Finding Your Perfect Facial Skin Care Routine

Everyone wants healthy, glowing skin — especially on their face. Achieving that means truly understanding your unique skin type and choosing the right care routine to match.

There are five main skin types — normal, dry, oily, combination, or sensitive. Your skin type is influenced by genetics, your environment, and even your age, while another major factor is the amount of sebum your skin produces. Sebum, the oil produced by sebaceous glands beneath the skin’s surface, contributes to oiliness — the more sebum your skin makes, the more likely it is to be oily.

Traditional Skincare Recommendations

Oily skin is often associated with breakouts and clogged pores, and some experts recommend cleaning oily skin twice a day with harsh cleansers and acidic ingredients. Cleansers with salicylic acid are popular choices to control oily skin, but they can also lead to harsh side effects like over-drying, stinging, itching, peeling, or even hives.

For dry or sensitive skin, conventional treatments often include synthetic balms or medicated ointments. Dimethicone is a popular ingredient in many skincare products touted for relieving dryness. While generally considered safe for personal use, dimethicone is a lab-produced silicone that may have harmful environmental effects.

The Case For Natural Alternatives

Choosing skincare products made with natural and organic ingredients is one way to protect not just your skin, but the planet, too. When you know your products are plant-based and sustainably sourced, it’s easier to feel good about what you’re putting on your body. Our friend Khaki Paquette embodies this philosophy, and her passion for holistic skin health led to the creation of her own product line and skincare studio — Face Food.

“I was working at a spa in downtown Seattle that was more naturally- and holistically-focused. It was the first type of aesthetics job I had like that, and I absolutely fell in love with it,” Paquette said. “When I moved back East, natural skincare products were not big on the scene, so I decided to make my own products because I couldn’t find what I was looking for on the market.”

As demand for natural products grows, so does greenwashing. This happens when a brand markets products as “natural” or “organic” or simply highlights those words on a label, while in reality not being very good for your skin or the environment. 

There are tools that can help, like Think Dirty, an app that helps consumers navigate their product choices and determine what is actually in your skincare products. Rather than relying on social media influencers, an aesthetician or skincare professional can also help cut through the confusion and find the right product for your skin. 

The Power of Oils

There is one skincare category that is helpful and often misunderstood: oils. Dry oils are highly absorbent, while heavier oils can be very hydrating and help form a protective barrier on the skin. While some people assume oils will clog pores and cause breakouts, they are, in fact, better at cleansing the skin than many conventional products.

“What happens when you use an oil-based cleanser is it will actually penetrate and break down whatever is on the surface of your skin – makeup, sunscreen, dirt, grime, or buildup from the day,” Paquette said. 

“There’s nothing that melts that stuff off better than an oil-based cleanser. If you have oily skin, it also penetrates into deeper layers of the skin and pulls excess oil out to balance your oil production. It’s a very nourishing and healing way to cleanse your skin, and moisturizing with oils is so beneficial.”

Holistic Skincare for Real Results

As a skincare specialist, Paquette has witnessed beautiful transformations in clients with rosacea, extremely dehydrated, flaky, and irritated skin who switch to natural skincare products. For people living in our harsh New England climate and for those who spend a lot of time outdoors, using more nourishing, plant-based products can lead to a world of difference in the health of their skin. If you’re local to Newburyport, we highly recommend booking a treatment at Face Food to see what all the locals love so much about Khaki and her team.

Here at The Healing Rose, we want your skin to be nourished, smooth, and clean, too. Whether you’re using a tool like Think Dirty or reaching out to a certified aesthetician like Khaki Paquette and her team, we encourage you to take control of your product choices and find natural, organic, and oil-based products that work for you. With the right support and the right ingredients, you can transform your skin — and support your overall wellness routine.