Sensitive vs. Sensitized

A classic case of  skin type vs. skin condition. 

“Sensitive” and “sensitized” skin, are they one and the same? Are the words interchangeable? Do they both ‘basically’ refer to the same thing?

No. No, and No.

Yes, the picture is all butterflies, flowers and pink and all but it’s not a ‘girl’ only issue. The guys walking around with itchy, burning, red, or inflamed skin would attest to that I’m sure. Holla.

SENSITIVE

Sensitive skin is considered a skin type, meaning that you were born with it. As it’s in your genes you aren’t going to grow out of it, ever. It’s embedded in your DNA and nothing can be done to change the fact that you indeed were born with this particular skin type.

It is not uncommon for people of Celtic, Scottish or Irish descent to have this skin type. Other common traits of people with this skin type are:

- Light eyes
- Red hair and
- Almost transparent looking skin.

However, this is not absolute. This is a global world, breeds get mixed. Medium skin with light eyes? Yes. It is not impossible for darker skin to be genetically sensitive. 

As sensitive skin is a genetic condition, it would stand to reason that if you have sensitive skin there is most likely someone else in your immediate family with sensitive skin – mom, dad, son, daughter, sister or brother.

It has also been found that:

- Allergies (e.g. hay fever)
- Eczema and/ or
- Asthma 

are genetic predispositions often associated with a sensitive skin type.

SENSITIZED

Sensitized skin, or skin that has been environmentally sensitized is considered to be a skin condition. 

A skin condition is the present state that the skin is in. As such, skin conditions can vary from year to year, season to season and even from day to day. Your skin condition in the morning can even be different from that in the afternoon. It is a temporary state of the skin which can be treated. 

Many factors can trigger sensitivity/ environmental sensitization of the skin. These include but are not limited to:

- Aging 
- Cosmetic Products
- Diet 
- Climate
- Hormones
- Stress
- Environmental Assault
- Impaired barrier function of skin

All of which  will be discussed in a later post.

Keeping the skin both calm and hydrated is the most effective way to decrease skin’s sensitivity and keep it under control.

And you’d want to do this why? Because skin that remains in a red, irritated or inflamed state over extended periods of time is skin that is prone to hyperpigmentation (darkening), deep lines and wrinkles aka signs of accelerated aging. Yeah, you’d want to not do that; Premature aging is not Sexy.

If you can help slow down the signs of aging just by soothing inflamed, irritated skin, why wouldn’t you?

Stay tuned for a further discussion on triggers, treatment options, and my favourite topic – useful ingredients to look for in skin care products .

b FiercelyFabulous

Photo credits: Tina Phillips / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Skin Therapy | Saving Face

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Gone are the days where skin treatments (facials) were luxury. These days it’s a requirement to maintain the Sexy. Depending on the depth of your pocket, there are quality treatments and products that are available to address your skin’s individual concern. 

The following tips can be used by both men and women, although, in all honesty, women are normally more concerned about aging, possibly because society sees wrinkles on a woman as ‘old’ = Not-so-Sexyand wrinkles on a man as ‘experienced’ = Super Smoking Hot.

Double standard? Sure but whatevs. It is what it is, so let’s deal with it accordingly.

1. Schedule Face Time

Gone are the days where skin treatments are a luxury, we live in a world with too much stress, environmental pollution and chemically altered food for that kind of irrational thinking.

We tend to our hair and nails at least once a month, we change our clothing with the seasons or trends, we (should) maintain our teeth regularly, so what’s up with neglecting our skin?  How many faces do we have again?

Monthly skin treatments are required not only to target our individual skin challenges (acne, darkening or hyper-pigmentation, environmentally sensitized skin, aging or prematurely aging skin etc.) but they can also help us maintain well-hydrated, smooth, supple skin, you know… that thing ‘they’ refer to as maintenance. 

Talk with your skin therapist about setting up a skin therapy schedule that complements your at home regimen. Don’t have have an at home regimen? No time like the present to start – the sooner the better.

2. Use the right ingredients

Anti-aging products are all the rage, but as we’ve already discussed, not all products are created equal, largely because not all ingredients are created equal.

There is no regulation as to what a product needs to contain in order to be labelled ‘anti-aging’, as a matter of fact in some cases it only takes a hydrating ingredient, synthetically made at that, for a manufacturer to refer to a product as ‘anti-aging’. After all, all it takes is an hydrating ingredient to, (albeit temporarily), ‘smoothen out fine lines and wrinkles’.

Dry, wrinkly, sorry looking hands? Wet them. They instantly look a lot healthier, but that doesn’t mean that anything has been altered does it? And so what happens when the water dries? Dry, wrinkly, sorry looking hands again.

In reality, an ‘anti-aging’ product should assist in speeding the cell turnover (shedding) of your skin, in order that new skin be revealed. It is this ‘new’ skin that is partly responsible for having a youthful glow, as the presence of dead skin cells can give a dulling effect to the skin.

Typically, skin cell turnover occurs every 28 days, but starts to slow down after the age of 25. That’s pretty young isn’t it? So after 25, the skin doesn’t refresh itself as often and therefore assisting the skin with this task is recommended.  

One way of doing this is to mechanically remove dead skin cells by the use of scrubs (mechanical exfoliation), but this can often be a harsh process and as a result is not recommended for use more than 2-3 times a week. Further, this is not recommended if your skin suffers from excess oil production or is acne prone, as it this rubbing action can stimulate already overactive sebaceous (oily) glands. So what do you do?

This is where ‘anti-aging’ ingredients come in.

Products that contain ingredients such as ‘Lactic Acid’, ‘Glycolic Acid’ or “Retinol’ help speed the skin cell turnover process by chemically nibbling away at these pesky, lingering, dead skin cells (chemical exfoliation) to reveal a fresh layer of skin, thereby reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and brightening darkened areas.

‘Salicylic Acid’ not only serves as a chemical exfoliation agent, but it also works well at drying up acne flares and blemishes, as well as keeps over productive sebaceous glands at bay, so it’s a good ingredient to look for if your skin concerns falls into this category.

These types of ingredients are especially beneficial, as skin gets exfoliated without the harsh rubbing action on the skin by scrubs (mechanical exfoliation). There are many products these days that contain these ingredients, some like cleansers, serums and moisturizers for example, contain a sufficient enough of these ingredients to facilitate exfoliation, but in a dose low enough so that they can be used every day – very effective for maintaing, smooth, healthy, glowing skin daily. 

Always consult with your skin therapist before you start an at-home chemical exfoliation regimen, to protect both your health and the health of your skin.

3. Deal with blemishes effectively

Proper management of blemishes and breakouts is key to maintaining good skin, especially with skin that is prone to pigmentation, like darker or Asian skins.

In these cases, prolonged inflammation and/ or infection in the skin leads to darkening which can take months to disappear if at all. Urrrrgggh.

Keep a salicylic acid containing, acne-fighting spot gel for example, on hand always to immediately deal with blemishes that may pop up, and use a clay-based (kaolin and bentonite clays are the best) masque, for 5-10 minutes, to effectively assist in drawing out impurities from clogged pores. 

If you are into guerrilla warfare, using a cotton tip, dab a bit of hydrogen peroxide** on the blemish to immediately kill any infection and follow up with same said clay-based masque as mentioned above.

**Hydrogen peroxide is highly drying to skin and can seriously alter the skin’s balance (pH levels), so using this over an extended area or prolonged period is NOT recommended. Instead follow alternate instructions above. But, for an emergency on a hot date night every now and then? Sure.

4. Use sunscreen

Over exposing the skin to the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays is the number one way to damage (read age) your skin, and sometimes irreparably so.

Be Smart. Incorporate a full spectrum sunscreen (one that protects against both UVA and UVB rays) into your daily skin care regimen – one that is either used alone or doubles as your daytime moisturizer. This simple activity can go a long way in preserving your youthfulness.

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Q/A : Oil on 'Oily'

It’s great to find something that works – a relationship, a pair of jeans, and yes even a facial cleanser.

…

 ” I have sensitive, combination skin, with oily patches and terribly dry, flaky patches. I usually use foaming washes or scrubs, which have sometimes helped but largely… not so much. I live in the Caribbean and flew North over Christmas time, and my face dried out so badly I was like a snake shedding skin. Then I tried a “Cleansing Milk”. Not to sound like a cheezy ad, but it was like a miracle; No more flaking, my skin was soft and smooth, and no breakouts. I’m currently back home and I’ve kept using it. It’s been a week and my skin still looks great.

My question is, how does this make sense??? everything that I’ve been told about skin care suggests that I should avoid an oil based cleanser, yet this contains nothing BUT oil and it is making my skin thrive. How does that work?”

…

Oil on ‘oily’ skin? I know right, totally doesn’t follow logic. Maybe then:

1. Combination Dry

Your skin is combination yes, but combination dry, rather than combination oily, which would explain why your skin would benefit more from products that are formulated for dry skin types rather than products that are formulated for oily ones.

Alternatively:

2. Dry & Dehydrated

It is possible that your skin isn’t oily at all, and really is more of a dry skin type (sensitive skins usually are) that is also dehydrated, a skin condition that is very prevalent in tropical climates.

Dehydrated skin lacks water, and as the skin cannot produce water to hydrate itself on its own, (it will require that you either use hydrating moisturizers and/ or increase your water intake), the skin will produce more of what it can produce – oil. The over production of oil in this way can give the impression that your skin is combination oily when really is isn’t, because you see oil, but it’s not all over your face – only in certain areas, so you don’t think that your skin is outright ‘oily’, so ‘combination’ is the next best guess.

Dry skin types lack oil, which may explain why your skin is absolutely thriving with a milk cleanser rather than a foamy cleanser, which is normally very stripping for dry skin types. 

Of course being in a temperate country for the winter only makes a naturally dry skin type more dry and irritated, which is what probably prompted you to use a lipid based cleansing solution, like the milk cleansing solution in the first place. These ‘milk’ solutions, especially when ‘ (artificially) fragrance/ parfum free’, are usually specifically formulated for sensitive skins as well, and don’t contain harsh cleansing agents that would further irritate skin, resulting red/ dry/ flakey/ tight skin.

So although the product is largely oil/ lipid based, it is possible to see a dramatic improvement after switching to this product because it addresses at least 2 of the 3 possible challenges your skin faces:
- Combination (normal to dry) &
- sensitive

Many cleansing milks contain ‘natural extracts. Though some of these may seem like oils, it is not uncommon for certain extracts to have hydrating properties that will deal with your skin’s 3rd possible underlying condition – dehydration, which will result in your skin itself producing less oil, and seeming to be more balanced. 

Alternatively, as you did think that your skin was more on the oily side, you may have been using a moisturizer that contains less oil, and therefore more water or another hydrating ingredient, which will work with your milk cleanser to address this dehydration, which results in your skin producing less oil.

Less oil production by the skin = less breakouts, as the ideal conditions (excess sebum/ oil) for this type of bacterial activity no longer exists. This type of moisturizer will still work with the milk cleanser because your skin doesn’t seem to be chronically dry so this balance of oil and water products can work quite well.

So… boom, bang, boom.

You have a product that works perfectly for your skin type and conditions

Scrubs (with spherical micro-beads) do well at helping to exfoliate the excess flakiness on dry skin, maybe 2-3 times a week.

However, it must be followed up with a moisturizer that would replace the oil that is lost/ hardly present. So maybe you can do the scrubs at nighttime, and follow with a rich, thick, cream moisturizer, to allow your skin to rebalance itself while you sleep. That way when you follow with your normal cleansing routine the next morning, you wouldn’t have the excess oil that the thicker cream would have left on your face still lingering during the day.

Thanks for asking. Keep the questions coming.

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Skin Type | Combination Skin

Combination skin is one of 4 skin types. It is usually partly oily and partly dry, and as such can have the characteristics of both skin types.

Typically, combination skin has a shine on the forehead, the nose and the chin (the T-Zone). These areas tend to show more enlarged pores and can have the same characteristics as oily skin:

- Oily shine all over the face
- Thicker texture
- Frequent breakouts
- Possible comedones
- Acne prone

The cheeks and other areas of the face usually appear drier and can have the characteristics of dry skin:

- Lack of sebum
- No oily film present
- Tight/ taut sensation
- Lack of suppleness and tone
- Matte complexion
- Closed pores
- Rough texture
- Flakes of dehydration

Treatment

It is very important to balance the T-Zone area on combination skin types, as well as to gently cleanse and exfoliate the areas with drier skin. 

Products like cleansers, toners and those that control bacterial activity like acne-spot treatments, which contain ingredients like  benzoyl peroxide, sulphur and salicylic acid for example, can be used  in the prevention of acne, breakouts, blackheads and whiteheads in the T-Zone area. 

Products that contain harsh alcohols and aggressive cleansing agents should not be used on the face, for any skin type. These products strip the face of it’s natural protective layer, and disturbs it’s balance. Doing so only triggers an automatic response by the skin to produce more oil.

Exfoliation

Mechanical exfoliation, in the form of gentle facial scrubs are recommended for use 1-2 times per week on combination skin types, with particular attention being paid to areas of the skin that experience dryness or flakiness. 

Combination skin can also benefit from chemical exfoliation treatments, particularly in the oil prone areas like the T-Zone area. The use of products that contain a mix of alpha and beta hydroxyacids (AHAs and BHAs),  such as glycolic and salicylic acid respectively, work well for combination types. Glycolic acid will help combat any signs of premature aging, like the formation of fine lines and wrinkles on dry skin areas, and salicylic acid will of course help control any unwanted bacterial action present in areas that are prone to excess oiliness.

These products should not be used in the eye area.

Dehydration

Like dry or oily skin, combination skin can also be dehydrated. When skin lacks water, it compensates for this by producing more oil. You may find that on days where you are not on top of your water intake, your skin appears shiner, and oilier than usual. Even the parts that are usually flaky appear to have excess oil and you think that your skin type is suddenly oily.

A water-based, fluid moisturizer that would take care of the dryness and balance the oil on skin works best for this type of skin. Also, keep water intake up and incorporate more vegetables in your diet.

Aging

As we age, the skin’s production of sebum decreases, and skin gets less oily and more dry. In the case of combination skin, it is recommended that you incorporate the appropriate skin care products and treatments to help delay premature aging of the dryer skin areas. 

And of course, wear sun screen.

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Exfoliating vs. Peeling

The words peeling and exfoliating are often used interchangeably, but there is a big difference between chemical exfoliation that is done in Medical Spas by estheticians, and chemical peeling that is done by dermatologists or plastic surgeons.

Both processes refine the skin’s appearance in a relatively short period of time. However, in chemical exfoliation, only superficial layers of the skin are removed whereas deeper layers of skin are removed in the chemical peeling process.

Chemical peels are acids that are applied on the skin, which facilitate a controlled shedding of the skin’s surface.

Types of Chemical Peels

There are three types of chemical peels:

- Superficial peels

- Medium depth peels

- Deep peels

Medium and deep peels are generally NOT recommended for medium to darker skin types. This is because medium to darker skins are prone to hyper-pigmentation (darkening) and scarring. During these deeper chemical peels, skin is essentially damaged to the point where it is forced to repair itself and form a new superficial layer. This process, in medium to darker skins, can result in permanent scarring.

Superficial peels

Generally, superficial chemical peels may be used on most skin types/ conditions, however different active ingredients are used depending on the type of treatment required. Some of the more common types of acids used in superficial peels include:

- Glycolic acid – used to refine aging skin and for brightening dark spots

- Lactic acid - used for sensitive skin

- Salicylic acid - used for acne prone skin.

Microdermabrasion is considered a superficial peel, as in this process only the outermost layers of skin are removed. However, unlike chemical peels where superficial layers of skin are removed chemically, in microdermabrasion the outermost layers of skin  are removed mechanically.

Superficial peels may be performed by estheticians who have been appropriately trained in this procedure.

Typically there is no downside associated with superficial peeling procedures, and recovery may consist of mild redness and flaking. Normal activities may be resumed with the use of appropriate sun protection. 

Medium depth peels

Medium depth peels are recommended for fair complexions, and usually contain higher levels of stronger acids. 

In this process, the outer, superficial layers of the skin are targeted as well as some of the deeper layers of the skin.

Recovery occurs within 5-7 days after which sloughing of the skin occurs. Skin is red immediately after treatment and is often accompanied by swelling. Skin turns brown in colour within a day of the treatment and begins the peeling process within 3 or 4 days.

Medium depth peels can only be administered by dermatologists or medical surgeons and are not recommended for medium to darker skin tones.

Deep peels

These peels produce the most result, but are the most damaging.

They are recommended for fair skin types and for treating:

- Wrinkles
- Scars and blemishes and
- Precancerous skin lesions (in some cases)

Deep peels go so far into the skin’s layers that anesthesia may be required during the procedure to reduce the warm, hot and stinging sensation. 

Recovery time is the longest with deep peels. Immediately after this peel, skin is red and can result in swelling and blistering. A crust may form and will turn a brown colour just before it peels off. As deep peels penetrate various layers of skin, the skin may shed various layers over a 1-2 week period, and appropriate skin dressings may be prescribed to keep skin moist.

The new skin that is developed will feel and resemble that which has been terribly sunburnt, but will gradually fade to normal skin colour.

Only dermatologists and medical surgeons are qualified to perform deep peel skin treatments. 

Deep chemical peels are not recommended for medium to darker skin tones.

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Tip| Skin Types

Skin Type | Oily Skin

Oily skin secretes excessive sebum, oils that are excreted by the skin. Some characteristics of oily skin are:

- Oily shine all over the face
- Thicker texture
- Enlarged pores
- Frequent breakouts
- Possible open comedones (blackheads)
- Closed comedones (whiteheads)
- Acne prone skin

Treatment

Proper management of oily skin requires that it’s secretions are balanced. Excess secretions create a favourable environment for bacteria to thrive and multiply, so it is important that bacterial activity is controlled on the skin by the use of appropriate cleansers, toners and treatment products like acne-control spot treatments for example. 

Cosmetic products that work at absorbing oil and thereby allowing the skin to appear matte also work well for oily skin. Clay masks, such as those made out of kaolin clay, work well at extracting impurities out of skin’s pores as it dries, and can also give the appearance of tighter firmer skin, and smaller pores. Other cosmetic products include oil absorbing paper products and  non-comedogenic, (does not clog pores) oil absorbing powders.

Products that contain ingredients like  benzoyl peroxide, sulphur and salicylic acid for example, are commonly used in the T-Zone area (forehead, nose and chin) to treat breakouts, blackheads and whiteheads . 

Deep cleansing cleansers, which are usually foamy, work well for oily skin types. However, just like dry skin, it is important that the skin’s protective barrier isn’t totally stripped by using harsh cleansers, as doing so would only trigger the skin to produce more oils to compensate for it’s protective layer being removed. This is the skin’s only way of balancing itself.

Exfoliation

Oily skin types benefit from chemical exfoliation, the use of acid agents such as salicylic and lactic acid, or enzyme agents such as bromelain, naturally found in pineapples and papain, which is found in papaya (paw paw). The use of scrubs, a form of manual exfoliation, should be limited as this physical stimulation of skin encourages an increase in the skin’s oil production, which is not desirable for skin that is already rich in oils.

Dehydration

It is not uncommon for oily skin types to be dehydrated. When skin lacks water, it compensates for this by producing more oil. You may find that on days where you are not on top of your water intake, your skin appears shiner, and oilier than usual. Keep water intake up, as well as moisturize oil prone skin with fluid-like, water based moisturizers to help prevent against excess oil production.

Aging

As we age, the skin’s production of sebum decreases, and skin gets less oily and more dry. Under the same conditions, skins with an excess production of oil typically age less rapidly than do dry skin types.

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Skin Type| Dry Skin

Dry skin is one of four categories of skin types, and is the skin type that lacks oil. Some characteristics of dry skin may include:

- Thin texture
- Lack of sebum (skin’s oil secretions)
- No oily film present
- Tight/ taut sensation
- Lack of suppleness and tone
- Matte complexion
- Closed pores
- Rough texture
- Flakes of dehydration
- Expression lines (frown, smile etc) as a result of reduced natural lubrication and superficial dehydration
- Dull, lackluster skin 

Treatment

As the protective barrier on dry skin is already compromised, harsh, soapy, detergent cleansers can completely ‘strip’ skin’s protective barrier. Products with a higher oil (lipid) content work well for dry skin as they help reinforce this protective layer.

Cream or emollient cleansers, conditioning cleansers that are ‘non-soapy’ and often have either a thick or a fluid like milky look, work best for dry skin, especially chronically dry skin – skin that is prone to cracking, splitting and bleeding. The thicker the consistency of the cream cleanser, the more beneficial it is to drier skin, as the more oils the cleanser contains.

These same rules apply when choosing a moisturizer for dry skin. The drier the skin the more it benefits from the oils present in cream based moisturizers.

Exfoliation

For normal to dry skin, frequent mechanical exfoliation, with the use of appropriately mild facial scrubs 2-3 times a week is beneficial, as it helps shed the over abundance of dead skin cells present on the skin’s surface that can contribute to a dull, lackluster skin tone. 

This exfoliation of normal to dry skin also helps stimulate the skin’s sebaceous (oil) glands and promote the skin’s production of oils that this skin type lacks.

Harsh exfoliating agents such as crushed walnut/ apricot shells should not be used on the face, especially on chronically dry skin. Even though these shells may be finely crushed, the pieces are not uniformly smooth and may contain sharp edges that can rip, tear and damage the skin’s surface.

Exfoliating agents that dissolve in water, like crushed cornmeal or exfoliating agents that contain spherical ‘microbeads’ work better at exfoliating skin without damaging its structure.

Alternatively, products that contain chemical exfoliating agents like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as glycolic and lactic acids  can work well to smoothen rough-textured, dry and dehydrated skin. Contact your skin care therapist before you start using these products as incorrect use can severely damage skin.

Dehydration

Usually, but not always, dry skin is also dehydrated. Therefore, using products that contain a high water content, like toners and/ or fluid moisturizers, can help to hydrate the skin, leaving it more soft and supple.

Drinking the required amount of water daily and having a diet full of vegetables (that contain mostly water) also assist dry skin to maintain flexibility.

Aging

Because dry skin often is dehydrated and lacks oil, suppleness and tone, it is prone to faster aging than oily skin. A proper and consistent moisturizing habit as well as the use of sunscreen are two ways to help prevent pre-mature aging.

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 Premature aging

Wash mindfully

The conditioning agents present in hair conditioners can clog skin pores when they are deposited on your skin through rinsing. If you have an issue with pimples, acne or general build up occuring on your back, try cleansing your skin after you have rinsed the conditioner out of your hair, and not before. Doing so will wash away any potential pore clogging residue from your back.

If you tend to have excess oil buildup on your face or have acneic skin, also consider cleansing your face with your routine cleanser after you’ve rinsed the conditioner from your hair.

Alternatively, you can choose to apply a leave-in conditioner, in a cream or spray formula depending on the texture and condition of your hair. Apply the leave-in conditioner from the middle of the hair strands to the ends, avoiding the forehead and other areas of your face. This is because the conditioning agents present in the leave-in conditioners can leave the same build up/ residue on the skin, which can clog pores on the face and give rise to acne in the same way.

Cream leave-in conditioners work well for drier hair and/or thicker hair strands as they provide extensive moisturization and help to better tame fizziness. However these formulas will weigh down fine hair.

Choose the one that works best for you.

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Skin Types| Normal Skin

“Normal skin” is considered to be one of four categories of  skin types. This type of skin secretes a moderate amount of sebum (oils secreted by the skin) so there is no lack neither  is there excess. Skin feels neither dry nor oily.

Most skins can be classified as either normal to dry or normal to oily. It is very rare that a skin type would considered to be normal, that is it is not affected by any underlying skin conditions. For example this skin type is not dehydrated, does not have areas with darkened or lightened spots, is not acneic, or does not show signs of aging etc.

Not even all babies today are born with a normal skin type. Some babies are born with birthmarks on their skin, some have rough scaly patches, and some are even born with breakout activity on their faces for example.

Normal skin is perfect to the naked eye. Because it has the right balance of oils, normal skin:

- Is plump
- Is smooth and soft
- Has even pores and colour tone
- Has no excess oil or dryness.

Normal skin can use either water (aqueous) or oil (lipid) based products. This type of skin easily maintains it’s balance and it’s protective barrier. 

As this skin type is very rare, it is a good idea to re-evaluate this skin type with the change of the season or lifestyle.

Possibly related post -> 10 Top Skin-Care Faux Pas

Skin’s secretions

The amount of oil secreted by your skin determines your skin type, i.e. whether your skin is considered to be dry, oily, or normal. This oil that is secreted by skin helps the skin to form its lipid barrier, which is a combination of oil, sweat and dead skin cells that form a layer over the skin and protect it against bacteria.

Unlike your laundry, your skin should not feel ‘squeaky’ clean. It should not feel so clean that after cleansing and drying your face, rubbing your finger along your skin almost produces a noise similar to the one produced when you drag your bare feet against a newly polished floor. *squeak*

Using cleansers that are too harsh for your skin can remove this barrier completely and give your skin that squeaky clean feeling. When this lipid barrier has been removed, the skin then goes into emergency mode and attempts to restore this barrier by producing, and sometimes over producing, oil.

This lipid barrier decreases with age, which is why you would find that your skin gets less oily and more dry with age.

Huh.

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