How to be a Skin Minimalist

There’s a new trend that’s all about minimizing what you are buying and using what you have.

Since this trend is here and not going away, I’d love to share with you my top tips if you’d llike to try it!

#1 - Schedule regular facial appointments

If you want to minimize what you are purchasing and using at home, you’ll need a quarterly deep cleanse and exfoliation by a professional! This will help you maintain healthy skin.

#2 - Check expirations

If you are using products that are expired, there is probably little benefit for the skin (and can also cause complications.)

Use the products that you have on a regular basis so that they don’t expire!

If anything is expired, just throw it out. Trust me on this!

#3 - Know where to spend your money

If you want to minimize your spending, there are TWO products that I’d recommend spending more money on.

Exfoliation AND serums.

Don’t forget that you MUST use sunscreen.

#4 - Stick to the core four

The skin needs (at minimum) these four products to maintain it’s current health level.

Cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and SPF.

Be consistent and regular. If you are suffering from acne or other skin concerns, you will need more than the basics.

To recap, when you are working to be a skin minimalist, make sure to schedule regular facial appointments, check expirations, know where to spend your money and stick to the core four.

If you are ready for step 1, I’m here for you to give you a heavenly facial experience.

Come experience the difference!

Zoey Jolley, LE

What Your Esthetician Wants You To Know - Home Care Part IV

You’ve finished with your facial treatment and are in a state of pure bliss. You are definitely excited about how your skin feels and not sure what to do next. Or if you should even purchase the home care. For the ultimate experience, you’ll find better and faster results if you encorporate home care. Here are a couple of the things that your Esthetician wants you to know.

#1 - If you have to chose between receiving treatments or purchasing home care, the best investment that you can make it to purchase the home care. You can see your skin every day and start making the changes that you are going for … plus slowing down the aging process.

#2 - The most important item to purchse in home care is a quality SPF that you will use and reapply. My unpopular opinion is that it doesn’t matter if it is a physical or chemical sunscreen, you just need to like it so that you will use it.

#3 - We can’t advise on products that we aren’t trained on, because we simply don’t know. When you purchase products from your licensed Esthetician, he/she knows exactly what steps will get you to where you want to be. There are thousands upon thousands of products, so if you ask about something we aren’t using, we don’t know how your skin would do.

#4 - Products that should be included in everyone’s skin care routines are exfoliants and serums. These are the home run hitters in skin care and prove to be the biggest bang for your buck.

#5 - Listen to your Esthetician’s instructions of how to use for your skin. More is not better. If she/he said to use it twice a week, four times a week is not better for your skin. Trust me on this one.

#6 - Switching out products seasonal is not only common, but it’s a good idea. Your skin will need differently help at different times of the year. Yes, the climate does make a difference!

#7 - Once you start a product, ideally, it would be good to finish it before starting another product.

#8 - We love it when you are excited about a product and then really do try it shortly after purchasing. If you have questions, don’t wait for our follow up phone call or text. Just let your Esthetician know that you aren’t sure how to use, when to use, etc. We love answering questions and helping you get the most out of your product!

Your Esthetician really is excited to help you on your journey and to make some incredible changes in your skin. These changes make up 70-80% of what you do at home, so let’s make some changes to help you achieve those goals. Are you ready?

Don’t forget to

Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, LE

Why You Should Be Treating Your Skin Topically

Have you ever wondered why you should treaty your skin topically instead of just through diet and supplements? The hierarchy of the food chain in your body goes something like this. You eat, drink or take a vitamin and your body decides where it should go and who should have first dibs at the nutrients. Well, that stands to reason that heart and lungs get first dibs, followed by organs like kidneys, liver, etc. Everyone gets a piece until it’s done. The organ that gets the scraps and leftovers? You guessed it! The skin! But which organ is the largest? Right again. The skin.

So if the skin gets the leftovers of anything put inside of the body, it stands to reason that the best way to treat your skin to nourishment would be to treat it from the outside in. We do this through picking the very best skincare. This ensures that you’ll get the highest quality ingredients at the top of the ingredient deck list. The first eight ingredients are the ones that you should pay most attention to, as these should be the active ingredients.

There can also be a huge range in cost of products. For example, vitamin C is one of the least shelf stable ingredients in skincare. But, if you get the right versions of vitamin C (ones that your skin can absorb and utilize), you’ll be amazed at what that can do for you! Remember, there is ALWAYS a reason why something is cheaper!

Once you have picked a quality skincare routine, stick to a routine! Don’t just let those pretty bottles sit nicely in the bathroom cabinet. For best results, follow the directions on the bottles and use within the amount of time stated. Most are 12 months, but some are 6 months or even 3. Note this when starting a product.

Finally, your skin cannot out work your diet and other factors. If you eat poorly and use quality skincare, your skin will still show that. Try to eat clean, exercise, drink a proper amount of water … you know the drill. And then pick the right routine that goes with your lifestyle and will help you reach your skincare goals! You can do this! And your Esthetician will be there every step along the way!

Don’t forget to

Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, LE

Mask-ne Solutions for You at Home - Part IV

The things you do at home, have the biggest compound effect because you are able to do skin care workouts daily. I like to liken your facial visits with the gym and a trainer. When you go to the gym and see a trainer, they will set you up with a program. It's your job to continue going back to the gym in between your training sessions. If you don't do the homework, your trainer will never be able to help you break into the next level. And isn't that the reason why you are seeing a trainer? I can definitely help set your skin up for success by offering tools and 'home care workouts' to do in between seeing me. With any skin care goal that you have, we can start a new program all together or maybe add in one exercise that will pack a big punch.

First things first. You need to be cleansing your skin and you need to use a moisturizer. These two are pretty basic and the first things that I encourage my clients to do. If you aren't doing those things, let's talk. If you are doing those exercises and ready to add in the next thing, let's talk ingredients that will jumping up to the next level.  I love using benzoyl peroxide, oxygen ingredients, probiotics, and the favorite product of 2020 called Fulvic Elixir. Check out below more information on all of these options.

Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl Peroxide kills the c acne bacteria (formerly called p acne). This ingredient can be an amazing 'spot treatment' of sorts to help your skin get over the blemishes that you are experiencing. This ingredient can be drying and is not for everyone. To effectively spot treat, you must treat the microcomedones that you don't see yet. (The pimples below the surface of the skin that haven't made it through yet.) Instead of just dabbing product right on the pimples themselves, you want to treat a little above and below where you typically are seeing the acne pop up. So if you get pimples along the jawline, treat 1/2 inch above and a 1/2 below that area.

Oxygen

Seems like a simple solution, doesn't it? For acne sufferers, inside the pores, the dead skin cells sluff off at an accelerated rate and get stuck inside the pore. If you can get more oxygen in the pores, it will increase circulation and promote wound healing in those areas. The c acnes are anaerobic, which means they live off of areas without air. Another great way to kill off those pesky bacteria on the skin.

Probiotics

We know the power of probiotics in helping fight off bad bacteria, while promoting the good ones. Probiotics have been used in skin care for years, but it is currently becoming a buzz word in the industry. This is a great, gentle way to help speed up the healing while fighting off the acne that comes from the mask. Look for skincare that has probiotics added to their line up of acids and other acne fighting ingredients.

Fulvic Elixir

Oh my! What can I say about this particular product? It is AMAZING and I don't want to go without it. A fellow esthetician, Tracy, said, "Let me put it this way. If I could bathe in it, I would!" I feel the same. This serum is lightweight, has an incredible smell, is anti bacterial, anti fungal, anti inflammatory PLUS it also has anti aging properties in it and hydrates. All at the same time. Yep! It's my favorite for 2020!

Fulvic acid is one of the most powerful antioxidants and rapidly heals, soothes, and prevents scarring. Other key ingredients include Agastache Mexicana Flower (love to say that word!), Calendula, Aloe Vera, Grapefruit Peel, Orange Peel, and Chamomile. It's a strong line up to help your skin stay hydrated and smooth while preventing acne and promoting healing. Are you ready to get yours?

Think about the products that you are currently using right now. Are they helping you achieve the results that you want? If so, great! If not, let's see what we can change up to get the right ingredients on your skin today.

Don't forget to

Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, LE 

Getting Out of a Skin Routine Funk

This year, I experienced something I never thought I would. I went a week without washing my face at night! GASP! I know, I know! I was my worst client. I don't know exactly how I got there or what exactly happened to create a continuous 7 day streak... BUT, I knew that I was not alone. (I mean, please tell me I'm not alone!)

So what DO you do when you get in that skin routine funk? Heaven knows that I tried will power and it just wasn't working. Well, through fighting to find a solution, I believe that I have found FOUR things that may help you kick this bad habit to the curb!  

Don't wait until it's too late

One of the most common mistakes that I see in my practice is that clients wait until they are going to bed. They might have been home for hours, but it's common to do it 'right before bed.' Since it's late by that time ... 10, 11 or midnight, your body and your mind is SO tired. Like, drag-yourself-to-the-covers-and-hope-they-fall-open tired.

Let me suggest this option if this sounds like you. Once you are home and know that you won't be going out again for the night, go ahead and take off your makeup. Do you nightly routine (minimum steps would be to cleanse, mist, and then moisturize.) Get your skin ready to receive awesome ingredients from those products. Eliminate the excuse of being too tired by doing it earlier!

Add in a mask

Who doesn't love a treat? Something delicious and scrumptious! Well, your skin definitely loves that too! Sometimes we get in this rut of doing the same thing over and over again, when what we really need to do is liven life up!

Adding in a mask is a great way to awaken your skin and change things up! There are so many different ones to choose from and most are targeted to address your main skin routines. Of course, there are sheet masks and gimmicky ones. But, I love the ones from the tube that you can apply more than one application from. Ask your esthetician for a mask that is going to hit a home run with your skin! I think that you'll be pleasantly surprised and you may even decide that you look forward to your skin routine once again!  

Try new products

You know I have my favorites for my skin ... and I hope you have yours too! You know right when you apply the product, you hear the heavens open and the angelic chorus begins. It's a no brainer that you will always live and die by these specific products. And then you may have a step in your routine that you don't hear the music!

If you have that step in your process, it may be time to try something NEW! I know if you are anything like me, you love to peel off the seal and make that first application to the skin to see if this will be 'THE ONE.' (Insert smile.) I love experimenting with quality products that are suited for what my skin is going through right now (or even right for this time of the month.) It always add a little spice in my life, because I don't know what to expect. And that element of surprise gets me excited to do my routine again!

Challenge up

Finally, who doesn't LOVE a challenge? If you know that you are competitive (you know - like the Will Smith treadmill quote), then this may be just the thing to start your good habit of cleansing again. 

You can get your friends on board and set up a seven day challenge. After you do your skin care routine, you'll text each other with a check mark or the words 'DONE'. You can also be brave and announce on social media that you are going to cleanse for seven straight days and that you'll need their help to stay accountable to the process. I guarantee you that you'll have a few in your circle that will raise their hand and help you!

You may even choose to reward yourself with a new product, special dinner, or clothing item when you complete the challenge. Upping the ante is always a sure way to make sure that I'm going to put effort in the follow through.

So which of these four ways do you think will work for you? Maybe you'll pick a couple from the list! The main goal, though, is not to wait. Don't delay in taking care of your skin. Why? Because it's been said that when you don't cleanse your skin (at least nightly), that your skin can age 7x faster. So girl, wash your face. Do the thing. Just do it. Get 'er done. You can do it!!!!

Don't forget to

Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, LE 

You may even choose to reward yourself with a new product, special dinner, or clothing item when you complete the challenge. Upping the ante is always a sure way to make sure that I'm going to put effort in the follow through.

So which of these four ways do you think will work for you? Maybe you'll pick a couple from the list! The main goal, though, is not to wait. Don't delay in taking care of your skin. Why? Because it's been said that when you don't cleanse your skin (at least nightly), that your skin can age 7x faster. So girl, wash your face. Do the thing. Just do it. Get 'er done. You can do it!!!!

Don't forget to

Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, LE 

Narrowing Down the Search for Amazing Skin Care

We are surrounded by so many options and choices. Back in the 80s and 90s, we found ourselves captivated by those 30 second commercials and print ads. Times have changed and now we see ads on FaceBook, beautiful graphics on Instagram, and a plethora of pins on Pinterest.

In this world full of great things, how do you choose between the millions of skin care products that will keep your skin healthy and glowing? How do you narrow it down?

It is overwhelming to choose. How do you know that this product will work and do something beneficial for you? Spending money on a chance... do you just go for it? If the internet makes a claim, then it must be true, right? We all know that's not true!

Each dermatologist and esthetician, will have products that they like and recommend. These are products that they have absolutely done their research on, personally tried and experimented with, and eventually spent a lot of money to invest in. All because they believe that this is the best bang for your buck and they truly love it! When you see your trusted partner, you know they will be working with you to find the very best products for you to love!

The professional becomes even more trained in learning the benefits of the skin and how it can help you. They will ask you questions, like:

"If you could change one thing about your skin, what would it be?"

"What is your current skin care routine?"

"Is there a product that you absolutely love? What do you like about them?"

Straight up, I think your best bang for your buck will be in a serum. This is a product that will have a specific "job" to do for the skin and can penetrate deeper than any other product will. Take this with a grain of salt though. If you aren't preparing the skin at the ground level by using a decent cleanser, mist, etc. you might be throwing your money down the toilet. The skin needs to be at the right pH level and getting all of the dirt, excess oils, etc, off before putting on the star of the show.

Another great tip that I give for those buying skin care on a budget, is to start with one item and each month save up for the next product. That way, you can spread out the purchasing. If you have cleanser, mist, and exfoliant, then start with a moisturizer and SPF. When you run out of the cleanser, make the change then.

I think one of the best ways to narrow it down is to start with ingredients! Did you know that as a general rule of thumb, the first 5 ingredients in the product make up 80% of the product? I always start at the first 5, but if you go to 8, 9, or 10, that'll work too.

Look for ingredients that you don't want in there. From Mark Lees The Skin Care Answer Book, some of the most highly comedogenic ingredients are:

linseed oil, olive oil, cocoa butter, oleic acid, coal tar, ispopropyl isostearate, squalene, isopropyl myristate, myristyl myristate, acetylated lanolin, isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl linoleate, oleyl alcohol, octyl palmitate, isostearic acid, myreth myristate, butyl stearate, and lanolic acid.

Then look for other ingredients that are going to be beneficial for the skin. Here are some of my favorite ingredients:

• coenzyme Q10

• ceramides

• caffiene

• lactic acid

• kojic acid

• mandelic acid

• hyaluronic acid

• snow algae

• niacinamide

• allantoin

• beta defensins

• jojoba oil

• zinc oxide

• kaolin

• lactus basillas (probiotic derivatives)

• skinmimics complex

• matrixyl 3000

• and many other peptides and antioxidants.

Another great website that I like to use when I don't have books on hand (yes ... I don't have all of these memorized and some of them are very similar but the response on the skin is quite different) is Paula's Choice (google it.) You can type in any ingredient and start there.

Above all, use your esthetician and skin care professional. Let them analyze your skin after a cleanse to see what products they think will give your skin the best benefit. After all, you deserve the best and you get only one face in this life! Showcase what you have with that inner and outer glow!

Don't forget to Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician

How Often Should I ...? Part I Home Care

One of the questions I get asked the most is often often clients should be using certain products and when to come back to see me for another treatment.

Skin care is very important at home because 90% of changes that can be made to the skin or preventives done to the skin are done at home. So it makes sense to start with home care. Just like when you hire a personal trainer, and Esthetician will meet with you and "work out" your skin in the treatment room every so often. But it's up to you, the client to do the homework in between our sessions.

Your homework should include at a minimum 4 steps. These steps are cleansing the skin, using appropriate treating mist, apply moisturizer (yes - even oily skin needs moisturizer) and finally using SPF. This is also the order that I suggest clients add in products as well. So, if you aren't using anything now, start with cleanser and go from there. (If you'd like a summary, scroll down to the bottom and then refer up when in question and needing more specifics.)

So, let's break down How Often Should I...

How Often Should I Cleanse the Skin?

The answer here is different for everyone, but at least morning and night. So twice a day. If you are a heavy makeup wearer OR have very oily/acenic prone skin, the answer will be up to four times a day. Twice in the morning and twice at night. I like to use two different cleansers for these clients. So product one would be the first cleanse. And product two would be the second cleanse for both morning and night cleanses.

How Often Should I Mist the Skin?

The short answer: use a treating mist or toner immediately after cleansing the skin. Which would be twice a day. (Don't mist in between cleanses if you are cleansing twice in a row.)

Using a treating mist or toner is great to help balance the skin and lay a perfect foundation for more anti-aging products afterwards. If your skin feels tight after cleansing, you have stripped off the natural acid mantle (the barrier for the skin protecting it so that other organisms, etc. cannot enter our shield). The skin then goes into hyperdrive to produce more oil (which serves as a protectant). Repeatedly doing this causes much harm to your defensive layer. An astringent (super tingly product with alcohol) is NOT a toner or mist. Stay away from these products.

How Often Should I Moisturize the Skin?

Differing beliefs on this are across the board, but my personal opinion remains that adding moisture, especially in our dry climate is good and reduces excess oil production. It is important to work with your skin trainer (aka Esthetician) to find the right moisturizer for your skin. Also, some clients prefer to have a daytime (lighter) moisturizer and a night time cream that is heavier weight and/or with more anti-aging benefits. Twice a day after you mist, you will moisturize.

How Often Should I Reapply SPF?

Every SPF is different, but my generic response is every 2 hours when going outside. I hear all the time that your makeup has SPF... which is awesome, but it DOES NOT REPLACE applying SPF every morning and before leaving work with another product besides your makeup. For SPF to be most beneficial, you need to reapply throughout the day. When wearing makeup, you can reapply by adding setting spray with SPF as well. By and large, look for ways to be compliant with this step instead of finding excuses of why you can't!

My favorite analogy for sun protection is a new vehicle. You wouldn't drive off the car lot without having car insurance. SPF IS your car insurance. Have it, use it, and don't leave home without it!

Those are your 4 minimum steps. Want to step up your game at the gym? Here are a couple of ideas and general suggestions.

How Often Should I Apply Eye Cream? Twice a day

How Often Should I Exfoliate? This depends highly on what type of exfoliant. Consult your skin trainer, but most often I suggest one to two times per week.

How Often Should I Mask My Skin? Once a week

You don't need good luck in your bathroom. Consistency is key and where you will see long term results. Starting at a healthier skin type means that you will focus more on prevention (which is always easier than reversing the skin damage that happens over time.) You can do this! Make sure to consult your Esthetician for exactly what YOUR skin needs, as we are all different.

SUMMARY: (Refer to longer paragraphs for more information)

How Often Should I Cleanse the Skin? Twice a day for normal/dry skin; Twice morning and twice night for oily/acenic skin

How Often Should I Mist the Skin? Twice a day

How Often Should I Moisturize the Skin? Twice a day

How Often Should I Reapply SPF? Every 2 hours or what's recommended on you tube of sunscreen

How Often Should I Apply Eye Cream? Twice a day

How Often Should I Exfoliate? Once a week

How Often Should I Mask My Skin? Once a week

Stay tuned for Part II of How Often Should I?

Don’t forget to Breathe . Let Go . Relax .

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician