5 frequently asked questions about skin care answered
- 10 min reading time
skincare - now an essential part of your beauty routine. Today it’s a broad term, with endless information on what’s best for your skin. To help you make sense of all the articles, we’ve gathered five frequently asked questions. What does the much-discussed vitamin C do for your skin? And what to do if your skin is oily but also dry? Read on below!
How does SPF protect me from the sun?
“I bought factor 50, so it can’t get better!” - Or can it? Often when buying sunscreen, you look at the SPF number on the packaging. But what we don’t always know is that it only shows half of how well you’re protected. SPF usually measures only UVB rays and indicates how long you can stay in the sun without turning red. SPF does not fully protect you against UVA rays, which also cause skin burns.
But what exactly are UVA and UVB rays?
UV rays come from the sun and reach the earth with three wavelengths: UVA, UVB and UVC (UVC is not relevant for now). It’s important to protect yourself against UVA and UVB rays.
UVA rays have the longest wavelength and penetrate deepest into the skin. They contribute to skin ageing (A=Aging). UVA rays even pass through glass and are present all day. These rays suppress our immune system, making us more vulnerable to skin cancer.
UVB rays only reach your epidermis, the outer layer of skin. These shorter rays cause the skin surface to burn. UVB rays can also cause skin cancer. They are most active early in the afternoon.
The SPF in your sunscreen usually protects only against UVB rays. SPF often calculates only UVB exposure, not the deeper UVA rays. So with SPF you’re protected against UVB rays, but not always UVA rays.
How do I know I’m buying a good sunscreen?
The most important thing is to carefully check the packaging before buying sunscreen. Look for terms like ‘UVA/UVB protection (both!)’ or ‘broad spectrum protection’. On our Si you can find several good sunscreens that will protect your skin well from the sun. Our personal favourites include Naïf and Attitude:
What does vitamin C do for my skin?
Vitamin C is one of the most renowned antioxidants and a must in your skincare routine. It’s a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your skin from harmful particles. Vitamin C supports skin firming and brightening, and also helps defend against UV damage. Here are the benefits of vitamin C for your skin:
- Refreshes dull skin
- Helps protect against dirt, UV rays, and pigmentation spots
- Improves healing processes, like leftover redness from pimples
- Boosts sunscreen efficacy for stronger protection
- Protects against irritation and inflammation
There are different forms of vitamin C. For example, Ascorbic Acid is familiar to most people and is found in many skincare products with numerous benefits. Besides Ascorbic Acid, other types include:
- Ascorbyl phosphate
- Ascorbyl palmitate
- Retinyl ascorbate
- Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate
- MagneSium ascorbyl phosphate
These forms are also effective. However, they work better when combined with other antioxidants and cell-communicating ingredients like green tea, Retinol, and/or niacinamide.
On Haarspullen you can find vitamin C products too. For example, the Body Cream by Attitude. This body cream brightens the skin and helps fight impurities, leaving your skin fully cleansed.
Haarspullen also offers make-up with vitamin C, like the Bourjois foundation. It’s enriched with vitamin C for a smooth, even skin tone while nourishing your skin.
The GlamGlow Glowstarter also contains many vitamins. The mask refreshes your skin and helps reduce redness. After using it, your skin will glow and feel fully hydrated.
Why should I hydrate my skin?
We all know skin hydration is important, but why exactly? Your skin loses a lot of moisture daily. Hydrating means replenishing this moisture, keeping skin soft and smooth. It prevents dryness, wrinkles, and gives your skin more volume. And that’s exactly what you want! Hydration is crucial for every skin type to optimise and restore moisture balance, ensuring good skin condition and recovery.
You might feel the need to hydrate your skin extra at times. Besides your Daily routine hydration, your skin sometimes simply needs more care. Give it some extra attention if:
- Your skin feels tight
- Your skin looks dull
- Your skin flakes
- Fine lines become more visible
- You’ve lost a lot of moisture (e.g., through sports)
- You’ve been in the sun
How can I best hydrate my skin?
You can hydrate skin from inside and outside. Combining both is key to maintaining moisture balance and skin condition. Water is essential for healthy skin, hair, nails and body. Our bodies consist of over sixty percent water, and every living cell depends on it. By hydrating your body well, your skin stays hydrated too. In case you didn’t know: Beauty comes from within!
We also recommend hydrating your skin daily. You’re already off to a great start by using a cream (day and night) for your face. Always cleanse your skin first so moisturisers can absorb better. Treat your skin regularly with a serum, mask or antioxidant-rich product. These give your skin a boost to restore moisture balance. Don’t forget your body too – choose a rich body oil or cream.
Tips to keep your skin hydrated:
- Use a hydrating product twice daily (morning and night)
- Drink enough water every day
- Take shorter, cooler showers
- Protect your skin from the sun
- Monitor indoor humidity (heating can dry skin out)
What can I do for combination (oily/dry) skin?
Combination skin means having two different skin types on one face. A common example is an oily forehead, nose, and chin (T-zone) with dry cheeks. Finding the right products can be a real challenge. The skin often stays out of balance longer because the right care isn’t used. Choosing the correct products is crucial. Here are some tips for each step in the skincare routine:
Cleansing
Choose a gentle cleanser. Many contain harsh agents that dry out skin. A gentle cleanser balances dry skin without making oily skin worse. Try these mild cleansers:
- Clinique All About Clean Liquid Facial Soap
- Naïf CleanSing Face Wash
- Dr. Hauscka Eye Make-up Remover
Exfoliating
Next, use an exfoliant to remove dead skin cells and reduce impurities. Try these:
- Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2 - Dry/Combination skin
- Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3 - Oily/Combination skin
Hydrating
We recommend hydrating twice daily, for example with a day and night cream. Choose one made especially for combination skin that intensely hydrates without causing shine or blemishes. You can also mix products—for example, a dry skin cream on cheeks and an oily skin cream on the T-zone. Try these products:
Here are some extra tips for combination skin:
Mix your masks
Giving your skin an extra treat now and then is fine. You might have seen this trend: applying different masks on different areas. Give your skin exactly what it needs! Use the GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Mask on the oily T-zone. It contains charcoal that absorbs excess oil and purifies pores. At the same time, apply GlamGlow Waterburst Hydrate Moisturiser to the dry cheeks to hydrate intensively.
Drink plenty of water
Try to hydrate your skin not only externally but also internally. Drink lots of water and green tea to keep the balance between dry and oily skin. Your skin will hugely appreciate it as this helps maintain moisture balance and a beautiful glow.
Use powder as a temporary fix for oily skin
Powder contains talc which absorbs oil and sebum. This has a Mattetrend effect.
What is the difference between a moisturiser and a serum?
There are so many skincare products today that it’s almost impossible to keep track. Knowing the difference between serums, cleansers, toners and creams, and what’s best for your skin, can be a real challenge!
Let’s start with the serum: what is it and what does it do? Serums have become a must in the skincare routine for all genders. A serum usually targets a specific concern, containing ingredients aimed at issues like dehydration, wrinkles, fine lines, pigmentation, redness, and blemishes. Serums tend to be lighter in texture and are often water- or oil-based, allowing them to absorb more easily than a moisturiser.
A moisturiser softens and protects the skin by hydrating it. Most moisturisers offer broad hydration, usually a mix of oils and water.
Can I replace a moisturiser with a serum (or vice versa)?
Serums usually come in smaller bottles or jars and are more concentrated with active ingredients than moisturisers. Serums are often pricier but you use less. We don’t recommend replacing moisturisers with serums (or vice versa) because a serum is simply not a moisturiser. These two products work best together!
How do I use serums and moisturisers?
Always start with the thinner product before moving on to thicker textures. So, apply serum first, then moisturiser. Serums do not replace moisturising creams. Quality serums deliver concentrated active ingredients, which differ from moisturisers that hydrate and protect the skin. Here are some favourites:
Keep your skin Glowing!
If you want to know more about skincare, call or email us anytime—our in-house experts are happy to help! Or check out all skincare products and find your new favourites.
