The cooler weather and reduced daylight hours are the ideal time to correct summer sun damage and discoloration concerns while also providing deep hydration and nourishment during the driest time of the year.
Did you forget to reapply or *gasp* wear your sunscreen a few times this past summer? We have all done it and I'll admit I am guilty of not applying enough SPF to cover under the edges of my clothes and then I will fry on those tiny exposed areas leaving the silliest "tan" line. Try not to fret because the cooler weather from fall to spring is the ideal time to put corrective and preventive measures in place.
Corrective facial treatments are best done in a series for best results, spaced 3-6 weeks apart. A solid home skincare routine is going to be the insurance policy on your in office visits. This is going to boost your results as well as make sure your skin is healthy and performing the natural functions properly to leave you with lifelong healthy skincare habits. We like to call this the 70/30 rule.
70% of the change your going to achieve with your skin is going to be at home, using high quality formulations to just start the transformation. The 30% is going to be your in office visits for peels, micro needling etc that are professional-only strength treatments that kick your results into overdrive. I'll finish this by saying, healthy skin is a marathon NOT a race. While we can get amazing results from a single session, true and lasting change comes from a committed routine and consistency.
Let's talk about what you can do leading up to a corrective skincare treatment to get the best possible results.
What TO DO leading up to your facial appointment-
Hydrate. Drink more water and less sugar. Sugar binds to our collagen and can lead to glycation as we age. Trust me you don't want it and it's dang near impossible to reverse once started.
Don't forget to moisturize. Barrier impaired skin is dry, itchy, reactive and rosy. Barrier impaired skin cannot receive a corrective treatment such as a peel.
Inform your esthetician if your pregnant, nursing, using prescription skincare, had a facial in the last 3 weeks or had a change in your medications. This is important so we can provide the safest treatment.
Use a brightening serum (our FAV is DMK Melanotech drops- available in office or email us at alex@tulipandtonic.com to order). This serum is a tyrosinase inhibitor meaning it is going to calm the communication between the cell that distributes pigment and our upper layers of skin, while also providing an overall brightening and tone balancing effect. You're gonna use this after washing your face, morning and night on clean skin. Follow with your moisturizer and Spf.
Wear your sunscreen like the bad a** boss you are.
What NOT TO DO leading up to and after your facial-
Do not exfoliate for a minimum of 72 hours pre and post unless otherwise dictated by your skincare professional. Exfoliation counts as scrubs, peels, derma planing, enzymes, acids like lactic, mandelic, glycolic or salicylic.
Discontinue use of retinol and benzoyl peroxide, the 72 hour rule applies here. 1 week if it is prescription strength.
Inform your skincare professional if you have used topical or oral antibiotics within the last 2 weeks leading up to your facial.
Do not pick at your skin. You have fresh baby skin post facial that is easy to traumatize.
Enjoy your post facial glow and I hope this quick read helped you!
xo,
Alex