5 Surprising Skin Tips

To hydrate your skin, use a cream, not a lotion.

The basic difference between a cream and a lotion is that cream is thicker. This allows for better emollition and hydration. On the contrary, many lotions will actually be drying to your skin. Some lotions with active ingredients such as lactic or glycolic acid can be effective at hydrating the skin in the long term. However, most lotions do not have these active ingredients.

My basic rule to a moisturizer is that if you turn the bottle upside down, it should not come pouring out.

2. “Natural” does not necessarily mean that it cannot cause problems for your skin.

Remember that poison ivy and poison oak are naturally occurring plants. People do develop allergies to natural products such as lavender and tea tree oil. Simply keep this in mind if you develop a rash or itching after using one of these products.

3. You can develop an allergy to something that you have been using for years. 

Although it is more likely that someone who develops an allergic reaction is doing so to a new product or medicine, you can develop an allergy to something that you have been using for years. The simple answer is that either you have changed or the product has changed.

4. Most people do not use enough sunscreen.

We recommend using 2 tablespoons of sunscreen to cover your exposed areas. That is an entire shot glass of sunscreen. This needs to be reapplied every 2 hours if you are in the sun.

5. More expensive does not mean better.

There are some excellent skin care products that are expensive. But, there are outstanding products that can be found in the drugstore at a fraction of the cost. It really depends on the individual product and its use.