Top 7 Tips from Estheticians to Maintain Your Glow Like a Pro

There are fundamental rules for keeping your skin healthy and glowing, Some, you’ve undoubtedly heard over and over—wear sunscreen, don’t go to bed without washing your face, keep your skin hydrated. Others are a little less obvious, but no less unbreakable. From the essentialness of acids to the 60-second cleansing rule, discover the 7 “how-did-I-not-know-this” insider tips your skincare routine has been missing.

1. Use the 60-second rule when cleansing.

If you’re using a cleanser with active ingredients but rushing through your cleanse, you’re not getting the optimum performance from your product. Wash your face for 60 full seconds before rinsing off your cleanser to allow the ingredients to do their work. The extended massage time also revs up circulation, bringing oxygen and beneficial nutrients to the skin.

Recommended: Mandelic Acid 3-In-1 Exfoliating Cleanser

2. Don’t ignore your décolleté and hands.

The skin on your neck, chest and the back of your hands is thinner, making it more vulnerable to UV exposure and other environmental factors. Make these areas part of your regular regimen to protect from age-accelerating damage. Many of the same products you use on your face can be applied to these areas. Ingredients like peptides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and SPF are perfect for renewal and repair in of this delicate skin.

Recommended: Rejuv Rx

3. Eyelids need eye cream too.

If you’re not putting your eye cream on your eyelids, you’re doing it wrong. It’s easy to forget this area, but

The skin around the eyes is more delicate than the rest of the face, making it vulnerable to environmental stressors. And because there is less collagen, the eye area is the first place that signs of aging show up. Daily eye cream is essential to defend against damage and keep the fragile skin around the eyes hydrated, plumped, and smooth.

Recommended: Wink Eye Rejuvenation Cream

4. Stop sun tanning.

That bronzy glow may make you feel young and fresh in the moment, but long-term, it’s accelerating aging. Other than time, UV is the number one cause of skin aging. The ultra-violet rays stimulate free radicals and melanocytes in the skin, unleashing a cascade of damaging effects, including collagen degradation, wrinkles, pigmentation, and textural changes. And don’t even think about using a tanning bed, which just magnifies the damaging effects of UV exposure.

Use a bronzer if you want a little color and protect your skin from damage with daily sunscreen and antioxidant skincare like our Pure C + E serum.

Recommended: Pure C + E

5. It’s easier to prevent than correct.

Prevention is always easier than repair. Start early with actives like retinoids, peptides, and acids to protect against environmental damage and slow the effects of aging. If you have acne, make controlling breakouts your top priority to avoid damage from scarring or pigmentation. Fortunately, many of the ingredients that are best for acne management also help push off the signs of aging. And because most of the long-term damage from UV exposure happens before age thirty, daily sunscreen is essential.

Recommended: Derm-A-Gel

6. Acids cure the dulls.

Acids dissolve the “glue” that binds dead cells together to slough them away and instantly give skin a brighter, fresher appearance. Even dry skin needs exfoliation. Lack of moisture causes skin cells to die more rapidly, creating an excess of dead cells on the skin’s surface. The cellular buildup blocks moisture from entering the skin, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of parch. Exfoliation clears a path for moisture to enter the skin, improving elasticity, reducing the appearance of fine lines, and undulling skin.

Our favorite AHA? We’d have to say clinical mandelic acid for its gentle action and multi-tasking ability to target acne bacteria, excess pigment, and signs of aging without irritating sensitive or hyperpigmentation-prone skin.

Recommended: 3% Mandelic Acid 3-In-1 Toner

7. Consistency is key.

Using all the right products won’t bring the results you want if you don’t use them consistently. Whether your skincare issue is acne, discoloration, or aging, daily maintenance is required if you want to keep your skin in peak condition. A four-step regimen includes a cleanser, toner, serum, and SPF. Using all four steps consistently will maximize the benefits because each step enhances the next.

Rule of thumb: your morning routine is about protecting your skin; your nighttime routine is about repairing it.

Recommended: Starter Regimen