My love of skin care started at a very young age. My mom would take me grocery shopping with her every week and if I ever strayed, she would know exactly where to find me: The cosmetics/skin care aisle. After struggling with many inflammatory conditions that consistently kept me sick in my childhood, including horrible acne, I became fascinated with what could solve these problems. So after many years of research, self care and a decade as a sought after esthetician I have developed my top 5 best skin care practices.

Number 1: Be mindful when taking care of your skin. Don't rush your routine. I think of it as "me time" which in turn helps relieve any stress or anxiety I may have at the beginning or end of the day. This allows all your products to do their job more effectively as well.

Number 2: Mix it up. Your beauty routine should not be the same as it was in high school. This is the number one thing that will make any esthetician/dermatologist cringe. See your holistic professional for advice or follow the guidelines provided below:

AM:

Step 1-Gentle cleanser (gentle clean and stimulate your skin to start your daily glow)

Step 2- Tone (regulate your PH level and set the tone for maximum product absorption)

Step 3- Antioxidant (Vitamins c and e are ideal for during the day since they protect you against nasty free radicals who age your skin cells!)

Step 4- Hydrate/SPF (moisturizers seal in all the goodness and protect your skin from nasty environmental pollutants, and don’t make me explain the importance of daily SPF just remember to keep it at 15 or above and broad spectrum)

PM:

Step 1- Enzyme or Oil cleanser (great for makeup removal and to get rid of the gunk from the day)

Step 2- Tone (same idea as AM, set the tone for your skin so it can absorb everything properly)

Step 3- Antioxidant (Vitamin A or AHA’s for collagen synthesis and cell turnover-goodbye wrinkles)

Step 4- Hydrate. NEVER forget your neck and chest when treating your skin too. We’ve all seen those ladies who’s faces look 20 years younger than their necks, it’s never a good look.

Number 3: Start reading skin care labels like you read food labels. Why? Because there are a million skin care lines out there and most of them are filled with pretty nasty stuff. Do you really want that absorbed into your skin? I didn't think so. Luckily there are amazing websites to help you narrow down the good from the bad. EWG.com is a ranking system for any and all cosmetic products to determine how safe they are or how bad they are for you. Online stores like thedetoxmarket.com offer a safe bet on all their skincare, haircare and makeup because they do the filtering for you.

Number 4: Alkaline your diet. This may sound crazy but if you have too much acidity in your gut then your skin will become more alkaline which is not what we want. Your natural PH as a human is about a 5.5 and if it becomes more alkaline such as an 8 or a 9 that can create a lot of inflammation. You want to achieve homeostasis which is the maintenance of your own chemistry. Eating alkaline is the best recipe for great skin and a healthy gut.

Number 5: Don't pick your skin! This can not only upset your skin but it can lead to permanent damage. I know from personal experience how hard this can be so like any other bad habit substitute it with a healthy habit. If you need to pick us the q-tip technique or simply ice the area in need. You will be surprised as to how much faster your skin will heal if you leave it alone. Monthly skin cleansing facials are a must if you are unable to control yourself. Get in touch with your local holistic professional as soon as you feel the urge to pick.

These are my top 5 best skin care practices. Easy to implement and empowering for anyone. Enjoy.

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