This is the start of a series of posts about our skin health and related subjects.

The skin being the largest organ of the body and our first line of defense against our environment, it is for our own benefit that we take the best care we can of our amazing skin. There is much more to it, than just slapping on a moisturizer if your skin feels dry. Most people are pretty well up there in knowing the importance of a skincare routine. But I just want to remind us all of a few things that can sometimes get overlooked. If you are cleansing twice a day and have the correct cleanser, but still struggle with pimples blackheads, whiteheads, or sensitivity and irritation, there may be other issues contributing to the problem. Some of these things could be residual shampoo and conditioner left on your face. So we should always double cleanse after shampooing and conditioning, and ensure to cleanse to the hairline and jaw. Hair products are not PH balanced for our skin, they cause our skin to become alkaline, impairing the skin's barrier. (Our skin needs to be slightly more acid then alkaline.) Impaired barrier function can lead to breakouts (mild or severe), sensitivity, significant dehydration among other skin problems.

Soap is enemy number one for our skin, especially on our face! It strips our skin of natural oils, disrupts the acid mantle which then alkalizes our skin, contributing to the above issues also.

Regularly changing our pillow covers can make big a difference also. If you have sensitivities, using a low scent natural hypoallergenic washing liquid/powder, will help also.

Exfoliation or scrubs are important, to remove dead skin encouraging new healthy cell production. Allowing more moisturizer serums etc to penetrate, so our skin will be more hydrated and nourished. But over exfoliation, (exfoliating more than two- three times a week), can cause the skin to become thinned and irritated, creating sensitization, which can sometimes also increase the oil and/or melanin production as a defense, contributing to possible acne or unwanted pigmentation, plus an impaired barrier function.

Be careful not to use hot water on your face. Hot water brings capillaries closer to the surface and causes them to dilate (open) this then can damage the capillaries, and again can cause dehydration.

Last point I would like to share with this post is: We can go around trying out different products trying to find what works best can cost a lot of time and money. There is a lot of great marketing out there that can be misleading, there is always a new skincare product endorsed as the next miracle cream for Acne, anti-aging, etc. It is more than likely a big disappointment. This is a hit and miss process that can prove more costly, and can possibly make your skin worse. If you would like to know about your skin's needs and what products would best suit you. I would recommend having a skin analysis at a reputable salon/clinic. Yes you will get recommended the products used at that clinic. But the products they stock, it is because they believe in those products, as there is no extra incentives for a clinic to stock any particular brand. They also would or should have tried them and would have done their research on them plus seen and felt the positive results. Trust the professionals, most of us are only seeking to give you the best.

Next post: Cleansing and exfoliating. Why we need to and what is best for different skin types.