Skin Tips as an Esthetician

With so much information out there in terms of skincare, it can get super overwhelming to know where to begin or what to believe. As an esthetician here are some tips that I swear by and have gotten me through some rough skin patches in my day…

BE GENTLE

Abusing your skin with excess force (scrubbing, poking, scratching, popping), heat, or harsh products can lead to premature aging, sagging, and scarring. While these intense practices seem like they’ll produce quicker results, they’ll lead to long-term damage. You want to always be super gentle with your skin and most importantly use gentle yet effective products!

HARSH EXFOLIATION IS A NO GO

I actually hate rough physical exfoliants and to me they don’t actually work. Instead, I recommend replacing them with an acidic cleanser, toner or treatment of some sort, similar to my glycolic cleansing milk or purifying creme. These have glycolic in it which is an AHA and actually dissolve dead skin cells without damaging the exterior or interior layer of the skin. This is a much more effective way of exfoliating without irritating the skin.

GET MONTHLY TREATMENTS!

I recommend monthly facials, and that really is the ideal, but with everyone’s busy schedule, I understand that sometimes we can’t all make that happen. I do however recommend getting into the salon at least once every 4-6 weeks – it truly does make a difference! If you absolutely can’t, try to give yourself a little mini-facial at home!

AVOID THE SUN

Sun damage is the #1 cause for premature aging. Always wear sunglasses and a hat in the sun. And reapply your sunscreen! Most people apply their sunscreen 7 a.m. after cleansing, so chances are it’s no longer effective at noon when you head out to lunch and need it the most.

NEVER PICK A PIMPLE

Picking pimples is a major mistake—99 percent of the time it makes the situation worse. It’s especially bad if you’re attempting to pick at a cystic pimple, or one that hasn’t come to a head yet. Listen, if it’s cystic and there’s no head on it, just leave it alone or see a dermatologist who can bring the inflammation down. You should leave them be because they’re deep under the surface of your skin, so you won’t be able to achieve a real pop, anyways. You’d never be able to extract it if you squeeze it—chances are it’s going to rupture under the surface of your skin and cause bacteria to spread which will cause a worse problem. 

GLYCOLIC ACID WORKS.

New to chemical peels? Try a glycolic acid peel for virtually any skin type – it’s my absolute favorite and I’ve been doing it since I was 13 – true story. It helps exfoliate the skin without over drying it and works effectively!

VITAMIN C IS YOUR FRIEND

Use brighteners like Vitamin C within six months of seeing a dark spot. Melanin goes deeper into skin over time, so it’s harder to reach.

MOISTURE IS EVERYTHING

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate – I’m not kidding! When it comes to your skin, hydration is everything. Even if you have oily skin, you need to keep your skin hydrated; otherwise, it’ll produce more oil in an attempt to compensate. Make sure you’re moisturizing twice a day and topping up with a nighttime serum and/or facial mist throughout the day. 

DON’T FORGET ABOUT YOUR NECK!

Neglecting the neck area is one of the most common skincare mistakes, which is kinda crazy as it’s one the of biggest giveaways of someone’s age. So always make sure you continue your entire skincare regime down your neck; this means double cleansing your neck as well as toning, and moisturizing. Also, be gentle and massage in upward motions so that you’re not pulling the skin downward, which is precisely where you don’t want your skin to go!

Let me know if you guys have any particular skin concerns that you want me to touch on and I’ll make sure to do a specific post on that!