Just like your personality, your skin is different too.

We tend to forget this as we look at our best friends using fancy skincare products or famous celebrities with beautiful skin launching their skincare lines. We want to try it all, especially if the products market ingredients that are known to be nourishing for the skin. 

Our Primary girls are no stranger to skincare lessons. We, too, have tried out popular products and skincare habits, only to find that they do not work well with us. 

Nida Faisal- Founder 

Not Skipping the Cleanser in the Morning

It is no secret that many people do not prefer cleansing their face first thing in the morning. When you get out of bed, you may have noticed that your skin has a layer of oil on it that makes your face look dewy and plump- all that we really want in life. 

Loads of bloggers talk about skipping the face wash in the morning since the skin isn't exposed to any environmental aggressors, such as dirt and pollution in the night. Moreover, why would anyone want to strip the skin of it's natural oils, especially when your face feels so soft in the morning?

Nida was no stranger to this morning glow. She decided to try out all the reviews for herself and skipped the cleanser in her AM routine for a few weeks. However, for someone with naturally oily skin, this was a nightmare. The whole "subtle-moisture-boost" only made Nida's face look extra oily- not a good look, overall. 

After recognizing that this trend was not for her, Nida was quick to change things up in her skincare routine. She went back to cleansing her face with a salicylic acid cleanser as part of her AM routine, and she has never been happier. Her face looks fresh, clean, and moisturized after she slaps on her hydrating serums, sunblock, and moisturizer. The trick is to know what works for your skin, and adapt accordingly. 

Mahnoor Khan- Social Media Manager

Switching from Clay Masks to Chemical Peels

All our Primary girls know how crucial exfoliation is. Clogged pores cause uneven texture, a dull complexion, and of course, break outs as dead skin starts to accumulate. Hence, it is important to detoxify the skin, especially when searching for that unreal glow. 

However, exfoliation should not leave the surface of your skin feeling squeaky clean and stripped of all its natural oils. Your skin should feel clean, moisturized, and healthy, as impurities are gently removed from the pores. 

Mahnoor had been using clay masks to exfoliate the dead skill cells and ensure a more vibrant complexion and smoother texture. However, after a few uses, she realized that the clay masks were drying out her skin. The clay was stripping her skin of all the natural oils, leaving behind dry, irritated skin which felt itchy. 

Instead, Mahnoor decided to opt for exfoliating chemical peels once or twice a month, depending on how clogged her pores felt. These peels helped remove dead skin cells instantly from the top layer of the skin, revealing fresh, glowy skin underneath. Moreover, Mahnoor noticed an instant change in her skin's color, tone and texture as the discoloration caused by the sun was cleared up. Her skin felt clean, hydrated, and moisturized as products were able to penetrate deeper into the skin. 

Aiza Abbas- Social Media Consultant 

Letting Go of Face Towels

Face towels seem like a good idea, don't they? They're different from body towels so you don't have to be paranoid about the germs, and you can easily grab a small towel and dab your face dry. 

Even though our social media consultant hopped on the bandwagon of using face towels, the trend was short lived. Aiza soon realized that using a towel to dry her face was doing more harm than good. The truth is that face towels are loaded with bacteria. You'd think that the toilet seat is the most unhygienic spot in your bathroom, but you couldn't be more wrong- it's your towel! 

Towels trap bacteria. Since wet towels are dried in the bathroom- a humid spot with loads of moisture present in the air- bacteria start to breed. When the contaminated towel is touched to the face, bacteria are transferred onto clean skin, causing breakouts and clogging pores. Now of course, we have to admit that none of us wash our face towels every single day. 

Even though we've been taught to dry off the excess water from the skin after we cleanse our face, you'd be surprised to know the truth. Damp skin actually allows your skin products to penetrate into the deepest layers, making all the money you spent on serums worth every penny. Aiza slowly started to notice that whenever she did not dry her face, the  moisture from her products was actually able to lock into her skin. Over time, she noticed that her skin looked more dewy, fresh, and youthful.  

Rameen Shakil- Content Creator 

Saying Goodbye to Some Popular Skincare Products

Letting go has always been an issue for me. I've learned things the hard way. Of course, my journey with skincare has not been any different. I, too, like many others, have wanted to try all the popular skincare products that my best friends and favorite bloggers have been raving about. 

The Ordinary's Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% was no different. As soon as the people around me starting swearing by this magical product, claiming that it helped clear hyper pigmentation and brighten up skin tone, i was ecstatic (to say the least). I ordered the small bottle from Canada and had it shipped to me. I waited for 40 days and when it finally arrived in the mail in the evening, I rushed to the bathroom to do an early PM routine, only to use the Niacinamide on my face ASAP.

When I first used a thin layer of the serum on my skin, right after my cleanser and toner, I felt a stinging sensation. I shrugged it off and continued to pat the product into my skin- I wanted all its magical goodness to reach the deepest layers. My skin is dull and I yearn for that dewy brightness that most 20-something adults my age wake up with. What's wrong with a girl dreaming, right?

Over the next few days, I started to use the Niacinamide sparingly on my skin. I introduced it to my skincare routine gradually, and only used it on alternate days. However, I started to notice that my skin was not happy. The stinging would not stop. In fact, it seemed to sting a little more each time I layered the serum. I tried to slap on the serum without my toner, thinking that the Glycolic acid present may be the cause of irritation. However, all my efforts were in vain. 

A full 4 months later with only 1/3rd of the bottle used, I decided to give up. I asked my Primary girls why this oh-so-popular serum did not suit me and I found out something interesting- zinc is not for every skin type. Initially, I thought the Niacinamide percentage was too high, but after building my resistance to it and coming back to The Ordinary's serum, my skin could still not tolerate it.

The point is to learn what your skin is telling you. If a skincare product stings or burns or makes your skin red, it may not be suiting your skin type. It is best to let go of skincare products or come back to them a few months later when you find that they are not working well on your skin, than to completely wreck your face.