Just like we want to balance our skin and our lives, we want to balance effectiveness with price point when it comes to our skincare products. At Shimmer Spa, we prepare for every facial treatment with the intent to educate and recommend, not scare and sell.  When you know more, and when we share knowledge as professionals, we can all make better choices for wellness. Here are 4 things to consider when picking out skincare:

1. Some products only treat dead skin, rendering them inert.

You may effectively be washing your money and products down the drain. Cleansing is not the same thing as exfoliating. If your cleanser is not exfoliating your dead skin from your face, it is cleansing your dead skin cells and leaving them on your face, which means all of your other products are just sinking into the top dead layer. Dead skin is on the top layer (Stratum Corneum), Living skin is on the middle layer (Epidermis), and the bottom layer ( Dermis) is where collagen and elastin are produced. If your moisturizers and creams cannot penetrate the epidermis or dermis, they won’t help you achieve the results you’d like. Change layer #1 by using products that contain AHA’s or BHA’s. Change layer #2 by adding anti-oxidants. Change layer #3 by using plant stem cells, and protect it by using SPF.

2. Organic isn’t always better.

We love organic products, but sometimes they get a bad rap for not being as effective as other products or not having as long of shelf life. Often, organic skincare does not contain peptides. That’s why we enjoy Nardo’s Natural Skincare, because it’s organic with safer alternatives to preservatives as well as naturally derived anti-aging peptides. Part technology part organic is also found in Image’s Ormedic line. You can have skincare without questionable ingredients (we choose not to use parabens or talc until more research is done on their link to cancer) or inexpensive fillers (such as sodium laurel sulfate) that can cause irritation.

 

3. A little goes a long way with pro products!

You’ll use concentrated products slower, so slowly, that you may, in fact, lower your budget for skincare! We recommend doing your own study on how long a product lasts you, by placing a sticker with the date opened on the bottom of your go-to products. If your product lasts you less than a month but you know you haven’t been using it in excess, that’s a sign that it’s not concentrated enough when you spread it, or it has inexpensive fillers that leave your skin feeling less moisturized than others. Something that is cost-effective for a laboratory may not be as safe or effective for you. Spot treatments and targeted skincare (think neck or eye area) should be used sparingly in those places only to prolong the life of your product. Our skincare favorites from Image and Nardo’s Naturals last us 4 months on average.

4. Skincare works best outside of the bottle.

You have to make a commitment to taking care of yourself here, even if you’re making it with a small amount of product. Need something low maintenance? We’ve got that too! Image just came out with cleansing wipes (I honestly keep these on my coffee table for when I fall asleep at 9pm at night half of the week) that will give you a few seconds back to slather on some moisturizer. We also have an eye cream that works like a masque so you only have to use it a few times a week, and two types of mineral sunscreen with anti-aging properties that are the best 2-in-1 moisturizer we can find! There can be a regimen for everyone, and you don’t need the full cleanser, eye cream, spot treatment, plant stem cell serum, lip treatment,  moisturizer, and occasional mattifying moisturizer that I use (you must be logged in to view products per out agreement with Image). Cleanser+moisturizer may be right for you, and as long as you are using professional products, that small change could make a world of difference!

To see our array of skincare products, log in at immortal allure cosmetics with the S2Member feature by wordpress. Nardo’s Naturals skincare is available in spa only, and not online.

To schedule an exfoliating skincare service or facial, book online at shimmerspa.salonrunner.com or call us 7 days a week at 440-783-1473.