Skincare Expert Secrets — Revealed!
Everyone wants clear, smooth, radiant skin — but getting there can be a struggle, and what is attainable for some might not be attainable for all. It’s the same reason women and men alike scavenge skincare aisles in search of that perfect product combo. But before you lather on cleansers and slather on serums, you should take a moment to pause and think, “What does my skin actually need?”
The truth is, learning how to get your perfect skin doesn’t come from trying as many products as you can without understanding what they do. In fact, that may cause more harm than good. Instead, you should take the time to understand your skin and get to know what it wants. And that means thoroughly researching the best options for your skin type.
Pro tip: Remember, what’s considered great skin for you might be completely different for someone else. It is all about gaining the healthiest skin you can achieve.
Our aesthetic specialists at AESTHETICS 360° want to help you improve your complexion, the right way. Keep reading for expert tips for how to best care for your skin, no matter your specific concerns.
Anti-aging skincare tips for a more youthful complexion
There comes a time in our lives when visible signs of aging emerge. Fine lines, wrinkles and age spots happen to everyone but proper skincare might help you maintain your youthful appearance for longer.
As with all routines, you want to make sure you are keeping your skin hydrated, since dry skin can accenentate fine lines. Outside of hydration, there are three main factors you want to consider when searching for products.
- Sun protection
- Stimulating collagen production
- Cellular turnover
Our List of our Favorite Anti-Aging Skincare Products →
Sun protection
Sun protection is arguably the most important element for preventing early aging and maintaining your skin’s natural framework. The sun emits harmful UVA and UVB rays — radiation that affects deep layers of your skin and can lead to photoaging.
If you don’t take away anything else from this blog, remember this: Every single person should use a broad-spectrum SPF each day to prevent premature aging and major health concerns.
Outside of SPF, antioxidants are great for protecting your skin against damaging free radicals. In skincare products, look for ingredients such as Vitamin C, peptides and CoQ10 to further enhance your sun-protection benefits.
Collagen production
Collagen fibers lie within deeper layers of your skin (called the dermis). Without sun damage, collagen fibers remain strong, able to maintain the firmness and elasticity of your skin. However, without protection, radiation from the sun breaks down those fibers, leading to skin laxity, wrinkles, fine lines and more.
Can’t I just use collagen creams?
The idea of rubbing a cream into your face may sound like a simple solution but they may not work as well as they claim. Think about it this way: Collagen fibers are large (in microscopic terms), complex braided structures. So, a cream could have all the pure collagen molecules it wants but those molecules are too big to penetrate the outer layer of tissue. And if they can’t even reach the outer layers, they definitely aren’t reaching the dermis, which is where all the magic happens.
We’re not saying you should throw away all of your collagen creams; some are made with collagen peptides that are smaller and may be able to reach the dermis. Plus, even if the collagen doesn’t actually penetrate your skin, it typically doesn’t do any harm to your skin’s surface.
For the best results, it’s less about adding collagen to your body and more about choosing ingredients that naturally increase production rates. These ingredients include:
- Retinoids
- Peptides
- Hyaluronic acid
- Antioxidants
Cellular turnover
When it comes to reducing fine lines and reducing sun spots, cellular turnover can make a world of difference. Skin cells on the surface are the first to become sun damaged and reveal visible signs of aging — but younger, fresher cells sit underneath. When you’re younger, cellular turnover happens more rapidly, allowing your skin to replenish itself to maintain its natural glow. As the years pass, older cells stay at the surface longer, which can really hinder your anti-aging efforts.
Therefore, whenever you’re shopping for anti-aging skincare products, look for ingredients that promote cellular turnover. Those ingredients — lactic acid, glycolic acid and retinol — help smooth fine lines and reduce the appearance of dark spots.
Sample anti-aging skincare routine
Step One – Cleanse: You want to start with a gentle facial cleanser that won’t dry out the skin. Based on your specific needs, you can implement a face wash filled with antioxidants, vitamins (such as Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Vitamin E), enzymes and more.
Step Two – Tone: Toner helps restore your skin’s pH levels after cleansing and can even help remove excess dirt and oil you couldn’t remove in step one. Search for an alcohol-free toner to avoid overdrying.
Step Three – Apply Serums: Incorporating serums into your routine can add extra vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other ingredients into your skin. Different serums perform different tasks so, if needed, you can always use more than one.
For hydration: Hyaluronic acid serums
For brightening: Vitamin C or other antioxidant-based serums
For cellular turnover: AHA serums or retinol serums (use nightly or as directed by your A360 aesthetician)
Step Four – Hydrate: Now it’s time to apply your favorite moisturizer. This allows you to seal in your serums while helping your skin cells maintain their water content. We recommend moisturizers with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, ceramides and occlusives (that aren’t silicones).
Step Five – Protect: No anti-aging skincare routine is complete without sunscreen. While there are moisturizers that come with SPF, it’s often more beneficial to implement a separate product. Ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are typically safe and effective options.
Bonus: Anti-aging aesthetic treatments
Combined with a great skincare routine, medical aesthetics might boost your results. If you’re focused on anti-aging, treatments that simultaneously promote collagen production and cellular turnover are often your best bets. At AESTHETICS 360°, we offer a wide range of aesthetic procedures designed for each client’s unique concerns.
Here are a few of our top picks:
Pro tip: Talk to one of our aesthetic nurse specialists about preventative Botox, which makes it more difficult for lines and wrinkles to form. After all, the easiest wrinkles to tackle are the ones that don’t have a chance to settle deep into your skin through repetitive motion and facial expressions.
Skincare tips for acne-prone skin
Dealing with acne can definitely be a struggle, especially when it seems to never go away. There’s a fine balance between treating breakouts and oversaturating your skin with too many harsh products. The key is to listen to your skin. If your face begins feeling too tight, you may need to cut back and add more hydration. If you notice more redness than usual, that could be a sign of irritation.
So where exactly does acne come from?
It’s all about clogged pores and excess sebum (oil). When sebum production goes into overdrive (whether from hormones, medications, diet and other factors), it can build up in your pores along with dirt, dead skin cells and bacteria.This leads to an infection that can create raised bumps or even lumps underneath the skin’s surface. Acne can come in many different forms, such as:
- White heads
- Black heads
- Papules
- Pustules
- Nodules
- Cysts
Whenever you’re trying to reduce breakouts, you want to focus on two main aspects:
- Eliminating excess oil
- Clearing out clogged pores
Eliminating excess oil
More than likely, if you have acne and/or acne-prone skin, you probably have oily skin, too. Oil production is 100 percent necessary to keep your skin moisturized and healthy (fun fact: sebum has antibacterial properties to fight infections), so the goal isn’t to completely get rid of oil. Instead, you want to focus on rebalancing sebum production to prevent clogged pores.
Let’s pause for a moment.
All too often, we hear about clients over-washing their faces to “dry out” oily skin. It may sound like a solid solution at first — but here’s why you don’t want to wash your face more than two times a day. Your body is smart, and it knows what it needs (even when you don’t). When you start drying it out too much, it will think, “Hey, I need to produce more oil.” See how that could be counterproductive? In the end, too much cleansing could make your skin even oiler — and the breakout cycle continues.
That being said, there are skincare ingredients available to help control oil without drying out your skin, such as:
- Niacinamide
- Kaolin clay
- Vitamin A compounds (such as retinol)
Clearing out clogged pores
It’s simple: clogged pores = breakouts. Therefore, when treating acne-prone skin, you have to start by removing the excess dirt, debris and bacteria from your pores. Many people struggle with this part because of enlarged pores. That means, whenever you touch your face, have too much oil and deal with dead skin buildup, larger pores are better homes for the nasty stuff. The solution is different for everyone but researching ingredients that can clarify, promote cellular turnover and help pores appear smaller might help your acne-fighting efforts. Try out products that include:
- Salicylic acid
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Glycolic acid and other AHAs
- Retinol
- Tea tree oil
Sample skincare routine for acne-prone skin
Step One – Cleanse: Depending on what works best for you, a facial wash with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide can target oil and acne-causing bacteria to help cleanse and clarify your skin.
Step Two – Tone: Since it’s crucial to ensure your skin is completely clean, a toner is a must to remove any leftover residue. Especially for oily skin, astringent-based toners (like ones made with witch hazel) help remove excess oil. Keep in mind that astringents aren’t for everyone, so if you find your skin becomes irritated or too dry, stick with a non-astringent toner.
Step Three – Apply Serums: There are fantastic serums available designed to treat acne and acne scarring. Serums can also help rehydrate your skin since some acne treatments may be a little more drying than other products. Brightening serums and nightly AHA serums can both help to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation and promote cellular turnover to prevent buildup.
Step Four – Spot Treat: If you experience any flair ups, dabbing spot treatments to your problem areas might reduce redness, accelerate healing, brighten hyperpigmentation and minimize swelling. Just be careful to not overuse spot treatments or lather them on your entire face.
Step Five – Hydrate: Just because you have oily skin doesn’t mean you should forgo moisturizer. Actually, when you don’t moisturize, your skin will compensate by producing more oil (the same effect as washing your face too much). Instead of heavy creams and oils, try alight, oil-free moisturizer that will hydrate without sparking breakouts.
Step Six – Protect: Of course, you have to end with SPF. Some acne-fighting ingredients leave your skin more vulnerable to sun damage, so it’s crucial to keep your skin protected at all times (yes, even when it’s cloudy outside).
Bonus: Aesthetic treatments for acne
To go above and beyond your daily skincare routine, there are aesthetic treatments designed specially for acne target bacteria, shed dead skin cells, clear away and shrink pores, and reduce the appearance of acne scars.
Our top picks include:
Read Next: SaltFacial™: We think it’s the best facial in Milwaukee →
Ingredients and routines best for dull, dry skin
Dull, dry and textured skin may flake or grow dry patches, making it a lot harder to gain a smooth, glowing complexion. Some people only deal with dryness during the winter, which is completely normal. Others constantly have dry skin and have to work harder to keep their face hydrated.
Most people understand flakiness and dry patches typically mean the skin needs more moisture. Your skin produces oils to not only moisturize but also to protect itself. However, when that oil begins drying out, water levels in your skin cells plummet. As a result, the top layer of your skin peels and loses its natural glow.
Dry skin can derive from a variety of factors such as:
- Genetics
- Medications
- Skincare habits
- Weather
- Water consumption
Must Read: Does Drinking Water Help Your Skin? →
Either way, treating dull, dry skin focuses on these elements:
- Proper hydration
- Exfoliation
Proper hydration
So, how do you go about hydrating your skin? It’s all learning the difference between ingredients that actually add moisture and those that only feel like they do.
There are a lot of products that claim to hydrate your skin — but if you take a closer look at the ingredient label there are a lot of moisturizing imposters. Here’s what we mean: Some ingredients are great at making the skin seem softer and more moisturized, but in reality, they’re just sitting on top of your face doing absolutely nothing or actually harming your skin.
When choosing hydrating skincare products, try to avoid:
Silicones: Silicones don’t necessarily add moisture, they lock in moisture… and dirt, and oil, and dead cells, and bacteria. They can even affect the skin’s ability to naturally shed skin cells.
Olive Oil: Don’t let the word “oil” confuse you. Olive oil is an oleic acid, which is known to create tiny holes in the skin and damage your skin barrier (almond oil is another common oleic ingredient to avoid).
Mineral oil: Many products add mineral oil because of its hydrating capabilities by locking in moisture to heal the skin. While this can be great for cuts, with regular use, mineral oil is known to clog pores. So instead of truly getting the smooth, moisturized skin you’re after, you may end up with unwanted breakouts.
PUFA Oils: Polyunsaturated fat oils are high in polyunsaturated fat. This kind of fat is great for your diet but not so great for your skin since polyunsaturated fat is unstable and will oxidate fairly quickly. The oxidation process releases free radicals, and once applied to your skin, oxidized oils can damage your skin, leading to premature aging.
Instead, when reading ingredient labels, check for:
- Hyaluronic acid
- Glycerin
- Occlusives (i.e. shea butter and jojoba oil)
- Ceramides
Exfoliation
Exfoliation is important for removing built-up dead skin cells and brightening a dull complexion. However, too much exfoliation can dry out your skin even more, so it’s usually best to exfoliate no more than once or twice a week.
There are two types of exfoliators you could use — physical or chemical. Physical exfoliates often come with microbeads or some other rough substance you’d rub into your skin. While some work just fine, others (such as walnut scrubs) can cause little tears and damage the skin’s protective barrier.
Chemical exfoliates are just as they sound; they use chemicals to shed the outer layers of skin. These can be light or heavy, depending on the type of chemical and its concentration — and should be purchased at a medispa.
When searching for exfoliators to brighten and hydrate dull, dry skin, look for these ingredients:
- Jojoba oil beads
- Lactic acid
- Fruit acids (i.e. citric and malic acids)
- Glycolic acid
Sample skincare routine for dry, dull skin
Step One – Cleanse: Some facial washes can dry out the skin, so you want to opt for a more hydrating cleanser filled with moisturizing ingredients. The goal is to clear away dirt without stripping your natural oils.
Step Two – Tone: Finding a toner for dry skin can be tricky — but there are definitely great products out there! First off, you want to make sure your toner is alcohol-free (or at least ensure it’s at the bottom of the ingredient list). From there, anything with hyaluronic acid, Vitamin E or glycerin is a great option to add more hydration.
Step Three – Exfoliate: If you’re exfoliating after toning, you will want to use a chemical exfoliant. This can come in the form of pads, serums or even masks.
Step Four – Add Serum and Oil: A great hydrating serum will help your skin stay soft and supple, especially after a chemical exfoliator. Facial oil also restores the water balance in your cells, adding plushness to prevent dry patches.
Step Five – Hydrate: For those with very dry skin, you may want to focus your attention on heavier creams, especially at night. That way you can help alleviate tightness and/or flaky skin.
Step Six – Protect: Hydrating sunscreens protect your skin from harmful UV radiation to help avoid premature aging.
Bonus: Aesthetic treatments for dry skin
Choosing the right aesthetic treatment to complement your skincare routine can further enhance your results. Treatments targeting dry skin are filled with high-quality ingredients to restore your skin’s moisture content and remove dull cells. Here are some of our top picks:
Learn more about how to get perfect skin from the experts at AESTHETICS 360°.
At AESTHETICS 360° in Milwaukee, we offer what our clients often tell us are the best medical spa treatments to rejuvenate your skin and body. Our entire staff is dedicated to helping every single client look and feel their best every day.
Contact us or use our virtual consultation tool to tell us about your needs and schedule a free 45-minute consultation.
Virtual Consultation Schedule a Consultation
