I hope you jot down your answers to my questions in the previous post. The purpose really is for you to realize first what your skin needs so you can choose from a vast array of products that which suits you best. You may have noticed that when you go to the skin or beauty section in a mall brochures about skin and the products are given. It's like a self-check kit that contains strips for you to place on your face, for example. I think this is a very good idea to let consumers know their skin type in a manner that is not too scientific. Not to mention that having such adds credibility to the brand.

Look for such kits the next time you buy skin care products. But to give you a headstart, let me give you a quick run of the principle of such kits. Most often than not, how you describe your skin is just a manifestation of the condition beneath it. Below are some descriptors of a healthy skin.
- reddish but not dry or tight, supple, very few lines, a touch of shine but not oily, pimple-free, small pores, no blackheads

If you want to know what type of skin you have, you can do this simple test. Get 2 pieces of oil-absorbing paper. Press one on your forehead and the other on your cheek. If both strips showed no sign of oil, you have very dry skin. If one strip shows some amount of oil while the other has none, you have dry skin. If the one pressed in the forehead shows more amount of oil than the one used for the cheek, you have combination/oily skin.

This simple self-check will help you choose what type of products to use and how often you should use them.

How about your skin?

The most utilized but underrated organ of our body--the skin. This I speak based on personal experience. You'll never see a "skin-caring" product in my weekly roster of household necessities. Leaving aside the budget factor, I just don't buy them. I'm one of those people who care less about wrinkles, freckles, or some unevenness in skin tone. But don't get me wrong here, i do think caring for oneself is very important.

Good thing though some of my friends think I have nice skin--despite my lacking of extra effort to moisturize it or of that sort. If my skin can speak, it'll definitely cry out for help. I first noticed lines on my forehead when I was in high school! I did not take it seriously to constantly apply a moisturizer so now that I'm almost 30, I sometimes wish that I had done something about it.

Well, it's not too late to try. Nowadays there is influx of skincare products in the market. But before you grab anything, here are some questions to jumpstart your search:
a. How would you describe your skin?
b. What aspect of your skin do you think needs some attention?
c. Do you have any sensitivities or allergies to anything--food or non-
food alike?
d. What will be an ideal skin for you?

I shall tackle these questions in more detail on my next post. Be ready with your answers! Till then...