Every day I see online ads and commercials for products promising to be the miracle elixirs of skin care. Claims like, “buy this bottle and immediately remove wrinkles with the first application”. I’m sure you’ve seen ads of celebrities touting the use of a certain product for acne and miraculously solving their acne problems forever. These ads purport to have found the “secret” to what ails your aging or problematic skin. When I see these ads they raise my blood because they confuse people with skin conditions into believing that the secret solution can be found by just finding the “right” bottle.
Hogwash! As someone who has been in the health and beauty field for 20 years, I can tell you, there is nothing that can erase lines and wrinkles that took decades to earn in one application of any product. For acne, a $20 bottle of solution does not change the hormonal activity of one’s body. For most of us acne is a persistent condition due to over production of sebum, the oil our skin produces for protection. Almost all over the counter products contain chemical agents that simply dry out the skin to reduce the overproduction. Initially, breakouts subside, but after a few weeks and sometimes months they return and in many cases are worse. Your body senses that the skin is now dried out and responds swiftly, shifting into overdrive, producing even more sebum.
I can assure you the secret to skin care does not exist in a bottle. The body is complex and each one of our bodies is different. We all live in different environments and we live different lifestyles. Our genes are one of the most unique parts of who we are. Combine these factors and the result is that some of us will battle with acne, while others will battle with sun damage, while others may show the signs of aging a little faster than their peers.
No, there is no such bottle that can account for all these factors. The secret to skin care requires a little work and commitment, but it doesn’t have to consume your life or your bank account. The secret of skin care is really quite simple- Consistent Skin Care.
The secret to skin care starts with a commitment to your body. In the time it took for you to open and begin reading this blog your body has already produced about a million shiny new cells. Did you know your skin is in a continuous state of change? It’s true. Your skin renews itself just about every 28 days. New skin cells are continuously being produced by our bodies to replace dead and damaged cells. The dead cells being replaced are the ones we see when we look in the mirror each morning. These dead cells naturally slough off when we wash our face or wipe it with a towel. As the old cells are removed the new ones finally get to see the light of day.
Yes, your body does much of the work necessary to be fresh-faced and glowing. But, as awesome a machine as your body is, your body needs help to move the process along.
What is Consistent Skin Care?
Consistent skin care is the commitment to a routine that promotes your body’s natural processes while extending your youthful glow well into the autumn of your years. Consider the example above. Your body is constantly moving dead cells to the surface of your skin, but without help exfoliating they sit and accumulate here and there. Over time your skin will look dull and uneven. And for those suffering from acne the accumulated cells will clog pores and aggravate more breakouts. Maintaining your fresh-faced look needs a boost, and that’s where consistent skin care works its magic. Consistent skin care doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. A worthwhile and effective skin care routine can be as simple and inexpensive as washing and moisturizing two times a day with the right products, augmented with an at home facial performed at least once a month. More serious skin care routines typically involve a customized at home regimen and professional facials, peels and laser facials. More complex routines include the plan above plus scheduled sessions of Botox, fillers and Fraxel treatments. To determine the best routine customized to your skin’s needs; schedule a consultation with a licensed skin care professional.
Remember, while your body is a deft anti-aging machine there are many factors that influence how well it works. Think of a machine without regular maintenance and service. How well will it perform over its lifetime? Not very well, right? Your body is the same. It is influenced and affected by lifestyle, alcohol and nicotine use, environmental pollution, sun exposure, thin skin or genetics predisposed to signs of early aging. Your body is fighting off lots of stuff to keep you fresh. Without a boost from you, your body will eventually give way revealing the damage it has absorbed over the years like a broken down heavy weight champ who fought one too many fights beyond his glory days.
Who Needs Consistent Skin Care?
Whether you’re in your 20’s or your 70’s a consistent skin care routine will keep you looking young. At Skin Bar NYC, I commonly see this mistake made by our younger clientele. Millennials I’m talking to you. Younger clients take for granted the benefits bestowed upon the youth. Rapid cellular turnover, high collagen production and gravity defying skin elasticity. It’s hard to imagine that these assets will fade with time. But, fade they will, unless you commit to some type of routine to protect them.
Most clients in my age group realize without much convincing that things change. At the age of 40, the evidence is easier to see when we look in the mirror. Clients in their 20’s are a little harder to convince. What they see in the mirror is mostly resilient skin. And for those blessed with the right genes, even the hardest, longest night on the town is rarely evident the next day. But, consider this, today your body is working twice as efficiently as it will 20 or 30 years from now. It is rapidly turning over damaged cells maintaining a perennially fresh look. But, those days are numbered. If you take care of your skin today, your skin will take care of you when you’re in your 40’s and you’ll be the envy of all your friends.
Ignore your body’s call to action and you’ll spend much more time and money correcting damage, trying to regain the lost glow of your youth. All the while feeling less confident and regretful. Don’t let it happen to you.
There is no magic wand to wave to vanquish what ails your skin. If you really want to take control of how your skin looks, and reclaim the bright glow of your skin or achieve it for the first time then it’s high time that you start practicing consistent skin care. The real secret of skin care.
Are you prepared to commit to a consistent skin care routine today? Call Skin Bar NYC and schedule a complimentary Fit-Skin-Analysis. One of our licensed skin care professionals will analyze your skin and provide you with a complete at home skin care routine absolutely free.
