The top things clients and customers want to know about skincare

Q: How long should it take to see my skincare routine working?

When you start a new skincare routine you can be anxious to see improvement right away. Totally understandable. However, if you’re dealing with acne breakouts, you may not see them slow down for a while. That’s because breakouts can live beneath your skin for 30 to 90 days, so the ones that are forming are going to surface before you’re totally clear.

That said, you’ll probably notice your skin’s texture will improve pretty quickly and it will appear brighter.

Q: How long should skincare products last?

With most skincare products, less is more! Your products should last you around 90 days, depending on how often you need to use them in your routine. For example, you’ll use a face cleanser more frequently than an exfoliant, so you’ll likely run out of cleanser sooner. 

Remember to check in with your esthetician before you stock up on more product—your skin may need something different after 90 days.

Q: Why does my skin feel drier now that I’ve started a new routine?

You may be using too much product. Remember, less is more for most skincare products. Start using less and see if the dryness goes away.

Also, check your facial cleanser. Some cleansers and soaps strip away the skin’s moisture, leaving it dry when you’re done washing. Make sure to use a cleanser that hydrates as well as cleanses.

Q: How often should I be getting skincare treatments?

Healthy skin care is 80% daily habits and 20% treatment. The majority of your results will come from being consistent with your AM and PM routines everyday, and how well you manage other acne triggers like your diet, exercising often, washing your pillowcases, and being mindful of how your hair products impact your skin.

Speak with your esthetician about how regularly you should be coming in for treatments.

Q: I get in really late at night. It’s OK if I skip my skincare routine for a night or two, right?

Absolutely not! Skipping any part of your routine can set back your progress, trust me. It happens to all of us. Stay consistent with your skincare routine no matter what.

Q: I don’t spend a lot of time outside. Do I still need to buy sunscreen?

Absolutely! Sunscreen is absolutely essential to EVERYONE’S skincare routine. It prevents dark spots from getting darker, it protects against the sun’s harmful rays (which penetrate through your windows and through rain clouds), and it helps with anti-aging.

Apply every 2 to 3 hours and you will notice an improvement.

Q: How long should I wash my face?

Rub the cleanser on your skin for 60 seconds for thorough cleaning. I suggest washing your face twice after wearing makeup or anytime you feel you need an extra cleanse.

Q: How do I use my skincare products? What is the correct order for applying the products in my skincare routine?

 

How you use your skincare products is critical to see the progress in your skin. The order should be:

1. Cleanser
2. Toner
3. Serum
4. Eye cream
5. Moisturizer
6. Sunscreen

 

Then allow your sunscreen to sit at least 5 minutes before applying make up, and be sure to allow each product to absorb on your face before you move on to the next step to avoid peeling and irritation.

 

Q: Which skincare products make a major difference in your routine?

 

I recommend all my clients and customers to have a retinol for nighttime and an antioxidant for your morning routine–even if you don’t have breakouts. These two ingredients as a regular part of your routine will keep skin issues at bay. Always remember that when it comes to our skin, we want to be proactive. Not reactive.

 

Q: Is it bad to pick pimples?

 

100% yes! Picking pimples spreads bacteria onto other areas of your face, causing more breakouts, and it causes scabbing which leads to inflammation and dark spots.

 

Instead, ice breakouts and inflammation for 2 minutes in circular motions to calm the skin, reduce breakouts, and prevent future breakouts

Q: I feel like I’m doing everything right, why am I still breaking out?

 

The top 4 reasons you’re still breaking out after starting a new skincare routine are:

 

1. You’re not properly cleansing your face. Remember, 60 seconds every time!
2. You’re not flipping your pillows and washing your pillow cases regularly. Residue from your hair and whatever you put on your skin stays in your pillow cases and clogs your pores.
3. Too much sugar and/or dairy in your diet. Refined sugar causes blood insulin to spike in the body, which causes us to produce more sebum (oil). This clogs the pores, which leads to breakouts. Dairy foods or anything with milk in it has additional hormones that aren’t natural to your body. This causes inflammation in the body, which leads to puffiness and breakouts.
4. New medicine or birth control. Anything that we digest that influences our bodily functions can impact the skin. Remember to share this information with your esthetician for the best skin treatment.

 

Q: What are the foods that trigger breakouts on your skin?

 

Dairy–if it comes from a cow, it has hormones that cause inflammation.

Peanut Butter/Peanuts–Peanuts raise your testosterone levels and signals your sebaceous glands to produce more oil, which equals breakouts.

Refined sugar–try monkfruit instead

Shellfish (crab, shrimp, lobster, etc.) and table salt–high in iodine

Carbs (rice, bread, pasta, etc.)–cause inflammation in the body.

 

What foods should I eat for healthy skin?

Avocado

Cauliflower 

Brussel sprouts

Brazil nuts

Wild-caught salmon

Kombucha

Kimchi

Sea salt