I am 24 years old, and up until recently, I thought I knew how to wash my face. Like, I thought the face wash I was using was AMAZING. And it was, it really was. I was obsessed. But after a lovely facial at Massage Envy, I found out from my esthetician that the face wash I was using is not right for my skin type, and it was actually making my skin really irritated. I didn’t even notice. You may think you’re using the right face wash, but you could be wrong. *Gretchen Wieners voice* I always knew my skin was sensitive but had no idea face wash could possibly be harmful to me. Especially because it’s not like I felt it stinging or ripping my face off. So she told me exactly which type of face wash I needed. I got it, and it DOES feel so much gentler on my skin. My mind was blown, and I decided I needed to ask about the correct face washes for each skin type on behalf of y’all. You’re welcome.
Do not waste any more time using a product that is making your skin worse. I asked a few simple questions for each skin type: What type of face wash you should be using, which face products you should be avoiding, other easy steps you can take to make your skin better, what you’re doing that’s making your skin worse, and which facial is best for your skin type. And to make sure I got an expert opinion, I consulted Diana Morrison, the lead esthetician of Massage Envy. She’s the HBIC who told us 3 easy things we can do for healthier skin.
Skin Type: Well-Balanced Or ‘Normal’ Skin
What type of face wash should I use: Look for a middle of the road cleanser that doesn’t contain harsh exfoliants or too many moisturizing ingredients. A person with normal skin should look for a gentle foamy cleanser. This will allow them to cleanse their skin and remove impurities without stripping the skin of its natural moisture. To take the skin to the next level, I recommend a hydrating toner. This will add additional nourishment and vitamins to keep the skin as healthy as possible.
What types of face products should I avoid: For normal skin, the key is to be gentle. Avoid using aggressive scrubs that will over exfoliate the skin and leave it irritated and dry. The goal is to maintain balance.
Is there anything easy I could be doing that could make my skin better?: The ABC method is essential for people with normal skin. The A, is a vitamin A, like a retinol for use at night. This can help promote cellular rejuvenation while we sleep and keep skin youthful. The B is a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Everyone should be wearing an SPF 30 every day. Even if you are not spending a lot of time outside, it is important to protect your skin. Try to look for a sunscreen that has extra benefits like hydration, or a moisturizer that has SPF. C is for Vitamin C, which is essential for healthy skin. I recommend using a Vitamin C day serum. Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen, which is the building block of our skin.
Anything I might be doing that could be making my skin worse?: The most important thing is to find balance in your skincare. Have fun with your regimen, but don’t over do it. At home, face masks can be beneficial, but over exfoliating will leave the skin dry and flakey. It’s also important to not pick at breakouts and spread bacteria. You should also avoid tanning. There are many disadvantages to tanning but what most people don’t know is that the UVA and UVB rays activate enzymes that eat away at the collagen in the skin. Collagen is the building block of the skin and essential for maintaining a youthful, plump, healthy complexion.
What type of facial is best for me: Someone with normal skin should look for a vitamin-rich facial to rejuvenate, nourish, and refresh skin. At Massage Envy, our Healthy Skin Facials incorporate Murad’s Multi-Vitamin Infusion Oil to give skin a dose of vitamins A-F.
Skin Type: Dry
What type of face wash should I use: Someone with dry skin should stick to a creamy cleanser. It is important to gently cleanse the skin without stripping away oils. Infusing hydration with a cleanser will also help keep the skin nourished. Micellar water can be used as an alternative cleanser for dry skin.
What types of face products should I avoid: It is best to avoid mattifying products that are meant to dry out the skin. Salicylic acid has a lot of benefits but is simply too harsh for someone with dry skin. Stay away from anything that will accentuate dryness. Even when using makeup, heavy powders will dull out the skin. For the best results, use products that add luminosity and give a healthy glow.
Is there anything easy I could be doing that could make my skin better?: Facial oils can be a lifesaver for people with dry skin. Using the right amount in the morning will allow the oil to absorb into the skin, giving a plumping and luminous glow. It is also important to moisturize often and drink a lot of water. Healthy skin can start from the inside out.
Anything I might be doing that could be making my skin worse?: Over-exfoliating is dry skin’s worst nightmare. A lot of people with dry and flaky skin try to over exfoliate it to get rid of dead skin cells. But in reality, they should be moisturizing and hydrating internally and externally.
What type of facial is best for me: A healthy skin facial works best for people with dry skin. Enzyme facials yield amazing results. The enzymes act like pacman and gently digest the old, dead surface cells on the skin. This allows moisturizers to absorb better and help with an overall healthy glow.
Skin Type: Oily
What type of face wash should I use: Foam cleansers work best for people with oily skin to remove oil, makeup, and sunscreen. Look for foam cleansers with lactic acid and salicylic acid. They remove impurities and tend to be a bit more drying, which helps control oil production while leaving the skin feeling clean.
What types of face products should I avoid: When it comes to oily skin, it is all about finding a balance in oil production. Anything too occlusive will not let your skin breathe and can lead to clogged pores and acne.
Is there anything easy I could be doing that could make my skin better?: For oily skin, I recommend a corrective serum. Topical products with AHAs like glycolic acid or lactic acid work throughout the day to help dissolve buildup and impurities in the skin. Salicylic acid also has many benefits. It helps balance the skin while acting as an anti-bacterial to effectively kill breakouts.
Anything I might be doing that could be making my skin worse?: The worst thing for oily, acne prone skin is to pick at breakouts. Most of the time, our bodies detoxify the breakout internally and can clear it up on its own. However, if you do decide to manually extract a breakout, make sure the skin is soft. It is important to be as safe and clean as possible when extracting breakouts. A misconception about oily skin is that you do not need a moisturizer. However, people with oily skin need the balance of a squeaky-clean feel and moisture. I recommend a lightweight, water-based moisturizer that will leave the skin looking balanced and healthy.
What type of facial is best for me: Massage Envy’s Microderm Infusion treatment is effective for people with oily skin who do not have active breakouts.
Skin Type: Combination Skin
What type of face wash should I use: For combination skin, it is important to treat the dry and oily parts of the skin differently. I recommend a double cleanse. First, use a light, foamy cleanser that is not too drying. Then, use a corrective cleanser with a benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to treat oily and congested areas. The cleansers are most effective when paired with a corrective toner.
What types of face products should I avoid: With combination skin, it is important to find a balance. I do not recommend using anything that is too drying or too moisturizing.
Is there anything easy I could be doing that could make my skin better?: I recommend using a corrective serum. Anything with glycolic acid AHA works well with combination skin. I would pair this with a light moisturizer that is water-based and nourishing.
Anything I might be doing that could be making my skin worse?: Using any product that treats one extreme or another can have negative results on the skin.
What type of facial is best for me: A chemical exfoliation helps yield the best results for combination skin. Massage Envy offers Healthy Skin Facials that are personalized for the client’s skincare needs. Microderm Infusions also work to give a gentle exfoliation and clear the surface of dead skin cells.
About Diana Morrison (Lead Esthetician of Massage Envy):
Diana Morrison is the Lead Esthetician of Massage Envy. She has been a dual licensed massage therapist and esthetician for over 10 years. Diana has practiced in multiple modalities, including both spa and clinical treatments, such as highly experiential facial and body wrap treatments, advanced skin care such as microdermabrasion with a chemical peel, dermaplaning, high frequency.
There are certain beauty products we as betches can never get enough of—tanning lotions, hair masks, and occasionally, a good set of falsies will truly amp up our chances of getting triple-digit likes on Insta and a “U up?” text at 3am. Since we obviously can’t ever have nice things and all good things must come to an end eventually, the truth is some of these daily life-changing beauty hacks are causing you more harm than good if used excessively—and this is most likely case. Turns out the stars are against us (fucking shocker) and using too much of the things we swear by is secretly ruining our lives. I guess better late than never, right? So, here’s everything you def use on a regular basis you should probs chill out with so you don’t end up with fugly breakouts or scarred skin.
1. Primer
Primers are our best friend but secretly a backstabbing, scum-sucking road whore. I know it makes our skin look amazing by hiding any evidence that we’re slowly becoming ancient and covering up pimples the same size as some third world countries, but primer is also composed of sneaky silicones. Silicones make your face look hella smooth, but by doing so, block pores and cause a buildup of sweat and oil which increases acne. Vom. Use sparingly and be sure to wash thoroughly before bed.
2. Cleansing Brushes
Cleansing brushes are only relevant because we’re too lazy to use our fucking hands to wash our faces, so we use a brush instead of exerting any form of energy. While this concept seems like a good idea when you’re trying not to fall asleep with makeup on (again), using cleansing brushes too often actually roughens up your skin. This can cause v serious skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis, both of which fucking suck. Believe me. Try not to use your Clarisonic more than a couple times a week.
3. Hair Masks
Pampering your hair is great and all, but it def needs a break in between washing and using masks. Honestly, no matter how much you love it, you should only use a hair mask once a week. More than that can weigh your hair down, leaving it flat and super oily. If you find yourself flying through dry shampoos, make sure you’re using one specifically for your hair type and leaving it in for the appropriate time.
4. Eyelash Extensions
Falsies are deceiving, to be blunt. Sure, your thotness is amplified more than ever, but honestly, unless you’re a cougar on Real Housewives, the whole process is expensive and like, a fuck ton of responsibility. I can’t even remember to eat dinner before a nightly planned blackout, how the fuck am I going to remember to upkeep my goddamn eyelashes? Even the organic/vegan/gluten-free/whatever “healthy” extensions can damage your natural lashes since they’re literally glued on. Eventually your natural lashes will like, fall off and be damaged forever so if you reaaally have to, try a one-time use to stay clear of looking like this:
5. Scrubs
Exfoliating is pretty much essential for fab skin, but since scrubs often contain beads (which can hurt like a motherfucker), they can literally scratch off your skin and expose extra fresh layers to bacteria. Um, how about not? Too much of that can cause like, really bad shit to happen, such as bleeding and scarring so only use once or twice a week max. In the words of TLC, sing it with me:
6. Self-Tanner
We can prevent cancer if we still want to be tan year-round by using fake tanners (cool), but that doesn’t clear us from encountering other skin problems when we try to use self-tanner at home. Try to use a self-tanner only once a week, regardless of how strong the temptation is. Any more than that can make your skin peel off like Samantha in Sex and the City. Like, ok, just fuck me up. I’ll just be pale and ghostly for nine months out of the year. It’s fine. It’s fucking fine.
PSA: St. Ives Apricot Scrub is even more nefarious than you thought it originally was when you found it in your mom’s bathroom cabinet and decided to use it because you were desperate. Even though it was covered in mildew. And from 1994.
Apparently two losers with too much time on their hands consumers filed a class-action lawsuit against Unilever (who owns the St. Ives brand) claiming that the product is “unfit to be sold or used as a facial scrub” and “completely worthless.”
If only you could sue other things (people) for being “completely worthless.”
Here’s the gist: Some dermatologists and exfoliant enthusiasts report that the walnut shell powder within the scrub actually tears holes in your skin and can lead to infection and, even worse than death, premature aging.
In response, St. Ives said, “We can say that for over 30 years, consumers have loved and trusted the St. Ives brand to refresh and revitalize their skin. We are proud to be America’s top facial scrub brand and stand by our dermatologist tested formula.”
Honestly, kind of sounds like they hired Donald Trump to write the statement and then just took out words like “SAD!” and “NICE!” and “TITS!”
In other news, someone alert Gigi Hadid.
Everything you need to know about the St. Ives lawsuit: https://t.co/FhKBhRUQkM pic.twitter.com/7ClSlf5HPd
— Glamour (@glamourmag) January 4, 2017
