BECOMING AN EXPERT ON YOUR SKIN

garance dore

confession: I'm a big nerd. I read ingredients labels on skin care products and dermatology blogs and wikis -- and I'm not even a science student. but this stuff is all really useful to know, especially since the beauty industry tells us everything will cause miracles -- but at the same time gives us a whole lot of misinformation.

get to know these basic terms and you'll even out the score a little... bachelor femme reader: 1, skin-care conglomerates: 0.


dermatology.about.com

DEALING WITH OIL AND WATER
SUR•FAC•TANTS (sərˈfaktənt): cleansers remove dirt and oil with the super cleansing action of surfactants. since dirt and oil doesn't dissolve in water all on its own, surfactants work by surrounding dirt particles and oils, dissolving them, and then removing them as water runs over the skin. they also aid in the normal exfoliation process of the skin by washing away dead, exfoliated skin cells. facial cleansing is important to remove dirt and oil, as well as environmental pollutants like dust and cigarette smoke, and also because of we tend to put a lot of other crap on our faces like makeup. however, the skin on your face is really delicate, so it's important to remember that not all cleansers are created equally. not only do many contain irritating ingredients (most of which, designed to do things like fight acne, are totally useless in a product that simply gets washed off within a few seconds) but many also use unnecessarily harsh surfactants that can be super drying. this is especially true of bar soaps and soap-based cleansers designed for the body. while harsher surfactants are more effective at getting rid of dirt and oil, this is not usually necessary on the face. even very oily skin is usually adequately cleansed with a gentler, liquid-based cleanser (and, if necessary, an alcohol-free toner) rather than a harsher soap. bottom line: use the mildest possible cleanser you can that still gets rid of dirt and oil and makeup and to save addressing other problems (like acne) for other parts of your skin care regime.

HUM•EC•TANT ((h)yoōˈmektənt): skin stays hydrated in a couple of ways. one way is that in each skin cell are a bunch of little water soluble compounds that absorb and hold water from lower levels of skin and from the atmosphere to prevent skin from drying out. anything that performs this function is called a humectant. when there's not enough moisture in the air for your skin to absorb (such as in very cold or very hot, arrid climates), your skin can get dry because these compounds get dried up. because these babies are water-soluble, they can also be completely washed away from over-exposure to (especially hot) water (like swimming or bathing) or from washing with a too-harsh cleanser, causing dry skin and messing with your skin's ability to retain moisture on its own until those cells are exfoliated and new cells with a new batch of humectant compounds are produced. because of this, don't over-wash your face and always use lukewarm (never hot) water. humectant ingredients in skin care products hydrate your skin by mimicking the work of these compounds, drawing and holding water from the air. glycerin is the big one in this category, but other ingredients to look for in your label-scanning include propylene glycol, sorbitol, and urea. and in your kitchen, honey is also a humectant.

E•MOL•LIENT (iˈmälyənt): skin also stays hydrated with fats (lipids) and oils (sebum). the structure of skin is kind of like a brick wall, where skin cells are the bricks and the mortrar is a bunch of gooey fats and oils holding it all together. these oils repel water, which is why skin doesn't simply get soaked through (like, say, a piece of fabric does) when it gets wet. instead, what happens is that the water molecules that make it past skin's oily barrier get trapped and held tightly in this oily goo, preventing it from evaporating and keeping skin hydrated. dry skin is often a result of skin that isn't producing enough oils to keep it from drying out, and a drop in oil production is usually a result of aging. in skin care products, emollient ingredients simply mimic the oils naturally present in your skin. plants oils (and their derivatives like fatty acids and fatty alcohols) as well as ingredients like glyceryl esters are the most commonly used emollients. cleansers with emollient ingredients can help prevent skin from getting dried out when you wash it, and are good for skin that's dry because it's not producing enough oil.

OC•CLU•SION (əˈkloō zh ən): the oil in your skin also moves out through the pores to act as a barrier on the surface of skin that prevents water from evaporating into the air. this is called occlusion. all emollient ingredients act as occlusives but some skin care ingredients only work occlusively because they can't be absorbed into pores and therefore simply sit on the surface of skin. these include petrolatum (vaseline and mineral oil), silicone derivatives (cyclomethicone and dimethicone), and wax esters (such as beeswax).

NON•COM•E•DO•GEN•IC (ˌnän ˌkäməˌdōˈjenik): this is a fancy word you might see on the labels of skin care and makeup products that basically just means "won't clog pores." pores are the little openings on your skin (that are actually hair follicles) and through which oil moves out on to the surface of your skin. on some areas of skin, pores may be more visible than on others'. when too much oil is produced (usually as a result of hormones), pores can get clogged with oil. it's sort of like a traffic jam moving into a tunnel. pores can also be clogged by skin care ingredients that can penetrate them. humectant ingredients aren't oils so they won't clog pores, and these are the base for most "oil-free" moisturizers you'll see. occlusive ingredients like vaseline, while they may feel greasy, also can't be absorbed into pores and therefore are non-comedogenic as well.

BLACK•HEAD (ˈblakˌhed): blackheads look like little black dots on your skin. they're caused by a pore that is clogged by oil and by dead, exfoliated skin cells that are stuck in that oil. with a blackhead, you're dealing with a pore that's not covered by a thin layer of skin and, because of this, the dead cells get exposed to air and oxidize, causing them to turn black.

WHITE•HEAD ((h)wītˌhed): a whitehead is basically the same deal except the clog is covered by a thin layer of skin so the cells aren't exposed to air and don't change colour. the oil stays inside the clog and stretches the skin, resulting in what's more commonly referred to as a pimple or zit.

AC•NE (aknē):: while there is always some bacteria on your face, an oily skin surface is prime breeding ground for an overgrowth. this causes skin to get inflamed, resulting in red bumps or acne.


EXFOLIATING
new skin cells are created in the skin's lowest layer and eventually move up to the surface as the outermost cells die and flake off. this process is called exfoliation. because dead skin cells can make skin look dull, giving your skin a hand with regular exfoliation can help it look brighter, healthier and more youthful – especially since, as we age, the natural process of exfoliation can slow down or become uneven. exfoliation that works into the pores can also help clear out pores clogged with oil, helping with blackheads, whiteheads and acne. there are two types of exfoliation, chemical and mechanical.

CHEM•I•CAL EX•FO•LI•A•TION (ˈkemikəl eksˌfōlēˈā sh ən): for cells to be exfoliated, the glue-like substances holding cells together must be dissolved, though scientists actually aren't totally clear on how this happens naturally in the skin. they have figured out that certain types of acids (alpha- and beta-hydroxy) will help to dissolve those babies though, making it much easier for cells to flake off or be washed away. this process is called chemical exfoliation. in super high concentrations these acids are also what dermatologists use in chemical peels, but they're available in many skin care products at a small fraction of the strength. even with at-home products though, it's super important that you wear sunscreen if you are chemically exfoliating your skin because these products can leave skin up to 50% more sun-sensitive!

beta-hydroxy acids: sacicylic acid is the only BHA and it's derived from aspirin. BHAs are oil-soluble acids that can penetrate the pore and exfoliate dead skin cells built up inside. because of this, they're best for oily and acne-, whitehead- and/or blackhead- prone skin. they're especially good for acne because they also have some anti-bacterial properties. and because they're derived from aspirin, they maintain some anti-inflammatory properties, making them great for those with very inflamed acne and those with very sensitive, easily irritated skin.

alpha-hydroxy acids: AHAs are acids derived from sugarcane (glycolic acid), milk (lactic acid) or fruits (citric and maltic acids). they can't penetrate the pores so they're not good for acne or breakout-prone skin, but since they are a bit stronger than BHAs they're great for wrinkled or sun-damaged skin when breakouts aren't a concern. they also have some humectant properties, making them good for all sorts of dry skin.

ME•CHAN•I•CAL EX•FO•LI•A•TION (məˈkanikəl eksˌfōlēˈā sh ən): this is achieved by scrubbing the skin with something abrasive – either a material like a loofah or brush or with a scrub containing abrasive particles (such as almond shells, sugar or salt crystals or pumice). instead of chemically dissolving the glue-like substances holding cells together, mechanical exfoliation physically wears them away. the result is the same though – cells get released from the matrix and fall away. unfortunately, the abrasive particles in a lot of scrubs on the market are way too large and harsh and just rip up that outer layer of skin, dead and healthy cells alike, causing irritation that may or may not be visible (but that will make skin more susceptible to wrinkles in the future). granulated sugar mixed with your cleanser can make a good, gentle (and cheap!) homemade scrub. shaving also mechanically exfoliates the skin, which might be why, some people speculate, men's skin appears to age more slowly than women's.


SUN DAMAGE & WRINKLES
contrary to popular belief, wrinkles aren't caused by dry skin. but age and sun damage do cause the outer layer of skin to get thinner, making wrinkles (which actually happen in the lower layers of skin) more visible. keeping that thinning outer layer super-hydrated will keep it plumped up and reduce the appearance of fine lines a little bit. dry skin also tends to happen concurrently with wrinkles though because age and sun damage break down skin's intercellular structure, messing with skin's ability to retain moisture. bottom line: dry skin doesn't cause wrinkles, but wrinkled skin is usually dry.

COLL•A•GEN & E•LAS•TIN (ˈkäləjən & iˈlastin): the lower layer is kind of like the scaffolding of skin, and this is where collagen and elastin, proteins of connective tissue, are produced. collagen is what gives skin it's strength and firmness, and elastin gives skin its 'springiness' or elasticity and allows skin to resume its shape after you stretch it. as we age, less collagen is produced and the elastin fibers get all stretched out, just like an old elastic band. this is what causes skin to wrinkle and sag. exfoliating can help stimulate collage and elastin production and keep it humming along nicely because it just generally helps the skin function more effectively.

UVA/UVB RA•DI•A•TION (ˌrādēˈā sh ən): skin aging is natural and happens no matter what you do, but research has shown that sun damage accounts for a whopping 90% of symptoms of premature skin aging – that is, totally avoidable skin aging. this is also known as photoaging. UVB radiation from the sun affects the outer layer of skin, causing sunburns and, over time, causing skin to thin more quickly. UVB radiation is worse when sunlight is brightest, so between 10 am and 2 pm and during the summer. UVA radiation is actually a more serious contributor to sun damage, penetrating deeper and causing collagen to break down at a higher rate and doing lots of other stuff that just makes skin work less efficiently. the intensity of UVA rays is pretty constant throughout the day and year. when picking a sunscreen make sure you've got one that is formulated to protect from both UVA and UVB rays!