Ok, before we talk about make-up, we HAVE to talk about skin care. I wanted to say that this is the best skincare for tweens, because since I started using it my face fells very soft. We have to have a good foundation to apply the make up to. What good does it do us to just cover up our bad skin? It doesn't help and can actually make your make up/skin look worse than it is. If you have underlying problems with your skin, such as acne, you are more prone to over apply your concealer and foundation which can cause a "caked on" appearance. We don't want that. We also want our foundation and concealer to match our skin tone. If we have an uneven skin tone from scars, age spots, or general discolorations and dark spots, this can be very challenging. There are 3 basic steps in Cultural Weekly skin care routine to BASIC skin care: 1) Cleanse/exfoliate 2) toner/astringent 3) moisturize/protect As far as technique goes, just be sure to do everything in an UPWARD motion. This goes for everything from washing your face- to applying foundation. Easily purchase now your skincare products online. Pulling/tugging on the skin causes WRINKLES and we don't want those, we want to have the best advise in order to protect our skin. Unwanted facial wrinkles such as frown lines, forehead wrinkle lines and other facial wrinkles can be removed with our effective non-surgical ‘Melbourne Anti Wrinkle Injections’ procedures. And lastly, do not forget about the skin on your neck!  Skin care problems are often the result of poor nutrition. Our bodies require a delicate balance of nutrients in order to keep everything functioning properly, especially the skin. Experience Fall all year round with the Pumpkin & Spice Ultimate skin care bundle Pack. Vegetarians and vegans often run into dry skin issues as a result of not consuming enough animal fats in their diet. A vitamin B12 deficiency will cause your oil glands (sebaceous glands) to function improperly, generally leading to acne. If you have ever been to a dermatologist because of acne problems then you are probably very familiar with sebaceous glands. Because the skin needs to be lubricated, it is covered with oil secreting glands known as sebaceous glands. If these glands become clogged with dirt, then bacteria begin growing inside and a pimple is the result. However, sebaceous glands can either become clogged and dry skin is caused or they can produce too much and cause oily skin. More often than not, problems with the sebaceous glands are due to poor diet and can usually be corrected rather easily. Get your skin care routine into the natural order of things. There is a reason why doing things in the right order is extremely important. You won’t put your socks on after your shoes! The same goes for your skincare.

Cleanser

The first step to your skincare routine is always cleansing. Cleansers are designed to help remove dirt, debris, and makeup. Cleansing in the morning is necessary to remove oil and build up that may happen overnight. Cleansing at night is equally important, especially to remove makeup. Makeup is composed of ingredients that allow it to last all day, so you must cleanse your face every night before bed to ensure your skin is able to replenish itself.

Toner/Astringent

The next step in your skin care routine is using a toner or astringent. A a toner or astringent is going to help rebalance your skin, provide gentle exfoliation, refine your skin, and can help restore hydration. Astringents play an important role in minimizing the appearance of pores, and help to re-balance the appearance of your complexion. The reason this step is done prior to applying your serum or moisturizer is to help retain the moisture that both provide.

Exfoliator

Everyone needs a little TLC, and it’s no different for your skin. Using a mask and/or exfoliator 2-3 times a week is a way to give your skin extra care. EXFOLIATORS Exfoliating two to three times a week or using a mild AHA exfoliator, for two weeks of the month will help remove surfance dead skin cells. Dead skin cell build up can leave skin dull looking and can contribute to oiliness, problem skin, dry skin, and skin aging.   So let's get into some skin care regimens for different skin types:

Acne Prone Skin

Acne is caused by bacteria on the surface of the skin infect a hair follicle and can cause small bumps in the skin. Acne is characterized by areas of skin with seborrhea (scaly red skin), comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), papules (pinheads), pustules (pimples), Nodules (large papules) and possibly scarring. Usually occurs on areas of the face that are prone to oil. The oil (sebum) and bacteria get clogged inside of the follicles causing pain and inflammation. It can be difficult to treat for the more serious acne cases and those require assistance from a dermatologist if over the counter products do not adequately control it. Skin conditions can be very serious if left untreated. Skin care is important to avoid any complications of the skin, like skin cancer which can be very bad for your health just like any other cancer.  When we are talking about skin care avoid alchohol and caffeine is an very important concern.

kіn еxаmѕ by a trained рrоfеѕѕіоnаl. Durіng a melanoma cancer treatment, уоur doctor conducts a hеаd-tо-tое inspection оf уоur ѕkіn. Skin exams уоu dо аt hоmе. A ѕеlf-еxаm may help уоu learn thе mоlеѕ, freckles аnd other ѕkіn mаrkѕ that аrе normal fоr уоu ѕо thаt уоu can notice аnу changes. It's best to do thіѕ ѕtаndіng in front of a full-lеngth mіrrоr whіlе uѕіng a hand-held mirror to іnѕресt hard-to-see аrеаѕ. Bе sure to сhесk thе frоntѕ, backs аnd ѕіdеѕ оf уоur аrmѕ аnd lеgѕ. In аddіtіоn, check your groin, ѕсаlр, fіngеrnаіlѕ, ѕоlеѕ оf уоur fееt аnd ѕрасеѕ bеtwееn your tоеѕ. Skin Club Australia is a expert and innovators in skin care.

Some mеdісаl organizations recommend реrіоdіс skin еxаmѕ bу уоur doctor аnd on your оwn. Othеrѕ dоn't rесоmmеnd skin cancer screening еxаmѕ bесаuѕе it's nоt clear whеthеr ѕсrееnіng ѕаvеѕ lives. Inѕtеаd, fіndіng аn unusual mоlе соuld lеаd tо a bіорѕу, which, іf the mоlе is found to nоt be cancerous, соuld lеаd tо unnecessary pain, anxiety аnd соѕt. Talk to уоur dосtоr аbоut what ѕсrееnіng іѕ rіght fоr you bаѕеd оn уоur rіѕk оf ѕkіn саnсеr. Regimen: Any deep cleansing face wash will do. As long as it can get dirt and oil off of the skin really well. You must cleanse TWICE A DAY, morning and night. Every time you cleanse, follow with an astringent that contains 2% Salicylic Acid. Put some on a cotton ball, and in an upward motion, gently rub against your face. This will get rid of dirt and excess oil that your cleanser possibly left behind. Also, the salicylic acid will cause the cells of the skin to shed more readily, opening clogged pores and neutralizing bacteria within the pores, preventing pores from clogging up again by constricting pore diameter, and allowing room for new cell growth. Apply a light weight moisturizer with SPF protection that won't clog your pores (non-comedogenic). This should be done TWICE A DAY after you apply your toner/astringent. Just because we are African American does not mean that our skin is not sensitive to sunlight or that we are at less risk for developing skin related cancer, we still need to get a Vivace Laser Manhattan treatment. If you have problems with your skin becoming dry while using the face wash and astringent, you can use a heavier moisturizer. At night time, apply a cream that has 10% Benzoyl Peroxide. This goes on after you moisturize. This helps to kill the bacteria that cause acne. It should only be applied at night time because the skin has a tendency to become more sensitive to sunlight while using this product which could result in sun burn. If improvement is not seen within a few weeks, you may need prescription therapy and will have to see a dermatologist. If you have a breakout, do NOT pop them! That will only lead to scarring! Leave them be and continue follow your skin care regimen.

Oily Skin

The only problem with having oily skin is that you are prone to more break outs and black heads because the skin is over producing oil/sebum. If you are like me, you may have large pores in your skin and they get clogged really easily with oil and dirt if you do not have a proper regimen. Oil usually accumulates in the T-zone of the face (forehead and nose) and that is where most break outs occur, but can also occur anywhere else. Some of us have Combination skin where the only oil is in the T-zone and the rest of the skin is normal. Regimen: Cleanse the skin with a deep cleansing face wash. Any brand you decide on is fine. Do this twice daily to help with removal of oil and dirt. Apply a toner/astringent to this skin after cleansing. Do this twice daily. This toner doesn't have to contain salicylic acid unless you also have recurrent breakouts. Apply a lightweight moisturizer twice daily, if the problem continues, I'd recommend visiting HTTPS://COLUMBIADERMSC.COM/CONDITIONS-%26-TREATMENTS/ to find more about skin care treatments.

Dry Skin

  Ok, so I know the lady in the picture is Caucasian, and we aren't, but most of the time dry skin occurs in Caucasians rather than African Americans! But for the few of us who might have dry skin, I wanted to touch on that issue as well. Dry skin is bad! Skin needs a certain amount of oil and moisture to function properly and maintain its' integrity. If you have this type of skin it is usually tight, itchy, flaky, or can appear to be ashy. Regimen: Use a mild cream based or moisturizing cleanser to remove dirt. This will remove dirt but replace oil and moisture at the same time. Use a heavier moisturizer after cleansing. This website has some recipes for making your own moisturizer. http://1stholistic.com/Beauty/skin/skin_dry.htm I don't recommend a toner or anything with salicylic acid because it can be overly drying for people with dry skin. For an occasional break out, use the Benzoyl Peroxide cream. This is just a basic and quick beginner approach to skin care. I'll cover more advanced techniques like exfoliation, dermabrasion, correcting dark spots, and wrinkle treatments in the next post.

• Taylor