Secret To Clear, Smooth Skin: Get To Know Your Skin

Probably, most of you would say you know your skin too well. You would say you have oily, combination, or dry skin. And similarly, as I always say in my product reviews, I have very oily skin – this is how I’ve known my skin since I was in high school. My skin produces so much oil that by midday, I could look like a frying pan without the proper products. Through the years of trial and error, I’ve successfully combat acne and discovered a number of skincare regimens that work for my oily skin. This is how I knew my skin and labeled it “oily”.

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The Reality

But besides my oily skin, I never really paid attention to the occasional dryness and redness around my nose area. Well, it’s just a very small part compared to the greasiness on my forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. At the back of my mind, I always have my hard working concealer and foundation to hide my redness, anyway. Who would have thought that one beauty product launch would make me realize that I actually have sensitive skin? For me, oily and sensitive do not sound right. I think dry and sensitive make more sense to me. And a lot of you would probably agree with me on this.

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Here’s one surprising fact though: In a dipstick study conducted by Nielsen, Philippines ranked second in Asia Pacific with 71% of women suffering from skin sensitivity, particularly in the face area. This reveals that 1 out of 2 women reported experiencing facial dryness, irritation or redness, and itchy skin conditions.

And all the while I thought a lot of Filipinas actually have oily skin because of our hot and humid weather!!! Apparently, skin sensitivity is common among women, especially those living in tropical weather. Normal redness or dry, itchy spot on the face can pass up for an allergic reaction (which I thought I’ve been experiencing), BUT this is not always the case.

Understanding The Skin

So, what causes red, irritated, dry skin (if it’s not an allergic reaction)?

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Our skin is composed of three layers; the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. In our epidermis contains the corneum strateum that serves as our skin’s natural barrier. Through constant exposure to sun and stressful environment, our corneum strateum weakens. Apparently, there are numerous studies conducted to prove that Asians have lesser layers of Stratum Corneum than most Caucasians. And the rising percentage of women in SouthEast Asia suffering from skin sensitivity is alarming.

The Journey To Clear, Smooth Skin

Now that we’ve understood our skin better and now that I know that I simply don’t have oily skin and I actually have sensitive skin, what’s next? Use the right product to achieve clear, smooth skin.

There are a lot of face products formulated for skin sensitivity out there, but few address the heart of skin problem. Physiogel launched the new Calming Relief Face Cream that specifically targets face sensitivity. The Physiogel®’s BioMimic Technology works naturally to repair the skin’s natural moisture barrier with specially designed lipid structure similar to those found in our skin. These specially designed lipids add a protective layer on our skin against internal water loss. This way, skin sensitivity is not only relieved immediately, it also keeps the skin moisturized all day.

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You can actually read more about my journey to clear, smooth skin (with before and after photos) in these posts: Physiogel Calming Relief Face Cream 14-Day Challenge and Physiogel Calming Relief Face Cream Review + Actual Results.

Although it’s easy to reach for our trusty concealers and foundations to cover red, dry, irritated skin, there’s always a liberating feeling when we know that we don’t have to depend on these metaphorical band aid – that we can leave the house with just our clear, smooth, and moisturized skin or underneath our makeup we can be confident with our own skin.

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