How to navigate the sea of attractive and shiny cosmetic products that compete to promise us miracles, magic, and excellent results? And all this without having to carry a mini copy of the periodic table in your handbag and know all the mythical properties of active ingredients.
To make the right decision about which face cream to choose, you first need to clearly determine what type your skin is, what it needs, and what specific effect you are looking for in the cosmetic product. Here you will see our proposal for the important steps you should consider:
Form
Why cream and not serum, mask, tonic or lotion? Why do even men know they need a cream? The answer is simple – cream is a texture with many advantages. On one hand, it allows the inclusion of numerous valuable ingredients that for one reason or another cannot be used in liquid formulas like lotions and tonics. On the other hand, cream provides better coverage and, if necessary, depending on the treated problem, forms a protective film on the skin.
Serum, on the other hand, has a light, sometimes even liquid texture, whose purpose is to deliver a higher concentration of active substances to the skin. However, it cannot cover all the skin’s needs and is therefore used as part of the daily routine, together with creams for hydration, sun protection, or anti-aging care.
Cream masks for the face have a much denser and richer texture than creams and serums and are usually applied once a week. Their role is to deliver a large amount of moisture to the skin within 15 minutes. After rinsing off the mask, the skin remains deeply hydrated and with a smooth and even complexion.
Skin Type
Follow your guiding light, namely – your own skin. It will tell you everything you need to know – get to know it, observe it, and love it. Stand in front of the mirror – from time to time, with a well-washed face, in good light, say “om” and look closely – how did that day in the sun affect it, and the late-night party with a few glasses of wine?
And don’t rely too much on others’ opinions – you don’t have the skin of your favorite friend/Instagrammer/star, and that’s better. You have your own, which makes you unique and unrepeatable, so – know it and respect it. There is no magical and universal product that is equally good for everyone – the cream that worked wonders for one person may turn out to be completely unsuitable for another.
Since not everyone is lucky with simple solutions, don’t hesitate to head to the dermocosmetic brands section in the pharmacy. You may not have a specific problem, but why deprive yourself of the luxury of getting a high-quality product tailored almost exactly to your skin type? You benefit from their efforts invested in dermatological research and the development of formulas with the precise active ingredients that different skin types need.
For example, oily skin has a denser structure and generally ages visibly more slowly. Yes, if it is also problematic, it needs specific care – even after puberty, it easily becomes oily, pimples, enlarged pores, or blackheads form more easily, and makeup retention is a more challenging task. The solution lies in products that regulate sebum, with non-comedogenic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory ingredients.
At the other end is dry skin – beautiful, clear, and delicate in youth, but with a thinner and finer structure. Therefore, its owner needs to start looking for suitable anti-aging care early in their 30s if they want to delay the appearance of the first wrinkles. The appropriate face cream would be an intensely hydrating and richer formula, and the daily routine should also include rich nourishing night care.
If you are dealing with a specific dermatological condition, be especially careful in your choice. Always, always consult a dermatologist and never, ever buy cosmetics from a supermarket or drugstore. Rely on the right advice for products and routines for problems such as:
- hyperpigmentation (dark spots)
- seborrheic dermatitis
- rosacea only from trusted dermatologists and the brands and products they recommend.
Age
Let’s be straightforward – our skin ages along with us. The cream that worked wonders for a week during our teenage years will not work for our mature skin, simply because its needs are now different.
The opposite is equally true – a lifting effect cream is categorically unsuitable for young skin. Just as there is no universal product for everyone, we cannot expect one to be equally good for us at every age.
They say that the skin at 40 is the result of the care given to it at 20. This would be completely true with one important clarification – age-appropriate care. From a scientific point of view, it is known that after the age of 25, collagen levels begin to decrease by about 1% annually.
As a result, the skin sags and loses its natural elasticity. At the same time, its own production of hyaluronic acid decreases, while oxidative stress increases.
Translated into cosmetic language, this means:
- More hydration at every age
Everyone already knows about hyaluronic acid – in its natural form, it is produced by skin cells as part of the connective tissue, whose key role is to “lock” water in it. Mathematically calculated, hyaluronic acid can hold water equal to between 1,000 and 10,000 times its own weight!
One of the factors that come with age is that we lose water because hyaluronic acid in our skin decreases. Therefore, after a certain age, it is necessary to look for creams containing hyaluronic acid with low molecular weight – it penetrates more easily into the deeper layers, ensuring optimal hydration even for the deeper layers of the skin.
-
More antioxidants and collagen-stimulating ingredients – Examples include vitamins A, E, C, and B3 – you will often find them on labels as retinol and retinoids – derivatives of vitamin A, tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and niacinamide.
Alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids are used to accelerate collagen production. This means you should look for acids in the cream’s composition such as glycolic, salicylic, mandelic, lactic, and similar, depending on your specific needs.
Peptides have been used in cosmetics as an ingredient for nearly twenty years and have various functions. In general, they are linked amino acids whose function is to carry information about the amount of elements between cells.
For example, one type of peptide signals that collagen in your skin is decreasing and thus “awakens” the cells responsible for its production. Again, we emphasize – first ask your own skin what it needs and read labels carefully.
Sun Protection
There is hardly any need to repeat how important protection from the rays of our beloved sun is. It is a sure shield against another important concept in dermatology – photoaging or premature skin aging.
As with most things in life, the devil is in the balance – the sun simultaneously nourishes life and the synthesis of the very important vitamin D for our health, but it is also a scientifically proven culprit for 90% of premature skin aging through UVA rays, which damage cellular DNA. (We will just add that tanning beds have a similar effect.)
The good news is that most day creams now “by default” include SPF protection, and all you need to do is use them correctly and regularly, regardless of the season. For our geographical area, we consider SPF 30 a great choice, but for longer sun exposure, it is a good idea to opt for a product with SPF 50+.
It is important to correctly interpret the labels – if you notice a SPF 100 mark, don’t be fooled – you have probably come across a product made outside the EU. This is possible due to differences in labeling regulations (in other words – a marketing trick). However, the product has the exact same protective potential as a face cream with SPF 50+ made in the EU.
One more tip: to ensure your sun protection is optimal, look for the term “broad-spectrum” or the symbols UVA+UVB. This means the formula includes protective filters that guard against both types of harmful ultraviolet rays.
Price
We cannot overlook this factor when choosing a face cream. You are probably aware that a low-budget solution will also give you low-budget quality. We all love good deals, but when it comes to the health of your lifelong shield – your skin, think carefully before reaching for a drugstore product or cosmetics from the supermarket, even if heavily advertised.
Of course, this does not mean that expensive selective cosmetic brands in shiny packaging are guaranteed to be a good choice. On the contrary – dermatological practice knows many cases of unpleasant reactions after using (or combining) products with an impeccable reputation. This is the main reason we keep repeating that the starting point in your choice should be the needs of your own skin.
If you want to keep up with everything new and test the latest market additions, just do it wisely and check not only the composition listed on the label but also the product’s origin – manufacturer, certifications, and any additional information you can find. Let the product’s price be a guide only to the extent that in cosmetics, quality raw materials, the development and patenting process, production, and quality control are not cheap pleasures.
With the risk of upsetting men, we will end by reminding you of a phrase that softens even our hearts – consider the money spent on the right cosmetics as an investment, not an expense.
Choosing a face cream – the mission possible!
How to navigate the sea of attractive and shiny cosmetic products that compete to promise us miracles, magic, and excellent results? And all this without having to carry a mini copy of the periodic table in your handbag and know all the mythical properties of active ingredients.
To make the right decision about which face cream to choose, you first need to clearly determine what type your skin is, what it needs, and what specific effect you are looking for in the cosmetic product. Here you will see our proposal for the important steps you should consider:
Form
Why cream and not serum, mask, tonic or lotion? Why do even men know they need a cream? The answer is simple – cream is a texture with many advantages. On one hand, it allows the inclusion of numerous valuable ingredients that for one reason or another cannot be used in liquid formulas like lotions and tonics. On the other hand, cream provides better coverage and, if necessary, depending on the treated problem, forms a protective film on the skin.
Serum, on the other hand, has a light, sometimes even liquid texture, whose purpose is to deliver a higher concentration of active substances to the skin. However, it cannot cover all the skin’s needs and is therefore used as part of the daily routine, together with creams for hydration, sun protection, or anti-aging care.
Cream masks for the face have a much denser and richer texture than creams and serums and are usually applied once a week. Their role is to deliver a large amount of moisture to the skin within 15 minutes. After rinsing off the mask, the skin remains deeply hydrated and with a smooth and even complexion.
Skin Type
Follow your guiding light, namely – your own skin. It will tell you everything you need to know – get to know it, observe it, and love it. Stand in front of the mirror – from time to time, with a well-washed face, in good light, say “om” and look closely – how did that day in the sun affect it, and the late-night party with a few glasses of wine?
And don’t rely too much on others’ opinions – you don’t have the skin of your favorite friend/Instagrammer/star, and that’s better. You have your own, which makes you unique and unrepeatable, so – know it and respect it. There is no magical and universal product that is equally good for everyone – the cream that worked wonders for one person may turn out to be completely unsuitable for another.
Since not everyone is lucky with simple solutions, don’t hesitate to head to the dermocosmetic brands section in the pharmacy. You may not have a specific problem, but why deprive yourself of the luxury of getting a high-quality product tailored almost exactly to your skin type? You benefit from their efforts invested in dermatological research and the development of formulas with the precise active ingredients that different skin types need.
For example, oily skin has a denser structure and generally ages visibly more slowly. Yes, if it is also problematic, it needs specific care – even after puberty, it easily becomes oily, pimples, enlarged pores, or blackheads form more easily, and makeup retention is a more challenging task. The solution lies in products that regulate sebum, with non-comedogenic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory ingredients.
At the other end is dry skin – beautiful, clear, and delicate in youth, but with a thinner and finer structure. Therefore, its owner needs to start looking for suitable anti-aging care early in their 30s if they want to delay the appearance of the first wrinkles. The appropriate face cream would be an intensely hydrating and richer formula, and the daily routine should also include rich nourishing night care.
If you are dealing with a specific dermatological condition, be especially careful in your choice. Always, always consult a dermatologist and never, ever buy cosmetics from a supermarket or drugstore. Rely on the right advice for products and routines for problems such as:
Age
Let’s be straightforward – our skin ages along with us. The cream that worked wonders for a week during our teenage years will not work for our mature skin, simply because its needs are now different.
The opposite is equally true – a lifting effect cream is categorically unsuitable for young skin. Just as there is no universal product for everyone, we cannot expect one to be equally good for us at every age.
They say that the skin at 40 is the result of the care given to it at 20. This would be completely true with one important clarification – age-appropriate care. From a scientific point of view, it is known that after the age of 25, collagen levels begin to decrease by about 1% annually.
As a result, the skin sags and loses its natural elasticity. At the same time, its own production of hyaluronic acid decreases, while oxidative stress increases.
Translated into cosmetic language, this means:
Everyone already knows about hyaluronic acid – in its natural form, it is produced by skin cells as part of the connective tissue, whose key role is to “lock” water in it. Mathematically calculated, hyaluronic acid can hold water equal to between 1,000 and 10,000 times its own weight!
One of the factors that come with age is that we lose water because hyaluronic acid in our skin decreases. Therefore, after a certain age, it is necessary to look for creams containing hyaluronic acid with low molecular weight – it penetrates more easily into the deeper layers, ensuring optimal hydration even for the deeper layers of the skin.
Alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids are used to accelerate collagen production. This means you should look for acids in the cream’s composition such as glycolic, salicylic, mandelic, lactic, and similar, depending on your specific needs.
Peptides have been used in cosmetics as an ingredient for nearly twenty years and have various functions. In general, they are linked amino acids whose function is to carry information about the amount of elements between cells.
For example, one type of peptide signals that collagen in your skin is decreasing and thus “awakens” the cells responsible for its production. Again, we emphasize – first ask your own skin what it needs and read labels carefully.
Sun Protection
There is hardly any need to repeat how important protection from the rays of our beloved sun is. It is a sure shield against another important concept in dermatology – photoaging or premature skin aging.
As with most things in life, the devil is in the balance – the sun simultaneously nourishes life and the synthesis of the very important vitamin D for our health, but it is also a scientifically proven culprit for 90% of premature skin aging through UVA rays, which damage cellular DNA. (We will just add that tanning beds have a similar effect.)
The good news is that most day creams now “by default” include SPF protection, and all you need to do is use them correctly and regularly, regardless of the season. For our geographical area, we consider SPF 30 a great choice, but for longer sun exposure, it is a good idea to opt for a product with SPF 50+.
It is important to correctly interpret the labels – if you notice a SPF 100 mark, don’t be fooled – you have probably come across a product made outside the EU. This is possible due to differences in labeling regulations (in other words – a marketing trick). However, the product has the exact same protective potential as a face cream with SPF 50+ made in the EU.
One more tip: to ensure your sun protection is optimal, look for the term “broad-spectrum” or the symbols UVA+UVB. This means the formula includes protective filters that guard against both types of harmful ultraviolet rays.
Price
We cannot overlook this factor when choosing a face cream. You are probably aware that a low-budget solution will also give you low-budget quality. We all love good deals, but when it comes to the health of your lifelong shield – your skin, think carefully before reaching for a drugstore product or cosmetics from the supermarket, even if heavily advertised.
Of course, this does not mean that expensive selective cosmetic brands in shiny packaging are guaranteed to be a good choice. On the contrary – dermatological practice knows many cases of unpleasant reactions after using (or combining) products with an impeccable reputation. This is the main reason we keep repeating that the starting point in your choice should be the needs of your own skin.
If you want to keep up with everything new and test the latest market additions, just do it wisely and check not only the composition listed on the label but also the product’s origin – manufacturer, certifications, and any additional information you can find. Let the product’s price be a guide only to the extent that in cosmetics, quality raw materials, the development and patenting process, production, and quality control are not cheap pleasures.
With the risk of upsetting men, we will end by reminding you of a phrase that softens even our hearts – consider the money spent on the right cosmetics as an investment, not an expense.