I was working with a bride just this past Sunday, Jen is her name and she's over the moon excited about her wedding in 2 weeks. I kind of feared the worse when I saw her skin up close, but I knew we'd be o.k. once I had a quick convo to see what she had been up to...
First off, Jen is not fair-skinned, but I'd say a "light/medium" tone and she at one time had struggled with breakouts, mostly the monthly hormone-related type of breakout, little clogged pores on her cheeks. I went through her personal daily skincare routine with her and it was really good and progressive. Most of the products she was using were of high quality but here's what was missing and this is why her breakouts were persisting (this is my personal opinion as I see a LOT of skin!)
Jen wasn't exfoliating. Ever. Cleansing can gently exfoliate as well, I love the Wonder Cloth for this as you can use it daily.
One month to go and by now if you've had a few injectables, IPL laser treatments, etc., you can now confidently start to ease up on anything more that could be too aggressive, and at this point could potentially backfire and cause you guessed it: breakouts!
After the Wonder Cloth, I am recommending 2 products that I personally use (I am not a paid endorser btw), what they do, and how to incorporate one or both into your daily routine.
First is The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10%-HA 2% (Hyaluronic Acid which is not really an acid-acid, but a moisture binder) The Ordinary product can be used (5 drops on clean skin) 2x a week. Don't overdo this and I recommend using this at night. If you are using a retinol product do not combine these 2 heavy hitters together. Alternate your evenings. Lactic acid is more like an acid acid in that it gently exfoliates the top surface of your skin without scrubbing.
Jen started using this about 6 weeks out from her wedding and saw really quick results in her skin texture and any discoloration issues she was having. It worked wonders for her. Also, I can't harp enough about keeping the sunscreen on- you know the drill!
The 2nd gentle exfoliator I love is from "Pixi" and it's her "Glow Tonic" which is a different acid in that it is 5% Glycolic acid and works on a cotton pad more like a toner. Again, if you have sensitivity issues stay on the chin. cheeks, forehead, and maybe slightly around the eyes. Always avoid the lip area as this is a very sensitive area and can get flaky and itchy. Pixi Glow Tonic can be used after cleansing on the nights you aren't using The Ordinary.
So, Jen is all set with most of her major treatments and she had her lashes tinted so she could forgo mascara on her honeymoon (Thailand/jealous!)
Next up: All things LASHES!
