Skincare Series

I’ve seen a meme going around lately that jokes about perfect skin being wasted on children and MAN is that the truth! It seems like every day there is a new skin condition that pops up in attempt to strike down our dreams of clear, youthful skin. I like to consider myself a bit of a human guinea pig, so I’ve tried my fair share of skincare products, treatments, etc. in attempt to get perfect skin as well as go after any issue I’m having on my face at the time. My main concerns are typically breakouts, oiliness and then I’m a huge proponent of anti-aging at any age so being preventative on that front is my jam.

One of the best things I’ve done for my skin is finding an esthetician who is an expert in the space, understands my skin type and (this was my personal preference) makes her own, natural products that she uses both in her treatments and I can use at home. I’ve seen my face share of estheticians and dermatologists – some of which have done more harm than good – but I finally found my perfect match and want to share with you guys how to go about finding your fairy skin mother (or father)!

For context, my skincare savior for products, treatments, general skin love/health is Sonya Dakar. I’ve been seeing her for a few months and she completely transformed my skin. She’s in Beverly Hills if you’re nearby and want to go to the woman who saved my skin!

The first thing that you have to consistently remind yourself of is that SKIN IS PERSONAL. I think this is something people often forget – skincare is not one size fits all. Something that is my holy grail product may make you breakout and vice versa. This goes beyond just skin types – your skin reflects what’s going on inside your body as well. Finding someone who understands not just your skin type but your diet, lifestyle, budget, etc. is incredibly important when picking a somebody to partner with you on your skincare journey. Take a step back when you hear a friend or see an influencer posting about *THE BEST PRODUCT EVER* and realize that just because it’s amazing for them (or they’re paid to say it is) doesn’t mean it’s going to be the best thing for you.

That goes into my second biggest piece of advice - DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. A quick Google search for estheticians in your area might pull up hundreds (or thousands if you’re in LA like me) of options so it may feel overwhelming. There are SO many people who will claim they can change your skin – some of them can, some of them absolutely think they can but just want paying customers. Don’t let anybody touch your skin until you’ve done your research. Make sure whoever you’re going to is licensed, that’s non-negotiable. This means they’ve gone through the proper training that serves as a base of understanding for how to help you with your skincare concerns – this doesn’t automatically mean they’re going to be the best but it will help you weed out a lot of people who could really mess up your mug. Something that set my esthetician apart was that she spent the first 30 minutes of my appointment asking about me, all of me – diet, workout regimen, what supplements I take, how much sunlight I get, my work environment, how much I travel, etc. and THEN we got into my skincare concerns. The consultation is a lot about using your intuition on if you think this person genuinely understands your general life on top of your specific skincare concerns – website reviews, Yelp and Instagram/Facebook comments also tend to shed some light on if the person really knows their stuff or if they pretty much just rub lotion on your face and send you on your way.

Honestly, this should probably be your first step but a lot of people forget that this isn’t always cheap so you need to SET YOUR BUDGET and make it realistic. Don’t lie to yourself, be brutally honest with what you can realistically afford and stick to it. I spent an ungodly amount of money testing different products, treatments, etc. in hopes that something would work. In reality, I should’ve taken that money and put it towards finding somebody who could help me with every piece of my skincare journey. I was chatting with a friend who is wants to go to my esthetician (she’s pricey but she’s just SO good it’s worth it) and she’s setting aside a piece of every paycheck into a skincare fund so she can go in and see somebody she’s comfortable with and trusts. Not everybody is going to be insanely expensive but be weary that sometimes you get what you pay for (ex; a $20 facial is probably too good to be true and will likely do more harm than good).

This one took me a while to figure out but PRODUCTS MATTER. This sounds a little obvious but hear me out – the products somebody uses in treatments vs. the products you use at home need to 1. Work and 2. Work well together. Something I love about Sonya is that she uses the same products in her facials that I can (and do) buy and use at home. There’s no medical grade vs. home products like a lot of places which I really love. Obviously, I can’t bring her micro needling machine home with me but my daily products are the exact things she uses in the spa. Before you get a facial, make sure the products you’re using coincide and won’t react negatively with what they’d like to try for you. You’d hate to get an incredible facial and then use your products at home and have a negative reaction and ruin the progress you made!

Okay maybe this one should be number one? These are all just my most important things but people often forget that you need to BE COMMITTED. Like most things in life, your skin probably won’t magically transform overnight (no matter what some products and treatments may promise). If it does happen, then great! But be realistic with your expectations and DON’T GET DISCOURAGED. Commit to the products, the treatments, etc. Don’t go hopping around from product to product when it doesn’t fix your problems overnight - obviously if something reacts poorly, don’t force it! Give the products a chance to work and do their thing. I made the mistake of testing something out for a week, getting annoyed/bored/frustrated and then on to the next one. First, this probably (definitely) ruined my skin throwing it through a roller coaster of products. Second, I didn’t give my skin a chance to even see if the products were working.

I hope these tips help you achieve your perfect skin or kick start your journey to getting there! You can come chat with me on Instagram about all things skin @victorianelsonn xx