SkinCare 101 - It is important.

OOOhhh, We had such Fun! Do you know what a Skincope is? We all got to look at our face’s under this scope, and WOW! Very telling! I’m certainly going to be changing my skincare routine because of it!! Check out our Instagram and you can see Kimberly and Tatiyana’s Skinscope pictures there. Not as pleasant as we had hoped! 

Nevertheless, our Skincare Master Class was a smashing success! Here is a quick run down on the things we learned:

SideNote: During this class we mostly discussed and sampled  all of our Skinceuticals products.  Luckily this is also one of the two products we carry at Naturally You Aesthetics. So, for this blog we will be talking about Skinceuticals.

Did someone say cake? 

Just like there are many ingredients and layers in a cake there are many ingredients that go into balancing skin, each individualized for YOUR specific skin types and conditions. Just like a cake has several layers, so does our skin:  water, sebum, proteins, acids and peptides just to name a few! When baking a cake you need to add just the right amount of quality ingredients otherwise it can make your cake too dry, too flat, ect. Same with choosing serums and creams to apply to your skin, you need the right ingredients to give YOUR skin the perfect balance!. Other external factors also play a role, such as good nutrition, sleep, and minimizing stress levels.  

Guess which organ is the largest organ in our bodies? 

You guessed it, Skin! And…Skin is the ONLY organ that is External. That means, it has a lot of protecting it needs to do! But, wait… it is bombarded daily with harsh UV rays, wind, dry, heat, cold, pollution, free radicals and oxidation on a daily basis. You say, “Well, I take vitamins and drink a gallon of water a day!” Of course this is all good for your skin, however, your skin can still be dry, dull, and unhealthy.  Taking care of yourself on the inside just isn't enough. It's important to supplement it on the outside with good skin care. With so many serums and creams out there, how do I do that?

Think: Cleanse, Prevent, Correct, Protect

CLEANSER:

Cleansing your face both morning and night to wash off dust, exhaust, pollution, pesticides, fabric softener, hair product residue, ect. Your skin should not feel tight or dry after you cleanse.  If it does, it's probably the wrong cleanser for you. Instead, your face should feel fresh and clean.

TONER:

Not so much! It’s plenty for most people to simply wash their face. You want to have your face clean, not stripped! If you feel after cleansing that it wasn’t enough, then wash one more time! No need to spend money on a toner.

How do I know which product to put on first?

Think of your skin as a sponge, what would absorb the quickest? Liquid or cream? Liquid you say! That’s correct! That’s also the order in which to start your skincare routine.  Think,  thinnest to thickest.

PREVENT:

Antioxidants - Think of skin as a football team where there are offensive and defensive players. Antioxidants are your offensive players, an armor and fortification for the skin. Put on once in the morning right after washing, they block pollution, oxidation, free radicals, ect. Our defensive lineup includes our moisturizers and masques. Put on at bedtime they help restore and nourish overnight. 

CORRECT:

What’s there to correct? This is determined by:

Skin Type - oily, sensitive, dry, combination, normal

Skin Condition:  acneic, aging, discoloration, sensitive

Don’t know? This is when one of our experts can help you determine which skin type and condition you have to help you understand which Skinceuticals routine would be most appropriate for you.

Why Skinceuticals?

Founded in 1994, Skinceuticals prides themselves on high quality researched products. They have over 30 years of clinical data with amazing results.  In fact, all clinical trials from Skinceuticals follow a strategic routine: cleanser, the product they are studying, and sunscreen, all in the same amounts and formulations.

In addition, most single Skinceutical products do more than one thing at the same time, they work synergistically with one another, and are meant to be layered. Short on time? Skinceuticals has made it easy with this quick and easy application.

Hydration: 

Everyone needs some form of hydration.  Some need less, some need more than others.

Creams, emollients, and barrier creams contain fatty acids, ceramides, and cholesterol that your skin needs to keep it balanced, soft, and hydrated. These products soothe, soften, seal the goodness you’ve already applied, and should be felt on your skin throughout the day. 

Don’t forget your eyes!

It’s important to have good eye cream. The skin under your eyes is different from the other skin on your face. It is 10x thinner, does not contain many sebaceous glands, lacks fatty tissue, and is attached loosely to muscle in this area, therefore, it sags quicker. We offer several Skinceuticals under eye options.

PROTECT:

Most important of all, sunscreen. Don’t wear it in the winter because you’re not out in the sun? Wrong assumption! You DO need it all year round. Did you know that you can get sun damage even in the car while driving? And that snow reflects the sun's rays by 80%? Believe it or not, sun damage is responsible for the majority of our accelerated skin aging. A broad spectrum sunscreen is recommended as it includes both UVA = Aging + UVB = Burning Protection, from the sun. Sunscreen is a defensive strategy we all must include in our skincare routine. 

Stay tuned for our next blog, we’ll be talking about Allergan Aesthetics Botox….