how to avoid makeup harming your skin
if you’ve ever bumped into either of us on an average day, we’re typically wearing little to no makeup. that may sound obnoxious, but it took us some time to get here. while it’s our goal for every client to get to a place where they feel comfortable enough to walk out the door with only tinted SPF, we understand it takes baby steps. we often hear clients say, “i could never go out in public without makeup, that would scare people!” the fact is, if you go to work with a full face of makeup sitting on your skin for 8-10 hours a day, it’s bound to cause damagehere are the steps we took to achieve makeup-free skin…
proper makeup removal
if you’re sleeping with your makeup on, even just that one time, you’re doing more damage to your skin than you would during the day. your skin repairs the damage of the day at nighttime, so it’s crucial to remove your makeup before bed. this is not an option, it’s a must*don’t mistake a makeup remover wipe as an alternative to cleansing. they just smear dirt, bacteria, oil, and makeup across your face. it’s the equivalent of applying cleanser and not washing it off or skipping the rinse cycle of your laundry… YIKES*to remove makeup, we follow the double-cleansing method:step 1: apply oil cleanser to dry skin and massage all over (including eye makeup and brows)step 2: make a steam towel using a microfiber cloth to melt and wipe away makeupstep 3: apply regular cleanser to damp face, massaging in circular motionsstep 4: rinse with cool waterstep 5: pat the skin with a microfiber cloth (never rub dry)more info on the double-cleansing method here closed comedones / clogged poresif you suffer from those tiny bumps that form under the skin, the culprit is most likely your foundation. while we certainly understand the desire for an even complexion, there’s no such thing as a magic foundation that won’t clog your pores. if you can’t commit to a foundation-free face during the day, try switching to a skin friendly version. we love: CHANEL VITALUMIÈRE AQUAto remedy closed comedones, use a chemical exfoliant 2-3x/wk post-cleansing. we’re big fans of the DR. DENNIS GROSS PEEL PADS and HYDROPEPTIDE POWER PEEL (for more sensitive skin types) clean your brushesone of the first vids we ever posted was on how to clean your makeup brushes. while it’s not realistic to clean after each use (although it would be ideal), try to clean them once a week. we also believe in replacing our beauty blenders every other month and clean them after each use uneven complexionvitamin c– hyperpigmentation is a struggle for us both due to sun damage and something we work hard at reversing. vitamin C, also known as the “brightening antioxidant,” not only protects your skin from free radical damage but also inhibits tyrosinase (an enzyme that stimulates melanin production)TOP 3: POWER SERUM /C E FERULIC (dry) / PHLORETIN CF (oily/sensitive)retinoids (retinol/retin-A)– promote faster cell turnover, stimulating the production of fresh, new skins cells and encouraging aging/damaged cells to speed up their renewal process, which helps fight acne, fade hyperpigmentation, and resurface the skin’s texture for a smooth, even-toned complexion. however, they’re not designed for the faint-of-heart, so make sure you’re educated on how to use before jumping the gun. you can see an explanation of what retinol is here as well as a vid on how to apply herewe recommend starting with 0.5% strength (once a week and building from there)OR start with a natural alternative to retinol: here (pregnancy safe)photofacial– a skin treatment that uses light-based technology to create a more even skin tone by targeting multiple skin conditions such as brown spots (sun damage, age spots, liver spots, and freckles), redness (rosacea and broken capillaries) and acne. you can read more about photofacials and our experience here