There are several “must-haves” that I think every girl should own…… a sexy black dress, leggings you could live forever in, Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum & a great Magnifying Mirror
One of my best skincare tips I give is to own a magnifying mirror & get acquainted with your skin on an “up close & personal” level. Furthermore; If you love your Skincare Routine you should be using a Magnifying Mirror to maximize your skin’s full potential.
(look for at least a 7x mirror ~ recommendations below)
Step 1 ~ Get a baseline for the current condition of your skin. Simplify your routine for a 5 day reset by using minimal products. No exfoliants, no acids, no retinoids. Just cleanse, serum, moisturize (and spf in a.m. ☀️)
Step 2 ~ After the 5 day reset, Cleanse your skin & take a close look with your magnifying mirror. If you can get natural lighting, that is best or if you have an extra fancy magnifying mirror with a light like I recommend, even better! You want to pay attention to the texture of your skin. Here’s what to look for:
-does it look tight?
-does it seem dry?
-do you have clogged pores?
-do you see bumps?
-are there tears in your skin or “shiny” areas that look different than other skin?
-do you see spots or any NEW spots (👩⚕️have you scheduled your annual dermatology appointment for skin cancer screening?)
-is it red or irritated?
-do you see broken capillaries (red squiggles)?
-is it dull?
Your skincare routine is very similar to your diet. We need an array of different vitamins, nutrients and nourishment for our skin. This can fluctuate and change depending on where you are at in your monthly cycle (or hormone fluctuations in general), and weather & season. Our diet & lifestyle also play a huge role in the overall health of our skin. A hem! For example, that half a bottle of wine might cause your skin to look flat, dull & puffy this morning 😫 and watch out for dairy & sugar ~ they can cause inflammation, redness and breakouts.
Perhaps your cleanser is stripping your skin, maybe you have several clogged pores & you need to add in exfoliation & gentle acids/enzymes more often. The WORST thing you can do to your skin is over-process it. By this I mean using stripping cleansers (AVOID Sodium lauryl sulfate), too many scrubs, acids or retinoids. Trust me, I DID THIS FOR YEARS before I knew any better. It leads you into a cascade of inflammation , rapid aging & premature thinning of the skin 🙅🏻♀️)
It is not uncommon to notice you may need to switch up your routine after a quick assessment. The truth is, we need to put some awareness into it. Simply following the instructions on the bottles morning after morning, night after night, will not allow for maximum results. Once you get the hang of it, I promise it will become second nature. You might be surprised that by simply tweaking your routine throughout the week, you will have your skin glowing like never before 😉
Be open to switching up your products based upon the health of your skin. I rotate through different products throughout the week depending on what my skin needs. Also, just because you normally use your Vitamin C Serum in the A.M. does not mean you can’t use it in the P.M. In fact, my favorite Vitamin C Serum is so packed full of nourishing ingredients, that I will often times use it in the evening as well during times when my skin needs hydration or a night off of retinoids. (Pssst. Find my favorite Vitamin A Serum here)
Lastly, it is always a great idea to get established with a qualified Esthetician. I recently did a blog post on “How to Choose the Best Esthetician”. I outline a 3 question self-assessment that you can quickly take to help guide you to the right “type” of Esthetician 😉 When you find the right one, you will know, because you will feel like you just made a new best friend who’s going to take such good care of you & your skin.
The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. You should always consult with a physician prior to starting any therapy or device.
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