What I Know For Sure About Skin

As an esthetician practicing skin for 25 years, I’ve observed a lot about people’s skin and faces from giving facial treatments. As it turns out, I can observe a lot from behind the chair.

Here’s what I know for sure when it comes to the skin.

1. No two sides of the face are the same.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been told that one side of the body is different from the other, and I know this to be true with the face as well. With most people, one eyebrow or cheekbone is always higher.

2. Everyone has blackheads.

You’re not alone with your frustration about your blackheads. Truthfully, almost everyone has them. Granted, some are larger and more noticeable than others since some people have larger pores than others, but across the board it’s a common concern for all.

Read: My 3-Step Plan for Reducing Blackheads…

3. Smoke makes the skin smell.

I know this will come across as gross, but in the point during the facial where manual extractions are performed to clean out clogged pores and blackheads, for those who smoke, you can smell the smoke mixed in with their oil. Even if when a person walks in and you can’t smell smoke on them, it certainly comes out during this process. When you smoke, it encompasses every single part of your body and certainly leads to a dull, tired complexion because of the oxygen it depletes from the skin. Read: Are You a Smoker? Skin Tips to Save Your Skin

4. Sleeping on your side causes permanent creases in the skin.

Generally after the age of 40, I can look at someone’s skin and tell if they are a side sleeper. They will get a vertical crease (wrinkle) about an inch long on the cheek close to the nose. When you sleep on the side, you spend thousands of hours ironing in a crease to the skin. Now I realize that once you are asleep, it’s virtually impossible to control this, but you can use collagen-boosting products with ingredients like peptides (Intensive Firming Serum) and antioxidants (Vitamin C&E Complex), which help keep skin firm and plump, to minimize the damage done by side sleeping. And of course, daily sun protection is a must! (Daily Protection SPF 30)

5. Consider yourself lucky if you have a chubby face, a strong neckline or high cheekbones.

Without a doubt, there are certain characteristics that we are genetically given (or not given) that can predict if you’ll maintain a youthful appearance well into your later years. The first is a chubby face. If you are someone that the first place that shows weight gain is in your face (like myself), this means that you have an increased number of fat cells in your skin. While a chubby face may have been frustrating in your younger years, consider yourself lucky since it is essential for a youthful look. Consider the fact that many people pay thousands of dollars to have their own fat injected into their face to prevent a hollow, sunken in look that comes with age.

A strong, firm neckline is also key to young looking skin, since this is the first area to lose its tone and show signs of sagging.  A key component in a facelift and certainly a neck lift is to tighten that skin back up.

The third is high cheekbones. Of the three, if you’re blessed with nice, high prominent cheekbones, you definitely hit the jackpot. The skin in your face will not lose its tone as much since it gets “hung up” on the cheekbone and doesn’t drop as much. Again, people pay a lot of money to have cheek implants put in since this is known to be the key to a young looking face.

Read: Renée’s Thoughts on Plastic Surgery, Injectables and the Art of Altering the Face

Read: Plastic Surgeon, Cosmetic Dermatologist or Esthetican: What is the Best Approach for Your Skin?

Which skin care products are right for you? See our nine skin types and get products recommended.

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