problems such as psoriasis and eczema. It stimulates the restoration of your skin cell, and easily penetrates under your skin, which gives a strong moisturizing effect. The only thing that set me off is that this oil is produced from fats of these flightless birds called emu. I’m all for helpful skincare, but I don’t want birds to die for that…

NON-COMEDOGENIC

I’ve been hearing about this everywhere, and without even knowing it, I was actually using a non-comedogenic moisturizer. Comedogenic is a term used for ingredients that tend to block your pores. So when buying your skincare products, make sure you avoid products that contain cocoa butter, pigments and dyes, coal tar, and isopropyl myristate.

Non-comedogenic products don’t, however, prevent acne but it doesn’t clog pores that leads to acne production.

EMULSION

Emulsion has a pretty blurry definition but basically it is a lighter version of moisturizers—although some still use moisturizers after this product for extra hydration, which is still okay. Emulsions are water-based and are used to moisture lock and seal in the nutrients of the essences and serums you have put on beforehand. It’s as simple as that!