Normal Skin
This, type of skin is neither oily nor dry. It looks smooth and very soft when you touch it. A brief analysis of its structure and of its functions enables to draw a more positive definition of the normal skin. At the more external level, there is a very thin protective epithelium that constitutes the epidermis. It plays the main part in protecting the organism against external aggressions, notably ensured through the cohesion of epithelial cells and the keratinocytes that undergo a specific process of differentiation as they migrate from the dermoepidermal junction to the skin surface. This cohesion results from intercellular ties caused by the desmosomes, which are mainly responsible for the very great mechanical resistance of the epidermis. However, the migration of the keratinocytes remains possible since these desmosomal ties are submitted to a continuous process of dissolution and reconstitution associated with a progressive decrease in their adherence strength.
In addition to this mechanical protection, the epidermis also has, through its structure
and the presence of specialized cells such as the melanocytes, Merkel cells, and Langerhans’
cells, other more complex functions, among which are the regeneration of tissue, the exchanges
with the medium, and the active defense against external aggressions.
At intermediate level, the dermis, a dense conjunctive tissue, is much thicker than the
epidermis to which it is connected by the dermoepidermal junction, which is the area not only
of cohesion but also of intense exchanges.
Because of its structure and the distribution of its components, the dermis is generally
divided into two areas. The reticular dermis, thicker than the dermis and mainly made up of an
interlacing of collagen fibers, is the place where the lower parts of the appendices are located,
ensuring the hypodermal junction. It mainly has a mechanical function through its capacity for
deformation (extensibility and compressibility). The papillary dermis, at the dermoepidermal
junction, fairly loose, much vascularized, and rich in nerve fibers and endings. It therefore has
multiple functions: enabling the nutritional exchanges with the epidermis and regulating the
capacity for percutaneous absorption through its vascular and lymphatic networks, providing
protection against aggressions and mechanical deformations through its fibrillar texture,
ensuring sensory perception by the presence of most of the nerve endings, providing defense
against foreign bodies by participating in the immune inflammatory and phagocytic processes
through the existence of specialized cells, and maintaining tissue reconstruction.
Finally, at the most internal level, the hypodermis, which consists of loose conjunctive
tissue, is linked to the lower part of the dermis by expansions of collagen fibers and elastic
fibers of different thickness according to the anatomical areas. This tissue mainly contains
adipocytes full of triglycerides, histiocytes, and mast cells. Its vascularization and innervation
also vary according to the anatomical locations.
The hypodermis mainly has the function of protecting and reserving fat. Its mechanical
properties are very badly known, but by enabling the skin to move as a whole on the
underlying levels, this skin layer plays a main part in the breaking of the external strengths of
deformation. In fact, it has been observed that the cicatricial elimination of the hypodermis
results in a significant increase in the constraints of skin extension or friction due to a loss of
mobility.
Therefore, considering its structure and its functions, a normal skin should be a smooth
skin, pleasant to touch, because of the cohesion of the cells of its more superficial layers; a firm
and supple skin because of the existence of a dense supportive tissue and of the presence of
numerous elastic fibers of good quality; a mat skin through its balanced seborrheic production;
a clear and pinkish skin because of the perfect functionality of its microcirculatory network.
In reality, a skin complying with all these characteristics would only exist in the healthy
child before his/her puberty.
At cosmetological level, we must be content with a less strong definition and consider
normal skin as a young skin, structurally and functionally balanced and requiring no care
apart from those necessary for its cleaning.
Normal Skin Care
Wash your face in the morning with a mild (not strong) soap. Apply skin tonic with a flock of cotton on the face after having it washed. It will close the pores of the face. Cosmetics enter your skin from the open pores and harm your skin. Buy a lighter skin tonic. Rose water can also be used in place of skin tonic.
Don't forget to make a base of moisturizer before doing makeup. You can improve your face with different cosmetics after that.
Normal skin does not create my kind of problem but it can get dry if you are a bit careless. So you have to take care of it too.
Apply carrot juice or juice of mint leaves on your face before taking a bath. Wash it after about 10 minutes. This way your normal skin can always be kept glowing.