3 Steps to Have a Healthy Face Skin
BY BEATRIZ FERNANDES
How can a Bellydancer make her skin healthier?
Respecting the care with it every day, in a conscious and coherent way, according to its characteristics and phases, and also, harmoniously agreeing with our general health status.
A dancer usually uses several very aggressive products for the skin - foundation, eyeliner, eyeshadows, lipstick ... So that the skin does not suffer consequences, you must respect the three "basic" rules:
Hygiene;
Hydration;
Photoprotection.
1. Hygiene
Hygiene of the skin has the function of renewing the stratum corneum, the known “dead cells” and the hydrolipidic mantle, a “cement” barrier composed of water and small fat cells. This type of cement has the function of protecting our skin, but it needs constant “reprogramming”, so that cell regeneration happens in a healthy way. In addition, some dirt coming from our external environment as well as the debris resulting from our own metabolism accumulates in this first layer of the skin, influencing the alteration of its pH, the production of sebum (our natural oil) and the appearance of harmful microorganisms. The cleansing of the face skin with a liquid soap appropriate to our skin type (cutaneous biotype) helps us to keep it healthy, to improve the performance of the cosmetics we use next, such as moisturizer, and helps to prevent the appearance complications such as acne, reactivity, allergies, among others.
With regard to cleaning, it should be done in two moments: in the morning and at night. In the case of make-up use, a make-up remover should be used and only then the skin sanitizer, in order to remove makeup residues and clean the skin in greater depth.
The make-up remover will also have to be suitable for the type of makeup we are using. If it is more occlusive, as a base, with several layers of products and waterproof, it should contain some percentage of oil to facilitate this process and minimize the aggression to the skin caused by the friction caused by the removal. It should be noted that neither the cleaning product nor the make-up remover are substituted, and that in the process of removing make-up, they are complementary and essential!
2. Hydration
After cleaning the skin, the next step is followed: hydration. In addition to being able to have some active ingredients in its base with the potential to be permeated and offer the skin specific nutrition, its main function is to give the skin a “pellicle”, restoring some “lost” protection in the previous step, replacing some water, and preventing it from getting lost. This step must also be carried out in the morning and at night, and its shape must be adapted to our biotype and each one's skin needs - format in gel, cream, fluid, spray, etc.
3. Protection
When we talk about photoprotection we talk about sun protection. Despite the countless benefits that the Sun has for us and for our organism, skin aging caused by the sun rays is inevitable, as well as the risk of developing some carcinoma or melanoma, types of skin cancer. Therefore, its continuous daily use is important, not only in the summer months, but throughout the year. We must put the product after the moisturizer, before leaving the house in the morning, and replenishing it throughout the day, because in addition to UV radiation, also the blue light of televisions, computers and mobile phones have an influence on our skin.
That said, it is essential that we use a good sunscreen, ensuring that it protects us from UVB and UVA rays (the most harmful) and for as many hours as possible. I advise you to choose a product with a protection (SPF) 50+ as it will protect you for a longer period of time. When choosing a sunscreen, we will also have to check if it is suitable for our skin biotype - if we have oily skin, we cannot use a product with a high percentage of oil in its composition, for example, and the types of filters present in the product, which can be chemical, physical, minerals.
All of these steps and products contribute to the health of our facial skin. In addition to keeping it beautiful every day, the moment we transform for the stage, makeup will fit better, as the products used are better tolerated by the skin, as it is balanced. There will also be less risk of dryness, allergies, abnormal sebum production, or even skin disorders and pathologies.
A well-treated skin is healthy skin, and healthy skin is, without a doubt, beautiful skin. My challenge is that, on and off the stage, make your skin shine with you, always!
Beatriz Fernandes is a dermatofunctional physiotherapist licensed by the Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal and a Level 4 and 5 student at Catarina Branco Oriental Studio. She currently works at Idun Clínica in Setúbal and provides valuable tips for better treating your skin on your professional Facebook and Instagram. Don't forget to follow her!