Quarantine–the long haul of six months of boredom. I do not know about anyone else, but my isolation days were filled with endless hours scrolling through TikTok. Along with the other 800 million users on the app, I happened to stumble across an account called Skincare by Hyram. 

From reviewing celebrities’ skin routines, to simply recommending certain products, Hyram has quickly grown a fanbase of 6.2 million people, educating the TikTok community with his pristine skin care advice.

That being said, there are over 300 videos on his YouTube filled with information about skin care. Here is a list of the top five things I have learned by watching his videos the past couple of months.

1. Wear sunscreen: If you take away anything from Hyram’s videos, it would be that sunscreen is essentially the most important part to any skin care routine. Most people just think to wear sunscreen on your face when going to the beach or the pool, however, your skin cannot differentiate whether you are at the beach or simply walking around outside. That being said, it is crucial to apply sunscreen on your face at least once a day to protect your skin from the harmful UV rays. 
2. No fragrance: Fragrance is typically added to skin care products as a sensory experience for the person using the product. Fragrance ingredients offer little to no added benefits for the skin, and are commonly known allergens, making them likely to cause negative reactions in your skin. Hyram believes that fragrance is simply unnecessary–it does not contribute to the benefits of skin and can contribute to the risk/sensitivity of the skin. 
3. No makeup wipes: Using a makeup wipe on your face is very tough–it pulls the skin which can overly irritate and sensitize the skin. On top of that, most makeup wipes are harmful to the environment. There are much better options available for makeup removers including micellar water, cleansing balm/oil with reusable cotton rounds. 
4. Read ingredient lists: It is so important to read the ingredients in the products that you are putting on your skin. The trick is to look at the first six ingredients. The ingredient lists on skincare products are labeled from highest concentration to lowest–the top of the list is found most in the product. You will never know if you are using a product with harmful ingredients if you do not check. If you are unsure of an ingredient, look it up! Here are a couple of ingredients that you should avoid: denatured/SD alcohol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol, essential oils, etc.
5. Figure out your skin type: Knowing your skin type will help you so much with knowing what products to use for your skin care routine. Knowing this information, you can find the perfect cleansers/moisturizers meant for your skin type. This could also save you money by not buying products that are not meant for your skin type.
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