Stumbling around skincare...

GirlWithBrain

Hi all! Looking for some advice re skincare/make up if anyone can help! I've learned what I know from years of experimentation but I'm hoping to gain a bit more confidence with what I'm wearing and what suits me but I just don't know how to. I've gone to make up counters in the past for help selecting products but often I find they don't really agree with my skin type or that I don't like them after a few hours. Bought a new foundation last week with the help of an assistant in Boots but when I actually tried it on (the day of a family gathering) I felt it looked as if I wasn't wearing any. I find it frustrating to keep buying products and not using them so I've summarised a few questions which I think might help me actually make some progress - I just don't know how to answer them!

1. How do you know which skin type you are? Generally when I wash my face it's dry but within a short period it's pretty oily again; does this mean I have combination skin?
2. When you're selecting a foundation how do you pick between brands? If you go to a Clinique counter for example, they will select a Clinique product for you. But how do you decide to go for Clinique over say Bobby Brown or Max Factor, etc.? Are some brands more suited to certain skin types?
3. Once you do pick a brand, what's the best way to go about picking a particular foundation? Say, choosing the 'lightweight' one over the 'liquid illusion' one - they both offer differing levels of coverage but there's probably a difference between the ones which would suit someone with oily skin as opposed to someone with dry skin or is it just the other products that are used to make these suit your skin (e.g. using a powder to mattify oily skin?)

I could easily be way off the mark with all of my above comments/questions/statements so please feel free to correct me - all help will be appreciated!

Jennypops

GirlWithBrain wrote: »

Hi all! Looking for some advice re skincare/make up if anyone can help! I've learned what I know from years of experimentation but I'm hoping to gain a bit more confidence with what I'm wearing and what suits me but I just don't know how to. I've gone to make up counters in the past for help selecting products but often I find they don't really agree with my skin type or that I don't like them after a few hours. Bought a new foundation last week with the help of an assistant in Boots but when I actually tried it on (the day of a family gathering) I felt it looked as if I wasn't wearing any. I find it frustrating to keep buying products and not using them so I've summarised a few questions which I think might help me actually make some progress - I just don't know how to answer them!

1. How do you know which skin type you are? Generally when I wash my face it's dry but within a short period it's pretty oily again; does this mean I have combination skin? This is probably down to which cleanser/face wash you are using. If its harsh its going to strip your skin and leave it kinda tight and dry feeling. Actually makes oily skin worse as your skin then overcompensates to rehydrate. In general how do you find your skin? Do you suffer breakouts, blackheads, high shine? Is your skin dull, flaky etc? Any broken veins?


2. When you're selecting a foundation how do you pick between brands? If you go to a Clinique counter for example, they will select a Clinique product for you. But how do you decide to go for Clinique over say Bobby Brown or Max Factor, etc.? Are some brands more suited to certain skin types? Its really down to personal preference, each brand should have a few different formulations to suit different skin types but in the most, I would address your particular skin concerns with getting the right basic skincare routine in place, foundation should of course suit your particular requirements but if the underneath is not right then its not going to really do anything. Foundation comes down to what type of coverage you want- and which formula you prefer. Theres some really great foundations out there, that dont cost the earth. Personally I find Make up forever is amazing, as is a Loreal one I use as well called 25 hour wear. Not a fan of clinique in general, asides from their overly harsh skin products I never really thought their foundation was anything special to warrant the price. Bobbi Brown is good and have a fab range of colours.


3. Once you do pick a brand, what's the best way to go about picking a particular foundation? Say, choosing the 'lightweight' one over the 'liquid illusion' one - they both offer differing levels of coverage but there's probably a difference between the ones which would suit someone with oily skin as opposed to someone with dry skin or is it just the other products that are used to make these suit your skin (e.g. using a powder to mattify oily skin?) Powder is primarily to 'set' the foundation, as I said above the routine needs to be there to tackle the oily shine etc. Obviously those with oily skin may need to powder top up but from my experience, and I have oily/sensitive combo, I never need to top up once I apply my foundation with a brush and if going somewhere I know its going to be hot, then some primer underneath. When I do that my base stays perfect all night. Which type of coverage do you like? Have you areas you want to conceal?

I could easily be way off the mark with all of my above comments/questions/statements so please feel free to correct me - all help will be appreciated!

If you start from the basics, and build up from that. You will find that you wont get impartial advice from staff on the counters, they are sales assistants who are there to sell their brand. Granted some may have a qualification in beauty but most work on commission, so thats obviously going to be the most important factor!
Generally with your skin you need to do the following:
Cleanse
Tone
Moisturise & SPF.
Do this twice a day and ensure that you are cleaning skin really properly. Exfoliate once a week, face mask once a week.
Avoid anything with alcohol in it...theres a reason Clinique is a great cleaning product, the amount of alcohol in it! Its the worst thing for your skin, strips it totally...may make you feel lovely and squeaky clean but it just makes oil worse.
If you could pop up some comments on your skin in particular and how you find it I can recommend further.

GirlWithBrain

Hey Jennypops! Thanks for the reply - some really good advice in there. Not really sure where to start about my skin to be honest - it's the bane of my life!

Up until recently, I was using a cleanser with AHAs on recommendation following my last facial (can't remember the name!) but had eye surgery so wasn't allowed use anything in a while bar water (for shame!) and a weekly exfoliation and mask. I do suffer from breakouts though and blackheads but my skin is also quite dull and flaky at times. I don't know though if this is due to my skin being flaky or the make up I have being unsuitable for my skin type. I tend to prefer strong coverage given the tendency of my skin to break out but the last one I got (a Mac one) feels rather heavy - maybe too heavy - especially as I suffer from oily skin. It just feels like I'm clogging my skin instead of enhancing it but I'm not sure where to go with it. Would love to just peel it off and give it a good scrub!

postgrad23

If your skin feels tight after washing and then noticeably oily you could be over-cleansing. I did that for years because I get break outs, but actually it just removes a protective layer from the top of your skin and makes it both dry AND spot prone!

The best thing is to use a gentle cleanser and your skin should look clean but not feel tight afterwards.

My favourite is Botanics cleansing balm. Even though it feels oily, the oils in it are not pore-clogging so it leaves your skin super soft and dissolves away all the grease and dirt. Other gentle cleansers might be as good, it's just the one I've happened upon and it's good value.

I just use cold water to tone, as my doctor recommended.

I think if you try these things you'll find make up sits much better on your face. Dry skin is almost impossible to cover smoothly, for special occasions use a primer if you need to, but these can cause spots!