Any Aesthetician worth her weight in potions and lotions knows that problematic skin is a challenge. In fact, this challenge lead me to become an aesthetician. I was constantly working with clients who were using make-up to conceal skin imperfections caused by acne, scarring and aging. In most cases, attempting to hide those imperfections under make-up doesn’t improve the appearance of your skin at all –it just looks like you’re wearing gobs of make-up. The secret to looking good, with or without make-up, is taking proper care of your skin.
Know your Skin
Knowledge is the first skin care tool you’ll need, so let’s go over a few facts and terms. Everyone is born with a skin type: dry, oily, combination or sensitive. That skin type remains throughout your life except when you have major hormonal changes, such as during pregnancy and menopause. Skin type is different from skin condition. Skin condition refers to the skin problems you may encounter including acne, dehydration and discoloration. Skin conditions are (or should be) temporary and can be treated to return any skin type to its natural glory.
Achieve a Balance
Good skin requires equilibrium. Your skin looks, feels and behaves better when it’s balanced— this is where all those skincare products we obsess over can help. Thankfully, having balanced skin does not demand a medicine cabinet full of masques, scrubs and cleansers. In fact, you don’t need many products at all, but each one must be appropriate for your skin type.
First you’ll need a cleanser. A foaming cleanser works best for oily skin, since the detergent ingredient that causes the foaming action is also responsible for removing excess oil from the skin. A gel cleanser is appropriate for combination skin types. Gel cleansers will usually foam a little to remove some excess oil, but also provide some water hydration, which helps balance finicky combination skin. Those with dry skin should stick to milky cleansers, which will clean the skin without removing the natural oils. Since dry skin is already low on oil, you want to use a cleanser that will clean and hydrate as well.
After your skin is clean, use an exfoliant to remove dead skin. Exfoliation is important to any skincare regimen and is the step most often missing from my clients’ routines. Lack of exfoliation is a major contributor to many skin conditions including acne, fine lines, and dehydration.
There are two types of exfoliant: physical and chemical. Physical exfoliants, most commonly called scrubs, remove dead skin by sloughing it off the surface. Since the active ingredients in physical exfoliants vary, they are good for a range of skin types except oily skin and should be avoided by any skin type with acne. The active ingredients in chemical exfoliants destroy the bond between live and dead skin cells. The exfoliant then dissolves the dead skin from the bottom layer upward. Chemical exfoliants range from mild to strong, which makes this type of exfoliant appropriate for all but the most sensitive skin types.
The last absolutely essential skin care product is moisturizer. The dryer your skin, the “oilier” your moisturizer should be. On the other hand, if your skin is oily you will need an oil free moisturizer, which hydrates with water instead of oil. Many of my clients with oily skin and acne are terrified that moisturizers will cause breakouts – but I assure them that they won’t as long as the product is truly oil free.
Once you begin routine maintenance and cleansing, you’ll be ready to flaunt your natural glow. Your skin will look and feel good, but be patient and give it time – it can take three to six months to see major progress with a new skin care routine.
While the right combination of products will help maintain good skin, you’ll need regular facials to keep skin clean. Unclogging pores is crucial to skin health and vastly improves the look and feel of your skin, but you can’t do it alone. A good aesthetician will determine your skin type and decide how often you need treatments.
Christiana Santana is the clinical aesthetician for Joint Ventures Physical Therapy. She loves educating her clients so they have the knowledge and power to improve their skin. To schedule an appointment with Christiana, call 617-536-1161.