Why Skin Types are Irrelevant
September 16, 2009 by Kelli DesRochers
Filed under Skin Care
When determining your skin care routine, you usually start by determining what skin type you are. The four main options are dry, combination, normal, and oily. Is it possible that this information actually has nothing to do with the way that your skin should be cared for?
Previously I posted questions and answers from my interview with skin care “contrarian” Pamela Rae, who is known for her strong statements about skin care that challenge rules that are universally followed by skin care specialists. She states that “the concept of skin care types is outdated, irrelevant, and misleading.”
Q: You stated that “skin types” are irrelevant. If this is true, what do you suggest is a daily skin care routine that could apply to everyone equally?
A: The only tailored approach to skin care outside of individually tailored recipes is to formulated according to the universal gradient of reactions we all have to the environment. This is predictable. Skin type is only predictable as a factor of its environment and we will soon all know that our health and genes that dictate that are also directly correspondent to our daily enviro-type based lifestyles. These are more precise factors to treat skin than skin types.
Rae’s answer to this question relates to her skin care line that she started because of the customers that came to her spa from many different regions of the world with all sorts of “skin types.” Although they had different skin care products and “skin types”, the visitors all had similar skin problems in the mountainous region of Sun Valley where they were visiting based on the unique environmental factors of the area. Rae started the Mountains line as her first Enviro-type in the Solavie system based on the idea that environment is the main factor in determining your skin and hair care routine.
Q: How do you suggest treating blemishes and acne?
A: Stay in balance with your environment and consistently de-tox the skin. Acne is an acid condition that reflects out-of-balance pH. Phytonutrients originating in the tropics and shore environments are used to dealing with excess sebum production that is also a factor in breakouts.
Q: What do you think about exfoliating?
A: Once or twice daily exfoliating with good natural fruit and lactic acids is enough to stay in balance. If there is a build-up of toxins and release is needed, go for a no-more-than-once-a-month deep exfoliation. I like laser (the pulsed version). You can’t go wrong with the pure white light that penetrates the skin to stimulate natural exfoliation and metabolism under the skin.
Q: Tell me more about your skin care line.
A: Our bodies are creatures of nature, and I can only get in balance and work with my body if I am in harmony with nature’s irrefutable laws. This is science, I am a scientist and a nature lover.
Find out more about Pamela Rae’s unique ideas about skin care and her Eco-Global line of skin care products that she created to address these ideas at HealthisBeautyNow.com. Determine your enviro-type to discover which line of her skin care products is right for you: mountains, urban, tropics, shore, plains or desert.
Thanks for the comprehensive skin care guideline. We do think skin type is important for the skin care for choosing the right products.
What do you think of Pamela Rae’s ideas about skin care? I am interested to hear what people think!
I have to agree that sometimes we do not fall into the four main categories. I have always had really bad skin. I had tried everything under the sun. Some things worked better then others but it always seemed to come back. As a birthday present my mom took me to get a Skin Print. They were able to tell me exactly what was going on with my skin. They developed products specifically for my skin and my issues. My skin started to clear up and stay clear. I am now a firm believer that we are all different and we should be able to buy products for us specifically not the masses.