Let’s face it. Most days are super busy and filled with a billion tasks to accomplish and sometimes the last person we think of, is ourselves. But I’m here to tell you, if you can commit to 10 minutes a day of a home skin regimen, your future self will thank you for years to come.
The most common mistake I hear clients speak of, is not cleansing their face in the morning to remove the toner/serum/moisturizer that they (hopefully) applied the night before. We want to start the day on the right foot and that means washing your face EVERY morning and EVERY night. That’s right, two times a day. It sets the foundation for clearer, more vibrant skin. And I like to think of cleansing your skin in the morning, like brushing your teeth. You wouldn’t get up and go without brushing your teeth, so let’s think of cleansing our skin the same way.
First, you’ll want to give a good cleanse with your favorite cleanser. (My all-time favorite skin care line is Éminence Organics from Hungary). And if your wear makeup, go ahead and do yourself a favor and cleanse twice. That way you’re first removing the makeup, then removing the dirt/debris with the second cleanse. After a good, thorough cleanse, you’ll want to follow up with a skin appropriate toner, serum/facial oil and moisturizer with SPF. What you don’t want to do, is just wake up, splash water on your face and then apply more moisturizer. Some of us sweat at night and we lay our heads on pillows that might need to be washed and/or we snuggle with children/animials/partners. That warrants a fresh face come AM. So go for it. Start your beauty routine with cleansing your skin and see the difference start to take place.
Next, there’s the night regimen. Most people fall short on this part as well. Trust me, you don’t want to skimp on this. Our skin greatly dehydrates while we sleep, so cleansing and moisturizing is a must. And when we’re dehydrated, our skin tends to show the signs of aging much faster than hydrated skin. And as I always say, dehydrated skin equals more fine lines and wrinkles.
“As I always say, dehydrated skin equals more fine lines and wrinkles.”
There’s generally a lot of debris on our skin after a full day. There’s free radicals, dirt, make-up, oil from our hands; you name it, it’s probably on your face. So go back to your favorite cleanser and have at it. Preferably for 2 minutes. The night regimen will look similar to your morning, except I like to suggest my clients use different serums and moisturizers in order to achieve maximum results. If you run on the dryer side, you’ll want to use a richer moisturizer and possibly a serum that will work on the dermal layers of the skin. If you’re a bit oily/combo/acne, then using a light-weight moisturizer will be best. Also, try to incorporate an appropriate serum or oil to help balance the skin and eliminate dehydration, all of which tends to be very common with every skin type. And if you’re like a lot of my clients, you might find that once you get home and get bombarded with things to do, then I suggest cleansing your skin right after you put your things down and get settled. That way you’re all set for sleep when the time comes and there’ll be no excuses. This is also a great time to exfoliate, as most of us have a little more time on our hands before bed.
Exfoliation should be done 2-3 times a week with a gentle, all natural exfoliant. Go ahead and ditch those exfoliants that have synthetic granules or ones that tend to irritate the skin. Even the most sensitive skin types still need some form of exfoliation in order to maintain healthy results. When we’re exfoliating, we are sloughing off the top layer of dead skin cells that collect in the pores and make the skin look dry or lead to breakouts. If you exfoliate regularly, the products you use will actually be able to penetrate into the top layer of the skin and help to achieve the results that you desire.
Masking is quite simple, yet not a lot of my clients are regular with this step and it can make a huge difference. I suggest implementing this 1-2 times a week. Masking is a way to target a specific goal with the skin. You’ll want to pick a mask based on the results that you’re looking for. With Éminence, you can apply the mask several different ways. You can apply and leave on for 10 minutes, you can use in the shower and let it sit while washing your body or you can actually sleep in a few of them, and it would replace your night moisturizer. Try to commit to at least once a week and watch the skin transform.
Lastly, don’t ever skimp on your eye cream. The eye area is the thinnest skin on the body and it absolutely needs a different formulation for the delicate tissues. I say, invest in an anti-aging eye cream in your 20’s and commit to using it twice a day, just like your moisturizer. It will prevent and soften fine lines, deflate puffiness, and some eye creams will even brighten dark circles.
Our skin is our largest organ and we want to treat it as such. It’s easily overlooked and sometimes a challenge to manage, but with careful attention, you’ll be noticing those subtle changes in no time. So there you have it. Cleansing in a nutshell. You’re now ready to go after your glowing skin.
Noelle Ashland is a multi-award winning Organic Esthetician and Nutritional Lifestyle Coach passionate about inspiring others to achieve health through the foods they consume and the products they use. She specializes in Esthetics, as well as Nutrition, in order to achieve whole body awareness. Noelle currently works in Laguna Niguel, CA.
