The Skincare Products You Truly Need

 

 

When you look at cosmetics stores and beauty magazines, you will see that skincare items are constantly being replaced with new items each season. 

The cosmetics industry changes based on trends like the clothing industry.

It is fun to try out the new beauty products that are all the rage in the media or the top-ranked face creams.

However, skin type is different from person to person.

No matter how popular and well-selling a skincare product is, it is useless if it does not suit your skin.

The same is true for microbiome care.

The skin microbiome differs from person to person, and the way to increase good bacteria differs from person to person.

Today, let us help you determine what skincare products you truly need.

Do you really need that skincare product?

 

What skincare products do you always use? Do you have your own original skincare routine?

The variety of skincare products available on the market is astonishing.

There are face washes, serums, toners, booster serums, emulsions, oils, creams, face packs... the list goes on and on.

But if you are a seasoned skincare practitioner, you may know that using many products does not necessarily lead to beautiful skin.

Advertisements and cosmetics stores urge us to use as many products as possible. But you might have wondered if you really need that much when you look at the many bottles lined up on the dressing table.

 

It is determining which skincare products are truly necessary the most essential part of skincare.

 You may be surprised that you don't need as many skincare products as you think.

 

 

Overuse of cosmetics reduces skin microbiome

 

From the viewpoint of microbiome care that we at KINS believe in, it is undesirable to use too many cosmetics.

The skin has more than several hundred million "skin microbiome" that exist in the pores and on the surface of the skin. Some of these microbiome are effective in beautifying the skin, so it is important to increase the number of those good bacteria.

 

One of them is Staphylococcus epidermidis, which moisturizes the skin and also serves as a skin barrier.

Staphylococcus epidermidis is commonly called "the good microbiome for skin," and they have recently become the focus of attention in the beauty industry.

 

Overuse of cosmetics can kill such skin microbiome and upset its balance. And the imbalance of the skin microbiome leads to inflammation such as acne and rough skin.

 

 

Synthetic surfactants and preservatives have things to do with this point.

Many cosmetics use preservatives to maintain quality for a certain period.

Even products labeled "preservative-free" may contain some preservative ingredients that are not required to be labeled.

 

Synthetic surfactants, especially famous for their use in detergents and shampoos, are used in all kinds of cosmetics, including serums and creams.

You may easily imagine they are used in makeup cleansers and face washes. But emulsions and creams also contain them to keep the oil and water content of the ingredients from separating.  So, more cosmetics mean more potential for taking synthetic surfactants and preservatives.

 

It is almost impossible for us in modern times to avoid synthetic surfactants and preservatives completely. However, if we become conscious, it is possible to deal with them well.

 

 

 

What is the “good microbiome for skin”? A microbiome expert explains the skincare effects that are as good as cosmetics.

keyword: good microbiome for skin

The ingredients of toner, emulsion, and cream are almost the same?!

 

Most people probably use toner, emulsion, or face cream every day. 

But have you ever thought about how these ingredients differ?

Toner is mainly an item that replenishes moisture to the skin after face-washing. Most of them are made up of water-based ingredients only, and contain no oil at all or only a very small amount if any. However, since aqueous ingredients evaporate over time, it is necessary to cover the skin hydrated with lotion with oil.

This is where emulsion and face creams come in.

To the water-based component of toner, an oil-based component is added to the emulsion. Face creams are made by adding oil more to give it a firmer texture.

However, since water does not dissolve in oil, a surfactant is added to mix the water-based and oil-based ingredients.

Although the textures of emulsions and face creams are different, their roles are almost the same, so it is sufficient to use only one or the other depending on your preference for texture.

However, nowadays there are many emulsions that resemble serums, with more beauty ingredients added and less oil content. So if the smooth texture is not enough, you can add a cream afterward.

Skincare products come in a variety of brands and textures, but they are all basically made from the same ingredients of water, oil, and surfactants.

By knowing the roles of toner, emulsion, and cream, it is easier to determine what is necessary and what is not.

 

 

Start with one less item.

 

As already explained, emulsions and face creams both contain the same three main ingredients: water (to moisturize), oil (to protect moisturized skin), and surfactants (to blend water and oil).

In other words, the only difference between an emulsion and a face cream is the texture, so just one of them is sufficient. (Although it depends on the skin type.)

For oily skin, in particular, one light-textured emulsion may be sufficient.

However, skin conditions change with the seasons. If you feel too dry in winter, you can change your skincare routine and add face cream too.

 

It is also true that there is a wide range of textures among different brands and items. Some emulsions are refreshing and gel-like, while others are similar to face creams.

If you have been using both a light-textured emulsion and a face cream, it might be enough to use only one by switching to a creamier, heavier-textured emulsion.

The more skincare items you have, the more time and money you will spend.

It may be a good idea to consider reducing rather than increasing the number of items.

By reconsidering which items are not necessary for you, you may be able to find the right skincare routine for you.

 

 

Of course, just reducing the number of products may result in insufficient skin moisture. So please carefully assess your skin condition as you go along.

 

The trick to do this is to first cut back on one skincare product at a time for a few days and check to see if the dryness is bothering you. If you notice a sudden increase in dryness, then that product is probably necessary to you.

On the other hand, if you don't notice any dryness at all, then maybe you don't need to use that item.

If you feel "a little dry" when you cut back face cream, switching to only one highly moisturizing emulsion is also an option.

 

At cosmetics stores, even in the corner of a single brand, you will find a variety of products such as toner, booster serum, emulsion, serum, face cream, and so on. Shoppers may even recommend you use the whole line. However, what you need might be less than you think.

 

Using more products in skincare means more risk of taking in surfactants, preservatives, etc. We recommend using fewer cosmetics to increase the number of the “good microbiome for skin.”

We at KINS offer a simple booster focused on skin microbiome care.

Making microbiome care a daily habit can lead you to get balanced and beautiful skin.