In Part 1, I talked about my good genes, now let's talk about the steps I take with my skin care routine to stay youthful. First of all, I began a regular skincare regimen at age 18. I was in cosmetology school, and we learned how to do these anti-aging nonsurgical facelift facials. I was amazed at the difference they made on fine lines and wrinkles!
They also kept up that appearance if the guest continued to come back and get the services on a regular basis. I wanted to get them so bad, but my instructors refused. They told me over and over again how I was too young, these were only meant for people over the age of 35.
My opinion? If I start before I have any wrinkles, I will never have any. Makes sense right? So I combed through the pages of skincare chapters in my book and began doing research on as many different skincare lines as I could.
They also kept up that appearance if the guest continued to come back and get the services on a regular basis. I wanted to get them so bad, but my instructors refused. They told me over and over again how I was too young, these were only meant for people over the age of 35.
My opinion? If I start before I have any wrinkles, I will never have any. Makes sense right? So I combed through the pages of skincare chapters in my book and began doing research on as many different skincare lines as I could.
The most important thing I did was begin to make sure I cleansed, toned, then moisturized every morning and night. I have tried several different lines from cheap to expensive. I honestly love the Clean 'n Clear brand for younger skin (think tweens and teens.) I’ve tried Olay, Garnier, and several other drugstore brands. I then started trying several professional lines available only through a licensed cosmetologist or a professional supply house. I liked most of them but fell in love with Bioelements when I had a part-time job waitressing at a restaurant where the main menu item was fried chicken. Bioelements had one of the best acne lines I had ever used! |
|
I did find that even when dealing with acne, you still want to moisturize. There are also several moisturizers out there that are made specifically for acne prone skin that are not full of oils or skin clogging ingredients. Within a month of using Bioelements, my face cleared up, and I had no issues with working around 20 friers going at a time on weekends.
I also learned that mixing and matching lines is ok. Just because a cleanser for one line works really well for you, does not mean that you will love the moisturizer they carry. This is nice because whatever your budget, you should be able to find products that work for you and still not break the bank. I sometimes have slow times at the salon and have to skimp out on my products in order to pay the electric or phone bill instead.
With that being said, I have found that while there are several things you can skimp on, moisturizer is NOT one of them. You can use a cheap cleanser and toner, as long as you read the label and make sure they’re not full of harmful ingredients or tons of alcohol. (Alcohol will dry your skin out, which helps contribute to aging signs such as fine lines.) I have found that making sure my product says "toner" and not "astringent" is key to ensuring my skin does not get overly tight feeling and dried out.
I also learned that mixing and matching lines is ok. Just because a cleanser for one line works really well for you, does not mean that you will love the moisturizer they carry. This is nice because whatever your budget, you should be able to find products that work for you and still not break the bank. I sometimes have slow times at the salon and have to skimp out on my products in order to pay the electric or phone bill instead.
With that being said, I have found that while there are several things you can skimp on, moisturizer is NOT one of them. You can use a cheap cleanser and toner, as long as you read the label and make sure they’re not full of harmful ingredients or tons of alcohol. (Alcohol will dry your skin out, which helps contribute to aging signs such as fine lines.) I have found that making sure my product says "toner" and not "astringent" is key to ensuring my skin does not get overly tight feeling and dried out.