Navigating your 30s and beyond brings natural changes to the skin that require special attention. By adopting effective anti-aging skincare tips, you can make this stage of life an opportunity for self-care and empowerment.

Exfoliating is important for maintaining healthy, glowing skin. However, just like anything else in skincare, too much of a good thing can be detrimental. So how do you know if you have over-exfoliated skin? Here are some signs, symptoms and solutions to determine if you need to decrease the intensity of your exfoliation routine.

I have practiced aesthetics for over 23 years and have been a Certified Nutritionist for 10 years. Early in my aesthetics career, I treated an abundance of acne clients and noticed a direct link between skin challenges and diet. I became curious about how to help my current clients from the inside out, which inspired me to become a Certified Nutritionist.  

Interview with Former UAC Member Jean McKoy

Since November is Healthy Skin Month, I wanted to focus on what healthy skin truly is. In the age of social media and the internet, its representation gets skewed by the idea that perfect skin is the only way to have healthy skin, which is quite the opposite of the truth. 

This is my journey through Breast Cancer

As estheticians and skincare professionals, we spend a lot of time caring for our clients. Our profession requires us to be kind, patient, nurturing, and supportive. It’s easy to get caught up in the daily routine of providing the self-care our clients need from us; it’s also just as easy to neglect to take the time to provide it for ourselves.

Tips and Tricks to maintain that glow!

If you’re anything like me, you may be disappointed to see our warm sunny months come to an end. With the changes in seasons, we need to make some adjustments to our home care regimens to accommodate the cold weather's effect on our skin. 

I am just going to address the elephant in the room that fall and winter weather leaves our skin drier than an overcooked cake. I don’t know about you, but I like my skin and my cakes the same: moist. This time of year is ideal for bumping up those moisturizers for a formula that’s slightly richer to combat the dry air and harsh winds we tend to experience during these months. We must maintain the integrity of the skin’s natural barrier against the outside world during this time. We can accomplish this by using a moisturizer packed with ceramides and lipids, as this helps to lock moisture in the skin. 

Just as our skin needs ceramides and lipids, it also needs hydration. Oil and water help to make up our skin barrier, so it only makes sense to make sure we supply the skin with plenty of each. We can boost the hydration in our skin through products like skin mists, serums, and hydrating masques! I love to look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and glycerine to contribute and maintain hydration in the epidermis. 

To achieve the best penetration of products that support your barrier, one must keep their skin exfoliated. That’s right; this is a year-round gig. Your products will have much more success penetrating further into the epidermis if they don’t have to make their way through any dead skin cell build-up. Exfoliating the skin is going to ensure that during these months when our skin tends to be drier, ingredients that provide moisture and hydration combat this issue with ease. Consider a gentler exfoliant such as enzymes if your skin tends to be more sensitive in the fall and winter months.

There are many things we should be doing for our skin daily; applying and reapplying sunscreen is the most important. Did you know that UV rays can penetrate through clouds and even reflect off surfaces and snow? That means when you are out building a snowman, snowboarding, or even driving on a cloudy day, you absolutely should be wearing and reapplying SPF! Sunscreen is an essential commitment to maintaining the health of our skin.

Our number one goal when caring for our skin is to maintain its health. We are all unique, and with that comes individual skin care journeys and goals. We each have our own set of circumstances, ranging from skin types, lifestyles, environmental factors, and so much more. If you are unsure what products and ingredients your skin could benefit from as the seasons change wherever you are located in the world, please reach out to your skin care professional for further guidance.

Everyone loves traveling. Traveling gets portrayed in the media as glamorous and decadent, an escape from the daily grind. While that's true, it can be very taxing on you physically and mentally. Prepping correctly for travel will ensure that you are prepared to feel your best self and enjoy your trip.