Hello,
I don’t want my skincare knowledge to go to waste while I’m unable to guide people through their regimens in person. I’ve composed a list of quality skincare products from smaller companies that can all be purchased from Dallas based businesses. Even if you’re not a Dallas-local, you can most likely find these items in a boutique closer to you or, opt to shop from the shops I’ve listed.
Enjoy!
G L O S S A R Y
Fatty Acids - strengthen the surface of the skin making for a more smooth texture.
Emollients - help retain moisture, softens, and soothes the skin.
Humectants - substances that help withhold moisture.
Tocopherol - is a form of Vitamin E which is hydrating and antioxidant-rich.
Panthenol - is vitamin b5. It is a humectant and soothes the skin.
Niacinimide - is vitamin b3. It strengths the skin, is soothing, restores hydration, and evens skin tone.
Antioxidants - assist in repairing and protecting our surface cells which become damaged by free radicals causing oxidation. Think about the discoloration of a sliced apple left on the counter. By squeezing lemon juice on the apple, it prevents browning making the lemon an antioxidant in this scenario.
Collagen Production - occurs naturally in our skin but lessens as we age. Collagen is important in helping our skin renew itself, retain moisture, and improve in texture.
L I P C A R E
Lip care can be used in particularly dry areas of the body as a salve. Our lips have many layers of skin meaning a need for a higher boost in hydration to suffice. This is why I recommend using a dense lip product for dry hands as a helpful trick.
Le Baume can be bought from Marcel Market. I’m highlighting the option that’s naturally fragranced with violet as I know the ingredient to be softening, hydrating, and antiseptic. Other quality ingredients include; Shea Butter (high in fatty acids & is an emollient), Tocopherol, Sea Buckthorne (antioxidant-rich), and Honey (anti-inflammatory).
If you prefer a traditional applicator try Nash and Jones’s Lip Balm available at All Good Things. It contains Avacado Oil (fatty acid-rich), Beeswax, Tocopherol, and Peppermint (soothing but avoid around the eyes).
C L E A N S E R
Magic Hour Shop has a solid collection of skincare items. For a daily and or nightly face wash, I’d direct anyone towards Lauren’s All Purpose’s Serum. To use this product as an oil cleanser, apply 8 drops into your hands and gently massage on your face and neck then rinse. Please don’t be wary to try an oil cleanser even if your skin is oily! The way an oil-based cleanser function is that its oils attract your oils. Ingredients in Lauren’s All-Purpose Serum are; Hemp Seed Oil (balances excess & depleted oils), Burdock Root (anti-inflammatory & antibacterial), and Rose Otto Oil (helps to maintain elasticity in the skin & is very hydrating).
An overlooked approach to face washing is using your oil cleanser daily and reaching for a clay-based masque for a twice-weekly deep cleanse. The masques I’ll reference can also be purchased at Magic Hour Shop. If your skin is on the dry side I would go for the rose quartz masque and if you’re oilier, the vitamin C masque. Poppy and Someday’s Rose Quartz Face Mask contains; Rose Quartz and White Kaolin Clay (decongesting & gently exfoliating), Rosehip (boosts collagen production), Lavender (balancing to excess oils), and Chamomile (anti-inflammatory). The other option is Palermo Body’s Vitamin C Mask with; Pink Clay (decongesting & gently exfoliating), Rosehip, Strawberry Extract (antioxidant-rich), Hibiscus (high in alpha-hydroxy acid which is another gentle exfoliation), and Chamomile.
T O N E R
A toner is essential in my opinion. Visualize a toner as a primer, your skin as a canvas, making the steps that follow the painting. To reiterate, the toner comes after any product you wash off and before the products you’ll leave on. A good toner feels balanced and light in hydration. My advice is to avoid traditional astringent toners in general because they’re quite aggressive on the skin and can potentially cause more trouble in the long term even if they do offer short term results (this is relevant for those with blemishes and oiler skin).
You can order Noto’s Basil Yarrow Mist at Shop Commerce to use as a toner. This product offers; Rose Water (hydrating), Witch Hazel (antiseptic & balances excess oils), Basil (antioxidant-rich), Chamomile (anti-inflammatory), Ylang Ylang, and Lavender (both balance excess oils). This is a good option for all skin types, particularly oily and combination.
Poppy and Someday’s Gypsy Rose Toner from Magic Hour is based with; Rose Otto Oil, Evening Primrose (fatty acid-rich), and Witch Hazel (balancing & cleansing to pores). This would make more sense for those with dry, sensitive, and mature skin. However, I don’t see the harm in other types trying it out as well.
M O I S T U R I Z E R
At All Good Things you’ll find Freck’s Lil Prick Cactus Seed Dry Serum although I’d argue this would make a really nice moisturizer for oily, blemish-prone, combination, and sensitive skin. For dry skin, I would layer this product underneath another hydrator. Ingredients are; Prickly Pear (anti-inflammatory & can even skin tone), Sweet Almond (hydrating ), Grape Seed Oil (anti-oxidant rich), Rosemary (antiseptic), and Tocopherol.
Shop Commerce carries Alder New York Everyday Face Serum and Alder New York Every Day Moisturizer. The moisturizer is geared for dry, normal, combo, sensitive, and dehydrated skin. While oily skin types could use this at night. This moisturizer contains; Hyaluronic Acid (retains moisture in the skin), Glyceral Ascorbate (vitamin C which aids in hyperpigmentation & is an antioxidant), Oatmeal (soothing), Sunflower (vitamin E rich), Panthenol (vitamin b5) and, Aloe Vera (soothing). While the serum has; Niacinamide (vitamin b3), Rosemary, Willow Bark (soothing & cleansing to pores), Panthenol (vitamin b5), and Hyaluronic Acid. The serum could be useful to anyone.
Those seeking to aid with irritation, redness, and inflammation could try Fat and the Moon’s Moon Milk at Magic Hour Shop. It is comprised of; Rosewater (anti-inflammatory), Hemp Seed (balancing to both dry & oily concerns), Coconut Milk Powder (nutrient-rich & makes for milky consistency), Hyaluronic Acid (retains moisture in the skin), and Elderberry (antioxidant-rich).
Poppy and Someday’s Sea and Sun Shield at Magic Hour Shop would be a good item to incorporate for everyone. If you’re oily use it as a moisturizer and if you’re dry go ahead and layer it. It has; Carrot Seed Oil (high vitamin E), Sea buckthorn (antioxidant), Frankincense (aids in hyperpigmentation), Sandalwood (anti-inflammatory), Lavender (balancing), and Rose Geranium (antibacterial).
S K I N T Y P E S
I’ll offer some guidance below for those who are having trouble defining your skin type but most importantly, don’t overthink it!
Normal skin doesn’t feel tight, flaky, patchy, textured, overtly oily by the end of the day, or visibly congested. If you have no persistent concerns with your skin, my recommendation is trialing products one at a time to develop a routine that makes sense for your lifestyle and environment.
Dry Skin cannot produce enough oil. Flaking and patchiness can be seen and feeling tight after cleansing is common. Use nourishing ingredients in each step of your routine not just a bountiful amount of lotion.
Sensitive Skin doesn’t just mean you’re prone to breakouts. I would define truly sensitive skin as reactive to weather, allergens, and is easily inflamed resulting in rashes. Sensitive skin needs simplicity, hydration, and soothing ingredients above all other concerns.
Mature Skin is usually dry because our ability to retain moisture, produce vitamins, and collagen slows down rapidly roughly after age 30. You’ll need to focus on hydrating and protecting your skin at this point. Don’t fixate on if a product claims anti-aging results rather select formulations that are nourishing, have fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Oily Skin feels greasy, sometimes coarse in texture, and can have more of a chance for clogged pores. If you have oily skin, aim for balancing it not stripping everything away. It’s still vital to moisturize even if you suffer from oiliness because you can still be dehydrated. In some cases, people’s skin appears oily because it’s so depleted of nourishment.
Combination is most usually experienced as oiliness across the forehead and nose while feeling normal to dry on the cheeks. Similar to approach with sensitive skin, aim for simplicity. Just because your skin may feel many different ways doesn’t mean you need many different products. Again look for balance, perhaps try a decongesting cleanser, a nourishing toner, and a lightweight moisturizer.
Blemishes can occur on any skin type. As someone who is acne-prone, my greatest advice is don’t try and dry out your concerns with harsh ingredients. Instead, looking for decongesting and anti-inflammatory properties. Fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants are really important to ease scaring after a severe breakout.