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Heldie's He** Yeahs: Skincare Edition

Kristen Heldenbrand
Mar 1, 2017
4 min read

Welcome to another edition of Heldie's He** Yeahs! This time, we're talkin' skincare. Have dry skin? I do. Do you have trouble with oily spots? Me too! Nothing like combination-sensative skin to really make you appreciate the plethora of products available to take care of it. Before we dive in too far, though, we should go over how to determine what your skin type is.

To start off trying to figure out what you're workin' with, the best thing to do is to begin with fresh, clean skin free of products. Next, take a tissue and just blot your face. Now, take a look at the tissue you just blotted your face with. Did you notice any oily spots in certain places or maybe some dry patches? Make a note of that. Now, you can determine what your skin type is.

There are five different skin types. You've got your normal, oily, dry, combination, and sensitive skin.

Normal Skin: Congrats! You're the best skin type and everyone is striving to be like you! If you have normal skin, your skin tone should be even and the skin soft to the touch.

Oily Skin: If you have oily skin, your skin has overactive sebaceous glands causing an overproduction of oil in the skin. The most common areas affected by this are the cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin. This can be caused by a multitude of factors, including genetics, diet, and cosmetics.

Dry Skin: This type of skin is the exact opposite of oily, meaning that your skin is lacking in the production of oil. Dry skin can feel tight and may be flaky.

Combination Skin: Combo skin is a little more difficult and will have to be treated in a different manner. Think of your skin as a map. Just like a map, your skin has different regions. Now, when treating these regions, you will want to acknowledge any dry areas. In those spots, you will want to hit that with moisturizer. In oily spots, avoid placing moisturizer and work with soap-free cleansers.

Sensitive Skin: Now this one is temperamental and will take a lot of trial and error. Your skin can become easily inflamed and irritated. If you feel like you have sensitive skin, take it easy on any cleansers or moisturizers that are scented or that contain salicylic acid.

OK- now that we've gone over the different skin types, maybe I can offer some assistance on my specific skin type. Unfortunately, I am lucky enough to suffer from combination-sensitive skin. This means that my skin can be quite dry around the tip of my nose and on my cheeks. It also has a tendency to be oily right around the forehead and chin. Being sensitive skin, it can be a pain in the butt to treat, causing pink hyper-pigmentation in the cheeks and even more dry spots on the skin. Below, you will find the products I've used to try and maintain this face full of wonders and where to find them. Enjoy!

1. Bioré® Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

This is going to feel like you're ripping your face off in the best way possible. If you have an overproduction of sebum, these strips can help clean out your pores. Don't be surprised by the amount of gunk these pull out of your face; it's pretty impressive.

Find it here.

2. Bioré® Charcoal Pore Minimizer

Charcoal is a gift sent from above. Usually, when someone has trouble with oily skin, their pores may be a little larger than average. This scrub not only leaves your face feeling smooth, but helps to make those darn pores look smaller and pull out sebum that may be trapped inside.

Find it here.

3. Simple Soothing Facial Toner

Sometimes, you just need to go the extra mile and really make sure that you've gotten all the yuck off your face. You'd be amazed by the dirt that can still come off your face even after you wash your face. This toner is perfect for all skin types, even sensitive, and contains absolutely no alcohol.

Find it here.

4. Equate Beauty Sensitive Cleansing Facial Wipes

Not only are these affordable, but they work really well. They manage to remove Kat Von D's Tattoo Liner and that should tell you something.

Find it here.

5.SheaMoisture African Black Soap Facial Mask

This stuff is the bomb.com. It doesn't burn, smells great, and you only have to use it once a week for ten minutes. To me, it's almost like I can see the oil being pulled from my skin which is odd, yet satisfying.

Find it here.

6. First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser

Now, this cleanser is on the more pricey end of the spectrum, but it works well on sensitive skin, is allergy tested, and fragrance free. It has an antioxidant that helps to prevent future breakouts and helps to control redness in the skin.

Find it here.

7. Naked Advanced Aloe Cream

If you want baby smooth skin when you wake up in the morning, then you need to try this out. Instead of using water as a base ingredient this cream uses, you guessed it, organic aloe. By using this moisturizer, your skin will thank you for the cellular regeneration and smooth texture.

Find it here.

8. Organic Surge Perfecting Face Polish

I use this when I want my skin to have a little extra oomph! Not only is this product cruelty free, but it works with sensitive skin and is 98.8% certified natural. Using this, my skin never fails to look smooth and bright due to the ground olive stones, lemon, rosemary, ginkgo biloba, and chamomile.

Find it here.

9. St. Ives Timeless Skin Collagen Elastin Facial Moisturizer