How to choose a face cream

Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all remedy for all skin types. Even if we talk only about moisturizers, they can be in the form of a gel or have a creamy texture. And there are more complex formulations that fight wrinkles, pigmentation, rashes, reduce sensitivity, and strengthen blood vessels. At the same time, the needs of the skin will differ at different times. Therefore, it is very difficult to recommend any specific products.

We will tell you what you need to pay attention to when choosing a face cream.

Determine your skin type

Skin type is an innate characteristic that does not change. Therefore, you need to know your type in order to choose the right base and texture of the product. There are several classification options, but most often creams are divided into products for dry, normal and oily skin.

Dry skin

Dry skin is usually thin and dull. The sebaceous glands work poorly, so pores are practically not visible on the surface. Peeling and irritation often appear on it, and after washing such skin, a feeling of tightness may remain.

So, the ideal cream can have an oil base and a creamy texture.

Oily skin

Oily, on the contrary, is thicker, and she has more sebum. Usually, a greasy sheen appears on it almost immediately after washing, and the pores are visible even on the cheeks. Such skin is most prone to the appearance of rashes and blackheads.

If you use a thick product for dry skin on such skin, then the pores will clog more often, and the cream will feel like a mask. So for the oily type, you need to choose a water base and a gel texture.

Normal and combination skin

Normal skin has a slight sheen. Rashes and irritation rarely appear on it. For normal skin, when choosing creams, options are possible depending on the condition and season. For example, in the summer you will want to apply something light and gel, and in the winter - cream.

The same can be said about combination skin, which is oily in the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) and normal on the cheeks. Therefore, its owners on the nose and chin are usually visible pores and there may be a greasy sheen, but this is not on the cheeks.

Assess your current skin condition

Even oily skin can be dehydrated. In addition, at different periods of life, the sebaceous glands will be included in the work in different ways. So do not be alarmed if after 30 years you have to switch from gels to something denser.

Listen to yourself, think about what texture you now think is ideal for application. Most likely, you guess.

Think about what you would like to improve

In addition to oiliness and moisture, we are faced with other problems that we want to work on. At the same time, there is no universal jar “from everything”.

You may still have dark spots of hyperpigmentation after the holidays, so you will need a cream with vitamin C, acids or retinoids.

Or you have fragile blood vessels, so it often appears on your cheeks for no reason blush. Then you will most likely need to look for something with vitamin E, which will strengthen the capillaries.

Before buying a new tool, carefully study your face and decide what you want to influence right now.

Pay attention to composition

The composition of cosmetics is indicated according to the international INCI nomenclature, usually in Latin and English. According to her, all ingredients are listed in decreasing order of their number in the product. Therefore, almost always in the first place will be water (Aqua).

Oddly enough, oils indicate the oil base in the composition (Mineral Oil, Olive Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil), and on the gel texture - glycerin (Glycerin) and silicones, such as dimethicone (Dimethicone).

Also pay attention to the active ingredients. These include vitamins (Tocopherol, Ascorbic Acid, Niacine), Antioxidants (Resveratrol, Ubiquinone), Hyaluronic Acid, Peptides (Argireline, Peptamide‑6), Extracts plants (Zingiber officinale Root Extract, Malva Sylvestris Leaf Extract), fruit acids (Mandelic Acid, Lactic Acid), urea (Urea), retinoids (Retinyl Palmitate, Retin‑A).

Remember that the higher the substance is in the composition, the greater the concentration in the cream. Useful components right before the perfume are unlikely to bring a significant result.

For many people, naturalness is an important criterion. Of course, intuitively it seems that everything that is made by nature has a better effect on our body. On this subject, dermatologists have a saying: "Cow parsnip is also completely natural." This means that not all natural ingredients will benefit you. So, an allergic reaction occurs more often to plant extracts than to some synthetic additives.

Evaluate how the composition can be suitable for you. The owner of oily skin, even the best oil creams will bring blockage of the sebaceous glands and rashes, and retinoids with sensitivity and fragility of blood vessels, most likely, will simply cause peeling.

Do not try to close all goals with one tool

Korean women add up to 20 steps to their daily care, and someone wants to smear themselves in the morning and move on. But the truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle.

Most likely, you will not be able to find one remedy for all occasions, but this is not necessary. For example, you use a daily cream that you like, but want to specifically add something anti-aging. It is not necessary to give up your pet, you can solve the problem by adding serum. These are compositions in which the concentration of active ingredients is higher, but at the same time a very light texture, on which you need to apply a cream on top.

Another situation: the desire to add acids or retinoids. Using them both in the morning and in the evening can be traumatic for the skin, and in the summer it will exacerbate the problem of hyperpigmentation. But you can leave them for the night, and for the morning take something else - for example, with sun protection. So you will get a better result than if you look for an intermediate option for all cases.

Do not equate price and quality

This question usually causes a lot of controversy. It is clear that the price includes not only the cost, but also the cost of packaging and advertising.

With production, everything seems clear: some ingredients are more expensive than others. Or the active ingredient has a large molecule that is difficult to drag into the skin, and then more expensive methods of packaging and delivery are needed. Therefore, it is logical to wait for a large increase in output collagen And hyaluronic acid from a simple cream on glycerin is strange.

On the other hand, marketing costs for some brands are many times higher than the cost of the product. Therefore, if 1000 bloggers at once praise miracle cosmetics with one voice, think about what makes up the bulk of its price.

Take your time

Required at least a month to evaluate the first results from the cream, and the full effect will be noticeable after 6-8 weeks. So do not rush to conclusions. But do not wait this time if you feel burning, itching or see redness after application.