Achieving Healthy Skin: Skin Care Products That Actually Work to Achieve Results
By focusing on the four key areas of healthy skin: cleanse, retexture, correct, and prevent, you can establish a solid foundation for healthy skin. Results take time, consistency, and patience. Certain products and ingredients aid in the effectiveness of each stage of skincare.
Cleanse: How to Properly Clean your skin
Cleansing isn’t just about removing dirt and makeup. This all-important first step in your regimen preps the skin for all the other steps. It’s the first line of defense to correct, prevent, and maintain healthy skin. If your skin has ever had that tight, dry feeling after washing, you've used a cleanser that’s too harsh for your skin and does not have barrier-supporting ingredients. Clean skin should feel soft, smooth, and nourished. Choosing the right cleanser that has benefits tailored to your skin’s needs will make all the difference in optimizing your regimen and promoting a healthy, radiant complexion.
Not sure how to choose?
Combination Skin
Oily T-Zone (forehead, nose, chin)
Drier on cheeks
Maybe some blackheads
The mix of oily and dry can make it tough to avoid overcompensating for one or the other. Accomplish this balancing act with the antioxidant Green Tea Cleanser. This lightweight, non-comedogenic, gentle daily cleanser protects cells from free radical damage, provides protection against UV damage, and helps maintain healthy collagen formation without clogging pores. It protects pH balance and works without stripping your skin’s natural acid mantle.
Dry Skin
Itchy
Flaky
Some redness
Tightness after washing
Dry skin types should steer clear of bar soaps, harsh cleansers, and foams, which strip skin moisture. You’ll want something with a little oil that also doesn’t leave behind residue, gives some antioxidant support, and has some hydrating ingredients. Cleansing Milk is a luxurious creamy wash fortified with antioxidant grapeseed oil to hydrate, protect skin from free radical damage, and stimulate cell repair. It calms inflammation and redness and strengthens the skin barrier.
Oily or Acne-prone Skin
Visible pores
Oily Sheen soon after washing
Whiteheads, blackheads, nodes, or nodules
Benzoyl peroxide is a pore-flushing powerhouse that kills the bacteria that feeds acne. It releases oxygen deep into the pore to zap the bacteria and reduce inflammation. Meanwhile, keratolytic properties cause a peeling reaction that clears dead skin cells and impurities from the pore, so healing can begin. At a concentration of 3% BP plus humectant ingredients, BP Acne Wash and BP Exfoliating Cleanser balance refining and resurfacing while avoiding over-drying your skin.
Acne- and Hyperpigmentation-Prone Skin
Visible pores
Oily sheen soon after washing
Whiteheads, blackheads, nodes, or nodules
Dark marks left behind by acne inflammation
When your skin is hyperpigmentation-prone, as is often the case with skin of color, acne inflammation can leave behind dark spots when the blemishes have gone. Some acne-fighting cleansers can trigger more inflammation, making the problem worse. Mandelic acid is a double-duty ingredient that gently banishes breakouts while brightening your complexion. Mandelic Acid 3-In-1 Wash and Mandelic Acid 3-In-1 Exfoliating Cleanser are anti-inflammatory, melanin-inhibiting, micro-exfoliating, non-irritating, and gentle giant AHAs that make the perfect base for daily cleansing.
Sensitive Skin
Easily irritated
Frequently tight or itchy
Prone to redness, rashes, rosacea
Reactive to things like cosmetic ingredients, diet, stress, and environment
Sensitive skin can be dry or oily and may be prone to acne, hyperpigmentation, or rosacea, but it is above all, reactive. Finding a cleanser that soothes while improving other issues and doesn’t sacrifice effectiveness can be challenging. Ingredients like green tea extract and grape seed oil are super-soothers with transformative powers, including pigment reduction, acne-fighting, and cell renewal. Green Tea Cleanser contains both green tea extract and grapeseed oil in a gentle gel formula. Cleansing Milk relies on grapeseed oil in a calming, creamy base.
Normal Skin
Rarely breaks out
Even skin ton
Hydrated, non-flaky texture
Mostly shine-free
The goal of a problem-free skin type is to keep it that way. Maintenance and prevention are the action items for your active ingredients. A cleanser that dissolves makeup-grime, and oil without stripping or drying. Buffing Grains Exfoliating Cleanser is a wash with light and safe exfoliants to support cell renewal and a healthy, elastic tone. Mixed or alternated with the Green Tea Cleanser will round out your perfect formula.
Retexture: Optimizing Skin Rejuvenation
The second area of focus, retexturing, works to optimize a proper, safe, and healthy method of skin cell renewal. What you want is to accelerate your skin’s own natural process, remove the dead skin cells, encourage new cells to rise to the surface, and get your skin glowing. It involves exfoliating the skin to remove dead cells and promoting cellular turnover.
Our skin is basically in a constant state of regeneration, forming new cells and shedding old, dead skin cells. The complete cell cycle takes about 30 days. Things like age and environmental factors can stretch the process to 45-60 days, allowing a buildup of dead cells.
When dead skin cells build up, it creates a snowball effect. First, the skin appears dull. Fine lines and surface wrinkles become pronounced. Pigment darkens, and there are visibly clogged pores due to oil traps that might lead to breakouts. Lastly, dead cells create a barrier that stops products from penetrating the skin to deliver their beneficial ingredients.
Exfoliating
The biggest mistake people make in caring for their skin is under-exfoliating and not understanding exfoliation because they have a huge fear of over-exfoliating. Even sensitive skin can benefit from exfoliation when done properly. Our skin is very durable. It protects, stretches, and shrinks with us. Your skin will send you signs to tell you if it’s getting close to over-exfoliation. If you are looking a bit pinker than usual or feeling a bit chapped or windburnt, lay off the exfoliation for a day or so. Then, gently restart once you’re feeling better. There isn’t really much risk of over-exfoliating. You just need to give the skin time to repair, and then it will be better than ever.
Is exfoliating your skin optional? 100% not optional. What is it good for? Absolutely everything. Because just about every positive thing you want to see in your skin begins with exfoliation: clearing acne, reducing acne scarring and inflammation, unclogging pores, reducing excess pigmentation, reducing signs of aging, brightening dull skin, and optimizing product penetration. There are two types of exfoliation: physical and chemical. The best approach involves both physical and chemical exfoliation.
Physical exfoliation
Physical exfoliation involved the use of a scrubbing agent— granules, a buffing pad, a dermaplaning device, or shaving. When using a physical exfoliant, there is the potential to overdo it. Large or rough particles, overly abrasive pads, or overzealous scrubbing can cause irritation and redness. Stick to scrubs with smooth granules and soft pads. Avoid combining a scrub with the use of a pad or brush. All skin types benefit from physical exfoliation. Buffing Grains Exfoliating Cleanser is good for all skin types and can be used on its own as an exfoliating boost or added to a targeted cleanser for maximum radiance. Mandelic Acid 3-In-1 Exfoliating Cleanser is a micro-exfoliating acid with smooth beads and an excellent choice for all skin types, including darker tones prone to hyperpigmentation. BP 3% Exfoliating Cleanser combines buffing granules with benzoyl peroxide to fight acne above and below your skin’s surface.
Chemical exfoliation
Chemical exfoliation is the process of using topical agents such as retinoids, AHAs, BHAs, enzymes, or peels. Generally, they come from natural sources like food and plants that break down the “glue” that binds dead skin cells together, causing them to slough off to reveal bright, healthy new skin. Unlike physical exfoliants, chemical exfoliants can work above and below the skin to refine surface texture and improve cell function for smoothing, tightening, firming, thickening, and brightening skin.
There are a range of AHA options depending on your skin type and goals. Mandelic acid, which is derived from bitter almonds, has multi-tasking abilities and a gentle action. Its larger molecular structure means it’s absorbed more slowly and is good for sensitive or reactive skin. Its melanin-inhibiting properties make it an excellent brightener for skin prone to hyperpigmentation, and its antibacterial action makes it good for targeting acne. You can find mandelic acid in Skin Nourishing Toner and Mandelic Acid 3-In-1 Toner. Glycolic acid is mandelic acid’s more intense cousin, derived from sugarcane. By contrast, it has the smallest molecular structure of the acids, so it penetrates more quickly to rapidly improve tone and texture. The Normalizing Tonic is a transformative glycolic acid and skin-softening lactic acid that decongests pores, smooths texture, and brings a radiant, luminous tone.
BHAs
BHAs are a category of exfoliating acids known as beta-hydroxy acids. BHAs are less common exfoliators and are fat-soluble rather than water-soluble, meaning they can penetrate through the sebaceous follicles, which makes them particularly good for oily skin. Salicylic acid is the most common BHA, which comes from the bark of willow trees. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and capable of deeply penetrating the follicle to force out acne impactions making it ideal for acne-prone skin. Daily Repair Pads consist of a physical and chemical exfoliant in one, along with a cocktail of AHAs and BHA. Use them for a glow-boosting mini-peel in a swipe. Normalizing Tonic Forte is an advanced exfoliant that pairs salicylic acid, lactic acid, and glycolic acid.
Fruit enzymes
Fruit enzymes from papaya and pineapple are another type of chemical exfoliant, but they're also physical exfoliants. What makes enzymes such an exfoliating wonder? Enzymes are protein-digesting substances. They gobble up dead skin cells in an instant. Book Prozyme™ Glow to get rid of dead cells and have a brighter, smoother appearance immediately. Perfect for a last-minute special event!
Book a Facial 75 to experience customized physical and chemical exfoliants for optimal retexturing. The treatment may include a face scrubber or dermaplaning, and customized chemical peels, finishing with a hydrated and luxurious mask.
Promoting
Vitamin A (retinoid) is your first stop when choosing an ingredient for promoting cell turnover. It speeds the skin’s natural 30-day cell turnover cycle to about 14 days, disturbing the transfer of pigment to skin cells and breaking up surface pigment, helping to push out acne impactions, and stimulating collagen synthesis to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The best promotion result is achieved by combining physical and/or chemical exfoliation with vitamin A. You can find vitamin A in Derm A Gel, Derm Renew, FF3 Biointensive, and FF3 Triple Repair.
Correct: Addressing Skin Issues
Corrective serums play a crucial role in healthy skincare by targeting specific skin concerns and providing concentrated ingredients to effectively address issues like hyperpigmentation, acne scars, and fine lines.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is the crown jewel of skin care ingredients. It’s the one you choose if you can choose only one. Mainly because it can do it all. Whether you’re targeting blemishes, fine lines, loose skin, or discoloration, Vitamin A has the benefit you’re looking for. It accelerates cell turnover, repairs cellular structure, reverses photo-aging, stimulates collagen and elastin production, thickens the dermis to make skin appear smoother and plumper, peels out impactions, clears blemishes, lifts excess pigment, diminishes and refines pores, strengthens the skin barrier, and promotes a radiant glow. Vitamin A can cause sun sensitivity, so it’s important to use sunscreen daily and avoid prolonged sun exposure so your skin doesn’t sustain more damage. When you first start using vitamin A, your skin will get flaky and maybe a little itchy. Don’t freak out. It’s supposed to do that. This is what rapid cell regeneration looks like. It’s a good thing. And it will stop in two to four weeks as your skin acclimates. Remember, no flake, no fabulous. Derm A Gel is a gentler Vitamin A formula ideal for beginner use or for use on normal to dry skin. Derm Renew is ideal for very sensitive skin and builds a tolerance for more intense anti-aging treatments. You can also find the ultimate anti-aging vitamin A with a growth factor and a more advanced formulation in FF3 Biointensive and FF3 Triple Repair.
Tip: Don’t wait for your first wrinkle to start thinking about anti-aging. Keep wrinkles away with Vitamin A
Mandelic Acid
Mandelic acid is an Alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that’s derived from bitter almonds. It has a larger molecular structure than other AHAs, so it absorbs into the skin more slowly and doesn’t cause irritation that can trigger hyperpigmentation or rosacea. Mandelic acid acts to inhibit tyrosinase, the enzyme that stimulates melanin production, and for that reason, it is a natural brightener. It also has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, it is ideal for treating acne in dark skin tones prone to hyperpigmentation. Because of its slow absorption rate and anti-inflammatory properties, mandelic acid is well-tolerated by rosacea skin as well. Mandelic acid is a naturally-derived, pregnancy-safe ingredient. The mandelic serum comes in graduated percentage levels. Always start with a lower percentage, like the 8% Mandelic Serum, to allow your skin to acclimate. While mandelic acid is known for its gentle activity, it still requires an acclimation period. When you feel your skin has reached a maintenance plateau and you’d like to push your results further, you can move up to a higher percentage, like the 15% Mandelic Serum.
Peptides
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the skin. Made up of long-chain amino acids strung together, collagen forms the support structure that keeps skin firm, elastic, and healthy. Up to about age thirty, your body’s collagen game is fierce. Beyond thirty, things start to calm down. Your body’s production of collagen begins to slow, and collagen begins to break down. In addition, things like UV exposure and excess sugar (glycation) can contribute to collagen degradation. When collagen begins to break down, the body produces small-chain amino acids that create the building blocks for new proteins. These mini-proteins are peptides, and they signal your body to produce more of the all-important long-chain amino acids that make up collagen. Peptides in skin care encourage the skin to produce more collagen by stimulating fibroblast cells to ramp up collagen production. They are the booster squad of cell functions. Peptides firm, lift, and strengthen skin structure to combat fine lines, wrinkles, sagging, and thinning skin. Peptides also stimulate the body’s production of hyaluronic acid (HA). HA is collagen’s essential partner in keeping skin looking youthful. Collagen provides structure, while HA provides nourishing hydration. Neither can be truly effective without the other. Peptides are a powerhouse of productivity when it comes to stimulating the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid and activating dermal metabolism. Peptides also have a calming, anti-inflammatory effect, making, them an excellent choice for treating rosacea, redness, or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation caused by acne breakouts. Try Rejuv RX formulated to relax wrinkles, reduce redness, and restore your skin’s youthful appearance, for daily skin rejuvenation. It will also extend the life of fillers if you use them. Peptides can also be found in Derm Renew, FF3 Biointensive, FF3 Triple Repair, and Wink Eye Rejuvenation Cream.
Prevent: Protecting your skin
You are young. Your skin is wrinkle- and problem-free. Like it or not, ignore your skin, and you’re on the fast train to trout mouth. Prevention is the key to maintaining healthy skin after all your hard work of cleansing, retexturing, and correcting. Without prevention, you essentially undo all the good work your other products are doing.
Free Radical Blocker
Oxidative stressors from pollution, UV, and other harmful chemicals bombard your skin daily. This creates a chemical reaction that produces free radicals and sets off a chain reaction of cell-damaging responses. Over time, this cell degradation causes a breakdown in collagen, a decline in firmness, an increase in wrinkles, and a dulling of skin tone. It’s impossible to avoid oxidative stress on the skin, but combating it with antioxidant skin care is doable. Vitamin C and E antioxidants fight this process by inhibiting oxidation and neutralizing free radicals. Research shows that topical application of antioxidants has significant advantages over consumption, yielding up to 40 times more antioxidant concentration. Antioxidant vitamin C is best known for its brightening powers. It’s an inhibitor of melanin production and regulates tyrosinase activity. The function of the antioxidant vitamin E is to guard cells from UV-induced damage and the effects of environmental pollutants. Both vitamins have photoprotective effects. Pure CE not only protects against internal and external free radicals and generates new collagen and elastin, but it also brightens skin.
Hydrator
Drinking water is healthy for organ function, absorption, digestion, and removing toxins, but it has little effect on the health of your skin. Skin dries out from exposure to dry air, the sun, chlorinated water, drinking alcohol, and (no surprise) aging. You need to replace the moisture to avoid fine lines and wrinkles. The best time to moisturize is right after getting out of the shower or after washing your face when your skin can better absorb products. Look for products that are lightweight, non-comedogenic, have a nourishing formula and are right for your skin type. Allantoin replenishes and restores with healing and hydrating ingredients. If you prefer a gel to cream, Totaloe is a calming and hydrating gel. It contains an extra lightweight, humectant formula that draws and retains moisture. Marine Skin Nourishing Cream is the next level of hydrator. It doesn’t just relieve dry skin; it works at the lower level of the skin to rebuild a healthy barrier, thicken the epidermis, and restore suppleness and elasticity.
Sun Protector
Sunscreen is the most important product for protecting your skin from the signs of aging. UV radiation is damaging to the skin in so many ways. It causes damage to skin structure, induces premature aging, and can lead to skin cancer. And it zaps the moisture responsible for elasticity and suppleness straight out of your skin. Using a combination moisturizer and Day Treatment Lotion SPF 15, the double-duty formula is hydrating but lightweight and non-greasy, making it perfect for daily foundation UV protection. Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 is excellent for a more active day out. Optimized for all skin types and tones, the non-comedogenic formula is also non-ghosting, paraben-free, reel-safe, and pregnancy-safe. Don’t rely on makeup that contains SPF. The average makeup application is not enough to provide the necessary coverage, leaving you short of the protection you need. It is better to stick with a standalone sunscreen.
Go Pro
You can do a lot on your own, but to really keep the signs of aging at bay, you need the help of a professional esthetician. A regular facial is indispensable. The pros have products and knowledge the average consumer doesn’t, so you’ll get higher-level results tailored to your specific needs. A professional facial is like a mini-facelift on a regular basis. Facial massage reduces wrinkle-inducing muscle tension and increases collagen-stimulating blood flow. You can give yourself a facial massage as a booster anytime, but the added value of a professional visit can’t be overestimated. Propeel treatment is a noninvasive route to dramatic rejuvenation, and it takes no more time than a facial. It is a four-step system combining chemical peels and natural moisturizers to bring radiant new skin to the surface with minimal irritation and maximum results. ProPeel is safe for Fitzpatricks 3-6.
Achieving your best skincare results
Certain products and ingredients aid in the effectiveness of each stage of skincare. Achieving healthy skin is possible by using the right products and procedures for your skin type and skin issues. Fight back against acne, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone. If you’re unsure where to start, book an appointment with a local esthetician and start your journey toward your healthiest skin!
