Oct 27

Some general advise for everyone

A good at home skincare routine is important because it gives you the foundation to maintain and improve your skin.

Everyone’s journey with that is specific and unique to them, but consistency is key! It also allows you to have a few minutes with yourself everyday and stay connected to your skin, body and mind.

Allow yourself to notice changes or differences in your skin, as these can be telling signs of other things happening in your body.

I will usually change out a few of my products seasonally depending on what my skin is needing at the time.

Common Roadblocks

We often remind our clients that it doesn't have to be overcomplicated and if you have the right person guiding you it can actually be quite simple.

You don’t have to have a million steps or products. If you want a simple routine, with smart product choices, that can work just fine for many people. You might not create major visible changes within your skin but for the right person this can work to get your skin on the right track and for maintaining healthy skin.

However if you are someone that can enjoy the ritual of skincare and like seeing positive change and results in your skin the addition of a step or two can make a huge difference.

You also don’t have to invest in everything all at once. Your aesthetician can help you figure out what is most important right away and you can slowly build on your routine, one product at a time.

Breakdown of a basic skincare routine and a more advanced skincare routine

Feel free to check in with your aesthetician if you have questions or feel like adding another step could be helpful for you. Each person's skin is different so make sure you are getting things that make sense for you! We are always happy to help you navigate the skincare world.

Cleanse

First off, you should make it a point to really cleanse your skin. Even for the most basic skincare routines it's essential. Ideally we have most clients cleanse both AM and PM but at the very least, if it's only going to happen once, make it happen at night. That's when it counts the most. It's important want to remove makeup, sunscreen and the pollution from the day so your skin can breathe while it works to repair itself while you sleep.

Cleansing in the morning is sometimes a case by case basis. At the very least we ask that those clients rinse their skin with some warm water to remove the dead skin cells that have shed during the night. However, doing an AM cleanse can be a great way to start your morning skincare routine. The goal is to prep your skin for the day ahead. So something that's gentle but. I personally like having alternates in this step so I can adjust what I am using depending on how my skin is feeling. You want to make sure you are able to remove all your makeup + sunscreen so a little experimenting might be in order to figuring out what works best for you.

How to get the best results with your cleanse

Gently massage your cleanser into your skin. Depending on your cleanser sometimes it makes more sense to apply to dry skin or damp skin for a more effective cleanse. Your aesthetician can guide you here.

Take your time with cleansing. Massage in your cleanser for at least 30 seconds.

Use gentle circular motions to work the product into your skin.

Don’t forget your jawline area and down your neck.

Be sure to focus on any troublesome areas or areas that have heavier make up.

You want to make sure you are getting everything off. If you still have make up on your skin after your first cleanse, it could be worth doing a double cleanse with an oil cleanser first or a try different cleanser.

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Moisturize

The next essential piece would be a good moisturizer (or hydrating oil). The right moisturizer is going to help nourish and create a barrier for your skin to help protect it. It is crucial to protect your skin’s lipid barrier! If your skin’s barrier becomes compromised, all bets are off on how your skin will react to the environment, foods you eat and products you use. The first step in working with most of our clients is to repair the barrier before treating for better long term results.

Finding the right moisturizer option is important and this is different for everyone. You could also opt to have a hydrating oil instead of a moisturizer. However, I find this tends to work best if there are other elements of water based hydration happening, in an additional mist or serum. Feel free to check in with your esthetician to see if this could be a good option for you.

How to apply your moisturizer

Gently press your moisturizer into your skin then begin swiping out-words and up-words.

Careful to not be too aggressive with your skin and avoid pulling down.

Don’t forget the neck + decolleté as this is often where we show the first signs of damage.

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Protect/Sunscreen

Even on a cloudy day the UVA rays that affect your skin in a negative way and speed up the aging process still get through. So it's important that if you are going out into the day to always wear your sunscreen. When finding a sunscreen I also think it's essential to find something mineral based. Chemical sunscreen requires a chemical reaction to take place on your skin in order for it to offer you sun protection. This reaction can create more redness+sensitivity over time. Also, a lot of chemical SPFs are known endocrine system disruptors.

How to be sure your protected

Use about a chickpea size amount (maybe a little more).

Cover the whole face with your sunscreen as well as your neck, decollete.

Sunscreen should be your last skincare step before applying make up, so after your moisturizer step.

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Tone

Toners are not an essential piece of a skincare routine but they can be valuable, especially if you are using a serum or an oil. They allow for more even product absorption and can add an extra layer of hydration or a soothing factor under your serum or moisturizer. You could also opt for something that is going to be more exfoliating in a toner. Again depending on your skin type.

How toning fits into your routine

Mist your skin evenly am or pm.

Or, spray the toner onto a cotton pad or the palms of your hands and press/gently pat the toner into your skin.

While your skin is still damp continue on with your steps.

Exfoliate

You want to encourage healthy cell turnover in the skin. As we age our skin's ability to naturally turn skin cells over slows down. So for each person that can look a little different, depending on your specific skin type. I am a huge fan of exfoliating serums (chemical exfoliants) but you can of course get exfoliation in other ways with other enzymatic exfoliants, manual exfoliation (like a with a scrub or a towel) or even other forms of chemical exfoliants you find in cleansers, toners or masks (etc.)

How exfoliation best fits into the routine

Best in the evening but exfoliation can happen in the morning as if extremely gentle. At night, while you're sleeping your skin is super active, so exfoliating at night encourages things to turn over in a healthy way.

This can come in the form of a cleanser, toner or serum.

The frequency of how often you are going to use an exfoliant depends on what you are using and what your skin is like but a consistent night or every other night application is recommended to keep your skin moving.

We love using enzymes and lactic acid to give the skin a gentle exfoliation each day instead of harsher acids that can strip the barrier causing reactivity and dullness.

Make sure you are checking in with your esthetician if you are unsure on when or how often to use your exfoliant. It's important to get that healthy cell turn over but you also don’t want to overdo it either.

Serums

If you really want to create change within the skin, invest in a good serum. A serum is going to have a smaller molecular size so the product will go deeper into your skin. There are all sorts of serums out there that can treat a multitude of different skincare concerns but it's important to find the right one for your skin. We prefer using antioxidant serums in the day and using something more rejuvenating (peptides, stem cells) or exfoliating in the evening.

How you would use a serum

Apply to clean skin (or after your toner).

Use about a chickpea size amount and press the serum into your skin before you use a moisturizer.

The dampness of your toner will help to evenly distribute your serum across your skin and then your moisturizer will help to lock all its goodness in.

Don’t forget the neck+decollete!

You can have the same serum you use both AM+PM or a specific serum for the day and one for the night.

Immediately follow your serum with a moisturizer to lock it in.

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Eye Cream

Eye cream is a step that depending on your age is more/less important. Certain people are more susceptible to milia (little pearly bumps around that can happen around the eyes). If you are using something too heavy around the eyes it can cause this to happen. Eye cream (or an eye serum) is a fantastic way to help improve under eye dark circles, lines/wrinkles or even puffiness by strengthening the skin but it is best at prevention so start at the first signs of fine lines.

How to use your eye treatment

Apply a small amount around the eye area, below the eye and around the corners of the eyes and up around your brow bone with your ring finger for alight touch.

Avoid the lid for some products so make sure to check in with your aesthetician if you are unsure.

Eye creams can be used both AM/PM or just once a day. Daytime application is when you are going to be able to see the most benefits from using it as it plumps fine lines under make-up.

Masks

Like serums, face masks can target a lot of different concerns and create really positive change within your skin quickly. We find this to be a great ‘reset’ for peoples skin and it feels like it gives the skin a fresh start. You can find masks that do a number of different things whether it's something for hydration, exfoliation, brightening, plumping, clarifying, the list goes on. Ask your aesthetician for recommendations.

How and when to mask

Mask 1-3 times a week.

Different masks have different directions/times you leave them on so be sure to read the directions and use accordingly (or check in with your aesthetician).

We often masking the shower is to be the most effective way to get me to actually do a ‘mask’. The steamy factor keep the mask moist and can be more invigorating in the shower.

Follow an exfoliating mask with something more calming or hydrating, this is a great trick to get that “post facial glow”.