Your First LIne of Defense: Why Skin Care Is Important!

With the economy these days it is easy to brush off skin care as a "non-essential" luxury...but I am here to set you straight!

Your skin is exposed daily to pollution, UV rays from the sun (even in the winter or on cloudy days), dust, dirt, smog, and other environmental factors that can damage, dehydrate, and dry out your skin. These unwanted skin conditions can cause skin to develop cracks/openings to let in bacteria, can clog pores to cause acne issues, and pre-mature aging from pollution and UV ray exposure...

 As your first line of defense against pathogens, it is important to keep your skin its healthiest so it can keep you healthy!

Part of maintaining healthy skin includes treatments and certain facials that are offered in spas and dermatologists offices. These procedures are usually performed by aestheticians (or skin care professionals) in either setting. As a licensed skin care professional, I would like to share the secret to maintaining healthy, youthful and vibrant skin...and why taking extra care should not be considered just a "luxury!" 

What is a Spa/Treatment Facial?                      

Skin care and treatment facials vary depending on the person's individual skin type and needs. From oily, dry, dehydrated, to combination or damaged/aging skin, there are several treatments and products as well as techniques that aid in healing and sometimes reversing some common skin problems.

A good example of a basic facial with many benefits is the "European Facial." While each skin care professional will provide a varied experience of this type of facial, the main components are the same. There are several steps that are consistent of a European facial: cleansing, detoxification, cell regeneration, and hydrating properties. As a licensed skin care professional, in the next section I will take you through the basic steps and provide information on benefits and procedure, as well as some pictures that help to serve as a visual aid.

The Treatment Process

Before we begin I would like readers to get to know the tools involved. To the left you will find a picture of the machine I use in my treatment room. A basic machine will usually consist of a magnifying lamp; a Wood's lamp (uses a special light to reveal skin damage that does not show yet); a steamer with O3, or O-zone (3 oxygen atoms), which helps to oxidize pathogens and keeps the steam clean. Some machines will also include a galvanic current that aestheticians use in some of their treatments.

***(Please note extra care is taken when using a Galvanic current. Guests that are pregnant, have a history of seizures, or a pacemaker are not the ideal candidate for any procedures involving the use of an electrical current, however minimal it may be. Your skin care professional should always be made aware of medical history relevant to treatments.)***

The first step in any skin care treatment is the skin assessment. Here the aesthetician is looking for skin type, hydration level, any damage or open wounds, etc. This will determine the type of products and treatments that will be the most effective and beneficial for your skin type.

In this picture I am using steam while cleansing. which is an important step of the facial. Steam plays an essential role in opening up pores to help cleanse and eliminate debris; it also helps with product penetration, product mobility, and has a relaxing effect for many people.

Cleansing starts with a general product to  remove make-up, dirt, etc from the skin prior to using other products. A second product can be used to cleanse depending on skin type; ranging from a grainy texture to physically slough off dead cells
and debris--to chemically "reactive" products such as those seen in chemical peels, etc. These help to get rid of old cells to speed up the regeneration process. Again I stress these products are used according to individual needs, and your skin care professional has been trained to use these as a benefit for your unique skin type. For some people with noticeably clogged pores, a special tool called an extractor is used to help clear up black heads, white heads, and other acne, seen mainly in the "T-Zone" (your forehead, nose and chin).

My favorite part of the European facial is the massage. Skin care professionals are taught pressure

points in the face, neck, and decolletage. Massage helps stimulate lymph drainage in these areas, promotes relaxation, and helps with product penetration. Included in massage is usually an oil, and your aesthetician may use a serum or two that complement and are beneficial to your skin type. These products that are used in a spa differ from over-the-counter products usually by the percentage of the active ingredients. These ingredients are what makes a noticeable difference when used in a treatment as opposed to a product purchased at a drug store. It's important to know the difference in the amount of active ingredients in a product for they are essential to producing the desired results.

After the massage, the products are removed from the skin, and a mask is selected in accordance to

skin type and needs. Serums may also be used under a mask for maximum results. The facial mask has several benefits, many hydrate the skin and have active ingredients to help many problems. For example, in oily skin sometimes a clay mask is used because clay draws out the impurities. For sun damaged skin a mask with antioxidants is beneficial in reducing free-radicals and in producing a "perk-up" or glowing/renewed effect. Here I am using a "chocolate mask" for its antioxidant and hydrating effects.




A hand/arm massage will sometimes be implemented while the mask is setting, usually about a 10-15 minute time period for maximum product results .

After the mask is removed completely, toner, moisturizer, a sun-screen, and other finishing products
are used. The guest is then "grounded" by the aesthetician (sometimes people fall asleep and will be gently awakened), thanked, and sent on their way feeling and looking refreshed.

Conclusion

The most important part of skin care is your daily routine. Purchasing quality products are worth the money, as you use less product and the products are more effective. Your skin care professional will be able to recommend products and a skin care routine appropriate for your skin type.

Also important to your skin care regimen are the skin care procedures (recommended usually once every month) that are offered by your skin care professional. There are many more benefits included with the ones I described. My goal is for my readers to take away the knowledge of these benefits as well as the importance of proper skin care and maintenance. Don't forget, as your body's first line of defense, your skin has a pretty import job to do in maintaining health and youth! Take care of your skin, and it will take care of you!

Sincerely,

Brittany J. Warnick,

Licensed Aesthetician/Owner, Oaks & Derby Spatique