Tips to Apply your Cleanser and Toner Properly as Part of your Skin Care Routine

So you bought a complete line of skin care products for your skin and you want to make the most of them? Believe it or not, the way you apply your skin care products can determine the success or the failure of the treatment. We’ll show you how to apply the first two steps on any skin care routine: the cleanser and the toner.

What is the purpose of using a cleanser?

The cleanser is a very important first step on skin care routine, because is set to remove the impurities from the skin. The cleanser has the goal to removing makeup, oil, dirt and grime. Also, it prepares the skin for follow up products.

How and when to apply cleanser? This depends on the skin type. So, most dermatologists recommend applying cleanser twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. Of course, this is a rule for oily skin individuals, but persons with dry skin could skip this step in the morning and use the cleanser only in the evening, according to the severity of the dryness and to what a dermatologist or esthetician indicates during a private consultation.

On the other hand, if you are using the cleanser only once a day, our recommendation is to use a facial cleansing brush for a deeper and better cleansing. Cleansers can come in water based or oil based products. Water based cleansers are suggested for oily skin types and oily based for dry skin types. Depending on how oily your skin, it is suggested to look for a cleanser with Alpha hydroxy acid added, to penetrate through the oily barrier and remove debris from the pores.

What is the purpose of using the toner?

Toner is part of the second step of any skin care routine. After the use of cleanser, the toner has the purpose of restoring the skin’s natural PH and protect the acid mantle (top layer film), that helps skin keep out bacteria and the elements from the environment. Avoid toners with alcohol. Toners will strip the protective film from the top layer of the skin. Toners should be applied before applying a serum or treatment lotion.

Another fact is that the toner helps remove any residual cleanser. Depending on your skin type, active ingredients in toners may vary from the ones with gentle acidic formulations (for dry, oily and combination), to a highly hyaluronic acid formulated (dry or oily), and the ones with antiseptic formulas (especially for acne).

How to use the cleanser and the toner on the skin care routine?

These are the steps to use a water based cleanser:

• Moisten the skin with warm water
• Apply cleanser with the fingertips in a circular motion, on face and neck
• Rinse the face and neck areas with warm water
• Pat dry with a clean towel.

If you are using an oil based cleanser for dry or mature skin, these are the steps you need to follow:

• Apply the cleanser dry on your face and neck, with the fingertips
• Gently massage the cleanser on dry skin, for 20 seconds
• Add a little amount of water and massage for another 10 seconds
• Rinse the face and neck areas with warm water
• Pat dry with a clean towel.

Foaming gel cleansers steps to follow:

• Moisten the skin with warm water
• Apply cleanser with the fingertips in a circular motion, on face and neck
• Rinse the face and neck areas with warm water
• Pat dry with a clean towel.

Even though the cleanser has different steps to use depending on the type of cleanser, all toners are used on the same way. Once you have applied the cleanser, here are the steps to use the toner:

• Saturate a cosmetic cotton pad with toner
• Gently wipe the pad on your face and neck in circular motion
• Avoid the contact with the areas around your eyes.

At Global Skin Solutions we have the perfect cleanser and toner for you

At Global Skin Solutions, we have formulated a line of cleansers and toners for all the specific needs of each skin type. If you would like to have a FREE consultation, to determine your skin type and condition and put together a special treatment, please fill our consultation form and you’ll get a skin diagnosis, for FREE. The following is required:

• Fill out our consultation form
• Sign the photo release form by typing your first and last name
• Upload photos of your face (front, right and left sides).

Send this information to info@globalskincareproducts.com. Once we receive the above, you will be sent a FREE report of our findings, including a customized skin care program.

Tips to Identify if your Skin Care Products have Natural Ingredients

Have you ever bought skin care products that claimed to be based on natural ingredients, and then you sadly realized that this was not the truth, or that you didn’t have a specific desired effect on your skin? This situation happens to the majority of consumers.

A large quantity of cosmetic brands often list natural ingredients only to satisfy consumer request and to sell more. It is reported that you can call a product “natural” as long as the required percentage of natural ingredients is achieved. In some cases, you may even pay more for the inclusion of natural ingredients and not getting the worth you deserve.

Are the natural ingredients better for skin care products?

There are no legal definitions in the U.S. for advertising in terms of “natural” or “organic”, when applied to skin care products. Even though clinical studies have shown the beneficial activity of natural ingredients in skin care products, there is still a shortage of convincing evidence of their efficacy in medical problems.

In fact, some natural ingredients can be harmful, either on the skin or systematically. Individuals that are prone to allergies should pay special attention when it comes to active ingredients to use on their skin. Besides all of this, the preference of the consumer for skin care products with natural or organic ingredients is still rising.

Tips to identify natural ingredients on skin care products and their efficiency

When purchasing a skin care product which claims on its label to have natural ingredients, look for this:

• The natural ingredient should be in major quantity: The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act requires that the active ingredients on skin care products should be listed first, in the order of the one that make up the most of the product in quantity.
• Natural means natural: Natural ingredients are naturally extracted from plants or animal products, and not produced synthetically from a laboratory.
• Be careful with hypoallergenic labeled products: If you are prone to allergies, you have to be extremely careful with skin care products, even if they are labeled as “dermatologist-tested” or “non irritating”, because this doesn’t guarantee that you will not have an allergic reaction.
• Always test the product before using it: This applies also to skin care products with Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) and Beta hydroxy acids (BHA). Test a small amount of the product on a small area of your skin first, and see if you have a reaction.
• Soaps are synthetic, so look for soaps in a Glycerin base: Soap as you know it, is a product entirely based on detergent ingredients. If you decide to use a soap on your skin care routine, better look for handmade soaps, which are made with glycerin, a humectant ingredient which attracts moisture to your skin.

Handmade skin care products have more natural ingredients than the commercial products

If you are looking for products with natural ingredients for your skin care routine, keep in mind that handmade products are better options than the commercial brands. Handmade products always contain a higher concentration and quantity of natural ingredients. Also, pay attention on how your skin reacts and how does it feel after applying these products. Note: test the skin’s dryness.

At Global Skin Solutions we have the skin solution for you

At Global Skin Solutions, we have formulated a line of skin care products with the perfect combination between natural ingredients and synthetic ingredients. If you would like to have a FREE consultation, to determine your skin type, skin condition and a customized skin care regimen to follow, the following is required:

• Fill out our consultation form
• Sign the photo release form by typing your first and last name
• Upload photos of your face (front, right and left sides).

Send this information to info@globalskincareproducts.com. Once we receive the above, you will be sent a report of our findings, including a customized skin care program – FREE.

Is your Skin Dry? Learn the Best Ingredients to Hydrate and Moisturize it!

Even though all skin types have certain needs, each type will vary depending on its ethnic background. Dry skin on darker tones will not have the same characteristics that a Caucasian dry skin has. In a skin market full of products with so many different active ingredients, you have to ask yourself a very important question: is this product formulated for my skin type?

How the environment and other factors affect dry skin?

First of all, many recent research documents show that darker skin tones are prone to water loss from the outer layer of the skin. Here, ethnicity plays a big and influential role on the characteristics of the skin. Individuals who live in regions nearer to the equator, with higher forestation, has less water loss in their skin. This is due the humidity in the air, which is a water source to hydrate skin.

On the other hand, higher temperatures and dry climates affect the skin, making it more prone to water loss. Also, the use of air conditioners in summer and heaters in winter can severely reduce moisture in the skin. Also, it has been reported cold harsh winters, shows more skin damage in darker skin tones when compared to lighter skin tones. This is due to the fact that pigmented skin naturally has less of an endurance to cold weather. Other dry skin factors are: medication, diet with a reduction of “fats”, and minimal water intake.

Ingredients that help hydrate dry skin

Water based products will be an uber-hydrator for dry skin. These agents “wet” the skin’s surface for the purpose of hydration. Labeled “water based” products, normally have deionized or purified water as their first ingredient. Then, there are other active ingredients highly recommended for dry skin:

• Vitamin A: an antioxidant that reduces dead cell cohesion, repairs skin and also improves skin discoloration
• Vitamin B and B3: Vitamin B gives a healthy glow and hydrates skin cells to even out the skin tone, and Vitamin B3 retains moisture, soothes dry and irritated skin, has anti-inflammatory properties and helps even out blotchy skin  
• Vitamin C: this is one of the best healers for dry skin. Vitamin C is not only a powerful antioxidant, but also protects the skin from the impact of UV rays, reduces erythema and promotes wound healing
• Vitamin E: soothes rough, dry skin and reduces harmful effects from the sun
• Niacinamide: increase oil layers in the skin, to improve the outer layer of the skin.

Ingredients that moisturize dry skin

As we said before, the first step to improve dry skin is apply a water-based product. In order to maintain a silky and smooth skin once you hydrate, the second step is to use an oil-based moisturizer. This step locks the water introduced into your skin, forming a film that protects the skin’s integrity.

To moisturize dry skin, there are synthetic oils and natural oils in the market. These moisturizing oils are used as emulsifiers in creams and lotions. Some of the natural oils that you can use to soothe, prevent water loss and moisturize your dry skin, are:

• Shea butter
• Avocado oil
• Wheat germ oil
• Cocoa butter
• Jojoba oil
• Squalene
• Ceramides.

At Global Skin Solutions we have skin solutions specially formulated for dry skin

We have formulated a line of corrective skin care products specially designed to treat dry skin. If you would like to have a consultation, to determine your skin type and skin condition, the following is required:

• Fill out our consultation form
• Sign the photo release form by typing your first and last name
• Upload photos of your face (front, right and left sides).

Send this information to info@globalskincareproducts.com. Once we receive the above, you will be sent a report of our findings, including a customized skin care program – FREE.