The first step to taking care of your skin is to first understand how your skin works. In order to not make this feel like biology class we will try to keep it simple. It's worth the read because your friends will think you're an expert.

Facts about your skin

The skin is the largest organ on your body. This ever-changing organ contains many specialized cells and structures. The skin functions as a protective barrier that interfaces with a sometimes-hostile environment. It regulates body temperature. It gathers sensory information from the environment, and plays an active role in the immune system protecting us from disease. There are 3 primary layers of skin - the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue.

Now, the outermost layer the epidermis is further broken down into five layers. Lets talk about the outermost layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum. This layer is largely responsible for the vital barrier function of the skin. Consider this the strong, good-looking guard protecting your castle. The stratum corneum is extremely important for protection and it's the one that's most vital to healthy skin, not to mention the one that everyone sees. So why harp on this little layer? Well, because while this layer is strong, it's no match for yucky chemical cleansers. Cleansers are designed to remove dirt, sweat, sebum and oils from the skin through the action of surfactants. Chemical surfactants such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate work by surrounding dirt patches and oils, dissolving them in water, and removing them with rinsing. And while they aid in the exfoliation process, they leave the very important stratum corneum dry, red, irritated and damaged. Even worse, chemical surfactants bind to proteins in the skin allowing them to become over-hydrated and swell. This swelling can make it easier for the cleanser ingredients and any chemicals, perfumes or dyes in the product to penetrate into the lower layers of the skin where they can interact with nerve endings and the immune system. When the water evaporates it leaves the skin dryer than before stripping the stratum corneum of it's natural moisture. Pretty nasty, stuff. But what is scarier is the fact that because your skin is the largest organ in your body, years of unnecessary chemicals will not only hurt your skin, it may do permanent damage to other organs as well.