Skincare Q&A with an Esthetician.

We are coming to the end of another year! I thought a blog answering some of the questions I get asked most as an esthetician would be a perfect way to wrap up 2019. Getting to answer your skin and product questions is probably one of the favorite parts of my job. You can truly never ask me too many skincare related questions, and if I don’t know the answer I will go do my research and find it for you. Knowing how your skin functions and what treatments & products are best to treat it is a really important part of maintaining healthy, radiant skin.

scrub me secret: It’s not just about what you’re putting on your skin, but also what you’re putting into your body. Skin is a living organ and is affected by diet and lifestyle. Lack of sleep, water, nutrient-rich foods can cause the skin to look dull, sallow, or dry. While too much sugar, alcohol, or processed foods can cause an inflammatory response that makes skin break out or look sensitive/ruddy. If you have a food allergy or sensitivity this can also cause affect your skin. For more information visit my “Inner Wellness Outer Beauty” blog post.

I hope you all enjoy this Q&A! I look forward to providing you with more skincare knowledge in 2020!

What does a toner do?

When we traditionally talk about a toner most are referring to something astringent like witch hazel. There are a lot of different types of toners and I’ve noticed them becoming a lot more mainstream in the past few years. A toner’s main job is to balance the pH of your skin after cleansing, exfoliating, or masking. A toner can also contain ingredients that will refresh your skin and infuse it with nutrients. When your skin gets this extra balancing that almost “resets” it after a cleansing or exfoliation your other products that follow like serums and hydrators can work like they are supposed to.

scrub me secret: skipping the toner in your at-home skincare routine is an easy mistake to make because it doesn’t seem to make an immediate difference in how your skin looks or feels. But, over time using a toner in your daily routine will help all your other products work so much better and give your skin the balance that it was lacking. Then you will notice the difference, your skin will look healthier, even-toned, and vibrant!

I love toners so much, I think they are an underrated skincare item. I also like to have a variety of toners and skin refreshing tonics so I can treat my face and client’s faces to different skin-loving ingredients. I could chat for a long time about toner so I think I have an idea of what my January blog will be! I listed a rosewater I like for a toner in “My Daily Skincare Routine” blog and also a CBD based toner that I am obsessed with in my “CBD Skincare Recommendations” blog.

How often should I be cleansing my face?

This answer is a little bit different depending on your skin type and at-home skincare routine but I do have an answer that generally is helpful for everyone. Cleansing your skin should really only take place when you’re removing dirt/debris from your daily environment, makeup, or excessive sweat. There are other instances where you would get really dirty and need to clean your face but those are fewer and farther in between for most of us. My point is, you need to be thoughtful about when you are cleansing your skin and how much because every time we cleanse we are stripping our skin of some oils and slightly throwing off the barrier. I have most of my clients cleansing only once a day, in the evening. If you cleanse and do your proper skincare routine in the PM then your skin will still be fresh enough in the AM to go straight to your toner, morning skincare, and SPF.

scrub me secret: the cleansing step should always be followed by other skincare. This ideally would be a toner, serum(s), and moisturizer that fits your skin type. If you just cleanse your face and don't follow up with anything it won’t be at its best.

What can I do to help my brows & lashes grow?

I’m going to answer this question from a more plant-based standpoint. When it comes to treating lashes especially I like to stick with safe, plant-based items because the product is getting so close to the eye area. Strengthening and growing brows and lashes takes patience and a little bit of dedication. Oils like castor and pumpkin seed have shown to help repair hair structure and boost growth over time. The thing about these plant-based oils is that you definitely won’t be noticing immediate results. Often, the results come so subtly and slowly that some don’t feel like its really working at all. I still stand behind these oils and believe and have seen that they can make a difference. If you want to really see if you’re getting some results I suggest taking progress pictures for a few months and comparing them. I have had clients who have had success with Latisse but since I don’t fully know if its safe for us I don’t endorse using it or use it myself. Try the oils! Let me know if they work for you!

Shop the multipurpose balm under “other items”

scrub me secret: I created my multipurpose balm with lash and brow growth properties in mind. This new product just came out a few months ago but I tested it on myself and love how thick and strong it made my lashes. I also think my brows are filling in a bit too! I’d love for you all to try the new multipurpose balm and let me know what you think.

How important is a daily skincare routine?

Really important! As an esthetician, I believe that a daily skincare regimen is just as important (if not more so) as the facials and treatments that we do in the treatment room. Like I stated earlier in the blog our skin is affected by sleep, diet, and environment. Cleansing, toning, hydrating, and infusing it with nutrients daily is what it needs to stay looking and feeling healthy. Think of taking care of your skin just like taking care of and maintaining your body. Your body wouldn’t be functioning correctly without the daily food, water, and movement it needs. This is the same as our skin! It needs daily attention and care. My clients that stick to their daily skin care regimens see much better results from their facials and treatments vs. those who don’t.

What can I do to help my under eyes?

This is a question I get often, and from all different types of people. Men and women of all ages and ethnicities ask “What can I do to help my under eye area?”. The main concerns for this area are dark circles and sagging skin. The skin underneath our eyes is thin therefore can wrinkle and sag more easily. Eyes can also get puffy or dark looking from allergies or a cold. For dark circles, the first thing to do is get your allergies checked to see if you can eliminate anything from your life that may be causing these dark circles. For example, eliminate feather pillows or comforter if you find you have an allergy or sensitivity to feathers. When our eyes are puffy or have sagging skin this can also create some darkness or shadowing under the eye. There are a few things that can be done to help lift and smooth the under-eye area, thus making a brighter and firmer appearance. A daily hydrating and firming eye cream is key in helping to strengthen and lift the area. I also love collagen eye masks if you’re looking to quickly smooth and firm your under-eye area. You can keep them chilly in the refrigerator so that when you apply them they can help quickly firm your skin even more. I like these collagen eye masks.

Lymph drainage and facial gua sha can also be amazingly helpful in draining puffiness underneath the eyes. I’ll definitely do a blog in 2020 focusing on this topic even more. For now, check out my blog on fighting aging to learn a little bit more about gua sha.

scrub me secret: If you want to be really great about protecting your under eye area there are also eye creams that contain SPF. These eye creams go on in the AM and protect that thin under eye skin from getting UV ray damage. I use a tinted one from PCA.

How often should I get a facial?

Every 4-6 weeks is ideal for a facial. Even with a great at-home routine elements like the environment and lifestyle can still take a bit of a toll on our skin. In order to keep pores clean, collagen and elastin alive, and cells functioning at their best you’ll need some assistance from your esthetician every month or every 6 weeks. Facials aren’t just for extractions and deeply cleaning pores. Advanced enzymes, peels, and exfoliating treatments can smooth, brighten, and firm skin more than at-home products can. Facial lifting and massage treatments breath new life into your skin by creating oxygen and blood flow while also keeping tissues lifted. There are so many opportunities during a facial to treat specific concerns or amplify your skin’s health even more. Don’t know where to start on your facial journey? Book a detailed consultation with a recommended esthetician and chat about your skin goals or any concerns you have before you get started. Check our my “Estheticians Guide to Getting a Facial” blog for some of my tips.

scrub me secret: even if you have happy, healthy skin you can still totally benefit from a facial or treatment. we all lose collagen, elastin, and oxygen flow in our skin as we age so any type of facial, massage, or treatment that revitalizes proteins like collagen and elastin or stimulates oxygen flow is a great treatment for healthy looking skin.

That’s a wrap! I’m so looking forward to 2020! I think I’ll start off the New Year with a full blog on toners since I feel like I’ve got a lot of info to share on that subject. Are there any subjects you guys are dying for me to cover that I haven’t yet? Let me know in the comments.