At About Face Aesthetics, our skin experts have compiled everything you need to know when it comes to learning what your skin needs, how to properly care for it, and more! 

Step 1 | Understanding Your Skin

To find the best skincare in Philadelphia, you first need to understand what skin type you have and your skin needs. The American Academy of Dermatology recognizes that there are 5 different skin types: 

• Sensitive skin
• Normal skin 
• Dry skin
• Oily skin
• Combination skin

Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin is characterized by stinging, burning, and itching sensations, especially when you apply any makeup or skincare products to your skin. While you can have this skin type naturally, many people develop it after excessive exposure to environmental factors like intense cold, heat, sun, pollution, or moisture. 

Normal Skin 

Having normal skin is typically the goal for those who are looking for skincare in Philadelphia. This skin type is characterized by having skin that is neither too oily nor too dry. It is not sensitive to touch, and while it may turn slightly red from intense scrubbing or sunburn, should not react negatively to the use of makeup or normal skincare products.

Dry Skin

Dry skin is characterized by developing patches of itchy, flaking, scaly, or rough skin. These patches can occur anywhere on your face. While some people have this skin type normally, it is typically caused by repeated exposure to environmental factors like cold or dry weather and sun damage. It can also be caused by the use of harsh soaps and over-bathing. Many people confuse this skin type with dehydrated skin, which is a completely separate skin condition.  

Oily Skin

Oily skin is a common skin condition that is characterized by the appearance of shiny or greasy skin. The overproduction of sebum, or “oil,” is the main cause of oily skin, which can create issues with acne and enlarged pores. Anyone can be born with oily skin, but it is often developed after repeated exposure to heat and humidity, as well as certain makeup and skincare products. 

Combination Skin

Combination skin is just that—a combination of oily and dry skin. You may experience oily skin in certain areas of your face, like your cheeks or your “T-zone” (around the forehead, nose, and lips). While this skin type is purely genetic, it can change with seasonal or hormonal shifts. 

How to Determine Your Skin Type

While the best way to determine your skin type is to come and visit our skin experts for a consultation, there are certain tests you can do at home to discover your skin type. While these tests may not be as accurate as a professional consultation, they will help you gain a better understanding of your skin. 

There are 2 main tests you can do to find your specific skin type, which can help you determine the best products for your skincare in Philadelphia. 

The Day Test

For some, the best way to determine your skin type is to see how it works within a 24-hour period. In the morning, you wash your face with a mild cleanser, but otherwise do not apply any other skincare products or makeup. Then you go about your normal day, and once it is time for you to go to bed, you examine your skin to determine your skin type. 

The Wash Test

The wash test works very similarly to the day test, but is accomplished in a much shorter time frame. If you cannot go a whole day without skincare products or makeup (or if you take a shower in the middle of the day) this test may work best for you. You wash your face with a mild cleanser then wait about 30 minutes. Then, you examine your skin to determine your skin type. It is best to try this test when your skin is calm, meaning you have not undergone any specific skin treatments, scrubs, or have experienced a sunburn. 

Results

If you complete these tests but still find it difficult to determine which skin type you are, then we suggest visiting our providers for a consultation. We have certain tools that will help you receive an accurate skin type diagnosis, which can help us find the right product for your skincare in Philadelphia. 

Your Age Affects Your Skin, Too

As we age, our skin produces less and less collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. These proteins and compounds are responsible for many aspects of our skin health, including: 

• Elasticity
• Cellular turnover
• Moisture retention 

Statistically, our bodies produce 1% less collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid each year after we turn about 20 years old. 

That is why our goal at About Face is to increase your skin’s natural production of these essential components in order to maintain its healthy structure and appearance. We customize your plan to include treatments and products for your skincare in Philadelphia. We recommend either visiting our team for a consultation or using our virtual consultation tool to find the best options for your skin.

Step 2 | Finding In-House Treatments

Caring for your teeth requires consistent care. You go to the dentist once every 6 months for thorough cleaning and check-ups, then maintain the health of your teeth by flossing and brushing daily. 

The same idea applies to your skincare in Philadelphia; you visit our team once every few months for an in-house treatment and then maintain your results with a daily skincare routine. We offer a variety of treatments for your concerns to help you feel confident in your skin. To find the best options for you, we recommend scheduling a consultation with one of our providers, but here are our most popular skin rejuvenation services and what concerns they address: 

Skin Tightening

At About Face, our skin tightening services provide the perfect base for your at-home skincare in Philadelphia. These treatments are designed to drastically increase your body’s natural production of collagen and elastin, while also delivering additional benefits based on your specific goals. We offer Thermage, SculpSure, and Morpheus8 microneedling as options to tighten skin, shrink stubborn fat, and create smoother, healthier skin. 

BBL

The BBL photofacial targets fine lines, sun spots, hyperpigmentation, superficial blood vessels, and more. This uses broadband light to target deep within your skin, removing damaged cells to create a more even and smoother complexion. This process also stimulates your body’s natural healing response, which increases collagen and elastin production. 

IPL

IPL works very similarly to BBL, but whereas BBL can target one or two issues deep within your dermis, or the deepest layer of your skin, IPL can target a wider variety of concerns within your epidermis, or the top layer of your skin. We typically provide IPL treatment for those who have more mild skin issues and BBL to those who are needing a more intense and targeted treatment. 

Laser Resurfacing 

Laser skin resurfacing is an exceptional aesthetic treatment that gently removes the uppermost layer of skin while heating the underlying layers. This stimulates the body’s natural healing response, increasing the collagen and elastin that is in your skin. This process focuses on correcting texture concerns like wrinkles, fine lines, scarring, and more. 

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are a minimally invasive treatment that uses a mixture of chemical compounds to peel away the top layer of your skin. This process removes dead and damaged skin cells and stimulates your body’s healing response, increasing collagen and elastin production. There are a wide variety of chemical peels available to target unique concerns, so you and your provider can talk to determine the best peel for you.  

Custom Facials

These facials use specific serums and products depending on your individual needs. While facials can be considered as a “once-in-a-blue-moon” luxury, we actually recommend receiving facials about once a month as part of your regular skincare in Philadelphia. This is because they deliver compound results over time, improving your skin’s health and appearance. 

Step 3 | Establishing an At-Home Routine

At About Face, we make caring for your skin simple, so we’ll break down the basic steps of what you should be doing for your skincare in Philadelphia:

Cleansing

The first goal of any skincare routine is to remove toxins and debris from your skin. The best way to do this is by first wetting your skin with lukewarm water, then using your fingers to apply a gentle, non-alcoholic cleanser to your skin. You gently rub the cleanser into your pores for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, avoiding the temptations to scrub, as this will irritate your skin. 

Once you are done, you rinse your face with lukewarm water and then pat your skin dry with a clean towel or washcloth. Make sure to limit the amount of time you wash your face to 2 times a day, as over-cleansing your skin can impact your skin’s health and cause you to develop dry skin. 

Toning

Toners are a water-based lotion or tonic that helps remove residual impurities in the skin after cleansing. While cleansing is a vital part of your skincare in Philadelphia, cleansers remove protective oils and proteins from your skin. Toners are used to increase the water content of your skin, which supports the absorption of products that will come after you apply your toner. 

However, while toners do not contain alcohol, they do contain ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, lactic acid, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid in moisturizers. These work to restore the pH balance of your skin, which will help you achieve and maintain a normal skin type. 

Moisturizing

There are 3 different kinds of moisturizers: occlusives, emollients, and humectants. 

• Occlusives work by creating a barrier over your skin, preventing water from evaporating and keeping your skin moist. 
• Emollients penetrate the skin and make it softer and more flexible, helping capture and maintain moisture in your skin. 
• Humectants are made of molecules that help keep water in the epidermis and increase the production of ceramides, which are molecules that prevent water evaporation from your skin. 

Most moisturizers have a mixture of all three, so you can receive the benefits of all their moisturizing methods, but all of them have one goal in mind: keeping the water in your skin!  

Treating Specific Concerns

Acne

On top of our popular in-house AviClear acne treatment, we also offer at-home products to help with your acne. There are many products available that you can include as part of your skincare in Philadelphia, but finding the right one depends on your needs. 

Some acne products target the acne-causing bacteria in your skin, while others may remove excess oil or speed up cellular regeneration. Other products try to accomplish all these goals. Our skin experts can help you find the best products based on your unique needs during your consultation. 

Redness

For redness, which may also be diagnosed as rosacea, you can apply specific creams or gels that constrict the superficial blood vessels within your face. These creams can address mild-to-moderate rosacea, but severe rosacea may need to be treated using prescription creams and possibly laser treatments. Our providers can help you determine the right course for your concerns. 

Wrinkles

The most common ingredients in wrinkle creams are retinoids, vitamin C, niacinamide, bakuchiol, tranexamic, and azelaic. All of these products work to brighten skin tone, deliver and maintain skin hydration, reverse sun and pollution damage, and increase collagen and elastin production. Products containing these ingredients can be helpful for your skincare in Philadelphia. 

Dark Spots/Sun Spots

When searching for products that treat sun spots or dark spots, you’ll want to look at options that contain ingredients like aloe vera, licorice extract, vitamin C, vitamin E, acetic acid, green tea extract, lactic acid, honey, glycolic acid, hydroxy acid, kojic acid, or deoxyarbutin. All of these work at lightening the skin and creating a brighter and more even tone. 

Dark Circles

There are many products and treatments that claim to correct dark circles, but you will want to look at products that specifically contain vitamin C, kojic acid, caffeine, and vitamin K. These products not only brighten skin, but the caffeine will help constrict the superficial blood vessels under your eyes, which will reduce the amount of darkness that appears within your skin. 

Dry Skin

Ointments and creams are better than lotions at treating dry skin. Our providers can share tips and tricks on how to change your lifestyle so you can find relief from dry skin, but there are products that can also help. For dry skin, look for products that contain ingredients like jojoba oil, dimethicone, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, lanolin, mineral oil, petrolatum, and shea butter. These products will be an essential part of your skincare in Philadelphia. 

Oily Skin

If you have oily skin, you’ll want products that are specifically listed as “oil-free” or “noncomedogenic.” These mean that the products will not clog your pores or cause acne. For your skincare in Philadelphia, we will most likely recommend products that contain ingredients like salicylic acid, retinoids, glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide. These will help regulate your sebum production to balance out the oil in your skin.  

Dullness

Dull skin is typically caused by slow cellular turnover, which leaves your pores congested and full of dead and damaged skin cells. What you will want are products that exfoliate your skin and increase collagen and elastin production. Retinoids typically do this the best, but you will need to speak to one of our skin experts to determine which of our offered products may work best to refresh your skin. 

Large Pores

Large pores are usually caused by excess sebum and dead skin cells, which can be treated by exfoliating your skin. When looking for products for your skincare in Philadelphia, you should look at ones that contain retinoids. You should also look at items labeled “oil-free” or “non-comedogenic”, as these products will not clog your pores moving forward. 

Not All Products Work Together

When combining certain products, especially retinoids and any acids, you will need to be careful as to which products you use together. Certain products react negatively to one another, so you may need to separate products between your morning and evening skincare routines. 

Products That Do Not Work Together

The Best Skincare Combos 

Niacinamide + Retinoids

Retinoids are known to be irritating to your skin since they can increase cellular turnover. However, pairing these products with niacinamide actually reduces the irritation to your skin, reduces the signs of aging, evens out skin tone, and improves acne. 

Vitamin C + Vitamin E

Both of these vitamins work to reverse the signs of aging and UV damage, but together, they multiply the benefits for your skin, doubling their antioxidant effects. 

Hyaluronic Acid + Retinoids

Hyaluronic acid is both hydrating and soothing, so it is known to work well with retinol and other retinoids, working against their irritating effects. 

Ferulic Acid + Vitamin C

Ferulic acid fights free radicals within your skin. When paired, ferulic acid extends the life of vitamin C and stabilizes its formula so it is less likely to evaporate before it can effectively improve your skin. 

Vitamin E + Sunscreen

Vitamin E works to increase the effects of your sunscreen and prevent UV damage. However, we do not recommend mixing these products together. For your morning skincare in Philadelphia, we suggest applying vitamin E first, and then making SPF the last step of your routine. 

Skincare Brands We Offer

At About Face, we understand that variety is important when curating your unique skincare routine. That is why we offer products from 3 different brands for your skincare in Philadelphia. Each one provides high-quality, medical-grade skincare products, but each one differs in how it accomplishes your skin goals. 

Colorescience

Colorescience products are designed to meet you wherever you are on your skin journey. Theri products use therapeutic ingredients to cleanse, hydrate, repair, strengthen, and protect your skin. Their products have been proven to deliver clinical results while using natural ingredients. 

SkinBetter

Established in 2016, this exceptional brand delivers biotech-based skincare. Their brand is based around 3 main values: scientific innovation, rigorous clinical studies, and a partnership with dermatologists and medical doctors. All of these values are the foundation of their work, creating best-in-class skincare solutions.  

Alastin

One of the most popular brands for skincare in Philadelphia, Alastin is one of the fastest-growing physician-dispensed skincare brands in the country. Founded in 2015, they provide a comprehensive collection of clinically proven products that deliver optimal results for your skincare routine. 

Discover Exceptional Skincare

No matter where you are in your skincare journey, our team at About Face Aesthetics can help you with every step of this skincare process, from discovering your skin type to curating a unique skincare routine that will deliver the results you need.

Our experts understand more than just skin—they also understand that every patient is unique, and that taking the time to understand your needs will help us deliver results and increase your confidence. Schedule a consultation with our experts today and take the first step towards creating healthier and happier skin.

Schedule a Consultation

The post Philadelphia’s Ultimate Guide to Skincare appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

We’ve talked about our options for laser treatments at About Face Aesthetics, but now we think it’s time to focus on why your skin might need laser resurfacing in Philadelphia.

What Causes Skin Damage

There are several environmental issues and personal choices that can affect the quality and health of your skin.

UV Damage

UV radiation is the most common damage our team sees. While you can get UV radiation anywhere on your body, most of our clients receive laser skin resurfacing for the skin on their face. UV radiation breaks down the elastin fibers in your skin, causing wrinkles, liver spots, freckles, and, in worst-case scenarios, skin cancer.

Laser skin resurfacing uses laser light to remove the damaged cells caused by UV radiation, and then heats the deeper layers of the skin to stimulate collagen and elastin production. This repairs the cellular structure of your skin, reversing wrinkles and creating a smoother, more even complexion.

Pollution

According to a 2020 study conducted by the American Lung Association, Philadelphia ranked as the 12th most polluted city in the nation for its year-round average levels of fine particle pollution and the 23rd most polluted for days with high levels of ozone smog.

That pollution does not just affect your lungs—it also affects your skin. According to the National Library of Medicine, your skin is one of the main targets of pollutants, which are able to reach the deeper layers of your skin by transcutaneous and systemic routes.

These pollutants are known to cause skin aging, as they remove moisture and nutrients from your skin and consistently expose it to toxins. This also causes inflammation, and, when exposed to pollution in high quantities for extended periods of time, could lead to the development of chronic skin diseases.

You can reverse the environmental impact on your skin with laser resurfacing. Philadelphia’s high pollution may damage the health of your skin, but laser skin resurfacing repairs your skin on a cellular level, increasing collagen and elastin production to create healthier, smoother skin overall.

Lifestyle

The issue that many of our clients overlook is how their lifestyle impacts their skin. Diet, exercise, and habits like smoking and drinking can all have an effect.

Smoking depletes your skin of the oxygen it needs to produce healthy skin cells, and alcohol dehydrates your body, depriving your skin of the water it needs. Meanwhile, an unbalanced diet and little to no exercise deprive your skin of the nutrients it needs for cellular regeneration.

While we always encourage you to improve your lifestyle at About Face, we can complement your life changes with laser resurfacing in Philadelphia. This will give your skin a fresh, new start, replacing old cells with new ones that you can properly care for by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and using skincare!

It’s Time to Love Your Skin

Schedule a consultation with our team today to learn more about laser skin resurfacing, and begin your journey towards healthier, happier skin!

Book a Consultation

The post Create Healthier, Happier Skin appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

The DiamondGlow™ Treatment

DiamondGlow™treatments are 100% customized to your skin type, condition, and concern.

The resurfacing treatment includes a four-step process that removes dry and damaged skin cells, thoroughly cleans your skin’s surface, extracts debris from pores, and then delivers active SkinMedica® serums deep into the skin for a smooth, hydrated, and healthy appearance.

At About Face, your skin will be dermaplaned beforehand to remove all dead skincells at the surface, which will allow for a more effective DiamondGlow session.

DiamondGlow’s unique technology is powered by a patented handpiece that incorporates exfoliating diamond-tipped treatment heads, pneumatic suction, and SkinMedica® Pro-Infusion serums. The treatment heads come in various levels of abrasiveness that your treatment provider will customize to suit your unique skin concerns. By eliminating the time between exfoliation and active serum application, the DiamondGlow™ treatment ensures optimal skin receptivity and retention.

DiamondGlow™ is a non-invasive treatment that is gentle and painless. With minimal downtime, you can return to your daily activities right after treatment. Your skin is mildly pink to red for about 1-2 hours after treatment. DiamondGlow™ is a great service to schedule prior to a social event!

How Can DiamondGlow™ Treat Acne?

DiamondGlow™ has a specific protocol to treat deeply congested skin and acne. First, a customized handpiece with a specially designed brush-head is used to remove surface debris and excess oil. Next, extractions are performed to remove blackheads and congestion from pores. Finally, skin is bathed in SkinMedica’s Pore Clarifying Pro-Infusion Serum. This highly active serum contains a soothing blend of plant and chamomile oil extracts, decongesting salicylic acid, and bacteria-killing oregano oil to improve all forms of acne.

What are the Benefits of DiamondGlow™ for Acne?

• Reduces oil production over time
• Clears active acne
• Reduces future breakouts
• Hydrates stressed, dehydrated skin
• Soothes irritation, and inflammation
• Extracts blackheads and pore congestion
• Kills surface bacteria that can lead to acne
• Removes dead skin cell build-up that can congest pores and lead to acne
• Improves the appearance of acne scarring over time

How Many DiamondGlow™ Treatments Will I Need to See an Improvement in My Acne?

DiamondGlow™ provides both immediate and long-term results for all skin types, including acne-prone skin. Your first treatment will deeply cleanse pores and immediately begin to clear any active breakouts. Regular treatments will regulate oil production, destroy acne-causing bacteria, soothe inflammation, and regulate cell proliferation to prevent clogged pores. Our treatment providers recommend bi-weekly or monthly treatments until the acne has cleared, and then scheduling a Pore Clarifying DiamondGlow™ treatment every 6 to 8 weeks to maintain your clear complexion.

Enhance your results further by using the acne-prone skincare products recommended to you by your provider!

The post Custom Acne Facials With DiamondGlow appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

The post PERFECT PEEL BURNING QUESTIONS appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

Here is a handy, dandy list of the Perfect Peel’s FAQs: 

Q: How does The Perfect Derma Peel compare to other peels?

The Perfect Derma Peel combines powerful ingredients with effective acids to deliver outstanding results after one treatment. This unique formula allows for an increase in lifting of fine lines and wrinkles as well as reducing hyperpigmentation including Melasma. The Perfect Derma Peel is a non-invasive, virtually painless treatment with only a few days of peeling.

Q: How many treatments are necessary for visible improvement?

After one treatment of The Perfect Derma Peel, overall skin tone and complexion will appear smooth, glowing and fresh. Depending on skin conditions, multiple treatments may be necessary for desired results. A series of 2-3 treatments applied once every 4 weeks will allow for optimal results for more severe skin conditions such as Melasma and active acne.

Q: How long will my results last?

As long as the skin is maintained with proper skin care products like The Perfect A, The Perfect C, and The Perfect Bleaching Cream the improved results will last. We recommend 2 – 4  treatments of The Perfect Derma Peel per year to sustain desired results for regular maintenance and rejuvenation.

Q: What skin types respond well to The Perfect Derma Peel?

The post So you want to know more about the Perfect Peel? appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

The Pumpkin Spice Facial includes all of your favorite pampering aspects; massage, extractions, etc., and is finished off with a universally benefical Pumpkin Peel that will leave your skin glowing (and smelling delicious).

Jack O’ Lanterns have good cause to smile.
Pumpkins are naturally loaded with all kinds of powerful, beautifying antioxidants and enzymes; allegedly containing over 100 beneficial nutrients!

Among those good-for-your-skin elements?

Vitamin A, Beta Crypthoxanthin, Beta and Alpha Carotenes, Lutein and Zeaxanthin. (Not sure what those antioxidants are? Don’t worry about it, all you need to know is that they are great for your skin!)

Not just desserts?
In addition to all those intrinsic pumpkin antioxidants, our Pumpkin Facial also has Alpha-Hydroxy and Salicylic Acid components, so while your face smells good enough to eat — your skin is actually getting a deep, thorough exfoliation.

Afterwards, skin will look brighter, feel smoother, and be better prepared for the seasonal changes still coming.

Hungry for more?
This zero-calorie delight will satiate even the most hard-core pumpkin fans, and your skin will look extra radiant for all upcoming holiday celebrations. It is easy to incorporate this pumpkin treat into one of our already decadent facial treatments.

Schedule yours today to look / feel / smell absolutely gourd-geous.

The post Pumpkin Spice Facial appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

Full Disclosure: Melody’s “About Face” Chemical Peel series is sponsored by About Face Skin Care, but the amazing results and my opinions are my own. #melodysaboutface

Sadly, my Chemical Peel Journey with About Face Skincare in Philadelphia has come to an end, for now.

As a woman of color, I always thought the procedures I could have done were limited.

This is possibly due to all the horror stories I’ve heard over the years of young women going into an office to have routine skin care procedures done only to walk out with discolored or burned skin.  Of course, when we hear these stories they’re usually the worst, played up for the added drama, but it was enough to make me want to stick with products I could apply in the comfort of my home.

Going into this chemical peel series I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the results are so mind blowing that I’m sorta bummed I hadn’t done this sooner. After just three chemical peels, my skin looks brand new, and when I say brand new I don’t mean a “new to me” new, but seriously, it looks like I just shed years of “living” and I’ve been given a new face to start off 2017. Overall my skin is brighter, more youthful looking, smoother, less oily, and my complexion is nice and even.

My after-peel experience was not as bad as the last one.

I did have some peeling shown in the photo below around my mouth, which is where I had a lot of peeling last time, but my skin didn’t feel too sensitive or show any signs of redness. This time I felt bold enough to actually put on makeup the following day after my peel. The past two times I’ve avoided this because I wanted to give my skin a break, but with it being the Holidays I wanted to at least look presentable at the many Christmas gatherings I was attending. One of my favorite skincare products to use after each peel has been my Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2. My skin feels so refreshed after I put it on.

As of 1/1/2017, I am still experiencing a bit of peeling around my mouth, but it’s not as much as after the initial peel. This is common and actually, a good sign because peeling reveals fresh skin.

Below is a picture of how my skin was peeling the first-day post peel.

THE RESULTS

I’m extremely happy with my results and I know for a fact that I will be scheduling another round of Chemical Peels in 2017.  

I still have some hyperpigmentation around my mouth area, but when I compare my before and after pictures I can see that my skin is beginning to even out. Seeing this is like a breath of fresh air and proof that chemical peels actually work. I’ve tried and spent tons of money on skincare this year, causing me to make VIB Rouge at Sephora again, but nothing I tried came close to the results I’m seeing after this peel series.

I can’t thank the staff at About Face Skincare Philadelphia enough for the amazing experience and my brand new look.

It’s always great when you work with providers that really care. Naomi Fenlin and Briana Potito (my treatment provider) taught me so much about my skin, it’s true needs, and have turned me into a die-hard sunscreen wearer. Even though my chemical peel journey has come to an end, I plan to visit About Face Skincare again, possibly for Kybella. 

Read how Chemical Peel One and Chemical Peel Two went.

The post Melody’s About Face Diary: Chemical Peel Three appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

I’m here to update you with my experience following my second SkinCeuticals Pigment Balancing Chemical Peel!

If you’re just stumbling onto this post, I’ve teamed with About Face Skin Care located in Center City Philadelphia to do a series of Chemical Peels. You can read all about that  (here) as well as check out my results after the first peel (here).

Two days before my second chemical peel I did a big NO NO.

Rushing to get ready one morning I used a Retinol with SPF-30, thinking it would be quicker to go for an all in one product opposed to using my usual Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Restore Moisturizer followed by their Physical Matte UV Defense SPF 50. It didn’t hit me until later that I was not supposed to be using any products with Retinol the week before my chemical peel!

Being an average human, I assumed this was okay and went to my scheduled appointment as planned. If you follow me on Instagram stories, you probably saw how excited I was for my second peel only to show up later explaining why I had to reschedule.

Before my chemical peel, Briana Potito (my treatment provider) asked me a series of questions to make sure things hadn’t changed in my health that could affect my skin. She also asked me if I’d been using any retinol and I told her about my slip up two days before. To err on the side of caution, she advised me it’d be best to reschedule so that it would be a week in between when I last used the Retinol.

A good reason for this is that using a Retinol in combination with a Chemical Peel could cause my skin to hyper-pigment and darken in unpredictable ways. This is the last thing either of us wanted on our quest to even out my skin tone and texture. This is why full-disclosure is always important when your healthcare providers ask questions!

Even though you may think the information is inconsequential, it could be important in ways you don’t know about! As soon as I got home, I put all my retinol products away in a drawer not wanting to take another chance of having a slip-up

Chemical Peel Treatment

My Chemical Peel ran smoothly, as it did before.

I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the spiciness, but Briana and I were able to chat about Thanksgiving and Black Friday to help take my mind off of sensation.

Once the peel was complete Briana pointed out that my skin looked good, although I did have some redness around my chin where my skin was probably a little more sensitive. (The skin around the mouth / chin is the driest part of the face due to the constant motion.) Again, this is a fairly quick procedure, so I was in and out of the office in less than 20 minutes and on my way to work!

As the day went on I started to experience the same tightness that I felt after my first chemical peel. Later in the evening, my skin did feel a bit tighter than before, but after washing my face for the night and applying moisturizer, it felt better.

Day 2 Following Peel:

The second day following the peel the redness on my chin was beginning to subside, but my skin didn’t feel “happy” possibly due to the peeling. (In addition to being my second peel, the weather has also gotten colder since my first go-round. It’s hard to pin-point the culprit behind the extra-dryness I was experiencing, but… it’s all part of the process.)

I was starting to peel a bit more in the areas mentioned on day one, especially on my nose. On the bright side, I was beginning to feel relief from the overall tightness.  Since my skin was feeling more sensitive, I was extremely diligent about my skincare routine, making sure to use a gentle face wash for both day and night and being a little bit more generous with the moisturizer and sunscreen.

By Day Three my skin felt better overall. The tightness was gone along with the redness that my husband swore never was there past Day 1. The peeling finally subsided by Day 7 and when I took a good look in the mirror I couldn’t help but smile back at myself because my skin looked so amazing! It was significantly brighter and appear youthful and supple. It was almost as if I was glowing. The texture of my skin also changed becoming smoother.

I did notice that the area around my chin is a bit splotchy with patches of darker skin surrounding the lighter area underneath my bottom lip. As I look back to photos from before the chemical peel, I noticed that that particular area had patches of lightness and darkness and it’s possible that the chemical peel is doing its job working to balance out the pigmentation of my skin.

Since results from the Skinceutical Pigment Balancing Peel are cumulative, I’m excited to see more changes as time goes on.

You can see I’ve included photos from before the peel as well as photos after peel two to keep track of the changes going on in my skin.

*There may be a variation in the coloring of my skin due to the lighting conditions when these pictures were taken. All pictures were taken in natural light in order to show the true condition of my skin.

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The post Melody’s About Face Diary: Chemical Peel Two appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

Full Disclosure: Melody’s “About Face” Chemical Peel series is sponsored by About Face Skin Care, but the amazing results and my opinions are my own. #melodysaboutface

You know how people start off the new year with that old saying “New Year, New Me”?

well, I may find myself saying that bit early now that my skin is starting to look so great. Last week I had my first of three SkinCeuticals Pigment Balancing Peels, and I’m here to give you an update on how it went and what I’ve been experiencing after the peel. If you missed my previous post where I shared why I was having chemical peels done you can check it out here!

Before the peel, I had a Q and A session with Naomi Fenlin, Owner of About Face Skin Care. She answered a bunch of the questions that I was getting from friends and readers about the peeling process, and I’d like to share everything here.

Q: What should I expect after this first peel?  

A: Immediately after, your skin is going to quickly look brighter because the peel ingredients lift off the discolored, surface skin-cells. The “peeling” happens skin-cell by skin-cell, so you shouldn’t have any downtime because there is no obvious “peeling” happening. The best results are attained after a series of treatments, so while you’ll see some improvement with this peel, the results will get better, and more noticeable with each session.

Q: Why is this peel a good peel for darker skin? 

A: This is a great peel for darker skin types because it goes deep enough to affect any areas that are discolored — but not deep enough to cause the skin to darken further in response to the peel (which is always the concern when treating darker skin types.

A: Yes, the Pigment Balancing Peel works beautifully at lifting off most hyper-pigmented, dark spots — including those coming from Acne.

The Actual Peel

Briana Potito was my treatment provider, and I knew I was in good hands because she also previously did my SkinCeuticals Facial.

Before the Peel Briana had me wash my face to remove any products that I currently had on my face, even though I knew I was having a chemical peel, I still made sure to apply moisturizer and sunscreen.

She then applied protectant around my lips and shields to protect my eyes in order to make sure that the most delicate parts of my face were protected.

The actual chemical peel lasted maybe all of 10 minutes.

I was warned that I would feel a tingly sensation once the peel was applied, but the actual feeling was quite surprising and reminded me of the day when I would have my hair chemically straightened. You know, like when you’ve told the stylist you haven’t been scratching because you really need your hair to be straightened and you pray it doesn’t burn too bad before it takes?

Yea it felt like that, but only immediately after the peel had been applied.

Briana was great and talked me through it, and after the peel application, she applied a therapeutic blast of cold air to the treated areas which helped to soothe the “spiciness” that I was feeling on my face.

She then neutralized the peel and about two minutes later we were all done making this a super quick in and out of office visit. I was advised to use a gentler face wash for the first week, and so I switched out my SkinCeuticals LHA Cleansing Gel for the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. I was also advised to be sure to continue to use sunscreen every single day.

After the Peel

Immediately after the peel, my face felt a bit tight, which is to be expected, and while that can be a bit uncomfortable there was literally no down time at all!

I was able to go straight to work after the peel.

The following day I had to tell myself to stop looking in the mirror, but even though I knew I wouldn’t see results immediately, I couldn’t help it. I honestly didn’t notice a difference in the appearance of my skin until Wednesday evening which was five days after treatment. I could tell there was a difference because this was the Wednesday following the election and I didn’t look like death warmed over, which is how I felt.

By Thursday, I could tell my skin was noticeably brighter and “healthier” looking.  I also noticed a slight texture change as the area around my chin was noticeably smoother.

After seeing these results from the first peel I’m over the moon excited to see what my skin will look like after the second peel since the results are cumulative and build on top of each other.

While the “spiciness” I felt during the peel was a bit uncomfortable I’m actually not dreading the feeling for my next peel as I now know what to expect. Seeing as the procedure only last about 10 minutes I can handle a small bit of discomfort for amazing results. I mean come on ladies we’ve gone through much worse to look fabulous!

Before and After Photos

In each post, I’ll include photos to help document my results. As I mentioned before results are cumulative and we’re one week post first peel. As time goes by I’ll start to see more changes.

Interested in learning more about chemical peels or maybe want to know more about other skincare procedures to help you look your best for the upcoming holiday season?
Be sure to check out About Face Skincare located at 1015 Chestnut St #1205 in Center City Pennsylvania and let them know I recommended you.

The post Melody’s About Face Diary: Chemical Peel One appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

The relentless scorching heat, coupled with the oppressive Philadelphia humidity, did not make me, nor my skin, happy whatsoever! Just walking outside for a few minutes was enough to cause me to produce more sweat than I knew my body was capable of (TMI?!) and it seemed like the more I tried to keep my face and skin out of the sun, the hotter and sweatier I became. (Hats and protective clothing did not mesh well with 99+ degree weather.)

As someone trying to maintain healthy skin — just walking to work in the morning became an obstacle course: how to get to the office without exposing my skin to the sun, and without getting drenched in sweat?

Playing leap-frog with the buildings in order to stay in the shade let me (mostly) keep my face protected from sun damage during my city walks, but the sweating unfortunately was unavoidable.

Due to months on end of this, it seemed like the blackheads were taking over my face — which was completely unacceptable.

I had to find a way to detox my skin from the quagmire occurring in my pores.

Kismet?
Around this exact same time, we brought in SkinCeuticals’ Clarifying Clay Masque.

• What?
  SkinCeutical’s Clarifying Clay Masque is a great pore-cleansing treatment you can administer to yourself, comfortably, in the sanctity of your own home.This masque combines the highest quality earth-clays, botanicals and minerals to help calm the skin; and a hydroxy-acid blend to gently exfoliate the skin.
• Why?
  Without causing your skin to feel overly dry (thanks to the soothing qualities of aloe and chamomile), the kaolin and Bentonite in the clay help to draw out oil and impurities from your pores, remove excess oils, and exfoliate your skin.After using this product, you should notice a reduction in break-outs, clogged pores, and oily-feeling skin.
• How to use?
  I simply apply a thin layer of the mask to my entire face, neck & d?colletage (you also have the option of using this to “spot-treat” too). Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes, rinse off. Enjoy!(For the most aggressive usage of this product, you can “mask” up to twice a week. Otherwise, you can use it whenever you feel like you need an at-home pore cleansing.)
• How much?
  You will likely need about a nickel-size dollop to cover your entire face. As you will see, you’ll get many, many uses from this jar.
  
• No, how much??
  Oh! You meant pricing?The cost of SkinCeutical’s Clarifying Clay Masque is $55 for a jar that is 2 fl. oz.
• Who should use this?
  This product is really the best for anyone with Normal, Oily, Combination or Acne Prone skin.
• What does it feel like?
  You apply this to your face (or desired area) and at first it feels cool and muddy. (In a good way.)As the mask dries, I experience a tightening sensation (that I like to think is from my pores getting smaller as the masque draws out the gunk inside) and it simultaneously makes my skin feel drier.Once it’s completely dried, your face will feel tight, and anytime you smile or make an exaggerated facial expression, you can really feel it.

  

• Best way to wash it off?
  Wow! What a great question!Although you can do the standard face-wash at your sink, I prefer to just jump in the shower*. This way, all of the product just washes away down the drain, and doesn’t get stuck in my hairline, or all over my towels.
  
  Once it’s all cleaned off and your face is dry — you will not believe HOW clean and smooth your skin feels. (And yes! If you’re like the average-user of this product, you will think your pores look smaller and clearer.)*Guys. There’s no picture to go along with this suggestion!
• When?
  Anytime you are experiencing congestion, you can use this! Morning, night, summer, winter, fall. Mondays, Sundays, or any other day in-between.I like to make the most of my sleeping time, so my preferred way to use this is to apply right before bed, let it dry for about 10-minutes, and then go to sleep. When I shower in the morning, my face feels as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
• Where?
  Although most people will use this masque on their face, you technically can use it anywhere you are experiencing clogged pores. Your shoulders, back, and decolletage are all areas that you can “clarify” with this product.Anyone who loves a good mask will receive the ultimate masking experience with our SkinCeuticals Clarifying Clay Masque.? A little bit goes a long way, less is more with this product. The easiest way to remove the mask is using the shower to rinse it off – you can avoid any messy cleanup this way!

With a combination of natural earth clays and a hydroxy acid blend it is guaranteed to clear your pores out. (This product is the definition of deep pore-cleansing & skin-refining, as it so accurately states on the packaging.)

I love this mask because you can feel AND see it’s benefits, almost immediately.

Also, I feel like I now know one of the reasons why Jared Leto is so pretty. Clearly he was utilizing SkinCeutical’s Clarifying Clay Masque to achieve his Joker look, while also beautifying his skin.

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