Dear Dawn,

Maria Erin Santos, Marikina City

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Oh heavens, dear! Please don’t take UV rays lightly and preserve that youthful glow by doing a proper skin regimen. First of all, your best ally in knowing what’s proper and what’s not are your skin doctors. They can give you sound advice. Even if you listen to the experiences of others, their skin type will still be different from yours. So, following the dictates of other people, including me, won’t be the surest way for you.

Off hand, every beauty expert will tell you that there is nothing wrong with applying moisturizer and sunscreen, provided that it is a product that is compatible with your skin type. The same goes for using toners and the like.

When I was in my teens and 20s, people did not know yet the importance of using these protective products and the dangers of too much sun exposure and free radicals. It was not widely-circulated in the media. Back in those days, girls my age were sun-worshippers. I would actually sunbathe using baby oil – a terrible mistake. I developed many problems because of that like skin blemishes, deep lines, and loss of elasticity that led to skin sagging. Thankfully, the advancement of science and technology caught up with my generation and I have been able to take advantage of the knowledge we now have as well as the different skin care treatments to repair damaged skin.

I beseech you! Your skin is still at the prime of its life. So, please don’t take it lightly. The aging process is continuous. For sure, as the years go on, we will see more of the effects of abuse and lack of attention for our “outer shell.” I tell all the young girls these days to always wear sunscreen. The higher the UV protection, the safer. Even girls who prefer getting their skins tanned under the sun should still use large amounts of sunscreen. They should also avoid the ‘killer hours’ between 10 am and 3 pm, when the sun’s rays bear down too much that it can do real and sometimes irreparable damage.

Based on what you wrote about how your skin has held up through the years, I take it that you don’t actually have any problems in terms of acne breakouts or blemishes like warts and freckles. If I am correct, then you are one of the few lucky ones. It will be very simple for you if that is the case because all you really need now is a good dermatologist, who can make an assessment of your skin type (is it dry, normal or oily?) and from that basis, show you the kinds of products that will help protect your skin.

Don’t worry if you are not much of a make-up user (although this can work wonders once you learn to use the right amount). If your skin has a healthy pinkish glow, then you’re all set. But if you notice that your skin appears sallow or dull in color or has developed dark lines especially around the eyes or nasolabial area (between the nose and the lips), then, I will tell you to give make-up a try.

As far as moisturizers are concerned, only your skin doctor would know the right kind for you. Depending on how much or how little moisture your skin traps in everyday, there will be a corresponding type of moisturizer for you and frequency of use.

As far as toners go, I like using this because it, well, tones your skin and helps it retain elasticity. But there are many kinds being sold in the beauty market, so once again, only your skin doctor can aide you in finding the right one with just the right pH balance that your skin needs.

If you’re getting mixed reviews between what your friends are recommending that you use and what your make-up artist friend is suggesting that you don’t, that’s probably because they all see your skin in different lights. Your make-up artist, because of his/her experience with handling your face may notice that your skin is in good shape, and thus, sees no need for you to fix what “ain’t broke.”

However, in the spirit of good sound advice, wouldn’t it be wiser to ask a specialist on this matter? After all, if you’re already considering shelling out dough to get the proper skin care, it should also matter to you that you’re not wasting it on products and treatments that you may not really need, or worse, create more damage to your skin.

However you decide to go on this matter, I encourage you to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. At the very least, don’t leave home without applying your sunscreen.