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Seeing your skin care professional for your monthly facials and occasional chemical peels or microdermabrasion is important in being proactive and taking care of your skin. But what is equally important is developing a consistent home skin care regimen. Here are the steps:
The first step is Cleansing. You need to find a good, professional product that your skin responds well to, and stick with it. Leaf and Rusher's Green Tea Wash is an excellent choice for use both morning and night. It's gentle and all botanical ingredients are great for all skin types, and won't over-dry or strip your skin of moisture.
The Clarisonic brush is invaluable, and having one at home to aid in cleansing will allow you to remove twice as much dirt, oil, and make-up, and allows for 61% more product penetration. (Help those serums and moisturizers you're spending money on work harder for you!)
The second step is Exfoliation. Many people skip this step, but if you start properly exfoliating your skin, you will notice an almost immediate difference. Scrubs work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells that tend to dull your complexion. Leaf and Rusher's Rapid Resurface is an excellent choice, leaving your skin cleaner, smoother, and more even. Rapid Resurface may be used daily, but depending on your skin type, every two to three days may be enough. The Rapid Resurface is my personal favorite among the Leaf and Rusher line, and gives you that "I-just-saw-my-Esthetician" glow!
The third step is using a great Toner. Toners rebalance the pH level in your skin (alkaline vs. acidity) and may help to hydrate, and remove any traces of oil and dirt, or make-up left on your skin. Of course, if you are using a good cleanser and the Clarisonic brush, there will be nothing left to remove. Toning the skin is an important step and should not be skipped. Try Leaf and Rusher's Skin Tonic. It is a favorite among my clients!
The fourth step is to Moisturize. Ideally, you should find a daily moisturizer with an SPF, or at least use an additional product with SPF if your favorite moisturizer does not contain it. It's a mistake to think you do not need to moisturize if you have an oily skin type. Why? Moisturizers seal moisture into skin. So how much should you moisturize? Your skin will tell you. When your skin is tight, it's crying out for moisture. Generally, moisturizing morning and night is best. Leaf and Rusher's Tx Formula and Solar Screen are good choices for daily use.
So that's it... a fairly basic process to keep your skin looking healthy and beautiful. Be proactive, rather than reactive, and you and your Esthetician will succeed in getting you the amazing skin you desire!
-Melissa Hastings
Esthetican, The Sanctuary
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Skin Care