Amara is a blogger and writer. She has a deep knowledge of holistic health and wellness. She believes in home remedies.

Four Products You Should Never Use on Your Face

We all dream of glowing and flawless skin, and we spend a lot of time and money to keep our skin looking beautiful and young. There are certain products that you might think are good for your face, but they are not!

You might be surprised to learn that things you have been using for years are terrible for your skin. So here is a list of things you should never put on your face.

#1: Bar Soap

You might have used bar soaps on your face before, but actually, bar soaps are not suitable to wash your face with.

According to Healthline, "Bar soaps can be drying. Any cleanser you use on your face needs to have moisturizing ingredients. Most traditional bar soaps don't contain these ingredients and will strip your skin of moisture."

Bar soaps often contain sodium laureth sulfate, a substance that causes the soap to leather well. Unfortunately, this lathering substance can dry your skin. So, you can use bar soap on your body if you want but keep it far away from your face.

#2: Petroleum Jelly

The next thing you get to keep away from your face is petroleum jelly. You may have seen your elders putting petroleum jelly on their faces and lips as a natural moisturizer. But think about it, how can we apply petroleum to our skin?

Petroleum is a substance discovered at the bottom of petroleum barrels.

If you have acne-prone skin, you should avoid putting Vaseline on your face. Doing so may trigger breakouts and can make acne worse.

It can clog the pores, and if you have any history of acne, don't dream about putting it on your face. Some natural products made of bee wax are available at the market, which is an alternative to petroleum jelly.

#3: Body Moisturizer

Body moisturizer is excellent for your body but not so great for your face. Like petroleum jelly, body moisturizers can also clog your pores and can cause skin irritation.

These body moisturizing products also contain other harmful ingredients which are not so good for the sensitive skin of your face. Whenever buying a moisturizer for your face, make sure that it's a good quality facial moisturizer.

#4: Rubbing Alcohol

An article from Healthline reports, "Rubbing alcohol may also make your acne worse. When your skin is dried out from these types of substances, your sebaceous glands respond by making even more oil. This excessive amount of oil, or sebum, can create unintentional acne breakouts. Redness, peeling, and flaking also tends to make acne breakouts more noticeable."

When you put alcoholic toners on your skin, they give you a clean and cold feeling which you may like, but what do they really do? They actually remove all oils from your skin.

People who have really oily skin, or excessive sebum and oil on their skin, use astringents to get rid of these oils, but when they get rid of oil temporarily, their skin starts producing even more oils in response.

So using alcohol-based astringents and toners may make your skin even more oily in the long run. On the other hand, these astringents and toners kill the microbiome of your skin.

The microbiome is made of good bacteria which help maintain the health and condition of your skin. So avoid rubbing these alcohol-based toners and astringents at all costs.

Two Must-Have Skin Care Products

We spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars buying the most expensive and quality products for our skin, but you only need two products to keep your skin healthy, glowing and beautiful.

Skincare companies won't make much money if you buy only two of their products, so they keep on coming with different new products to bombard you with. So let me help you to save your money and improve your skin with these two essential products.

#1: Vitamin C Serum

Vitamin C serum is a must-have. You probably already know that vitamin C is an essential part of a healthy diet. Your daily dose can help boost your immunity and offers several other benefits for your overall health.

You should apply vitamin C serum to your face every morning as it is a powerful antioxidant and fights free radical damage. All day long, your skin is attacked by free radicals, from the food you eat, from the pollution in the air, and your body's daily processing, and an antioxidant fights off these effects.

Applying an antioxidant to your skin protects your skin from this oxidation damage and will help keep your skin young and healthy. You can pick any good quality brand vitamin C serum. If it contains vitamin E along with vitamin C, it's even better because both vitamins together boost each other's effects.

#2: Retinoid

An article from Healthline states, "By now, you've likely heard how amazing retinoids are for the skin — and with good reason! They've been proven in study after study to encourage cellular turnover, stimulate collagen, help treat acne, soften wrinkles, fade pigmentation, and give the skin an overall youthful glow."

The other must-have product is retinoid, which you should apply before going to bed. Retinoid comes in two strengths:

• Prescription-strength Retinoid
• Non-prescription strength Retinoid

The great thing about retinol is that it does pretty much everything anti-aging for your skin, it exfoliates your skin, and it potentially helps to thicken the dermis of your skin. If you've got the issue of thinning skin, then you must try retinol.

Prescription-strength retinoids like Retin-A can even reverse some early skin cancers, so there are a ton of things that retinoids can do.

To use any retinol, test it first and check how your skin reacts to it. If you notice some dryness or redness after using it, use it less often and gradually increase its use as your skin gets used to it.

Retinol moisturizers are really a cornerstone for any anti-aging skincare regimen. You can choose any good quality brand retinol for your skin, as per your choice, and you will notice reversing of the clock, as it's the best scientifically proven anti-aging product you can get.

More on Skin Care

• What Is a Perfect Daily Skin Care Routine?
  What is a perfect morning and night skin care routine? Are you confused? So here is a simple yet most effective daily skin care routine.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2021 Amara

Comments

Amara (author) from Pakistan on August 20, 2021:

Aww Misbah thank you, thank you, thats really very sweet of you.. and Ameen..

Your lovely comment made me smile.. I am glad you liked my hub, and found it informative.

Much love sweet sister..

Misbah Sheikh from The World of Rebels. on August 20, 2021:

Amara this is an Interesting and Informative article about skin care products. Thanks for the suggestions about what to use and what to avoid. By the way beautiful couple and beautiful profile photo. Allah Nazr e bad se bachaye. Ameen! (May Allah protect you from Evil eye. Amen!)

Blessings and Love to you

Amara (author) from Pakistan on August 20, 2021:

Thank you Peggy for your visit and comment. I am glad to know that you liked them.

Have a great day. Much love..

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on August 20, 2021:

Thanks for your suggestions about what to use as well as what not to use on our faces.

Amara (author) from Pakistan on August 19, 2021:

Thank you very much Manatita.

haha yes dear you can call me an expert, as I have a deep knowledge about these things, and my husband is a doctor. Sometimes wife of a doctor becomes half doctor. lolzz

Vit C is not only good for skin it also boost immunity, so its needed more than ever now in these pandemic days.

You must be using soap on your face, and extreme dryness can cause itchy skin condition like eczema or dermatitis etc. I also has skin dryness issue, eventhough I don't use soap. So I also use dermol or photonic tar sometimes.

Thanks for your visit dear.. Gratitude..

manatita44 from london on August 19, 2021:

Thorough! Are you an expert, Amara? So a great job done well!

I have had problems with soap and I did not fancy make up stuff anyway, like most men nowadays. Now I use a doctors product called Dermol as my skin was pretty cracked. I take essential fatty acids and Vit C and a few more things, probably useful to slowdown Covid-19.

Fabulous work, my friend!

Amara is a blogger and writer. She has a deep knowledge of holistic health and wellness. She believes in home remedies.

What Is a Perfect Daily Skin Care Routine?

We all desire clear, perfect, and glowing skin that can look flawless without makeup.

A good daily skincare routine can help you to keep your skin healthy, beautiful, and glowing.

But after reading a dozen of skincare routines all across the internet, how can you decide which one is the most effective? Today, I will share with you a simple yet very effective morning and night skincare routine.

A Perfect Morning Skin Care Routine

Step 1: Cleanse Your Skin

So, the first step you get to do is to cleanse your skin. Do not use bar soap, ever, on your face, as they are extremely drying. There are typically two types of cleanser you should look for.

"And if your skin tends to be oily, you can likely tolerate more cleansing," says Dr. Sandra Lee, aka Dr. Pimple Popper, founder of SLMD Skincare.

"Though most people should be washing their face morning and night, it's essential for those with oily skin to give their face a complete cleanse in the morning," Lee says.

Oily Skin: If you have oily skin, you should look for a foaming cleanser to control the extra oil of your skin.

Sensitive/Dry Skin: If you have sensitive or drier skin, you should look for some hydrating or moisturizing type of cleanser or a gentle milky cleanser.

Step 2: Tone Your Skin

After cleansing your skin, ideally, the next step is toning. Unfortunately, people have been using astringents, which are typically alcohol-based toners. Due to the high percentage of alcohol in them, they make your skin apparently cold and clean. Still, the problem is that the alcohol strips off the oils and the useful bacteria of the skin called the microbiome.

Now, if you have oily skin and use an alcohol-based toner on your skin to get rid of all the skin's oil, what happens?

When you get rid of all the oil, your skin starts producing even more oil. So you might see your skin free from oil for a short time, but in the long term, your skin condition starts getting worse.

The other drawback of astringents or other alcohol-based toners is that it kills the microbiome of your skin, which like the good bacteria of the gut, help to maintain the good health of your skin. And getting rid of good bacteria means replacing good bacteria with bad bacteria, which can cause many other skin issues.

It's not bad to use a toner, but it should be the right kind of toner, like the tea tree toner, as they help maintain the skin's pH. The ideal work of the toner is to re-establish the pH, to allow the skin to be slightly acidic because sometimes the cleanser causes it to go more in a basic direction. So choose the right type of toner and make sure that alcohol is not the main ingredient.

Step 3: Apply an Antioxidant

This is the most important step in the morning skincare routine. A perfect antioxidant for your skin is a Vitamin C and Vitamin E combination.

According to Dr. Rhonda Klein, a board-certified dermatologist in Connecticut, “Antioxidants protect the skin by limiting free radical production, which can damage the skin. With daily use, they can reduce lentigines (sunspots), help combat visible signs of aging, and calm skin inflammations. Several antioxidants provide the skin with hydration and increase moisture retention to help revitalize dull-looking skin.”

Step 4: Apply an Eye Cream

After applying an antioxidant, the next step is to apply an eye cream. When buying an eye cream, it's better to buy a cream with a minor amount of retinol. This helps tighten the skin and moisturize your skin.

Step 5: Apply a Sunscreen

The final step is to apply sunscreen, and ideally, it should be SPF 30 or above, which is what the American Academy of Dermatology recommends.

Dr.Bailey from Bailey's Skincare also recommends "It always goes on after all of your other products, like acne medicine and moisturizers, except makeup.”

An SPF above 30 with a broad spectrum helps block 97% of the sun's rays. You can now also apply makeup after applying sunscreen if you want to.

A Perfect Night Skin Care Routine

Like the morning skincare routine, you have to develop a habit of taking care of your skin at night before going to bed. A nighttime routine is essential for anti-aging and overall skin health.

Step 1: Cleanse Your Skin

Like in the morning, the first step in the night skincare routine is to cleanse your face. It is super important to cleanse your face at night, and if you want to cleanse your face only once a day, then do it at night.

It's necessary to get rid of all the pollution, oils, dried sweat, dirt, and makeup of the skin, let your pores breathe, and let the skin rejuvenate at night. To cleanse your skin, you can choose a foaming or milky cleanser, according to your skin type.

Step 2: Tone Your Skin

Even in the night skincare routine, ideally, the second step is to tone your skin, but if you want to skip any step in the night skincare routine, you can probably skip this one. But again, avoid using astringents and classic alcohol-based toners.

Step 3: Apply a Retinol or Growth Factor Cream

Now, this is the most important step in the night skincare routine: applying an anti-aging cream, ideally a Retinol or a Growth factor or peptides-based cream.

According to a Healthline article, "Retinol (a derivative of vitamin A) has long-proven efficacy when it comes to fighting aging. Apparently, that’s not all it can fight, either. Retinol has actually been used for more than 3,000 years to help address all kinds of health problems, including night blindness."

Retinol should be your first choice as they are scientifically proven to help prevent skin aging, but if you cannot tolerate Retinol, you can go for a Growth factor or Peptide-based cream.

Step 4: Apply an Eye Cream

It's better not to apply an anti-aging cream on your eyes because your eye skin is the thinnest skin of all, and your eye skin can react against it. It is recommended to use a good eye cream that has a minor amount of Retinol in it. It can help your eye skin to stop sagging.

Step 5: Apply a Moisturizer

Now the final step is to apply a moisturizer as needed.

Moisturizing is a very important step if you have oily skin. If you have oily skin, stop at step 4; you do not need to apply an extra moisturizer, but people with drier or thin skin can apply a moisturizer after applying all the products.

Taking care of your skin in the morning and the night can really help your skin look young, beautiful, and glowing for much longer.

More on Skin Care

• Skin Care: 4 Products to Avoid and 2 Must-Have’s
  Here is a list of products which you may have been using for years without even knowing that they are not actually good for your skin, and two essential skin care products which everyone must have.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2021 Amara

Comments

Nian from Pakistan on August 07, 2021:

Welcome Amara.

Many Blessings and Love.

Amara (author) from Pakistan on August 07, 2021:

Thank you very much Manatita, I am glad you liked it.

I will write something on Spirituallity soon in sha Allah.

Its always nice to see your comment.. Thanks for your visit.. Salam..

manatita44 from london on August 07, 2021:

Very good article on skin care, Amara. Mines pretty dry. I did not use anything for years! Now I use some emollients and have cut out soap. Always a joy to read your work. Do some spiritual pieces: poems, essays ... only if you feel the Tao, of course. Much Love.

Amara (author) from Pakistan on August 07, 2021:

That sounds great Miebakagh. Its a good habit.

Amara (author) from Pakistan on August 07, 2021:

Thank you very much Nian.. Thanks for your visit and lovely remarks.. Salam sis..

Nian from Pakistan on August 07, 2021:

Very informative and useful article.

Thanks for sharing.

Miebakagh Fiberesima from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, NIGERIA. on August 07, 2021:

Amara, you're welcome. I do take care of my facial skin day and night.

Amara (author) from Pakistan on August 06, 2021:

Thank you very much Miebakagh. I really appreciate your visit..

Blessings n peace..

Miebakagh Fiberesima from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, NIGERIA. on August 06, 2021:

Hi, it's interesting andta good read. Thanks.