Sometimes less is more when it comes to skin care

I have found out that if I do too much for my skin it becomes dry, red, and I get more small pimples. If I do nothing then I occasionally get pimples. What do you recommend?

You may be using products that are actually irritating your skin. Normally when you do extra steps to take care of your skin, it will show this care and look more radiant and healthy. That you are having the opposite experience may reflect poorly on your products, but then again, it may just be how your skin is. I recommend finding a place to get a facial in your area. Then you can have someone take a good look at your skin and give you advice on how best to take care of it. Be sure to take your products in to show the aesthetician. She may have some insight as to the types of products you are using and why you are having such negative results.

Doing “too much” in almost any area can do more harm than good. Too much exercise (especially done incorrectly) can cause injuries. Eating too much food can overload your digestive system and cause anything from indigestion to constipation, weight gain and more. Too much stress? We all know about that! And when it comes to your skin, doing too much may indeed cause problems. But this is especially true—and inevitable—if the products you are using are inappropriate for your skin type and/or meant to “dry things out.”

Your skin will always tell you whether it likes a particular product or not. If you ever feel irritation, burning, or any sort of tingling sensation—and definitely redness upon application, this is your skin telling you it does not accept that particular product. If, just like this emailer, your skin becomes dry and red, it could be an allergic reaction. Even if an allergy is not the case, it is certainly your skin rebelling.

Getting small pimples with overdoing may go along with an allergic reaction. Again, it could just be a simple intolerance to the product being applied. Getting small blemishes with no skin care routine, that is exactly what can happen for sure! Keeping the skin clean—at the very least—is the most important thing you can do, along with keeping your skin hydrated, in order to keep problems from occurring.

I’m not a big believer in doing a lot to your skin nor using dozens of different products every day. If you like doing a lot, then by all means go for it. What I do and what I instruct my clients to do for optimal skin care is fairly basic. I recommend what I term The Basics (daily cleansing, toning, and hydrating) and The Extras (weekly exfoliating and clay masking). I think if you accomplish some or all of those steps you can achieve the healthy skin you’re looking for.

For more information, see:

• The Basics 1-2-3 Program for proper skin care
• Determining Skin Type 
• Product talk with a new client: Helping her with Yonka specifically and her routine in general