Do I Need to Come Back?

"How often do you need to get a facial or skin treatment?  How often do you need to use your products at home?  For how long?"

These are questions I hear daily at work.  Think of taking care of your skin like taking care of your muscles or heart. 

Do you go to the gym for one training session and expect to be in shape?  Do you go home and eat chips and ice cream afterwards? 

OR

Do you go 3 times a week to work out and change your diet to healthier foods to get and maintain results?  Which one will give you better results?  It's obvious!

Taking care of your skin and expecting to see changes requires commitment, much like going to the gym.   Regular facial treatments, along with daily use of recommended home care products, will produce positive changes in your skin over time.  The key is consistency. 

Treatments meant to create collagen and elastin are needed in a series to produce optimal results.

Your skin is your body's largest organ.  Take care of it, so it can protect you for a long time.  Regular treatments to exfoliate, extract, create collagen & elastin and hydrate are a MUST.  Daily use of professional grade products recommended by your esthetician enhance the results of your monthly treatments. 

Your basic skin are routine is pretty easy.  Cleanse using a facial cleanser morning and night.  Use a treatment serum, moisturizer and SPF in the morning and Retinol Night Cream at night.  Easy right? 

Just like you eat healthy foods and workout regularly, you need regular skin treatments and professional skin care products at home. 

Why You Should See a Licensed Skin Professional

Are you always looking for the 'next best thing' to combat your wrinkles, age spots, sagging skin, general aging or acne?  Are you someone who will try something because your neighbor, friend or 'everyone' is using it?  You should keep reading!

The skin is our largest organ.  It protects our internal organs from invaders and injury.  You should treat your skin with TLC, using products specifically created for your type of skin and your specific skin concerns.

A Licensed Esthetician (LE) is trained specifically in how to treat different skin concerns, product ingredients & how they help these concerns/conditions.  The most common skin concerns people have are:

• Pore Size
• Fine lines & Wrinkles
• Deep Wrinkles
• Sagging Skin
• Redness/Sensitivity
• Acne/Breakouts
• Blackheads 

Not everyone has all of these concerns/conditions. Everyone's skin is unique and your skin care routine should be unique and customized for you as well.   There is a large array of skin care products out there.  They fall into 3 catetories: 

1. Over the Counter (OTC)
2. Professional Grade 
3. Medical Grade 

The differences lie in the active ingredients, the amount of active ingredients allowed in each level, and the delivery system.  The delivery system is important as these are the ingredients that allow the active ingredient to penetrate the upper most layer of the skin.  They also control how deep a product can go into the epidermis or dermis to effectively treat concerns.  

Medical grade products have prescription levels of active ingredients and can only be administered by a doctor or a medical spa with a medical director overseeing product prescriptions.  

Professional grade products have higher levels of active ingredients than OTC products, but less than prescription strength.  These can and should only be administered by a licensed esthetician trained in the product line(s).  Your LE can analyze your skin, discuss your concerns and recommend the proper professional grade products (or medical grade if in a medical spa) that will address your concerns.  They can monitor how your skin reacts to these products and make necessary adjustments. 

If you buy OTC (which includes anything you can buy without seeing a doctor or LE), you may be getting less active ingredients which may address your concerns, but could take longer to see results.  You will also not have the added value of a licensed professional to monitor your routine, consult with about your skin concerns and address any adverse reactions.

You only get one skin!  Please take care of it by seeking out licensed pros who are trained to guide you!  There is no One Size Fits All in skin care!   

What Can Professional Skin Care Products Do For You?

It's been some time since I've written a post and I figured it was time!  So, have you been thinking of starting a professional skin care routine, but aren't sure where to begin?  Let me show you some real result and explain them to you!

Look at the line next to her nose and how filled in it is! 

Look at her under eye area!  

This is a 50 year old woman who previously didn't have a skin care routine.  She used whatever was in her shower.   We used 5 professional grade products on her skin for a week (morning & night) and just look at her results!  Let's break down what we did.

1.  A 100% organic, exfoliating professional grade cleanser morning & night.
2.  An anti-oxidant serum
3.  An anti-wrinkle peptide serum
4.  An anti-oxidant moisturizer with SPF
5.  A retinol night cream

What do these products do?  Why did she have such great results?

• Consistency.  She used the products as prescribed by a licensed skin care professional. 
• Efficacy of products.  She used professional grade products that are only sold by licensed professionals.  The products have a higher grade of active ingredients to achieve results faster than OTC products. 
• Customized.  A licensed professional knows what products and ingredients will correct your skin care concerns.
  

Do you have concerns about your skin?  Schedule a professional  consult with a licensed skin care specialist to go over your concerns and work together to find the best products and treatments for you!  

Natural Makeup

Natural Makeup...sounds like an oxymoron right?  I mean, if you're wearing makeup, you're not 'natural' and all natural means no makeup.  Well, hold on a second.  You know how you have to 'do' your hair for that 'just rolled out of bed-head' look?  The same applies to having a just rolled out of bed, but polished, glowing face.   Here are my go-to products and application:

• Foundation/Concealer - If you prefer (like me) to even out tone all over, use a light  foundation that matches your skin tone.  Do not try to  change your skin color via foundation - it will look fake!  If you don't want all over coverage, use a concealer a shade lighter than your skin to cover blemishes and blend blend blend!  
• Blush - use a sheer cream  blush for a glow that looks like it comes from within.  Blend onto the apples of cheeks. 
• Eyes 
• A neutral shade of eye shadow works here.  You can use 2 shades to blend and shadow if you want, but don't go for the smokey eye look.  
• Skip liner for a natural look.  Liner is a makeup dead give-away.  If you must, use a brown and blend well! 
• Don't go overboard on mascara, but don't skip it either!  Long lashes gives a youthful look.  Apply one coat and comb through to remove any clumps.  
• Brow powder - I love to frame my eyes using brow powder.  Use one shade darker than your natural brows and blend well with a brow brush.  
• Lips - use a natural gloss to a finished look.   

Easy right?  You can be ready in 15 minutes and people will think you woke up looking that great!  

Remember, good makeup starts with good skin!  Your skin is the canvas for your makeup, no matter what look you choose.  See an esthetician to get your skin in the best possible condition and health!  

Here is my natural look:

Skin Care Products - Who Do You Trust?

I saw something recently that prompted me to ask - who do you trust when it comes to what you put on your skin?  TV commercials?  Celeb endorsed products?  Mall kiosks?  Direct Sales people?  Your educated, licensed esthetician? 

Seems pretty clear who you SHOULD trust right? 

Here is what you need to know:

• TV commercials and products endorsed by celebrities are usually NOT used by those celebrities.  Can you imagine Sarah Jessica Parker using a drugstore  box color on her hair?  Jennifer Anniston getting her skin care at CVS?  Of course not.   Yes, some of those products do have the right ingredients, but in what percentages?    Probably too low to have the desired affect on your skin. 
• Mall kiosks have very high energy sales people who's job it is to SELL.  They do not know anything about the skin (except that everyone has it).  They are given quotas and will tell you anything in order to make those quotas.  Want to get rid of your lines?  Sure, the products will do that!  Have acne?  They can fix that too!  There is no one size fits all product for skin care. 
• Neighbor selling skin care out of her house?  From a catalog?  She (probably) isn't educated in skin care either.  She also has quotas to meet and if she isn't a licensed esthetician, she can't truly direct you to the best products for your skin. When she tells you her products are the 'best ever' and will make you look 20 years younger, please ask a licensed pro for an opinion.  

Now, an educated, licensed esthetician KNOWs the skin.  Knows how it works. Knows what ingredients will work for whatever YOUR issue is.  And it may be a different product from what she tells your best  friend to use.  That is because everyone's skin is unique.  There is no 'one size fits all' when it comes to skin care.  Your regimen must be customized to your skin, to your needs.   So before you whip out your credit card to try the 'next great thing' from TV, the Mall or your neighbor, please, get a FREE consult with a licensed esthetician (Skin Care Specialist) and get products that will fit your budget, your skin, and won't just sit in a drawer after a few days, unused. 

Remember, we are educated in skin.  We are trying to get YOU the best results.   I truly love skin and want to improve everyone's! 

Skin Care for Colder Weather

As the temps drop, you may need to tweak your skin care routine.  Cooler temps and drier air can dry out your skin, cause senstivities, and possibly even redness.  So what do you need to do? 

• If you have normally dry skin anyway, colder weather can make it worse.  If you are using a gel based foaming cleanser, switch to a creamy cleanser, which will leave your skin more hydrated immediately after cleansing.  DO NOT skip cleansing.  This is a very important step of any skin care routine.  Consider an oil based cleanser!
• Use tepid water to cleanse.  Hot water may feel good, but can strip your skin of it's lipid barrer, leaving it vulerable to drying and redness. 
• Use a hydrating serum containing hyaluronic acid.   HA can hold 1000 times it's weight in water, which can significantly increase your hydration. 
• Use a heavier moisturizer, especially at night.  Your skin loses most of it's moisture as you sleep.  Using a heavier, more occlusive moisturiser helps hold that mositure in.
• Consider a special pillowcase.  There are some available that actually help your skin retain it's own natural moisture.  

• If you have oily skin, you will still need to tweak a few things.  If your skin feels dry and tight after cleansing, consider using a more  calming cleanser.  If you are using an acne cleanser twice a day, you may need to back off to only once daily. 
• You definitely need to hydrate your skin.  Look for an oil free mositurizer and use it nightly. 

• If you are prone to sensitivity, look for products that are calming, soothing and hydrating.  You will need to use a very gentle cleanser, and pat your skin dry, never rub! 
• Rinse with cool or tepid water. Never steaming hot!
• Use an occlusive moisturizer to protect your skin while your lipid barrier heals itself.
• Cover skin if temps are harsh or there is alot of wind.  These will increase redness and sensitivity.

Above all else do not forget your sunscreen!  This is still an important daily MUST! 

What about exfoliation in winter?  Do you need it? 

• Yes, you can still exfoliate, but make sure you are protecting that new skin with moisture and SPF.  If you feel more sensitive in colder weather, and are prone to redness and dryness, reduce exfoliation to once a month. 

What are the best hydrating ingredients to look for?

• For exfoliation - Lactic acid is hydrating and non-irritating to most.
• For serums - look for Hyaluronic acid.  As discussed above, this will definitely help your skin hold on to it's own moisture.
• For moisturizers - if your skin is dry, steer clear of 'oil free'.  Your skin needs the oil in heavier moisturizer, especially this time of year! 

Questions on all this?  Schedule a consult with your skin care specialist. 

Do You Need a Toner?

Do you remember the days of harsh astringents for your skin?  Do you know why they made these harsh  toners back then?  It was because soap was causing the pH of our skin to go from acidic to alkaline.  The toners of the 80s helped return our skin to the proper pH after cleansing. 

Today's cleansers are pH balanced to your skin.  Your skin has a natural acidic pH of 2.0-3.0.  When you use regular soap, your skin will feel dry and tight.  This is because soap is alkaline.  Always use a pH balanced cleanser made specifically for your face and you won't get that dry/tight feeling after  cleansing. 

Today's toners are really hydrating mists.  They are great for helping serums and moisturizers penetrate, for hydrating and refreshing your skin throughout the day.   Some contain anti-oxidants, which help fight the free radicals our skin is assaulted with every day.  Spritz an anti-oxidant mist on your skin immediately after cleansing.  While still moist, apply your serum and moisturizer with SPF.  Anti-oxidants also help with UV damage, so doing this in the morning is the best time. 

**Photo courtesy of ASCP**

Others are made with hydrating ingredients and can  be used morning, night and all throughout the day.  Spritz anytime you feel you need some hydration.  Take with you on a plane trip to keep your skin moist in the dry cabin air.  (Remember to pour some in a 3 oz spray bottle for flying!) Spritz your face if you need an afternoon pick-me-up to get through the rest of your day! 

There are still astringent toners out there.  There are some for acne & anti-aging that have active ingredients such as salicylic acid (acne) and glycolic acid (anti-aging).  These should only be used as directed, as they will be too harsh for your skin to use repeatedly throughout the day.  They have exfoliation properties, and over exfoliation is NEVER a good thing!  If you are using a treatment toner, follow your estheticians instructions for use. 

Gone are the days of swiping harsh ingredients on our skin to restore pH balance.  Using the right cleanser changes the way the toners of today work.  So spritz away and stay hydrated!