Shopping for skincare products can be confusing. Many products are designed to target specific skin concerns, but making sense of the terminology used in packaging and marketing can be overwhelming.
Improving the appearance of your skin starts with identifying your skincare concerns. From there, you can prioritize your skincare goals by selecting products that are formulated for your needs.
Identifying Common Skin Concerns
Before you can figure out what products will be most effective for your skin, you need to take some time to identify your skincare concerns and goals. In addition, it can be helpful to consider your age and determine your skin type, as these factors may provide some insight as to why you are experiencing specific changes in your skin’s appearance. People with oily skin, for example, are more likely to experience acne and other blemishes. People may notice their skill is less full as they age.
Below, we provide explanations of some common skincare concerns. If any of the following apply to you, it may be time to think about switching to a skincare product that is uniquely suited for that concern.
Dry Skin
When your skin is dry, you will probably notice it feeling flaky, itchy or tight. Prolonged dryness may also lead to fine lines and wrinkles. Dry skin can be both a skin type as well as a short-term skin concern. In many cases, dry skin is caused by cleansing your skin too often or with too harsh of products. For many people, dry skin becomes more noticeable during the winter, when the air is cold and dry.
Dehydrated Skin
Dehydrated skin looks and feels similar to dry skin, but there are some key differences. Dry skin is lacking in natural oil, whereas dehydrated skin lacks moisture. In addition to itchiness, flakiness and fine lines, people with dehydrated skin may experience dark circles and sunken eyes. Diet and lifestyle changes that improve hydration may also improve dehydrated skin.
If you notice your skin is suddenly dry or dehydrated, this could be linked to hormone fluctuations. If you’re in your 40s or older, dryness or dehydrated skin can be a symptom of Estrogen Deficient Skin—a change in skin appearance and function during menopause.
Uneven Skin Tone
Also called hyperpigmentation, an uneven skin tone is characterized by dark spots appearing on the face and elsewhere on the body. This is caused by the skin producing an excess of melanin, often as a response to sun exposure or a change in hormones. As you age, the number of pigment-containing cells in your skin (melanocytes) decreases, and the remaining cells increase in size. This can make it more likely for you to develop dark spots as you get older.
Redness
Do you ever notice redness in your face? Redness is often the result of irritation, but it may also be caused by skin disorders such as rosacea. While redness often goes away on its own, it’s important to determine if there’s a particular product that is causing irritation. Instead of simply covering red areas with makeup, you can take steps to address the root cause of the discoloration.
Dullness
You’ve probably seen skincare brands advertise that their products can prevent dull skin—but what does this mean, exactly? Simply put, dullness refers to a lack of luminosity in the skin. When your skin does not reflect light uniformly, it may appear patchy or ashy. It may also have an uneven texture. Dull skin is usually caused by a buildup of dead skin cells, so exfoliating your skin regularly may be the solution, but can also be linked to hormonal changes.
Acne
Acne can take the form of pimples, blackheads or bumps. Even after the initial blemishes clear up, there may still be scarring. While acne is commonly associated with teens and young adults, it can affect you at any age. Adult women often experience breakouts due to changes in hormone levels, especially during menstruation. If you are concerned with acne, it’s best to check with your doctor or dermatologist before starting any new skincare products.
Dark Circles
Dark circles under your eyes may be caused by not getting enough sleep or straining your eyes. However, dark circles that do not go away on their own are likely associated with aging. As you get older, your skin becomes thinner, making the blood vessels beneath your eyes more visible.
Under-Eye Puffiness
Dark circles are often accompanied by under-eye puffiness. As you age, the elasticity of your skin weakens, causing the skin underneath your eyes to sag. The fat that’s normally found around the eye sinks down to the lower eyelids, which may cause your under-eye area to appear puffy.
Fine Lines
Fine lines are small creases that appear on your face. Oftentimes, people first begin to notice fine lines around the corners of their eyes or around their mouths. Fine lines and wrinkles are some of the telltale signs of skin aging, both intrinsic and extrinsic. You can slow down the signs of aging by investing in skincare products designed to minimize the appearance of fine lines.
Creping
Have you noticed very fine lines appearing around your eyes or on your neck? You might be experiencing something known as crepey skin. Crepey skin is similar to wrinkles, but the creases are more shallow and may affect larger areas. In addition, crepey skin is usually very thin and delicate. This phenomenon is, in part, caused by the natural cellular decline that comes with aging. It is also associated with sun exposure.
Why It’s Important to Target the Right Skin Concern
Misidentifying changes in your skin’s appearance can prevent you from meeting your skincare goals. This is because different skin concerns require different treatments.
For example, dry skin calls for moisturizers that help the skin retain its natural oils, while dehydrated skin calls for products that are designed to introduce more moisture.
In addition to determining which of the above skincare concerns you have, you will want to consider what might be causing these concerns. If the dark circles under your eyes are linked to aging and not simply occurring due to a lack of sleep, they may require more intensive treatment. Similarly, if your fine lines or crepey skin are being caused by an estrogen deficiency, you may want to look into products that are specifically made for Estrogen Deficient Skin.
Find Skincare Products Tailored to Your Needs
Biopelle’s Skincare Quiz can help you find products that are able to effectively address your unique skin concerns. The quiz takes several factors into account, including:
- Your age
- Your primary skin concern
- Whether or not you have experienced menopause
- How much time you would like to spend on your skincare routine
After answering a few questions, you will receive customized product recommendations from Biopelle’s award-winning, dermatologist-created skincare line. Our products include cleansers, moisturizers, serums, eye creams designed to target a variety of skin types and concerns.
Fill out the quiz today for custom-tailored skincare recommendations, or explore our full line of products.