Getting to know your skin - The ABCs of skin l Skin Academy l Skinome

The skin is one of the body's most important organs, in addition to serving as our ultimate defense against sun, bad bacteria and dangerous substances, it acts as a kind of shop window to the outside world and tells us a lot about who we are. With an area of about two square meters, it is also our largest organ, yet most of us know relatively little about how the skin works. We know that oily fish is good for the brain, that olive oil is good for the heart and that calcium produces strong bones, but the skin, how do we take care of it?

The skin is made up of three layers, which in turn consist of several layers. These layers house trillions of cells, bacteria, hair follicles, sebaceous and sweat glands and blood vessels. The skin also contains the relatively newly discovered microbiome, our own beneficial skin flora that plays a major role in our skin health.

Layer 1: Epidermis - the epidermis

Mission: Protects us from infestation and dehydration and form pigments

Our protective barrier to the outside world, the epidermis, is very thin with the exception of from some places namely our soles and palms. The epidermis is covered by a thin film consisting of water and fats that keep the skin supple and act as a protective barrier against evil bacteria. The epidermis also produces pigments that protect the skin's cells from the sun and this is where we have a large part of the skin's immune system that is activated if we are attacked, ranging from cosmetics that we cannot tolerate to sun.

Layer 2: Dermis - the dermis

Mission: Responsible for skin firmness

In contrast to the thin epidermis, the dermis is significantly thicker. In addition to giving the skin stability, this layer helps regulate our body temperature, supplies the skin with oxygen and nutrients and backs up our immune system. Dermis is made up of collagen and elastin that provide strength and flexibility. UVA light can penetrate into the dermis and affect the ability to produce collagen and elastin which is one of the reasons why sun can affect the emergence of wrinkles.

Layer 3 Hypodermis – the subcutaneous

Mission: Keeps us warm

Hypodermis is our natural fat depositor and shock absorber that we also call our subcutaneous fat. This is our deepest layer of skin that gives us insulation against cold and our absolute thickest, although the thickness differs from different parts of the body. It is also in this layer that we find the cellulite, they are found to a greater extent in women and estrogen is assumed to be a reason for this.

The knowledge of how the skin is structured and its composition forms the basis of much of today's skin care. The ingredients and active substances used have different functions and affect skin layers in different ways. But how much can skin care help us to a healthier skin? Our genes determine 25 percent what our skin looks like and are therefore not something we can influence. However, since 75% depends on factors that we control ourselves, there is much we can do ourselves! What we can primarily do to affect our skin is linked to:

Our way of life
What skin care we use

Lifestyle factors such as exposure to sun, what diet we eat, stress and the environment have a big impact on how our skin feels and looks but also what we have at home in the bathroom cabinet affects. Of course, there are hereditary factors behind skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, melasma, vitiligo and acne, but lifestyle factors are most important in terms of our normal skin status and how our skin ages.

Based on this knowledge, it is clear that there is much we can do to make our skin feel better. And, a skin that feels good often looks better.

Understand your skin type

A good start is to think about your skin type – is the skin normal, sensitive, dry, oily or a combination of these?

Test what is best for your skin and take part of our skin care tips:

Normal skin

If you have normal skin, you will find that your skin feels supple and soft and you have no obvious problems with dry or oily areas of your face. An important factor is that the skin is not tactile, i.e. there is no sensation (no burning, itching or tightness).

Tip: If you have normal skin, you also have no specific problems but may want to moisturize the skin, especially here in the Nordic countries due to our dry and cold climate. Our skin is exposed to the sun, low humidity (especially in winter), exhaust fumes and temperature fluctuations, which contributes to dehydration and thus an increased need for moisturizers in the skin. Products containing ingredients such as glycerin, salts, sugars, the building block of hyaluronic acid - N-acetyl glucosamine or urea/Urea are effective at binding moisture in the skin, leading to active moisturization.

Our skin flora also naturally contributes to moisture-binding substances in the skin - therefore do not interfere with overuse of skin care or cleaning (it does not want to be disturbed and will thank you for the help!). All external influences also lead to the formation of free radicals that, among other things, affect the aging of the skin. Free radicals are something that antioxidants are good at breaking down, investing in a product that contains antioxidants, such as vitamin C and/or minerals such as manganese. Also look for packaging with airless pumping systems that reduce contact with oxygen and thus reduce the risk of degradation of the antioxidants. A normal skin can benefit from the application of calcium that contributes to increased cell renewal in the epidermis.

Sensitive skin

Many people who experience sensitive skin describe it as itching, burning or stinging and can have strong reactions when the skin comes into contact with cosmetics, skin creams, soaps and even sunlight. If you have sensitive skin, you probably feel a deterioration during the winter when we have a cold and dry climate.

Tip: First and foremost, it's important to find out what might be causing your sensitive skin, and you may need the help of a dermatologist. For those with sensitive skin, it is almost more important to know what to avoid than what to add to the skin. Our skin is unique and reacts individually and differently to what it is exposed to. However, there are groups of substances that you can look out for, although many people can tolerate them, there are reports that show that some substances cause sensitivity or irritation to the skin more often than others. Substances to avoid if you have sensitive skin are alcohol, propylene glycol, essential oils, perfume and certain preservatives such as methylisothiazolinone, phenoxyethanol and benzoyl alcohol, and ethylhexyl glycerine. A recent research report also shows that propylene glycol is the substance that stays on the skin the longest, for several weeks after application (Bouslimani et al., 2019). Also, be careful when cleansing your skin - it is enough to use a cleansing product in the evening and only rinse with lukewarm water in the morning.

A sensitive skin can also feel good about certain anti-inflammatory substances to reduce irritation and redness - examples of these substances are: Allantoin, Panthenol, Bisabolol, Naringenin, Acetyl Dipeptide 1 Cetyl ester.

Skin creams against sensitive and red skin (e.g. rosaceadrabbad) also often contain green pigment to dampen the redness cosmetically.

Dry skin

You may find that your skin may tighten, feel slightly irritated and become flaky in certain areas. This is because the production of certain oils and moisturizers that normally occurs in the skin is not working properly and the water evaporates from the skin.

Tip: Moisturizing agents are important to add if you have dry skin, also be careful with cleansing and use a mild cleanser. A skin cream for dry to normal skin will contain more moisturizing and hydrating substances such as glycerine, urea, various sugars, salts or amino acids. The skin also needs to be protected from from water evaporation (TEWL), which requires fats and oils that form a layer that traps moisture in the skin.

Mineral oils such as paraffin and Vaseline work well to reduce water evaporation in the skin and are also kind to sensitive skin. However, these oils will from the petrochemical industry and is not biodegradable in nature, so for the environmentally conscious it may be useful to opt out. Silkons also work softening and are good for sensitive skin, but they are also not biodegradable. Options on oils, butter and waxes that are more biodegradable and at the same time reduce TEWL are vegetable oils, squalane, jojoba esters or, for example, shea butter.

In the normal state, our skin produces both oils and fats entirely on its own such as squalen, ceramides, cholesterol, triglycerides and Omega 3/6 fatty acids. These recognize the skin and products containing these substances usually work well against dry skin.

Oily skin

Oily skin is due in part to the overproduction of sebum, which is a mixture of the oils produced naturally by the sebaceous glands. This can make your skin look oily and shiny and can lead to enlarged pores and sometimes blackheads or pimples.

Tip: If you want to minimize oil production in your skin, there are skincare products that work well and substances that are good to add. A common misconception is that you should wash a lot and use strong cleansing products, but there is no scientific evidence that this prevents oily skin. Our recommendation is to only wash your skin in the evening. Ingredients that can be good to look for in a cleanser can be absorbent materials such as mineral clay.

Oily skin may feel better from the administration of acids, such as AHA, BHA and PHA, as these can contribute to a reduction in pores. Zinc is another ingredient that can be good for those with oily skin and so have creams with retinol and niacinamide have been shown to work on oily skin. However, be careful with overuse of acids as these may thin out the skin (stratum corneum) during long-term use.

Combination skin

Combination skin is a cross between two skin types, normal to dry skin combined with oily skin. In particular, you may find that you are shiny in the so-called T-zone between the forehead, nose and chin while the skin on the cheeks is usually normal or dry.

Tip: This is a difficult skin type to give tips for because it often suffers from dryness but also enlarged pores. It's a case of trial and error, sometimes you may need to use one product for the cheeks and another for the T-zone.