Whether you choose our team at About Face Aesthetics or another practice, here’s how you can gauge the best practices that offer facial fillers and discover which ones are right for you.

1) Check If They Have Options

While every practice may not publicly list their filler brands or formula choices, it’s important to ask your injector if they have multiple options. By having different options, they can cater to your specific needs and ensure that you achieve the best results possible.

Good practitioners will talk with you during your consultation and explain every filler option they have and why it may or may not be a good fit for you. This is also a good litmus test to get an idea of a provider’s experience level.

2) Ask If They Are Board-Certified

Injectables like fillers can cause a litany of aesthetic complications when administered by an inexperienced and uncertified injector. No matter where you get filler, make sure to check that your injector is board certified. If not, it can lead to even bigger health issues later down the line.

3) See Their Before & After Photos

When looking for facial fillers near you in Center City Philadelphia, it’s best to ask an injector to see their before and after photos. A good practitioner will have a lot of comparison photos showcasing their work. But take them with a grain of salt, since some practitioners can alter their photos to make it seem like their treatments deliver more dramatic results than they actually do.

4) Ask About The Timeline of Your Results

Many practitioners will say that you will see results immediately after getting fillers, and while this is true, it’s also a bit more complicated than that. Fillers will deliver an immediate lift to your features, but you can also experience mild swelling so that what you look like Day 1 post-treatment might vary from what you looked like leaving the office. T

he right practitioners will tell you when to expect your results to settle (this can vary from 2 to 4 weeks) and help to keep your expectations realistic and appropriate.

Find Your Filler

Finding the best injector or facial filler near you in Central City doesn’t have to be difficult. At About Face, we put you at the forefront of your care, ensuring you receive high-quality treatments in a safe and comfortable space. Find out if fillers are the right option for you by either using our virtual consultation tool, or schedule an in-person consultation with our experienced and certified providers.

Virtual Consultation Tool

Schedule a Consultation

The post How to Find the Best Fillers appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

Whether you’ve never gotten fillers or you’ve been going for years, here is what you’ll experience when you visit About Face.

1. You’ll Receive High-Quality Care

Our team at About Face is expertly trained to deliver high-quality and safe treatment. We undergo thorough training for injectables to ensure we can achieve subtle but noticeable results while still maintaining the highest levels of safety. We have also designed our treatment rooms to be comfortable and friendly, enhancing your beauty in a friendly and welcoming space.

2. We Make Your Goals Our Goals

Our provider treats every patient on an individual level. Whether you want to target under eye wrinkles, hollow cheeks, sagging skin, or any other aesthetic concern, our team will do everything they can to help you achieve your goals. They work closely with you to create a personalized plan that can include facial fillers, wrinkle relaxers, and other treatments to ensure you can feel confident and beautiful in your skin.

3. Honesty Is Our Best Policy

We’re not here to sell you a treatment you don’t need. We focus on educating our patients so they can make decisions about their treatments based on scientific studies and real results. We’ll let you know what treatments we think would work best for you, helping you find the right solutions to your concerns, but the final decision is always yours.

Explore Your Options

Still not sure about your treatment after reading our guide to dermal fillers? That’s okay—we can help you personalize your care to your needs. Find out if dermal fillers are right for you using our virtual consultation tool or by scheduling a consultation with one of our providers. Explore your options and discover the solution for your skin.

Virtual Consultation Tool

Schedule a Consultation

The post What You Can Expect When Getting Fillers at About Face appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

The post FAQ with Injector Lauren appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

You should know:

When making recommendations for your skin, the only products we’d ever recommend for you are ones that have been personally vetted and approved by the picky, sensitive, skin-obsessed team at About Face. The products offered to you are only ones that we have, would, and do use on ourselves.

However, out of the 75+ products that we carry — it is impossible (or at least, highly complicated) to use every single product, every single day.

After testing out mass quantities of skincare products (for every product that we like, there are probably 25x that were tried and we didn’t like), each About Face team-member has their own personal favorites.

Out of those favorites — everyone also has their own personal MUST HAVE. (You know — that one product that if we were stranded on a desert island, we’d have to have with us.)

Read on to find out Who Loves What, and Why.

Naomi’s MUST Have: Latisse Eyelash Growth Serum (to order this, please call us at 215-923-5001 or purchase in-office)

WHY: Grow Your Own, Natural Eyelashes (or Eyebrows) Longer, Darker, and Thicker!

“I cannot live without Latisse. I mean, I could, I just don’t want to…

Latisse is the one product that allows me to wake up every morning instantly feeling prettier and more put-together than I would otherwise. There is just something about longer, thicker eyelashes that’s inherently feminine.

Additionally — longer eyelashes have an overall anti-aging effect on the eyes and face — and who can’t benefit from that?”

Raelle’s MUST HAVE: Retin-Eye Cream

WHY: Fakes Appearance of a GREAT Night’s Sleep

“I love my baby, but he is NOT very considerate of his Mom’s work schedule. For now, restful nights with 8+ hours of sleep are nothing but a dream. However, thanks to Retin-Eye Cream — you’d never know that on most days I feel like a cast-member from ‘Walking Dead’. (I mean a Zombie, not Michonne.)

When I was growing-up, my mother also was in the skincare / beauty world. For my entire life she has encouraged me to use under-eye creams, and out of all the variations, brands, and formulations I’ve used throughout the years, Retin-Eye is my favorite. (I bet my mom wishes she had this product around when I was the source of her sleepless nights…)”

Briana’s MUST HAVE: SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic

WHY: Nourishes + Hydrates + Protects

“When asked about my pick for skincare ‘Must Have’ for this post, I didn’t even have to think — I knew in an instant which product was my ultimate-favorite-loveit-cannottlivewithoutit selection.

My skin is so delicate it’s annoying. Even the gentlest of products, intended for the most sensitive, or post-procedure skin, will somehow still irritate me. (#mood)

And yet.

I am OBSESSED with SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic serum. Even though it is primarily intended to be a prevention / maintenance product, I feel like it keeps my super-sensitive skin hydrated all day long. Since I’ve been using this, my skin feels brighter, glowier, and I love knowing that this award-winning antioxidant is helping prep my skin for future healthiness.

Hands-down, CE Ferulic is my favorite product.“

Becky’s MUST HAVE: SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore

WHY: Rich + Luxurious Moisturization. And Because, SCIENCE.

After a recent Fraxel treatment, I tried a sample of SkinCeutical’s brand-new Triple Lipid Restore to help soothe my toasty, thirsty, tight-feeling skin. (Yay for alliteration!)

Like any good drug, all it took was one try –? I was hooked.

At this point my skin has completely recovered from Fraxel, but my skin continues to just soak-up the luxurious, silky hydration that Triple Lipid Restore provides. Why? Because my skin obviously needs my moisture than I thought?! Instead of feeling dry and irritated (like my skin usually does this time of year) it instead feels so soft, looks plumper, and my pores appear smaller and more refined.

Initially I was worried that something so rich would clog my pores and make me break-out, but instead it’s the complete opposite — my skin is happy as a (silky-smooth) clam. Plus, SkinCeuticals developed this product to be a competitor to La Mer, the cult-favorite, ultra-luxe moisturizer of the glitterati. At a price-point that’s a fraction of La Mer, and hard-data and science to back-up it’s anti-aging, skin-beautifying capabilities, Triple Lipid Restore is the no-brainer choice between the two.

(Skin-Nerd Bonus: This can be applied before or after a nighttime Retinol to help curb any skin-wrath associated with retinol use.)

Nile’s MUST Have: Makeup Eraser

WHY: Thoroughly Cleanses + Exfoliates Skin, Makes Other Products Work Better

It doesn’t matter where I am; work, the gym, or a date — the Makeup Eraser makes it so that I am always psyched to go home and wash my face. Is that weird? Because like, I actually, literally, look forward to washing my face, regardless of how tired I am. There is just something immensely satisfying about wiping your face down with a warm, fuzzy, pink-blankie* and physically getting to see all of the gunk that’s being removed from my skin.

A huge plus is that in addition to wiping away every last speck of makeup and grime — thanks to the exfoliating aspect of the Makeup Eraser, I feel like my products (CE Ferulic, Sente BioComplete Serum, Triple Lipid Restore, etc.) appliedd afterwards are able to work better because they can absorb more easily into my skin.

My skin has never looked better, and yes — I think my little pink, face-blankie has a lot to do with it. 🙂

Bonus: This is a great way to wash away any eye-makeup without disturbing your Latisse results.

Nicole’s MUST Have: ProCure Bruise Remedy Gel

WHY: Medicine Cabinet Staple — Erases Bruises Like No Other

“No matter what skincare treatment you’re interested in — and frankly, with life in general — there is always the risk of a curve-ball. Whether it’s Botox, Lip Injections, or the corner of your bureau that you bang your big-toe into during a middle-of-the-night bathroom run — bruises and swelling can occur when you expect them… or not.

After working in healthcare for the past 20+ years, ProCure Bruise Remedy Gel is the first product that acts like a magic-eraser for bruises and soreness. (Bonus: The sponge-tip applicator helps keep everything neat, and makes it much more fun to apply.)

Kind of a like a security-blanket — it just makes me feel better to know that I always have ProCure Bruise Remedy in my medicine-cabinet. Along with the Band-Aids and Aleve, it’s a staple that I always want around.”

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The post SKIN-CARE MUST HAVES: What Are Your Experts Using? appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

You’re stuck on a tropical island and decide to open a new location of About Face. You can only have one kind of dermal-filler / skincare product / laser device to use in your office. Which ONE do you pick?

(It was really cute how long it took them to answer this question.)

We are all spoiled with the luxury of having multiple, specialized modalities to choose from for each individualized concern. We never have to rely on just one option as a fix-all for everything / everyone; and it was interesting to see the wheels turn as each expert considered the most universal benefit of their various tools. If they could only have access to ONE of their usual *Tools* – which would it be??

All three were very thoughtful and thorough in the rationale behind their final choices…

ONE SKINCARE PRODUCT

Raelle Levicke: Lead Aesthetician / Laser Provider

There are so many wonderful skincare products available, but you can only one while living on a tropical island? All day, every day?

“My pick HAS to be a sunscreen, and since there is just ONE product I need the sunscreen that packs the most benefit into one formulation – which would be our very own Porification Protect +.”

“Yes, it is a broad-range UVA/UVB sunscreen with SPF-50 that has no smell and has a creamy, soothing consistency, but it is so much more.” Raelle counts the ways this sunscreen is more than a suncreen using the fingers on her hand.

“It’s also a moisturizer.

It’s also is a great skincare product in general thanks to the antioxidants, vitamins and Green Tea in it.

It’s a generously sized bottle – this could be used all over the body for maximum protection and benefit.

I don’t know how much makeup my island-dwelling clientele will be wearing, but it is also a wonderful primer. (And the sheer-tint it provides helps give the skin an extra low-key, beautifying boost.)”

Despite having a vanity over-flowing with all kinds of skincare ointments and creams, when push comes to shove and Raelle has to pare back to ONE, universally beneficial, beloved skincare product, she is confident in her choice.

“Safe for women, men and children, out of our product arsenal – Porification Protect is hands-down my desert island pick.”

{ More About Porification Protect }

ONE DERMAL-FILLER

Nicole Ciasullo: Aesthetic Nurse Injector

“Just one kind of dermal filler?!”

“Yes Nicole, you’re on a tropical island and you have to pick ONE.”

At long last (if you knew how fast Nicole’s brain works, you would appreciate what a big deal it was that it took her a few minutes to ponder this hypothetical question), Nicole made her decision.

“Restylane Lyft.”

Everyone who is worried about anti-aging prevention / maintenance can benefit from the lifting of the mid-face. Once that area is taken care of, Lyft can be manipulated to work for other popular treatment-areas like lips, chin or under-eyes,

It’s a hearty, safe, elegant and long-lasting product, and I would  be able to confidently and comfortably accomplish the most good for the most people with Lyft.

Out of all the fillers in my arsenal, Lyft is the sturdiest and has the best ability to lift and volumize the face. It’s a robust formulation that provides results for about a year, and people love their results. I want to make people happy — this product allows me to do that, time and time again.”

{ More About Lyft }

ONE LASER DEVICE

Naomi Fenlin: Owner of About Face Skin Care

Before bringing in a new device to About Face, Naomi invests a tremendous amount of time and resources into researching, testing, and selecting the best technology for her patients’ needs.

After all of the work that goes into making a final-decision on a device — asking Naomi to pick just one of them is akin to asking her to pick a favorite child, she loves them dearly for each of their unique attributes.

It seemed a little painful for her to single out one laser-device, but ultimately Naomi made her choice: the Candela GentleMax Pro.

“Everyone – especially when running around in bathing-suits all day on this hypothetical island situation – has areas of body hair they don’t want. The Candela can safely and quickly and comfortably treat every zone of hair, for every skin-type.”

A true work-horse, in addition to permanently zapping away unwanted hair, the Candela also treats sun-damage (can’t decide if this would be a wonderful, or futile, function on our made-up island?) and clears vascular issues like Rosacea. For one device, it includes a lot of very valuable and useful modalities.

Although Naomi deeply loves all of her children lasers, the Candela GentleMax was Naomi’s final pick for the ONE device that would make the most people happy. (Don’t worry Naomi, we’ll [probably] never torture you with this question again!)

{ More About Candela GentleMax Pro }

The post The Classic Desert Island Question… appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

Lauren! You have the unique situation of first starting your relationship with About Face as a patient. Why did you decide to work here?    

I’m not being biased, and I’m not blowing smoke. As a patient I just loved my About Face visits! Everyone is so welcoming and knowledgeable and happy, I felt like I would fit in perfectly with the About Face team. (Plus, who doesn’t want to hang out with Sprout? He’s a great at-work substitute for my dog, Flynn.)

Was it weird at all to go from the person sitting in the treatment-chair, to the person administering the treatments?

Not at all! If anything, being a patient first was actually really helpful! Before I came to About Face for my own injections, I had been other places too. My past experiences as the patient-in-the-chair helped me better understand how a person feels, how they can perceive what the injector says and does, and overall it made me much more empathetic to my patients’ needs.

Why are you interested in skin care / cosmetic injections?

My passion for skin care started when I was a teenager with acne. It was then that I learned how to take care of my skin. As I grew older I became interested in cosmetics and worked at a cosmetics counter in a department store. From there that I quickly realized how important skin care is to having beautiful, healthy skin.

In an ideal world, you want your face to be a clean and healthy canvas before you apply make-up. Lasers, cosmetic injections, good skin care products, etc., are the tools we have to make that canvas as nice as possible so that makeup can just be an optional icing on the cake.

When people find out you are a cosmetic injector, what are the most frequent questions you get?

It’s funny, in Philadelphia people are on the secretive-side about their beauty regimens. However, as soon as they find out what I do — they always want to talk lips, cheeks and Botox.

Interestingly, one of the most frequent questions I get from the total injection-newbie is “what is the difference between Botox and dermal-fillers?”

If you’re totally innocent to the injection world, this answer is for you: Neurotoxins such as Botox and Dysport, are used to quiet down facial muscle-movement so that the skin can lay smoothly, eliminating lines and wrinkles. These treatments are usually done on the forehead, but there are a million other clever uses for Botox / Dysport. Dermal-Filler injections are used to add / replace volume. Lips, cheeks, and temples are popular areas for filler treatment.

At one point you were a visual-merchandiser for a retail store. Are there any helpful skills from that experience that lend themselves to the skincare / beauty industry?

The concept of symmetry and balance is key in visual merchandising and in the beauty industry. A retail display that is symmetrical is simple and pleasing to the eye, just as is a face that is symmetric. When you merchandise a store you want to look at the store as a whole; each section has to complement the next. This is also the same with the face; you want to make sure that you look at the face as a whole. For example, when a patient talks about volume loss in the lower-face, you want to make sure that you also assess all of the other areas of the face; upper, middle, and lower face, so that the overall results look as cohesive, natural and flattering as possible.

Do your male patients have different aesthetic goals from your female patients?

Most male patients (like female patients) want to look like a better version of themselves; more youthful, well-rested, etc. To me, the biggest difference between male and female patients is the differing face-shapes. Both genders can vary in terms of how specific or drastic they want their results to be, but female patients usually want to have their curves back (volume in their cheeks and lips) whereas men want to have a more chiseled, masculine look.

Botox or Dysport?

Both products are the same neurotoxin – botulism toxin type A. The biggest difference is really in the brand-name. Most people are familiar with Botox because of it’s extensive marketing in the United States. Both Botox and Dysport are quality products though. I would recommend that clients try both products at some point to see what works best for them. Personally, I don’t have a preference, I’ve been very happy and satisfied with the results both products deliver.

Even though cosmetic injections are SO prevalent and popular, there is still a stigma around them. Why do you think that is?

The media tends to focus on images of celebrities who abuse and overuse the cosmetic procedures at their disposal, resulting in an unflattering, unhuman, “fake” appearance. The average person can’t tell the difference by looking at someone, if what they are seeing is the result of a bad CO2 laser, an overly aggressive facelift, or overdone injections. All of these modalities have their niche, but cosmetic procedures should should be like a toupee – good ones are so natural looking it appears completely organic to the person!

Hypothetically, what do you think is the most intriguing / creative / unexpected use of a filler or neurotoxin?

Hypothetically, I love hearing about new ways people can benefit from these products beyond their initial, original use. Kybella is especially interesting right now, I have heard that researchers are testing it’s use for fat-melting on various other body parts.

What do you do when a patient requests something that they don’t need, or will be unflattering?

Educate!

Often, patients simply do not know exactly what treatments are right for them to achieve their desired outcomes. By explaining / teaching how the muscles work, the aging process, what facial ratios should be, and looking at the face as a whole, it is easy to change the way patients view themselves, and adjust their initial treatment desires.

If you won the lottery tomorrow and got a bazillion dollars, what would make you still excited and motivated to get out of bed every morning?

People! The chance to make a positive impact on someone’s life.

Everyone needs a purpose in life no matter how much money one has. Loving what you do is key. I gave up a successful career in fashion/retail because I wasn’t personally fulfilled. Now as a nurse, I wake up every day looking forward to going to “work” and seeing my patients.

For all of the injection nay-sayers, what say you?

To each their own. Injections aren’t for everyone, but for those looking for a way to a slow down the aging process and/or achieve their aesthetic goals without surgery and minimal downtime, injections are definitely the way to go.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about cosmetic injections?

I hear people say that they don’t want something “foreign” injected into their face. Most fillers are made up of hyaluronic acid, which is a substance that naturally occurs in the body. In addition, this is most fillers do not last forever and are eventually broken down and reabsorbed into the body.

The post Meet Lauren! appeared first on About Face Aesthetics.

Hi Kellie! Welcome to Philadelphia!

1. It must be quite a change to work in Philly after Beverly Hills, but to begin with, what’s your favorite part in general about working in the aesthetics industry? 

I. Love. My. Job. It is such a joy to be able to empower others by increasing their sense of confidence, and I love the artistic /aesthetic challenge that each person presents for me.

Blending medicine and art is my passion. No person or face are ever the same, so this is the best combination for me — I get to make other people happy, while satisfying the creative outlet and challenges my own soul needs to be satisfied.  I know it sounds cheesy, but treating patients doesn’t feel like “work” because I enjoy it so much.

Being an injectable-trainer is also very fulfilling because I learn more and more about the treatments, products, and personal interactions as I see how other injectors absorb and process the training information. Additionally, teaching about injections forces me to always strive for more advanced-education for myself so that I can always be confident in the knowledge that I am sharing to my professional peers, and my patients.

2. What is your favorite treatment to do, and why? 

I absolutely love injecting dermal-filler. For the same reason patients love it, I love it — with filler you get immediate gratification, and I live for the happiness patients get when they see their results. (Their happiness is everything!)  I also love the artistry filler-injections allow me, any type of injectable treatment presents a creative opportunity to create a safe, effective, flattering way to help others attain their beauty goals.
3. Be honest, when (you’re not at work and) you look at people — are you just imagining what you can do to them in your head?

Honestly, it depends on the person. If I randomly meet someone who has an extreme-situation that could be corrected with injections — I kind of can’t help but to (secretly) muse over the options I’d pursue if they were my patient.

It also depends on what products are top-of-mind. When Kybella or Voluma were first launched, and everyone was going crazy over them, I couldn’t help myself but to gauge everyone’s jaw-line and cheek-curvature.

Normally though? If I’m out-and-about meeting new people, as long as there aren’t any physical extremes staring back at me — I just take the person as they are and leave my injecting-thoughts on the back-burner.

4. When you look at Kylie Jenner, you think….?

…. If she is happy, than I’m happy for her. Each person has their own individual look they want to achieve, and she seems like she is fully owning and loving hers.

5. Lips are obviously the current injection-obsession. Any predictions about what injection trend may be next? 

Personally, I think that lips will always be popular, which is fine by me because that’s one of my favorite injections to do.

However, I also think we are only at the tip of the iceberg in learning what Kybella injections can accomplish. In addition to improving someone’s overall facial-appearance by slimming the jaw-line and eliminating a double-chin, it’s exciting to hear whispers about the additional applications of a fat-melting / skin-tightening injectable…

6. What was the craziest / funniest story that happened to you in celeb-populated LA?

I don’t kiss — or inject — and tell. 🙂

7. Are there big differences between Philadelphia aesthetics and Los Angeles?

Yes and no.

In LA, it’s a given that everyone is doing something, and out there people talk about Botox and Juvederm in the same breath they mention Yoga and daycare.

In Philadelphia however, even though almost everyone is doing something, it’s much more hush-hush and secretive.

Ironically though, despite Philadelphia being a more conservative city when it comes to everyday aesthetic conversations —  the desired results are the same on both coasts. (Despite what you might think, the majority of people in both cities truly want natural-looking, flattering improvements.)
8. What is the #1 thing you miss the most about California? 

Rollerblading and playing volleyball at the beach! (It’s like this answer was written by the Californian tourism committee, but it’s true!)

9. What was the most amount of product you went through on your craziest LA day? 

A group of women flew in from Dubai, just for their aesthetic treatments! It was a whirlwind of a day, we started at 6am and finished at 11pm. When all was said and done, we had gone through about 30 syringes of Voluma, 50 syringes of Juvederm, and 20 vials of Botox, and everyone also had laser treatments! Crazy, crazy day, and I loved every minute of it!
10. What were your initial thoughts about Philadelphia? Has your impression changed since you’ve been here? 

At first I was intimidated to move here — I thought that people would be more reserved and harder to get to know here versus California — but I’ve been pleasantly surprised! The Philadelphians I’ve met so far have all been extremely warm and welcoming.

I also love all of the history surrounding this city, and while I’m still new to Philly I feel like almost like a tourist — I’ve been trying to take advantage of all of the museums and major sight-seeing spots.

11. Describe your dream day. 

I wake-up early, work out, do something outdoors with friends, and then maybe go to a museum or explore a new part of the East Coast!  (I’m dying to check-out New England, and next on my travel-list is Maple Syrup Tasting and hiking in Vermont.

12. Favorite LA food?

Sushi from Katana and Mastro’s butter-cake in Beverly Hills.

13. Favorite Philly food?

Ohhh, that might be the hardest question here? Pat’s cheese-steaks are obviously great, but I also really loved all of the food at Zahav!

14. You’re stranded on a desert island. What 3x things (beauty or otherwise) do you HAVE to take with you? 

A lifetime supple of AquaHydrate water — the body must be hydrated to be beautiful! Mascara and SPF-50 sunscreen are also must-haves.

15. Describe your aesthetic in 3 words:

Natural, artful, beautiful.

16. If you won the gazillion dollar lottery tomorrow, what would you do?

I would start a program to fund underrepresented populations gain health-care and education. I would also buy my parents a house, of course!

17. Cats or dogs? (Sprout wants to know.) 

Dogs, of course! My family owns 2 rescue dogs and I plan on adopting one of my own in the next year. 🙂

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One of the perk?s of this job is the easy access to all the latest and greatest skincare products IN THE WORLD. Bwahahahahahah.

I?m exaggerating, but we really are exposed to A LOT?

If the reps aren?t stopping by and dropping off samples proactively, all it takes is a quick phone-call or email to secure a bottle of almost any skincare product you can imagine. Like I said, for a skincareophile this is definitely a perk, but all product sampling is done for the greater good. (We?re basically martyrs.)

Before we can bring in something new to offer to our patients, we have to try it out internally and make sure that a.) it actually IS a good product, and b.) it?s something that would benefit our patients? most common skin concerns. We only exist because of our patients, and we gotta do good by them every day. Part of that means sending them home with the highest-quality skin care products to take care of their skin when we?re not around.

Throughout all of this work-place product dabbling, I am also a subscriber to Birchbox, Meme Box (all Korean brands!) Charm Box, Ipsy, and I think one or two other beauty-subscription services. Needless to say, I?ve gotten to try LOTS of products. (My bathroom and dresser look like an exotic Sephora explosion.)

With access to multitudes of every specialty product, I thought it may be interesting to reveal the products I actually end up converting to. I?m pretty much game to try just about anything, but unless I see results I like, I?m not apt to continue usage.

As a 33-year old woman working in the skin care biz, I take pride in keeping my skin as healthy as possible. Obviously I delight in the oooh?s and ahhhh?s I get when I reveal my age to people. Even though they might be just being nice (although why is it that saying someone looks younger than their age considered a compliment? Remember when you were a kid and you?d swell with pride if some adult thought you looked older than you were? At what age exactly does that change, and it becomes offensive to look like your chronological age? Beauty psychology is so weird, but I digress…) I love it anyway and chalk it up to my religious sunscreen and retinol usage.*

ALSO ? for the sake of the business I feel like I kind of HAVE to keep everything in check. NO patient wants to get skincare advice / treatments / products from someone with fucacta skin. If my skin were anything less than perfect, it?d be terrible advertising for our capabilities. (That?s why I HAVE to get my filler and Botox and Latisse. Yup! Nothing to do with vanity AT ALL.)

So, anyway, in addition to regular Botox (or Dysport or Xeomin, I can?t really tell a difference between the three, so when I?m due I?ll just get whatever is open and ready) and dermal-fillers (again, I?m not too picky about brands, and I?ve had Juvederm, Radiesse, Perlane and Restylane, however I am kinda loving my Voluma boost) whenever I need them, I do the following for my skin daily:

Morning Skin Care

If I were a super-hero, mornings (and the Sun?) would be my arch-nemesis. No matter what I do, there is never enough time to accomplish everything I want, and yet somehow I always try to squeeze-in ambitious AM endeavors. (What better time to organize my lip glosses than when I?m racing the clock to get out the door? Dog needs grooming? Boyfriend wants pancakes? My morning time-management is off-the-charts terrible, and yet instead of stream-lining my morning maintenance — which would be the smart tactic — ?I just add on more and more getting-ready components.

Anyway, shall we?

Step 1: Washing

The first-step is always the face-wash. Depending on how grimy I feel — or the season — I vacillate between two cleansers. For a deeper cleaning (or if it?s warm outside) I use the Porification Face Wash. With 10% Glycolic and 2% Salicylic Acid, my face feels clean enough to eat off of after washing and break-outs are kept far, far away. For ho-hum, everyday winter washings I am loving SkinMedica?s AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. With alpha and beta-hydroxy acids, and scrubbing beads, this feels good and still prevents me from breaking out.

Step 2: Anti-aging

After washing and drying my face, I quickly apply some Sente Dermal Repair Cream, preferably while my face is still slightly moist from washing. The Sente cream is my anti-aging, moisturizing step, and has ingredients that act as draw-bridge between the surface of the skin and the deepest dermal layers. In my head, this makes me feel like Sente makes my other products work more efficiently, and is always the first thing I put on my face. Pretty packaging, no scent, and feels great.

Step 3: Preventative

Once the Sente dries, it?s antioxidant time. Currently I?m using SkinMedica?s AHA/BHA Cream, a brightening, exfoliating, antioxidant-rich preventative cream. This tingles slightly when I put it on -? which signals to me that it?s obviously working. (This is NOT a good rule of thumb! Pain and discomfort are not good indicators of improvement, but this is truthfully just the way my crazy brain thinks.)

Step 4: Latisse for my lashes + brows

Somewhere around here I?m applying my Latisse. My newest Latisse trick is that once I?m done lining my lashes with the growth-enhancing serum, I run the brush through my eyebrows a couple of times so that my brows can benefit from any excess serum. (With Raelle around to keep my brows in perfect formation — and she does — I figure it can?t hurt to have them extra thick and bountiful.)

Step 5: Sun Protection

The final step to my morning routine is possibly the most important. As a sunscreen obsessive, I cannot walk out the door without coating my entire face in a healthy slathering of SPF-50. My go-to for years now has been our Porification Protect SPF-50. (The plus-sign is supposed to denote all the extra good stuff in the product; universal tint, antioxidants, Green Tea, caffeine, Vitamins A, C and E, and works beautifully as a makeup primer.) This sunscreen doesn?t feel or smell like sunscreen, it doesn?t make me look greasy, ever, and it doesn?t give that weird white-cast in photographs. Oh, and it also is a chemical and physical block from those freakin? terrible UVA and UVB rays!

Lately I?ve been mixing 1-squirt of Dr. Jart?s Beauty Balm (with SPF-45) into my sunscreen. I mix it on the back of my hand and then apply to my face. I feel like the Dr. Jarts makes my skin look extra glowy, but if I touch my face it doesn?t feel like I have makeup on. Mixing an SPF-45 with an SPF-50 still provides me ample protection, and I like that the BB cream also has vitamins and other healthy stuff in it.

Step 6: Photoshop my under-eyes with Instantly Ageless Cream

If something special is happening that day, or I?m looking especially tired, I?ll throw on some OMG Instantly Ageless cream underneath my eyes. If you watch the videos or read the reviews, you?ll probably be as skeptical as I was? until I saw it?s capabilities first-hand. Now, I?m a devotee, and even though I don?t have serious concerns about my under-eye area, this product makes me look photo-shopped in real life. (This works best when applied to moisturized skin. Makeup can either go on before or after, but I feel like I don?t even need cover-up when I use this. Since I knew my picture was going to be taken for this post and then released to the interwebs, I ABSOLUTELY have it on in the picture of me here.)

Step 7: Makeup Application

My skin is in good enough shape that I don?t really need to wear any cover-up or foundation. My makeup routine usually consists of a smudgy brown Laura Mercier kohl pencil, Maybelline mascara, and bronzer. Depending on my mood this line-up can change, but on an average day, this is what is on? my grill.

In Conclusion: Damn, girl! I do A LOT of things in the morning!

This write-up doesn?t even include the other necessities of morning preparation; teeth brushing, hair brushing, deodorant, etc., but it does summarize everything that is happening with my skin.

Apparently once I get started on my favorite topic (??.skin!), I can be quite verbose. Since my morning routine alone has turned into quite the lengthy post, for the sake of your likely tired eyeballs I?ll save my night-time routine for a follow-up post.

Any questions ? please don?t hesitate to ask. I want everyone to have the confidence that comes with pretty skin, and I?m happy to share any and all information that resides in my mental skincare database.

*Another one of my FAVORITE compliments that helps spur my skincare diligence?? I LOVE it when people frequently assume that my baby-sister is the eldest. Yes, she does have 2 kids (I have none) and a big ass Louis Vuitton bag (which somehow symbolizes suburban mom-hood), but I tell myself people think she?s older than me based 100% on the fact that my skin looks so youthful, fresh and pale. (And until proven otherwise, that is what I?m going to continue to tell myself!)

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