Blog

by on

Sunscreen is one of the only proven ways to prevent visible signs of aging on the skin. Not only does it help prevent the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, it also helps prevent sun damage that could cause hyper-pigmented sun spots or cancer. Most people are aware that UV rays can be dangerous, but how does the exposure actually cause issues within are skin?

When skin is not protected and then exposed to UVA or UVB rays, it can damage skin cell DNA. This can prevent the skin from functioning properly as cells begin reproducing with damaged DNA, or it can even cause mutations in the skin cell DNA that result in cancerous growths.

This is why it is important to care about daily sun protection and sunscreen usage. It not only prevents signs of premature aging, but decreases your risk of health related sun issues as well.

So, now you know why you should be using sunscreen on the daily, but there are still some potentially confusing aspects about sunscreen that I’ll help sort out below…

Physical vs. Chemical Sunscreen –

One main difference between sunscreen options is the choice between a physical sunscreen and a chemical sunscreen. Physical sunscreens create a physical barrier to reflect UV rays off of skin using mineral components. These sunscreens will contain ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Chemical sunscreens use ingredients like oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, or octinoxate. These ingredients penetrate the upper layers of your skin to absorb UV rays from the sun before the skin does.

Sun Protection Factor ( SPF ) –

The next question to consider when choosing a sunscreen is which SPF number is best for you. To briefly explain the difference in each, the number represents how many times longer it would take for your skin to redden in the sun after application. So, if you typically get red within 10 minutes of exposure to the sun and you use a SPF 30, it would take 30 times longer than 10 minutes for your skin to redden hypothetically. So that would be approximately 5 hours.

Even with that being said, each sunscreen number also blocks out rays in different amounts. This aspect of the number is arguably more important than the aforementioned one. SPF 15 blocks about 93% of UV rays, SPF 30 blocks about 97%, and SPF 50 blocks around 98%. Any above 50 stays around the 98% mark give or take a little.

How to decide?

My recommendation is to opt for an SPF 50 in either a chemical or physical sunscreen if you can. It makes sense for both exposure time and protection amount. Always be sure to reapply throughout the day. Typically physical sunscreen works well for more sensitive skin types, but just be sure to patch test for irritation as with any product that you might try. I will link some suggestions of both chemical and physical sunscreen options below…

Chemical Sunscreens:

PURITO Centella Green Level Unscented Sun SPF50+ (All time favorite. I love this for any skin type and/or color. It is gentle, lightweight, and leaves no white cast.)

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 55

Mineral Sunscreens:

EltaMD UV Clear Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 46

CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 50

These are just a few suggestions, but there are so many more options to choose from. If you are still struggling to find a sunscreen that is right for you, or wish to inquire about a product, feel free to contact me. Great skin is in your future!

by on

Oils are not necessary in your skin care routine, but they are very beneficial if used properly. Coming from a girl who has very dry skin. . . I love oils! Oils are very versatile and can be great additions to a basic skincare routine. How can oils help you?

A lot of times, people shy away from utilizing oils because it seems counter intuitive. Why would you put more oil on your face if oil can lead to acne and greasiness? Although this is a partially valid claim, it is a misconstrued idea. Let me explain. . .

Oil functions as emollients and occlusives, but they do not draw moisture to the skin. Basically, they can either soften the skin or trap moisture, but they do not add any moisture. When our skin’s moisture barrier gets out of balance, added oil on the skin can definitely pose issues. If our moisture barrier is impaired the skin tends to over or under produce oil on the face. The impaired skin barrier makes the skin more susceptible to acne or irritation. Adding more oils in this case could have some adverse effects, especially if you have a very over-stripping cleansing routine or are not moisturizing enough. Then, the oil you add is not really going to do anything beneficial. An impaired barrier that lacks moisture sustaining ability can not be repaired or aided by oil alone. If you add oil to skin that lacks moisture, the oil will just sit on the surface of the skin. If you are acne prone or very dry, this addition could clog pores. If you are oily already, you will most likely look greasy.

That explains the misconception, but how can oils actually help? As I mentioned before, oils lack humectant abilities, but they can be great occlusives and emollients. Different oils also have great vitamin properties that aid in different functions of the skin. If oils are used in conjunction with humectant moisturizers, they can soften skin and trap in moisture, especially if used as the final step in a skin care routine. This way the moisture you added to your skin will be more sustained, since the oil added can create a protective layer on your skin to better hold in the added moisture.

I have some skin type suggestions for oil selection, but there many more options than what I will have listed here. You can even find oil blends to combine benefits of oils. Reach out to me if you have anymore questions about oils or any concerns in general. Great skin is in your future!

Rose Hip Oil – All skin types (personal favorite).

Argan Oil – Oily, normal, and combination skin types.

Jojoba – Oily, normal, and combination skin types.

Almond Oil – Normal and dry skin types.

Tamanu Oil- Normal and dry skin types (great for barrier repair).

by on

Moisturizing is VERY crucial to skincare. Regardless of skin type, moisturizing is one way to ensure the maintenance of your skin’s moisture barrier. When impaired, skin issues such as acne, dry patches, excessive oil, etc. can all become more prevalent. Why is that? The moisture barrier, or acid mantle, of your skin is the first layer of protection against environmental aggressors and bacteria. When the acid mantle is damaged moisture loss is significant, and bacteria and other pollutants have easier access to penetrate the skin. This can cause dullness, discoloration or even acne responses. Skin can also respond by overproducing oil as the moisture barrier is not healthy enough to maintain its own moisture for your skin.

Whether your skin is dry, combination, or oily. . .please make sure to moisturize! Try to make sure that the moisturizer you choose does not have silicone, alcohol, or fragrance/essential oil (it can be irritating to some people more than others so just be wary). The thicker the moisturizer the more it tends to benefit drier skin. Gel/watery consistencies are good choices for oily skin. Lotions and creams can be beneficial for normal to dry skin. If you have severely dry skin, it may help to lock in your moisturizer with a balm or ointment. If you do not like the shinier appearance these products may produce, try to use the balms and ointments at night only. If you have a combination skin type, try to gauge whether you are more ‘normal and oily’ or ‘dry and oily’ when comparing combination areas. Then, you can choose a lotion versus gel consistency depending on where you fall on the spectrum of normal to dry within your combination type. Lotions may be better for drier combination types, while the lighter weight gels may suit oilier combination types better.

Some great ingredients to look for in moisturizers are ceramides (lipids that aid in barrier formation), panthenol (a provitamin for B5 which helps moisturize and repair skin), hyaluronic acid (sugar molecule naturally occurring in skin promoting moisture and cell function), peptides (repair damaged cells and promote collagen production), and niacinamide (improves texture and balances out oil production). These are ingredients that help heal, maintain, or bring moisture to your skins barrier.

These are some of my personal favorite moisturizers. I listed which skin type might benefit from each. . .

BONAJOUR Green Tea Water Bomb – Oily, normal, and combination skin types.

Protini™ Polypeptide Cream – Oily, normal, and combination skin types.

CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion – Oily, normal, and combination skin types.

Cetaphil Ultra-Healing Lotion with Ceramides – Normal and dry skin types.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream – Normal and dry skin types.

FAB Ultra Repair Cream – Normal and dry skin types.*

*the FAB has eucalyptus oil in it so be careful if this is something you think may irritate your skin

If you feel like you have super dry skin, try these along with your regular moisturizer. . .

CeraVe Healing Ointment – Very dry skin types.

Cicaplast Baume B5 – Very dry and irritated skin.

*I have tried all of these moisturizers personally and have not had issues or irritation, but please remember to listen to your own skin! If irritation or sensitivity occurs, cease use of the product.

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or wish to inquire about a product you may want to try, please feel free to reach out to me! Great skin is in your future!

by on

I believe one of the most commonly misunderstood steps in a basic skincare routine is the use of a facial cleanser. There are certainly a lot of taboos surrounding cleansing and a lot of misuse, too. Many people believe that cleansing the face is unnecessary. Some people find it important but do not use the proper cleanser for their skin type. Others are using cleansers that are way too harsh for facial skin. Some believe that if they have dry skin, cleansing may make it more dry.

Regardless of any misconceptions, cleansing the face is in fact important. Dead skin, sweat, bacteria, and oil can all build up on the face. Without cleansing, the probability for superficial skin concerns to occur is more likely. Issues such as acne, texture, and dullness can become more significant. Other than superficial issues, there are health concerns associated with not cleansing the face. Just as we wash are hands to rid of bacteria, microbes, and viruses that cause illness, we should wash our faces for this reason, too.

So, cleansing is important. But. . . now you might be wondering. . . which cleanser should you use for your skin type?

No matter which skin type, you should always look out for a gentle cleanser. This means that the ingredients should not be harsh or stripping. Try to avoid irritating and toxic ingredients such as: sulfates, parabens, alcohols, polyethylene, synthetic colors, and sometimes fragrance (I added fragrance because some people find it more irritating to the skin than others). There are definitely other harsh additives that can be in cleansers, but these are the main ingredients I would try to avoid.

When picking a cleanser for your skin type, drier types tend to have more luck with a non-foaming milkier consistency, whereas oilier types usually benefit from gentle foaming washes. If you have a combination skin type, try to gauge whether you are more ‘normal and oily’ or ‘dry and oily’ when comparing combination areas. Then, you can choose a foam versus milk consistency depending on where you fall on the spectrum of normal to dry within your combination type. For any skin type, remember to try to only wash your face two times a day, because washing your face too much can be stripping to your skin barrier!

Here are some of my personal favorite cleansers. I think all of these cleansers are gentle enough to use on any skin type, but they might suit different preferences based on consistency. I listed which skin type might benefit from each. . .

BONAJOUR Green Tea Foam Cleansing – Oily, normal, and combination skin types.

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser – Oily, normal, and combination skin types.

Tula Skincare The Cult Classic Purifying Face Cleanser – Oily, normal, and combination skin types.

OZ Naturals Ocean Mineral Facial Cleanser – Oily, normal, and combination skin types.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser – Normal and Dry skin types.

La Roche-Posay Hydrating Gentle Cleanser – Normal and Dry skin types.

*I have tried all of these cleansers personally and have not had issues or irritation, but please remember to listen to your own skin! If irritation or sensitivity occurs, cease use of the product.

If you are still unsure of a cleanser for your skin type or situation, please feel free to reach out and leave me a message! I can even answer questions on different cleansers you may have in mind! I’d be happy to help find something that really works for you. Great skin is in your future!

by on

A first crucial step to finding out how to properly take care of your skin is figuring out which skin type you have. It may even be a combination of types! Let me break down some of the skin types you may have and how to know which category you fit into.

Normal skin:

All skin is normal, but the normal skin type simply means your skin has balanced oil production and is generally free from most breakout related symptoms. You do not have very sensitive or reactive skin either, meaning that products do not irritate your skin easily. If you were to use an oil blotting sheet or tissue about twenty minutes after washing your face with a gentle cleanser, there would be little to no oil transferred.

Oily skin:

Oily skin occurs when your pores have a bit more sebaceous activity than other skin types. You may have slightly larger pore appearance and are more prone to breakouts, blackheads, or whiteheads. If you were to wash your face and oil blot after about twenty minutes, there would be significant transfer of oil onto the sheet. A lot of factors can cause sebaceous glands to do more work than they need to. Oily skin can be caused by genetics, hormonal changes/imbalances, harsh cleansers, climate etc.

Combination skin:

This skin type occurs when your skin is spilt between types. Combination skin, like oily skin, can be caused by a variety of hormonal and cosmetic issues. Usually, there is a mix of oily skin and normal skin on the face, but it can also be a mix of oily and dry skin. A commonly used skincare term, the T-Zone, can describe where the oily patches usually occur on the face. The T-Zone describes the region on the forehead, down the nose, and the chin. The outer portions of the face and cheeks are usually normal or dry.

Dry skin:

Dry skin is usually flaky, tight, and dull. You may feel like you have more apparent fine lines on the face and not much oil production at all. Dry skin can be caused by hormonal and health factors, but can also be enhanced by external factors and personal care mistakes. Harsh cleansers, very high indoor temperatures, too hot of showers, etc. can enhance the effects of dry skin.

Sensitive Skin:

This skin type could be any of the other types mentioned above, but also yields a lot of redness, irritation, burning, and itching. These symptoms can be enhanced by certain topical products that are used. It is important to try to determine what products trigger the most irritation and cease the use of those products.

*It is important to note that oily skin types or combination skin types usually have the most issues with acne, but it can occur in any skin type.

Now that you have a better understanding of what your skin type might be, it is important to gear your routine to suit your individualized needs! In future posts I will detail my favorite products for my skin (Combination/Dry) as well as pointing out product recommendations for other skin types! If you are still unsure about what skin type you are, please feel free to send me a message! I see healthier skin in your future!

by on

Hi! My name is Janie Eyerman and I really love skincare. Skincare has been a big part of my life since my early teens and continues to be prevalent in my everyday routine. Personally, I never really had “bad” skin, but I did struggle a lot when I first started picking out products that were right for my skin type. I had no idea where to begin. Let me start this introduction off by pointing out that I have dry skin. I know now that it loves moisture, but the process that I had to take to find that out was a little bit of a journey.

At about 13, being a clueless teen, I started my skincare kick off by using harsh cleansers that were targeted for acne-prone skin just because I thought I would need them. I was a teen! I thought I had better prevent what most teens encounter – acne. I did not have acne to begin with but using harsh cleansers really dried my skin out even more. I did not get bad breakouts, but I dealt with another skincare struggle – oily skin. The harsh cleansers I was using at that time were drying out my skin (more than it already was) to the point where it started becoming super oily and reactive. To top it off, I did not moisturize ever. When I began to become more aware of the issue at hand about a year later, and as my skin became even more oily, I decided I needed to switch products. I went to the store to pick out some new goods. I had not even realized how many different products existed for skincare, let alone which to pick, and did not have any idea where to begin.

I am a naturally inquisitive person. I love knowing the what and why behind everything that I can think to question. So, staring down the skincare aisles of my local Target at the ripe of age 14, I began to have a lot of questions that needed answers. I, of course, also decided that I was going to be the one to answer all of them for myself. “What cleanser should I use?” “What is my skin type?” “What IS a skin type?” “Do I need moisturizer?” . . . The list could go on. But there, in the aisles of Target, dawned my skincare addiction. I began endlessly researching skincare after that day. The research continued. . . and never really stopped. Eventually, as time went on my family, friends, and peers started asking me for skincare tips. I was happy to oblige! I get a lot of personal fulfillment during the process of helping people with skincare, because I think it is especially great to bring others joy and confidence! I have a completely different approach to skincare now than I had at age fourteen, but the passion for it never really died. I figured that if I get joy out of helping people near to me with skincare, then I should spread my passion to even more people.

That brings me here! I hope that I can help educate you about skincare and continue to inspire joy and confidence in others! Let me be your new skincare seer, simply because I’d love to help if you’ll let me!

by on

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

  • Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
  • Because it will help you focus your own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

  • Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
  • What topics do you think you’ll write about?
  • Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
  • If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.

by on

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

  • Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
  • Because it will help you focus your own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

  • Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
  • What topics do you think you’ll write about?
  • Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
  • If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.

by on

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

  • Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
  • Because it will help you focus your own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

  • Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
  • What topics do you think you’ll write about?
  • Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
  • If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.