Are facial products a must?
It depends. Facial products can help remove dirt from pores. But on the other hand, they may also irreversibly damage the oily excretion layer on our faces, which is believed to be capable of protecting our skin from dehydration. So, ideally, just clean tap water will do. However, if you live in an environment with long exposure to artificial heating or cooling or if the tap water available for you is rather “
hard”, i.e., with a large content of calcium and magnesium, it may be a good idea to use facial products.
Which product should I use?
Cleansing products
There are different types of facial products, ranging from foam to lotion and to cream. Foam cleanser has the finest detergent ions capable of penetrating deep into the skin pores to displace the dirt. It’s often heard, however, that users complain about the dryness and tightness of their skin after using a foam cleanser. To solve the problem, health experts suggest that users also apply moisturizer on their face after using foam. Compared with foam cleanser, facial cleansing milk can be more effective in moisturizing. Besides, cleansing milk is also a good choice for eliminating cosmetics and off makeup oil. For users, apart from a careful study of the instruction provided by the manufacturer, it’s also a good idea to try it first on other parts of the body.
Toner
Toner, applied after cleansing, may serve to balance the pH value of skin (the most preferable value is 5.5). Moreover, quality toner products can also remedy water loss after using facial cleanser and boost absorption of other skin care products. Elderly users of whitening and anti-wrinkle fruit acids, however, are advised to remain alert concerning skin irritation.
Essence
There’s a large variety of essence products available on the market, some touting themselves as whitening and moisturizing, and others as anti-oxidizing, anti-aging and anti-wrinkling. Consumers should have good knowledge about their own skin and make choices based on their actual needs rather than whether or not a certain product is a famous brand. Moreover, essence is not something for constant daily use. It is found to work better if used intermittently (say, with intervals of one month).
Sunscreen lotion
Sunscreen lotion is quite useful for elderly lovers of outdoor activities. On the market, such products are always available with different sunlight protection factors (SPF). Generally speaking, the higher the UV index, the higher the SPF value required. For instance, when the UV index is at 6 or 7, one needs a sunscreen lotion with a SPF value of 15 PA++ or even higher. Nevertheless, it’s naive to believe that using appropriate sunscreen lotion can give you 100% protection. In baking sunlight, sun-protective clothing, hats and glasses are also a must.
Facial mask
Many people have the habit of applying facial masks regularly. Dermatology specialists advises that we should not apply masks to our face too often or for too long. General speaking, it is recommended by most products that they should be used 2 to 3 times a week, 10-15 minutes on each occasion, but of course it also depends on the skin type of individuals. If masks are used too often, the situation would be similar to that in housewives’hands when the epidermis (protective layer) dissolves after being exposed to water too frequently, hence weakening its function to retain water. It is also like excessive licking of the lips resulting in the thinning and peeling of the lips and difficulty to retain water but easy to get dry. Everyone's skin is different including its susceptibility to adverse situations. For elderly persons and during dry winter days, it is always advisable to use more moisturizing skin products.
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