Taking Care of Your Skin at Home

Solving the puzzle is a cinch if you find all the edges first.

It is estimated 40,000-plus cosmetic and skin care products in the U.S. alone are competing for your attention and money. There are so many product lines out there, it can get confusing about what sorts of products you should buy, and if they are even necessary.

The whole thing can seem like a 10,000 piece puzzle, and a lot of factors should be considered when choosing a line, or even more specifically, a good product.

Luckily, if you see an esthetician for skin treatments on a regular basis (or even on a not-so-regular basis) he or she can help make it a little easier. A licensed esthetician should be well trained on product formulation, cosmetic chemistry, and cosmetic ingredients. Not only that, but hopefully they have attended classes and seminars about the particular product line they use and sell. 

It is helpful if you are open and honest with your esthetician about what you currently use, and how often you really use it. If you like, it can be helpful to bring in the products you are currently using--since you now know how many competing brands are out there, it's understandable that he or she may not be familiar with each one, let alone the ingredients each of them employ and whether or not it is a "bad" or "good" choice.  I, personally, would never tell a client to discontinue use of a product I knew was capable of providing the results they need. If I don't have the bottle on hand, though, I will offer recommendations for the products I sell, because I do know what ingredients are used, and how I can expect it to work. 

When describing your current routine, don't forget to mention any topical prescriptions you use (Retin-A, Differin, Oracea or even Vaniqa, for instance). If you use an exfoliant or a mask a couple of times a week, or even just occasionally, try to remember to mention that too. Including the brand names can help too, but knowing if there are any active ingredients like Retinol, Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, or Benzyl Peroxide is especially helpful. You can also use descriptive words like a "creamy cleanser" or a "foaming cleanser" and a "light moisturizer".

Are you a low-maintenance kinda person? That's okay! If a client says "I wash my face in the morning and use a sunscreen. At night, I try to wash my face, but I don't always remember, and I usually use a moisturizer"....honestly that's pretty good! I use several products at home--but sometimes I'm lazy or I "forget" to wash my face too! it's okay! But knowing how many products you have in your rotation and honestly how often you use it, will help me develop a plan for you that isn't overwhelming. If you typically would only use three products (in this case, a cleanser, sunscreen, and moisturizer)---I wouldn't want to recommend six: because no matter how great they may be for skin, I know you probably wouldn't stick to the regimen, so you wouldn't get the transforming results it is capable of.

So let's say I recommend a regimen that is manageable for you: I know I said it's okay if you forget occasionally, and it is. HOWEVER, (and this is a pretty big however), consistency is key.  Just like dieting, if you follow the rules 99--or even 90% of the time, the other 1-10% probably won't hurt...at least not too much. But you are going to get more predictable, reliable results if you follow your regimen as closely as possible. 

When it comes to washing your face at night--do you really forget? If you brush your teeth at night, your cleanser is probably right in front of you. Is laziness or "time" the issue? You could be a busy mom, have work really early in the morning, or just have gotten in at 3:00 a.m., but how hard is it to pull your hair off your face, and take literally one minute to wash your face? Even if you don't do anything else (tone, moisturize, eye cream) at least you've gotten off all (or at least most of) the pollution, oil, sweat, and makeup that has been clinging to your face all day; so while you are sleeping your body has a chance to breathe, and re-generate properly. And if taking that time really is too much to ask of you--do what I did for awhile in college--stash some makeup wipes or cleansing cloths on your bedside table. You have no excuse, if you can reach over, grab a wipe, and cleanse your face all without moving from your comfy bed. 

Puzzles are easier and so much more fun if you let someone help you.

So you're not the "spa-type" and you want to buy something from the drug or grocery store. You think of yourself as a beauty-industry-savvy person, and you don't want to spend a ton of money on expensive products that you're not sure will even work. I understand. There ARE good products out there at the drug store and at the grocery store, but I don't know their lines as well as I know the ones I work with every day. You can get good-quality products if you know your ingredients, and I promise to write an entry explaining a bit more about that soon.  

Get Spa-savvy. I think that unless you want to take the time to educate yourself on cosmetic ingredients and product formulation, it is wisest to schedule a facial at a reputable spa--just one for now--and have a good consultation with your esthetician. He or she should be pleased that you want product recommendations. You can choose the cheapest, quickest facial---a good esthetician does not need an hour to determine what kind of skin you have. 

Hopefully you will have a smart, honest esthetician who really wants to help you.  If it seems like he or she is overselling and recommending more than you really need, know that you can select just one or two products (or none at all).  I generally don't think it's a good idea to start several new products at once anyway. So if you already have a decent cleanser and a moisturizer you're happy with, perhaps you may just try the exfoliant. Have him or her write down the names of the other products. You can come back for them later if you decide.  

I prefer to start gradually adding new products to a regimen for a few reasons. First, if the product contains an ingredient to which you have an allergy, it is easy to pinpoint the culprit, and eliminate it (if you added six products all at once, you would have to slowly discontinue using them each one at a time, until you figure out which one caused it). Second, on the opposite end of the spectrum, if you notice dramatic improvement with a product, you know exactly which product is responsible for that too! 

Yes, sometimes products sold in spas can be expensive--but not always as expensive as you may think. At norris of houston we use two brands, PCA, and Rhonda Allison. They both are great for different reasons. I happen to prefer Rhonda Allison's products in most cases, which luckily, is also the most inexpensive of the two brands. Cleansers typically run around $27, I find that bottle can last 2-3 months. Exfoliants in the same line run about $40, but I wouldn't use it every day. Also, because there is a high concentration of quality ingredients I know I don't have to use a lot to get good results, and I would only use it 1-3x a week so I know this tube will last me much longer. Probably 4-6 months. Moisturizers can really get expensive, especially those with top of the line anti-aging ingredients--let's say I choose one that's $37 and it lasts me 1&1/2 months.  

That's $97 on products...but what is it in the grand scheme of things?  Less than an iPhone. Cheaper than the designer sun-glasses you wanted, in fact you've probably spent more than this on an outfit you planned on wearing just for one night--like a big date, a friend's wedding, or (oh God!) prom--and you've probably done it more than once. Yet this is still significantly cheaper than some "luxury" brands would charge for a similar amount of product with equally as good ingredients. The money these companies make goes back into product development and research---not into multi-million marketing campaigns featuring television commercials and full-color ads in Vogue.

And in the long run--it may actually be cheaper than buying your "cheap" over-the-counter goods. By consulting with a professional, there is less room for trial and error. Think back in your past, or even look in your medicine cabinet! How many products have you tried and never finished? You stopped using it because it just wasn't delivering what it promised.  Maybe it even COULD have delivered, but you weren't using it exactly as it was intended--and a professional could've helped you get the most out of it. All that wasted product adds up to dollars spent--and wasted. And as I mentioned before, by having the confidence that these companies are investing more in high-quality ingredients and research, instead of advertisements, you can maybe use a little less than you typically would, wasting less, and still getting amazing results. All this makes your dollar stretch a little further. 

That said, estheticians--myself included--are not perfect. Everyone's skin re-acts a little differently, and a product I think may be the best fit for you, may not be. You could have a sensitivity to an ingredient, or your skin could be a little more resistant than others. But the fact of the matter is, I can help make informed decisions and recommendations and guide you more definitively in the right direction.  Plus many spas, including Norris, are willing to make exchanges or returns if a product was really unsatisfying. 

Finding the missing piece of the puzzle

My business is providing services--particularly facials, but even I will tell you, that my facial won't do much for you if you're not taking care of your skin at home. You could be the "perfect" client and come to see me every four weeks but you could still have less-than-desirable skin.  I like to use a few analogies for this. 

Getting facials is like going to the dentist. I can give you a deep clean, I can check to make sure everything is as it should be, and can correct slightly more severe problems that you probably couldn't at home--but if you don't brush your teeth (or in this case cleanse your skin) what I do isn't going to make much of a difference.

If that one didn't work for you, think of it this way:

Let's say you hired a personal trainer and went to the gym. You went and he gave you the most intense workout of your life. You sweated, you cried, and the next day your muscles burned. But if you never went and worked out again---do you think you'd get the results you wanted?  Absolutely not. And you know that walking back and forth to the refrigerator doesn't count as exercise either. 

Now you know that if you skip brushing your teeth one night (tsk tsk!) your dentist probably won't notice, and it certainly won't earn you a cavity, but make sure that you usually stick to your plan, and you'll be in good shape. 

Even with the direction of an esthetician, you will need to be patient. It can take several weeks for you to begin noticing significant changes in your skin.

Once you do start noticing changes, don't be fooled--the products are helping your skin to look that great---even I have made the mistake of thinking "I don't need to use this anymore, my skin looks great!" and after slacking off or discontinuing its use I realize just how much it really helped. 

Keeping you beautiful (and glowing) one post at a time,
Kate Block 

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