Looking to treat your aesthetic concerns without surgery or invasive procedures? Our amazing Beauty Nurse® team has put together a series to give our patients the best information on the three pillars of non-surgical intervention: injectables, lasers, and skincare.
Last month, Beauty Nurse Natalie walked us through the role of lasers in skin rejuvenation. This month we’re exploring skin care at our Waterloo, Ontario, clinic with Beauty Nurses Natalie and Majid.
Skincare can feel like a maze – let our Beauty Nurse® team guide you through it!
Q: A lot of people don’t know where to start when it comes to skincare! There are so many options – how do you establish what’s right for you?
Natalie: Firstly, I love that you said: “what’s right for you.” Because that’s just it – skincare is personal and so unique to each person. For us, skin care starts with a VISIA® Complexion Analysis which lets us read your skin’s story and determine what it’s trying to say. This imaging system lets us see beyond your skin’s surface for a multi-dimensional look at your complexion to help find the best treatment solutions specific to you!
Q: What mainstays should be part of a skincare regimen?
Natalie: We’ve worked with so many different skin types and complexions and love finding the right skincare regimen for each patient. I would begin with a gentle cleanser that helps clean and refresh your face from build up throughout the day and relieves skin without stripping away your natural oils. A great toner to adjust and rebalance the pH of your skin is an important step because it affects how your skin absorbs the ingredients you’re feeding it. You need a great sunscreen and a light moisturizer as well. Even if you have acne, your skin may have dry patches and needs nourishment. We have a number of products from skincare lines that are expertly designed with frequency of use and dosage in mind, so you can count on the results they will achieve.
Personally, here’s what my foolproof regimen includes:
Personally, here’s what my foolproof regimen includes:
1. In the morning, I cleanse my face with ZO® Hydrating Cleanser to get rid of impurities.
2. Then, I apply SkinMedica Lytera Skin Brightening Complex; this addresses skin discolouration.
3. Next is SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cream to get rid of dead skin and trigger skin rejuvenation.
4. Before I leave the house, my last step is to apply TIZO3® Sunscreen (SPF 40).
At night, I use the same cleanser, but also apply a toner (Obaji Pore Therapy) and a trio of SkinMedica products: the TNS Essential Serum (for pores, wrinkles, and even complexion), Retinol 1.0 (generates new skin cells and smooths skin), and Dermal Repair Cream (deeply hydrating and nourishing).
Majid:
I agree – a skincare regimen is personal. It varies based on a variety of factors, including:
- Your skin type
- Whether you’ve just had a procedure done
- How you eat
- Even your current stress levels
That’s why we love working with new patients; it’s rewarding to find a system that works for you and solves your skin concerns. We often recommend SkinMedica products because they go to work as soon as you apply them and are backed by science and extensive results. Implementing these as part of a medically supervised skincare regimen lets us observe and figure out what works and what doesn’t, so we can continually correct and control the health and vibrancy of your skin.
I personally love SkinMedica’s HA5, it is amazing for fine lines and wrinkles and it replenishes your skin’s hyaluronic acid with a brilliant mix of hydrators.
Q: What’s your take on makeup? Any favourites?
Natalie: Many foundations and base products have ingredients and chemicals that shouldn’t be anywhere near our bare skin. A lot of makeup brands are detrimental to the health of our skin, so I use and recommend mineral make-up that allows your skin to breathe.
Majid: Yes, I’d second that. We have a hand-picked makeup line at The Cosmetic Surgery Clinic that beautifies and is also really good for your skin! It’s called Glo Skin Beauty and is free of talc, artificial dyes and comedogenic (blackhead-causing) ingredients.
Q: What’s the first step if I’m wanting to take better care of my skin?
Natalie: I’m going to sound like your mom, but one incredibly simple thing you can do is hydrate. This addresses dryness, acne and wrinkles and helps your skin heal. And if you’re ready to make a masterplan to address all your skin concerns, come see us!
It’s always great to talk to an expert when you’re beginning a journey to better understand your skin.
You can begin by requesting a consultation online, or call our office at (519) 804-9822 to schedule an appointment. We’d love to craft a specialized skincare plan so you can enjoy your best skin ever!
