bookmark_borderAre You an OTC Skincare Junkie?

If you find yourself doing one of the following, you may be an over-the-counter (OTC) skincare junkie.

  • You end up spending $100 on skincare products each drip to the drugstore.
  • At said drugstore, you go in to pick up a prescription and end up with 3 new cleansers.
  • You’ve exceeded your reward points due to all of the face creams you’ve bought.

The good news it that you can rid yourself of this habit of purchasing endless new items and overspending. One way to do this is to not base everything on looks. Oftentimes you are lured by the pretty packaging or sale prices at your local drugstore. If each trip (once a week) you purchase a new product (at $10 average), you are spending $520 a year on random skincare items. Instead of falling for these visual factors, realize that they are simply a marketing tactic and to resist the temptation.

Another way to avoid becoming an OTC skincare junkie is to do your research. Instead of aimlessly buying a product, you should spend some time reading reviews online to see if the product fits your skincare needs. Check multiple sites, as sometimes opinions can be biased or skewed.

You can also utilize samples (look for coupons in your favorite magazine or the company’s website) to see if you like the product prior to spending a lot of money on it. This is crucial for high-end products, since you won’t want to waste a pretty penny on something you may not like.

Higher-end skincare that cannot be found at the drugstore is generally made with higher-quality and safer ingredients. hence the price point. That $520 you spend on random skincare products that rarely work can instead be used for a yearly supply of a luxurious serum or specialized product.

bookmark_borderThe “Less Is More” Skincare Philosophy

The phrase “less is more” can be applied to a variety of lifestyle situations, including your skincare routine. If piling on a ton of different products or having a cluttered bathroom sink overflowing with skincare bottles sounds like your daily routine, it may be time to simplify.

The “less is more” skincare philosophy focuses on using just a few products religiously. The problem with layering on too many products (especially if you’re not truly knowledgeable on what they do) is that the active ingredients in each can actually cancel each other out or cause reactions such as inflammation or breakouts. Yuck!

Instead of trying and using each and every product out there, figure out what type of skin you have. Typically it falls into the following categories: oily, dry or combination. From there, think of the specific skincare problems you face, which could be things like dryness, clogged pores, or redness. Then choose a few products that work for each skin type and problem.

Ideally you’ll only use 1-5 products at one time, including a combination of the following:

  • moisturizer
  • exfoliating product
  • serum
  • medical-specific creams (for roseacea or bad acne, for example)
  • cleanser
  • toner
  • spot treatments (for occasional breakouts)

Once you’ve identified your top concerns, try out a few products until you find the ones that really work. From there, create a morning and nighttime routine and stick to it. Watch as your skin improves and your bathroom cabinet becomes less cluttered with products.

bookmark_borderJapanese Tea That’s Good For Your Skin

There are a variety of foods with ingredients that are great for your skin, ranging from fruits to nuts. Japanese teas are also a wonderful product that is good for your skin, as they contain skin-healing nutrients and vitamins. Japanese tea includes nutrients like catechin, caffeine, theanine, vitamin C, vitamin E and flavonoids.

Japanese green tea is more than just a delicious thing to drink. The tea is packed with antioxidants, which give the skin a younger and fuller appearance. If you want to delay your aging process and improve the overall quality of your skin, try drinking green tea daily. Chemicals called catechins that are present in green tea significantly improve the activity of SOD (which works to fight the buildup of free radicals in the body)  and therefore provide a large boost to the bodies ability to fight the affect of free radicals.

Green tea has also been linked to helping reduce sun damage. Both animal and human studies have credibly demonstrated that topical green tea formulations reduce sun damage. Green tea appears to exert sun damage protection by quenching free radicals and reducing inflammation rather than by blocking UV rays. Topical applications of green tea extracts (EGCG) have protective effects on UVA- and UVB-induced skin damage (photoaging and carcinogenesis).

In addition to drinking green tea, you can also find it as an active ingredient in various products. Many skin care products, including moisturizers and cellulite creams, are now using green tea as an active ingredient.

bookmark_borderSkin Care Resolutions for 2015

Now that the new year is here, it’s time to start making (and sticking to) a list of resolutions. One resolution that we all could benefit from making is to improve our skin. This could include resolutions such as eating healthier, washing off our makeup before bed, or even trying a new type of skincare product. Here are a few skin care resolutions you could make for 2015- which one are you going to stick to?

  • Eat more healthy, nutrient foods. Certain types of foods- including various types of vegetables, fruits, fish and nuts- can really help your skin. By eating healthily, you are not only helping your body, but also your skin. Research which foods contain healthy vitamins and nutrients you may be lacking and add those slowly into your diet day by day.
  • Wash your face twice daily. With our busy and hectic schedules, it can seem hard to find the time to properly wash our faces daily. Vow to take 5 minutes in the morning and at night to properly cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize your skin. If you only have time for one, choose the latter. Sleeping is when your skin can refresh and rejuvenate, so you don’t want the day’s makeup, dirt and debris clogging up your skin.
  • Try a new skincare product. If your current routine just isn’t cutting it, do your research and splurge on a product with great reviews and proven results. It’s time to treat yourself! Shinso Skincare products are high quality and made from gentle and healthy ingredients.