Nowadays the choice of skincare products is so wide that not everyone is able to correctly select and match them to satisfy all skin’s needs. It’s time to take a closer look and examine the most common three: face serum, creams and oils.
Do you know what makes face cream and face serum different? Should both skincare products be used together or are they supposed to be treated as the replacements for each other? When is it worth swapping cream for oil, and is oil always effective? It’s better to know the answers to these questions because they keep arising every time we visit a drugstore and stand in front of a shelf that is heavy on new skincare arrivals.
Skincare products and their types
The diversity in skincare products comes from the different sets of effects that are able to produce, their various textures, countless formulations and numerous application methods. Their key benefits make yet another factor which differentiates the skincare products. Listing the products designed for skin and body seems to be the easiest.
Skin care products
- face cream – its key task is to moisturize and nourish the skin, but it’s worth realizing that face cream affects only the superficial skin layer by creating a thin protective coating.
- face serum – greater effects are shown by face serum whose watery consistency is made up of tiny particles to facilitate easy skin penetration in order to start working from the inside. The greatest advantage of face serum over a face cream is the highly concentrated formula: one drop of serum offers far more nutrients than the same amount of face cream.
- face oil – this is a natural emollient (no matter if we talk about just one oil or an oil blend) responsible for preventing water loss, soothing irritations, brightening and protecting the skin. A huge advantage of vegetable oils is their diversity, which means that everyone can find an oil that suits their needs best.
- skin toner – although being rather a forgotten skincare product, skin toner should be used on a daily basis to restore skin’s pH after washing and relieve any possible skin irritation that may occur afterwards.
- face mist – surveys show that we’re more eager to use it in the summer because face mist gives us the feeling or freshness and cools the skin down a little bit. It’s worth realizing that face mist delivers skin-nourishing benefits which are really short-lived.
- facial mask – this product has numbers of forms (e.g. cream, sheet, peel-off) and is responsible for dealing with many skin concerns, with one difference – it always delivers stronger effects than a regular face cream. It’s advised to apply a face mask once in a while to supply the skin with a nutrient boost.
- facial scrub – when it comes to skincare products facilitating removal of dead skin cells then facial scrub is the answer. When it comes to face skin in particular, the product should be either enzymatic or contain fine abrasive particles to prevent irritation. What’s important, facial scrub can be prepared at home using for example oat flakes and vegetable oil.
Body care products
- body balm – the equivalent of a face cream for body care is body balm, which is a product characterized by a thick and heavy texture. Its main task focuses on replenishing skin with water to prevent dryness and ensure smooth skin effect. Some body balms offer extra effects such as tanning, improving skin’s resilience or slimming the body.
- body scrub – used definitely less often than a body balm, body scrub is supposed to exfoliate dead skin cells and leave the skin maximally smooth. If applied correctly, it stimulates blood flow and reduces cellulite together with stretch marks.
- massage oil – skin’s appearance can be improved also due to regular application of vegetable oils that are also suitable for a relaxing and slimming massage. Oils can be used as a replacement for body balms in order to keep high hydration levels in skin.
Products to use for skincare
Choosing the skincare products depends on our needs and personal liking. Application of all products at once doesn’t make much sense – the human skin is minimalist, which means that the less products you apply, the better.
The tricky thing though is to find a high quality and efficacious skincare product. If you want to give face serum a go, make sure it matches your skin type. This means that a hyaluronic face serum should be used to treat dry skin, whereas vitamin C face serum should be chosen to reduce pigmentation, etc. When it comes to face or body oil, it must be all-natural, cold-pressed and unrefined since only this type of oil contains the highest concentration of precious nutrients.
