Back To Basics - How To Choose The Best Products For Your Skin
The first step in choosing the best products for you skin is to assess your skin type and your skin concerns.
Skin Types
- Dry
- Normal/Combination
- Oily
- Comfortable - your skin may be dry or oily but you are managing it well with your products and your consistent routine so it feels comfortable. Good job!
Partner Type with Concerns
- Blemished
- Sensitive
- Mature
Your skin type drives texture and level of oil in product choices.
Dry Skin - choose thicker lotions/cremes
Oily Skin - choose thinner formulas with less oil
Normal - in between, you have more options. Lucky gal.
How To Determine Your Skin Type
Cleanse your skin and wait 20 minutes - don't add anything else to your face.
Just wait.
At the 20 minute point, does your skin feel dry, taut, uncomfortable?
You have dry skin.
Or, does it feel oily and you need to blot it?
Your skin is oily.
Does it feel just happy and comfortable?
You have normal, combination skin.
But wait.
Does your skin feel dry but your still breakout?
There is oil under there somewhere.
You could be experiencing dehydration as opposed to dry skin.
This is potentially from over use of product or the incorrect product for your skin.
Dehydration Vs Dry
All skin requires water.
Not all skin requires oil.
More About Concerns
Remember our list of potential concerns above?
Sensitive. Blemished. Mature.
Let's Talk Sensitive
What does that mean to you?
A true sensitive skin will be easily irritated, with redness and potential stinging.
Your skin needs to be calmed and soothed.
Our goal?
To improve your skin barrier and to become less sensitive over time.
Your Skin Barrier
Think of your skin cells like bricks on a house with mortar in between.
If your skin barrier gets damaged, this can be genetics, rosacea or from wrong harsh product or overuse of even the best of products, the mortar gets invisible cracks.
Moisture escapes from these cracks and irritants get in easier.
Products can hit the nerve endings faster, and a stinging sensation ensues.
Once again, our goal is to soothe and sedate your skin.
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| Calm Down Facial Oil |
Blemished Skin
This can be acneic (infected, red) vs. non-infected (milia, white heads, blackheads).
Mature Skin
This includes firming, brightening and toning, soften up lines and wrinkles.
Your Routine
Cleansing
Your cleanser is the cornerstone of a good routine and can make or break what follows.
Use a gentle low foam formula - more lather and bubbles equals drier skin.
Keep in mind that a leave on oil based balm blocks products from penetrating.
After rinsing cleanser and applying toner, you have a 60 second window before moisture begins to evaporate from your skin.
Apply your next product in order to seal your hydration levels.
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Exfoliate
If using a serum based exfoliant like Radiance Reveal and Clear Skin Serum, apply here, before your toner.
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Exfoliant Rotation Concept
Experiment with the three night rotation idea:
1st night - exfoliant breaks through the glue that holds the old, dead skin, blocking your new fresh skin underneath.
2nd night - exfoliation takes place
3rd night - exfoliation goes deeper
Rest - just use your serums.
Toner - Your Last Step in Cleansing OR Your First Step in Hydration
Your Toner is your big dose of enriched hydration.
It acts as a carrier for serum.
It can give you 10% deeper penetration of your active serums.
It can actually act as delivery system.
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| Cucumber Toner |
Congrats. You Are Done with Your Cleansing Steps
Now apply your products from thinnest > thickest in texture.
Serums - Your Active Power Shots
Serums are your power shot, higher concentration of actives.
Serums drive more results.
Be sure to wear your antioxidant rich serum during the day.
Day time is when you are most exposed to oxidative stress, and you need more protection.
Think of the gas tank in your car - there is a finite supply at any given time. There is only certain amount protection in your system.
Your supply of protection gets depleted by environment, exercise, daily general wear and tear.
Your Vitamin C and/or Resveratrol serum gives you back up.
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| Vitamin C Serum | Resveratrol Peptide Complex |
Nighttime Retinol
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| Behave 1% Retinol Treatment |
Moisturize
During the day, be sure to wear your sunscreen.
Every day.
If you need additional moisture add a lotion or a creme, depending on your skin type.
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| Olive Oil Lotion | Olive Oil Creme |
Proper Amount
Apply a nickel size dollop for your face, and another another nickel size dollop for your décolleté.
Another Rotation - Serums
If you use multiple serums/actives, rotate, don't layer.
Your skin only can absorb so much at one time.
Instead, alternate your serums on different days.
Join me for a complimentary personal consult for your skincare needs.
