Study Guide

‘Build Your Biz’ Boot Camp: Skincare

Part 1 Study Guide

Basic Facial Routine and Elements

Most experts recommend consistently following a daily skin care routine. Such a routine does not have to be complicated or time consuming. It can be performed by itself or as groundwork for more advanced skin care treatments.

Typical steps

A typical skin care routine would include the following steps: washing/cleansing, toning (optional depending on skin type), moisturizing and sun protection.

For most people, performing the routine twice daily is optimal. Some people with dry and/or sensitive skin may do better with once a day washing/cleansing while moisturizing two or more times a day. Some experts feel that exfoliation should also be part of a basic routine. However, daily exfoliation may be excessive and may lead to chronic irritation in some people. Exfoliation once or twice a week is usually sufficient. People with fast natural epidermal turnover may need less or none at all.

Protection from ultraviolet light (both UVA and UVB) is critical for any skin care routine. At a minimum, make sure you follow basic sun protection guidelines. A good UNA+UVB sunscreen should be applied on top of your moisturizer or other treatments as a final step of your routine whenever sun exposure is expected. Some people use skin care products or cosmetics with added UV blockers. It is definitely better than no sun protection at all and a time saver too. However, using a separate, specially formulated sunscreen appears to be more effective.

Optimize for your skin type

The steps of the basic routine should be adjusted to fit your skin type. You should keep in mind that your skin type may change with the season, diet and age. In particular, the skin tends to be oilier in the summer and drier in the winter. Menopause often brings about a change from oily or normal to dry skin. Conversely, a shift from a low-fat diet to that rich in certain fats (particularly essential fatty acids) may turn dry skin to normal. Skin pigmentation affects the degree to which you need sun protection. While sun damages any skin, the damage is far less in dark-skinned people. Conversely, fair skinned people need to be particularly meticulous about sun protection, i.e. minimizing sun exposure, choosing an effective sunscreen and applying it frequently and consistently.

You should determine your skin type before you settle on a routine. As time goes by, adjust your routine if your skin type changes.

Applying advanced/active treatments

For maximum skin care benefits, the basic routine is usually insufficient, especially for people over thirty. Adding a well-selected product or two with wisely chosen, scientifically proven active ingredients can further improve your results. However, the benefits of advanced skin care products partly depend on whether you properly integrate them with your basic routine. In particular, if you apply products to the skin that has not been cleansed, the penetration of active ingredients is reduced. If you cleanse, moisturize and then apply advanced products, the penetration of active ingredients may still be reduced because the moisturizer has occluded some the entryways.

The best time to apply active products is right after you washed/cleansed, rinsed and slightly patted your skin with a towel, i.e. when your skin is clean, warm and still slightly moist. Since many of the active products have moisturizing ingredients, you can usually forego a separate moisturizer whenever you apply such a product. If you feel that you need additional moisturizing, wait a few minutes for the active product to absorb, and then apply your favorite moisturizer over it.

Cleansing

The purpose of washing/cleansing is to remove dirt, makeup, grime, contaminants and so forth from the surface of the skin. Proper cleansing not only removes impurities but also clears the way for the penetration of active ingredients you may want to apply afterwards. Cleansing may be beneficial or damaging, depending on how you do it.

Most people should cleanse their face twice a day, usually in the morning and before going to bed at night. It is best to use warm (lukewarm) water and a mild cleanser (free of harsh detergents, soaps, alcohol or other irritants). Here is the key steps and recommendations to follow:

• Gently run cleanser all over your face with your fingertips for about 20-25 seconds
• Splash running warm water in your face several times to rinse off the cleanser until there is no more residue on your skin. Do not direct the stream of water onto your face.
• Take a clean towel and gently pat your face. Make sure it remains moist.
• Apply a moisturizer or an active skin care product of choice onto clean, moist skin. Massage product into your face by gently tapping with your fingers until it is absorbed. No pulling or tugging.

Toning

Toning is often touted as an essential step in a skin care routine. It is not. At least not always. The only exception is very oily skin. If you have oily skin and after cleansing it remains sticky or oily, you might benefit from applying toner after cleansing. Otherwise toning may do more harm than good.


Most toners contain alcohol and/or witch hazel. Both are drying and irritating, especially if you have dry or sensitive skin. If you still feel you need a toner, use a soothing toner free of alcohol or witch hazel, such as alcohol-free toner with Chamomile.


You do not want to strip every last molecule of oil from your skin. Only grime, makeup and excess oil on the surface needs to be removed. The underlying thin coat of fresh sebum is best left undisturbed. Toners, especially alcohol-based ones, tend to strip everything off, leaving the skin dry and/or irritated.


Moisturizing
Contrary to popular belief and opinions of some experts, moisturizing is not a universal "must do" of basic skin care. Not everyone needs moisturizing. In fact, poorly selected and misused moisturizers may do more harm than good.


People with oily skin do not need to moisturize because the abundant sebum they produce has more than sufficient emollient and moisturizing effect. People with normal skin do not necessarily need to moisturize since they too produce enough sebum and other natural emollients and humectants. Under some circumstances (e.g. dry climate, frequent water exposure, etc.) people with normal skin may want to apply an oil-free moisturizer after cleansing to prevent the development of dry skin. Moisturizing does benefit dry skin (and dry areas of combination skin) by improving the skin's barrier function, reducing irritation, sensitivity as well as creating a plushier look. However, moisturizing alone does not seem to have a major impact on the development (and prevention) of wrinkles and other signs of skin aging.


If you feel you need to moisturize, make sure you pick the right type of moisturizer for your skin type. Otherwise you may do more harm than good.


Exfoliation
Exfoliation is a technique where the layer of mostly dead epidermal cells on the outer surface of the skin (a.k.a. stratum corneum) is removed to expose fresher mostly living cells. Potential benefits of exfoliation include fresher, brighter looking skin, better penetration of active ingredients of skin care products and, for people with excessively oily skin, a varying degree of reduction in oil secretion.


It is debatable whether exfoliation reduces file lines, but it generally does not improve significant wrinkles since its effects do not reach the dermis where wrinkles are formed.
Routine exfoliation should not be confused with deep chemical peels, laser peels and other semi-invasive wrinkle treatments methods. The idea of such methods is not to strip the dead cells from the epidermis (as routine exfoliation does) but to create controlled trauma to the dermis, the deeper layer responsible for structural integrity of the skin. The subsequent wound-healing response and skin remodeling help to wipe out some of the wrinkles. Procedures like deep chemical peels are aggressive treatments to be done infrequently by trained professionals. Their mechanism of action is different -- they are not simply intense versions of routine exfoliation.


Now that the terms are clear: Is routine exfoliation beneficial and who can benefit? The benefits of adding exfoliation to a skin care routine are not universal. First, the skin undergoes continuous natural exfoliation anyway. If it weren't, the skin would be inches think because continuously produced new epidermal cells (keratinocytes) would accumulate. Epidermal cell turnover and the resulting natural exfoliation are more rapid at a young age. Therefore, young people generally do not benefit from exfoliation and are more likely to suffer its side effects. Even some people in their 30-s and 40-s have naturally high cell turnover and may not benefit from routine exfoliation. On the other hand, many people over thirty develop dull, lifeless looking skin because their stratum corneum (topmost layer consisting of dead cells) becomes too thick. This group is likely to benefit from routine exfoliation. Since exfoliation sometimes reduces the production of skin oil (sebum) people with excessively oily skin may benefit too, especially if they exfoliate with beta and/or alpha hydroxy acids. On the other hand, exfoliation may cause further irritation in people with dry and/or sensitive skin, who should either refrain from exfoliation or use mild exfoliants infrequently.

‘Build Your Biz’ Boot Camp: Skincare

Part 2 Study Guide

Basic Skincare for Different Skin Types

Normal Skin Basics

The more normal your skin is, the less basic maintenance it needs. Unfortunately, perfectly normal skin is almost as rare as perfect health. Most people have some elements of dryness, oiliness, acne or other irregularities. If your skin is normal, your basic routine can be very simple.

• Cleanse twice a day with a soap-free cleanser. Avoid cleansers and toners with alcohol, soaps or harsh detergents.
• After cleansing apply oil-free or low-oil/non-greasy moisturizer while the skin is still damp. This step is optional. Not everyone with normal skin necessarily benefits from moisturizing. You have to weigh the negatives of applying unnecessary chemicals versus the possibility that skipping the moisturizer after cleansing may contribute to your developing dry skin some day.
• Use sunscreen whenever sun exposure is expected.
• Optionally, use a moisturizing or exfoliating mask once a week.

Oily Skin Basics

Oily skin produces excessive amounts of sebum, a lipid-rich protective substance. A good thing about oily skin is that it is usually well-moisturized due to its own protective oil. The downside is that it may look shiny or dirty and tends to develop large pores and be prone to acne.

Oily skin routines usually include the following recommendations:

• Wash your skin twice a day with a cleanser containing an alpha-hydroxy acid that reduces sebum production.
• Generally, people with oily skin shouldn't moisturize. If you feel you have to, apply oil-free moisturizer after cleansing.
• Use oil-free sunscreen whenever sun exposure is expected.

Combination Skin Basics

Combination skin means what you would think it does: the skin with areas of dryness and oiliness. Typically, people with combination skin have oily T-zone (forehead and nose area) and dry cheeks.

Combination skin routines usually include the following recommendations:

• Treat oily and dry areas differently. Treat your scalp as well.
• Wash your skin with a mild cleanser twice daily.
• Switch to anti-dandruff shampoos (e.g. pyrithione zinc or selenium sulfide shampoos) and/or anti-yeast shampoos (e.g. ketoconazole shampoo). Use every other day until dandruff and other symptoms are under control; use twice a week after that.
• After washing apply oil-free moisturizer (you can moisturize dry areas only). You can also apply oil-free moisturizer to dry areas throughout the day as needed.
• Use oil-free sunscreen whenever sun exposure is expected.

Dry Skin Basics

Whereas very little rigorous research has been conducted on the relationship between skin dryness and premature skin aging, most experts agree that chronically dry skin is not a good thing. Dry skin can be caused by such varied factors as dry climate, menopausal decrease in estrogen levels, acne treatments (such as benzoyl peroxide or retinoids) and others. Sometimes the cause can be found and easily eliminated. At other times, it cannot.

Dry skin routines usually include the following recommendations:

• Cleanse your skin once or twice a day with a moisturizing, soap-free cleanser. Never use cleansers or toners with alcohol, soaps or harsh detergents.
• After cleansing apply moisturizer while skin is still damp to help seal moisture.
• It is best to use non-greasy moisturizers. However, as opposed to oily and normal skin types, dry skin moisturizers may contain some oil or similar hydrophobic emollients.
• If your skin becomes dry again soon after moisturizing, you may need a long-lasting moisturizer. Certain ingredients make moisturizers last longer.
• Some people with dry skin may benefit from a moisturizing mask once a week.
• Use sunscreen whenever sun exposure is expected.
• Drink plenty of water. Eight glasses a day is generally recommended.
• Avoid exposure to harsh detergents, whether directly or via clothing washed in harsh detergents. Sometimes one can improve dry skin by simply abandoning the use of shower gels and/or changing the brand of laundry detergent.

Sensitive Skin Basics

Many people have reaction to potential irritants, such as harsh detergents, alcohol, acidic skin care products, makeup removers and the like. This does not necessarily mean their skin is truly sensitive. Reactions to known potential irritants are considered to be within the range of normal. True skin sensitivity (i.e. hypersensitivity) is relatively uncommon. Hypersensitive skin would often react not only to potential irritants, but also to generally nonirritating substances as well as heat, cold, wind and so forth. If you think you have hypersensitive skin, see a dermatologist to rule out skin condition with similarities to genuine hypersensitivity (e.g. rosacea or eczema). Such conditions may require specialized treatment.

Sensitive skin routines usually include the following recommendations:

• Use products that contain as few preservatives, fragrances, colorings and other redundant ingredients as possible.
• Avoid toners. Most toners contain alcohol and/or other irritants.
• Avoid harsh detergents, both in your shower and in your laundry.
• After cleansing apply a gentle moisturizer. Do it while skin is still damp to help seal the moisture.
• Clean your skin once or twice a day with alcohol-free, soap-free, moisturizing cleanser.
• Use hypoallergenic oil-free sunscreen whenever sun exposure is expected.

‘Build Your Biz’ Boot Camp: Skincare

Part 3 Study Guide

What's Your Concern?

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‘Build Your Biz’ Boot Camp: Skincare

Part 4 Study Guide

mark. has launched an amazing new body care collection made with naturally derived Fair Trade Certified ingredients. Find out what is fair trade, who does it benefit and how these products can benefit you and the world around you.

What does fair trade certified mean?

                Fair Trade certification is not just about paying farmers and workers fairly. It is also about promoting education and developing more sustainable trade ties with other nations. To be Fair Trade certified, a company must guarantee that their suppliers do not use child or slave labor, that workers are paid a fair living wage, that employment opportunities are available to all workers and that everyone has an equal opportunity for advancement, and that healthy working and living conditions are provided for workers. In addition, producers must agree to support the educational and technical needs of their workforce, while promoting active and healthy trade agreements and being open to public accountability. Fair Trade certification also often involves environmentally sustainable production and harvest practices, encouraging a stable market and a healthy Earth. Fair Trade certification also usually involves a respect for cultural heritage and encourages cultural exchange between nations rather than the smothering of traditions.