If you are seeking outside advice on how to adjust your appearance, it only makes sense that you’d evaluate the “expert’s” expertise — and whether or not they’ll mesh with you — based on what they look like.
(This might be the only occasion where it’s actually prudent to judge a book by it’s cover.)
When you want sun-kissed, baby-blonde balayage, and your new hair-stylist has skunky, brassy high-lights that clash with her skin-tone, you might second-guess your decision to put her YOUR HAIR in her hands. Similarly, if a clothing sales-person was wearing an outfit that you thought was heinous, you likely wouldn’t want to take their fashion advice.
In the realm of skincare, it’s safe to say that you would likely not want to get injections from someone who looks like an over-inflated wax-person, nor get acne treatments from someone who had terrible skin.
When it comes to aesthetics and appearances, the way an Expert takes care of them-self says a lot about their professional know-how; their judgement, their skill, and their dedication are all on show for everyone to see. (And more importantly: for everyone to assess.)
That being said — when so much depends on it — how do true skin-experts keep their skin looking perfect all the time?
Although everyone’s regimen will be unique per their needs, there are some universal rules that every skin-expert worth her Latisse follows.
Check out the following 10 skincare non-negotiables, and get ready to adjust your daily routines as necessary.
1. NO Janky Spas
Skip the too-good-to-be-true deals on Groupon, your skin is one thing you should never skimp on! Any signs of uncleanliness or dinginess would stop a skincare expert dead in her tracks. If tools, devices and standard practices aren’t held to the highest standards of cleanliness, it is very possible to contract all sorts of grossness, including infections, rashes and warts. (Barf!)
2. Do NOT Sleep Face Down (Or at least try not to…)
Personally this a tough one — it’s hard enough to fall-asleep without worrying about my positioning — but a skin-professional might suggest otherwise. “Sleeping on your side or stomach can create a furrow on the side of your face you’re resting on, in addition to creating lines and wrinkles in your cleavage.” says cosmetic-injector, Sarah Sidiqi, NP. If this is something you can attempt at all to control, it might be worth it.
3. Do NOT Go Crazy With New Products
Buying new skincare products is very exciting, and of course you want to test-drive them immediately. But doing so can lead to some unwanted side-effects, and if you have any kind of unwanted reaction — it’ll be hard to pin-point which product was the culprit. When introducing new products to your face, it is best to start them one-at-a-time so that a.) you can limit the stress your skin will face (ha) and b.) you’ll be able to identify any skin-changes the product causes, good or bad.
4. Do NOT Go Outside Without SPF
You already know this, and yet so many people still go about their days without SPF. Would a skin-pro ever go outside without sunscreen? Never. Sun-exposure is the #1 cause of premature aging (not to even mention the cancer stuff) and it’s the most easily preventable. Do your skin the ultimate favor and get in the habit of ALWAYS applying a sunscreen in the morning. (The good thing is that sunscreens have come a long way in the past few years, and there are so many options now that it is easy to find something that will be a pleasure for you to use.)
5. Do NOT Wash With Super Hot Water
While hot showers feel so so good, they definitely leave skin a little worse for wear — and this is precisely why skincare experts avoid them. ?I never wash my face with hot water ? it?s too drying, and inflames the pore so that nothing can get flushed out,” says About Face owner Naomi Fenlin. “If you can, only wash your face with warm water.”
6. Do NOT Go Overboard With Aggressive Scrubs
“I am not a fan of scrubbing the face; with motorized brushes, abrasive products or loofahs,” says Fenlin. “This method of ‘cleansing’ doesn’t accomplish much other than to irritate the skin, potentially spread bacteria, and aggravate any current blemishes.” Instead she recommends chemical exfoliatorss that will do the job without excess irritation; such as glycolic or salicylic washes or pads.
7. Do NOT Vigorously Wash Away Eye-Makeup
Take note the next time you wash off your eye-makeup. Are you super-rough with that delicate area? If so, you may want to try a gentler approach. “When you?re taking off eye makeup, try to wipe-off make-up as gently as if you were washing a raw-egg,” suggests laser-expert and makeup-artist, Raelle Levicke. This will help preserve the fragile under-eye skin, plus avoid pulling out any eyelashes prematurely.
8. Do NOT TAN
“This is by far the worst trend I see,” says Sidiqi. “A tan is undeniable proof that your skin has reacted to damaging sun-exposure. Being tan is not cute to anyone in the skincare world, the risks it carries are just not worth it.” If you can’t live without some color, look into spray-tans and bronzing powders — yes, these are temporary fixes, but they’re also safe.
9. Do NOT Slack Off On Your Skin Regimen
In order for your products to work as intended, they have to be used as directed. “I’m consistent with my skin care regimen ? not just whenever my skin looks bad,” says Fenlin. This is the best way to take care of your skin, and get the best value out of your product purchases.
10. Do NOT Over-Analyze Your Own Skin
Magnification mirrors have the power to make even the tiniest, littlest blemishes look like literally, the worst. It’s precisely for this reason that those in-the-know steer clear. “It can make you want to pick and squeeze everything, which is the biggest gamble you can take with your skin,” says Fenlin. “If you have acne, get rid of your magnifying mirror asap. Your face is OFF LIMITS to your hands.”
In the end?
All you have to do is think like a skin-professional to look like a skin-professional.