The science of skin care has evolved tremendously from when I began my career as an esthetician in 1984. These were the very early years of “anti aging” products. I remember the first one: “Night Repair” by Estee Lauder, the first serum to be introduced to the mass market. It was a blockbuster. Since then, legions of blockbusters and breakthroughs have followed. Retin-A. Glycolic Acid. The list goes on and on.
The skin care landscape is incredibly cluttered and confusing. From infomercials to physicians, we’re bombarded with different messages, warnings and philosophies on a daily basis. We’re all tantalized by the latest technology every time we pass a cosmetics counter, or visit the dermatologist, or have a spa treatment. Even our friends make recommendations based on what they like, and what works for them.
Not surprising, then, to learn that more and more clients are complaining of excessive sensitivity and inflammation, products that no longer “work”, allergic reactions, and overall diminishing returns from their home care. Many of us are figuring out the hard way that more is not better.
How can you get a skin care routine back on track?
A great, tried and true method is to put everything you’re using in a bag and schlep it in to your professional esthetician for a complimentary analysis and consultation. (Don’t be shy. We know that, statistically, about a third of the products in your bag will be PW offerings!)
It’s important to have a trained skin care professional review the ingredients in the products you’re using to check for conflicts, as well as redundancies. Too much of a good thing is…well, bad. Beyond brand-specific “product knowledge,” estheticians are trained to understand the cosmetic chemistry of any product formulation. If you’re acne-prone, they can spot hidden comedogenic (pore-clogging) ingredients. If you’re sensitive, they can identify “hyperactive” ingredients that may be overwhelming your skin. If you’re chronically dry, they can explain to you why the cleanser you’re using is too stripping, or how lack of toner afterward is causing you to dehydrate.
Inflammation has now been shown to be the biggest culprit in skin aging. All the villains you’re familiar with—the sun, hot water, too much exfoliation—are villainous because they create inflammation. So one of the principal objectives of a “tuneup” consultation is to weed out products or product combinations that may be creating inflammation.
Another option is to alter the frequency or sequence of use. Some products are very beneficial for you daily. Some are more beneficial if you alternate them. Many clients find they need two different products for the same purpose, used in alternation. Neither one quite gets the job done on its own.
Others, happily, can get away with a simpler routine. I am a pragmatist myself. I am not, despite the fact that I've developed skin care products myself, a product geek. I don't have time to apply that much stuff twice a day. Nor will it all fit into a Ziploc bag when I fly!
The myth that we need to use only products from one line is pure hooey. However, combining products willy-nilly is a worse idea. A solid understanding of what ingredients actually do is crucial to putting together an optimal “mixed” skin care routine. Good chefs don't have to follow recipes to the letter because they understand which ingredients combine effectively.
Today’s skin care consumer is, also in the words of one skin care manufacturer, “promiscuous.” We spread the love around. We flit from counter to counter. We order online. We change it up constantly. The grass is always greener on the other side of the aisle. This restlessness rarely results in a truly effective skin care regimen. It results in what I call a “permanent work in progress.”
The goal of a skin care regimen tuneup with an esthetician is to coordinate the regimen again, and get it working harmoniously and even synergistically. It’s definitely not to get you to toss out everything you’re using now. (No, I will not tell you you have to part with your beloved Creme de la Mer. I might mention in passing, however, that the famous balm was based on a 1920's-era Swiss formula still used for our Cellular Repair Cream. And I could, possibly, give you a sample of that...)
As an esthetician, my motto is always, “Whatever works.” I once gave a facial to an 85 year old woman, an avid golfer, whose skin care routine consisted solely of smearing Mentholatum on her face daily. She had nary a wrinkle on her skin. It was spectacular. What was I, a whippersnapper esthetician, going to tell this amazing octegenarian? To change her skin care routine? She had found something that worked for her—though how it did, I can’t begin to explain!
The key to good skin care is finding what works for you, and then being sensitive to changes in your skin that may require adjustments. It’s pretty much a given that you will be increasing the amount of emollients in your skin care products as you get older, for example. Some people who grew up with acne are loathe to do that, and may require some assistance in overcoming that mental block, even though their skin is dry and flaky at 45.
As well, your skin changes seasonally. Many routines need to be adjusted for summer and winter conditions. Sometimes that’s a small tweak. Sometimes that’s a wholly different routine.
In skin care there are no absolutes. There is only what works for your unique skin conditions, which are forged by diet, genetics, environment, emotions. Three of those four conditions are constantly shifting; is it any wonder your home care routine is a moving target?
Today’s professional esthetician functions more as an enlightened editor than the scolding authority figure of yesteryear. He or she provides the best service by collaborating with the guest, not dictating to them. The Home Care Review is the perfect way to experience the benefits of such a partnership.
To schedule your complimentary Skin Analysis and Home Care Review, call us at (408) 741-5525 (Saratoga) or (408) 335-1777 (Hotel Los Gatos). We'd love to help you get your skin care routine back on track.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
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