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Yoliswa Dube

IF there’s anything I’ve learnt over the years, it’s to be extra careful with my skin. I realise that a moment of madness can cost me a couple of weeks of misery.

I was raised on Ingrams Camphor Cream (the white one with a bit of a pungent smell).

I used it primarily because it’s what my mother bought me. But during high school, I started coming across people applying Fair and Lovely, Lemon Lite, Ponds and so forth and somewhat felt Camphor wasn’t good enough.

By the way, my skin was relatively good besides one or two pimples which I can attribute to puberty. But because I wasn’t content, I saved some pocket money and bought Lemon Lite (I wonder if it’s still in stock).

You don’t want to know what happened when I applied it. I developed a film of pimples right across my forehead and other pimples all over the face. I could’ve stroked!

And this happened just after I had used the product for just two days! I was bitterly disappointed and had a difficult time going to school because my confidence was shattered. I immediately stopped using it and no new pimples developed. But now was the hassle of clearing the mess. It took a long while to get my skin back.

Good skin is an integral part of looking good because it has a bearing on your confidence and ultimately how you conduct yourself among people.

One important aspect to note is that the skin is such a sensitive organ. It takes minutes to offend and ages to heal. It’s important that you realise that no two people have skin that reacts the same to certain products.

Never make the mistake of choosing to use a particular product because it works for the next person. Never be under pressure to purchase expensive products because someone said they work.

They may, but they might not necessarily work for you. I can’t emphasise enough the need to consider your facial care choices meticulously.

To date, I still use Camphor Cream (believe it or not) because I’ve made peace with the fact that it is the product that works for me.

I still get people, who look down on my good old camphor cream claiming it’s a low market end product but frankly, I really don’t care because that’s what works for my face.

It’s important that we understand that facial skin and skin over the rest of the body don’t necessarily behave the same. I’ll break it down a little bit so that you get an idea of how best you can take care of the skin on different parts of your body.

The most sensitive is facial skin, which requires a whole lot of attention. Begin with adopting good hygiene practices. Don’t use the same towel on your face as the rest of your body. In fact, don’t use a towel at all on your face. It’s bizarre, I know. It took me a while to adjust but I’m enjoying the benefits now.

The reason why your body towel shouldn’t go onto face is pretty simple. Towels retain some bacteria after washes so you don’t want to take the bacteria on the rest of the body to your face.

Secondly, the soap you use on your body is probably harsher than what you use on your face.Again, because towels don’t wash as clean as we think they do, the two products mix on the towel and clash, which may cause an allergic reaction to your skin.

I’ve resorted to using my facial soap and hands only to wash my face because I couldn’t deal with having two towels at a time. It may seem unnecessary to mention but always wash your face first before the rest of the body, when the water is still clean and untainted by other products.

Unless of course if you’re using the shower. Find a good scrub that will help clean your skin further. It’ll take away the extra oils and unclog your pores. Clogged pored cause pimples and black heads.

At least twice a week, make sure you scrub your skin-gently. Because my skin is on the sensitive side, I prefer using a mixture of mealie-meal and water as a scrub, it works just fine!

If you’re into make-up, NEVER go to bed without washing your face a second time. Make-up is dirt. If left on, it clogs your pores and may cause you skin problems.

There’s no end to what our hands come into contact with. Make sure you moisturise your hands whenever you wash them, finish doing the dishes or anything that involves water.

It’s important to rehydrate after moisture is lost when you come into contact with water. This may sound cheesy but whenever you can, wear protective gloves when doing chores that require them like gardening or doing the dishes.

I know, but it’ll help in the long run. Keep a small tube of lotion in your handbag for when you’re on the go.

Dry chapped feet are usually embarrassing when you decide to wear open shoes. Your feet are what will tell us how much of a hygienic person you are, so they say.

So take care of them. At least once a month, soak your feet in hot/warm water, scrub and remove dead skin from underneath them.

Make sure you moisturise well afterwards. On a daily basis, pay attention to your feet and make sure your lotion spreads evenly throughout. Never be in a rush when applying moisturiser on your feet.

A lot of us have generally tolerant skin on the rest of our bodies so we don’t pay much attention to it. But it’ll help to know the skin on the rest of your body requires an equal measure of attention.

Depending on your skin type, invest in a moisturiser that will adequately hydrate your skin. I like to use tissue oil after my evening bath and body lotion for dry skin in the mornings.

Tissue oil is an EXCELLENT way of rehydrating skin. It’ll leave your skin smooth and plump. It’ll also even out your skin tone. Over time of course.

One important aspect to understand about your skin is that it requires patience.

Once you start on a new skin regime, give it time to work UNLESS if you react. PLEASE abort mission if you develop rashes, pimples or any other irregularities.

It’s key that you also realise that a lot of what your skin appears like is as a result of your diet and intake of water. Drink lots and lots of water, it’ll clear your skin in ways you won’t believe! Watch your intake of sugar and fatty foods; they have a way of messing up your skin.

Another number one enemy of good skin is fast food, try limiting yourself on that. Remember always, your skin will react to how you treat it. Treat it with respect and you’ll enjoy it.

Until next week, flaunt your pattern and style and don’t forget to catch up with me on Twitter handle @Yolisswa, visit my blog, www.stayera247.blogspot.com or like my Facebook page Pattern & Style.