Because I’m in the business of helping women keep their skin as young, healthy and lovely as possible, I am often asked what my personal skincare regime is. So in this blog entry, I thought it might be fun to share some of my “trade” secrets with all of you.
According to my mom I have always been a product junkie. She says that when I was around 10 her friends would come over and I would put them on the couch and slather stuff I had concocted on their faces. Although I’m no longer lining up family friends to experiment on, I do spend a tremendous amount of time searching for and experimenting with new products, ones that have a significant power to change the skin.
So what is my daily routine?
I can’t stress enough just how important it is to keep your skin clean. I wash my face two times a day. In the morning I use a Clarisonic brush in the shower to deep clean my pores. In the evening, my number one go-to cleanser for makeup removal is iS Clinical Cleansing Complex. Granted I have been blessed with good skin genes, and I have pretty normal skin, so I’ve never really had to deal with acne, but this may be in part because I have always taken good care of my skin. My mom says that if I got one blemish I became quite dramatic about not showing my face. Something along the lines of look away, I’m hideous (or so she says!)
It doesn’t end with just cleaning …
After I cleanse in the morning I use either Pro-heal or Superserum which are high powered antioxidants. These are also IS Clinical products. For those with sun damage and/or scarring, these products work to help reverse the damage and minimize scars. What I use next is another great Is Clinical product called Poly Vitamin Serum, which is vitamin B. This product promotes cellular regeneration and elasticity . I routinely use this on cancer patients because it helps to treat radiation dermatitis.
The next thing on my daily to do list is some type of hydration. Again, iS Clinical has a fantastic product I usually use called Hydra-cool. It is a serum and very light not greasy. It is comprised of Hyaluronic acid, which Is the most hydrating substance we have available.
Protect your skin when you’re in the sun and it will thank you by looking younger …
Now I am ready for SPF which I use every single day whether I think I am going out or not. I have many different types of sunblocks in my skin care center. There is basically one for every skin type. Personally, I usually go to Hydropeptide SPF 30. This provides a cosmetically elegant product and a great base for my mineral makeup. If I do not intend to wear makeup, I would probably choose Image 30 plus tinted SPF. This provides a really nice tint and very natural look. When I’m going to be out playing golf or other outdoor sports, I would use the Celezome 50 SPF. This is the perfect waterproof sunscreen for those times when you know you are going to be outside for long periods of time.
Exfoliation gets rid of dull, dead cells and leaves your face refreshed and glowing …
Remember those old buff puffs they made years ago? Yikes, you could scrub a floor with one! Exfoliation is not meant to grind away layers of skin, but rather to lift off dead cells so new ones can shine through. When I am going to exfoliate I use a variety of different methods. I could choose to use an Exfolia cloth, (one of the amazing wonders of skin care tools!) It is simply a cloth that is not at all rough or coarse (actually it comes from the car industry for buffing scratches out of cars). The brilliant gentleman who introduced me to this product several years ago at a skin care conference has designed these in either a reusable form or a toss away for travel. It does a spectacular job on wiping away all the dead skin cells on your face.
Another type of exfoliation I like is Glo Therapeutic’s Daily Polishing Cleanser. It is unique in that it starts out as a powder to which you add water, then use in a circular motion. It not only exfoliates but brightens.
When I want a quick pick-me-up glow and don’t have time to get a facial, I use the Celezome Enzyme Mask. I use it on my back bar when doing facials and the results are immediate. You notice plump hydrated skin and it digests dead skin cells.
Another fairly new find is from a company called Le Mieux. I love their Vital-C Clear Skin pads. These are toss away pads that give you a little exfoliation and they deep clean too. They are great for travel when you are trying to pare down your skin routine.
Oops, I nearly forgot to mention that I use Hydropeptide Eye Cream in the morning under my eyes. This amazing product lightens, brightens, tightens and hydrates delicate under eye tissues. And because it’s so good, I use it again at bedtime.
And speaking of bedtime …
Don’t forget night time is just as important for your skin care. One of my major rules is that I never, never, never (did I mention never?) go to bed with makeup on my face. Even though I use mineral makeup, which is pretty pure, I know how important it is to have a clean face when my head hits the pillow. Why? Because based on the circadian rhythm theory, which says that your body heals itself best at night, it just makes sense to clean it and give it the treatment that is best suited for your skin type.
After cleansing at bedtime I usually alternate products depending on what I want to achieve. If my pores seem large to me I use Benev Retinol Cream. Most people are familiar with Retin A, but many women complain that it makes their skin too dry and irritated. This company has devised a way to deliver vitamin A into the skin without the irritation.
My other must do at night is the Ormedic Balancing Lip Enhancement. It is ultra-hydrating and adds volume while smoothing out fine lines. It’s great for dry, dehydrated lips and also a must-have for post fillers.
So there you have it. I think you will agree that most of what makes my skin look great is the fact that I truly take care of it each and every day. Obviously, skin types vary, and the skin’s needs also vary depending upon age, genetics, how well you’ve protected and cared for your skin in the past, etc. What I do know is if you are willing to make taking care of your skin a priority, you are guaranteed to see improvement. No ifs, ands, or buts about it!
Great looking skin can start right now!
Just take advantage of my Skin Essentials iS Clinical special. As an incentive to get you started on your own personal skincare regime, we are going to offer an amazing 20% off our iS Skin Essentials products for the week of December 2, 2013. And while you are shopping, be sure to enter our drawing. One lucky customer will receive a free full size iS Clinical product!
It’s so simple! My beauty routine AND a great way to look your very best for the upcoming holidays!