Om Organics Skincare

The texture of your skin can tell a lot about your skin. If it is a ‘rough’ feeling, it is typically dry or dehydrated. A more subtle skin that tends to go shiny mid-day is typically on the combination or oily side.  As skin matures, it can lose its elasticity. Elasticity means firmness, how well it bounces back when pressed or tugged. If you are losing elasticity, you may see crepiness in areas such as your neck or under your eyes. Loss of elasticity is a result of reduced peptides and collagen in the dermis. Your skin type can change as a result of the seasons (winter vs summer), different hormonal changes (post-partum, perimenopause, menopause), age and medications. 

Dry skin is consistently dry regardless of external factors. It may become less dry in the summer months if you live in a humid climate; however, it is still dry-feeling (texture or even visually).   Dehydrated skin is more surface-level dryness and is not consistent. It could be dehydrated as a result of diet, a suntan (= damaged skin) or an inconsistent skincare routine.

The notion that skin should feel tight to be clean is not true. If your skin is tight after you use your cleanser, it is most likely dry or dehydrated because your cleanser was too harsh, stripping away natural oils that your skin needs. Look for a cleanser that removes makeup and leaves skin feeling refreshed but not tight. Dry skin: Oil-based cleansers like Three Ships Nourish or Om Cleansing Balm are great for removing makeup while maintaining the skin’s barrier.  Dry or dehydrated skin can also benefit from a milky cleanser like Three Ship Harmony or Om Blue Azul.  If your skin is oily in the T-zone, you are getting hormonal acne, or you have overall oily skin, look for a cleanser with amino acids and low levels of salicylic acid. Amino acids help balance the pH levels of your skin while salicylic acid clarifies the oil of bad bacteria. Cleansers such as Purify by Three Ships or Rebel’s Refinery face wash are natural cleansers that won’t discolour your towels while still providing a good cleanse.

Makeup pilling on your skin is a result of your primer and foundation or concealer conflicting with very dry skin.  

Silicone-based primers, such as Benefit’s Porefessional (a makeup professional’s favourite!), need a silicone, not a water-based foundation or concealer. Check the ingredients before you buy. Common silicones used in foundation are: dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, cyclomethicone, dimethiconol, phenyl trimethicone, and amodimethicone.The drier your skin, the more potential for pilling, as your skin is grabbing onto any moisture it can find in the products, causing your makeup to pill.

Yes. Gently exfoliating your skin removes the buildup of dead skin cells, allowing your skincare products to penetrate into the epidermis.  Exfoliating does not mean using abrasive-textured products.  Products with large exfoliating ingredients, such as nut powders, can rip or tear the skin.  Some oily skins can handle it, but most maturing skin cannot. Look for products that contain fruit-based AHA blends, rice powders or lactic acids for a gentle exfoliate.  Two to three times per week is more than enough! Start with a lower level of AHA or lactic acid to gauge your tolerance.

Yes. A professional facial can definitely help with improving the performance of your daily skin care. A good facialist will examine your skin, provide deep cleanses that don’t dry out your skin, apply steam to make the skin more receptive to extraction and apply a mask treatment for your skin’s needs. Once a season is a good frequency unless you can afford it once a month. 

If going to a professional is out of your budget, try simple at-home remedies such as leaning over a bowl of warm water, letting the steam penetrate your skin (careful, don’t burn yourself!). Apply a face mask after, and massage your skin with a gua sha tool or your strong fingers in circular and upward motions.

If you find that foundation, eye shadow or any makeup makes you look older, it is most likely because the products you are using are not meant for your skin type. The makeup is settling into those well-earned lines while the moisture is being sucked out because of your dry skin. If your skin is on the dry or dehydrated side and is maturing, avoid anything matte regardless of the TikTok trend. In fact, ignore all trends. Maturing skin has different product needs than the social influencer, with unique attributes depending on the individual.  Products of a creamy texture, such as eyeshadows, blush and dewy foundations, can all help to avoid fine lines appearing as craters. A primer that is of the same nature (ie, water primer/water foundation or silicone primer/silicone foundation) can help with providing a smoother base for your makeup to adhere to.