Your Pro Primer To A Flawless Face
Though their workspaces feature calming tones and the soothing sounds of Enya instead of fancy framed degrees, aestheticians boast an astonishing wealth of knowledge about skin care. Sure, many don’t have medical training (though in Romania, for example, the training for aestheticians is extremely rigorous) and they can’t prescribe acne medications. But aestheticians can help you maintain skin health by performing deep-cleansing facials and exfoliation treatments, as well as extracting pore blockages.
A skilled aesthetician will work with you to customize a program on how to properly care for your skin at home. Here, we talked to some of the best skin savants in the business about application tricks, key ingredients, and what they’re slathering on their respective mugs day and night.
Carla Watts, ISpa lead aesthetician at the Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie
The Art Of Application
Watts prefers to wash with either a face brush (like the Clarisonic) or even a washcloth for gentle exfoliation. As for lotions and potions: "Be sure to always apply and massage in an upward motion," Watts advises. "We don’t want to drag our skin down, since our friend gravity already does that for us."
Product Picks
Watts’ favorites? La Prairie White Caviar Illuminating Serum, "which helps with hyperpigmentation and brightens the skin instantly," and Cellular Microdermabrasion Cream, which polishes the skin evenly and smooths out fine lines instantly. "You can use it as a full-body exfoliant as well," explains Watts. Also, Philosophy's Purity Made Simple Cleanser: "It gently cleanses and removes waterproof eye makeup."
Ingredient Spy
Watts advises those with oily skin to look for products that contains glycolic acid, alpha hydroxy acid, and beta hydroxy acid. "Glycolic acid is an AHA used for peels that helps improve the skin's texture and overall appearance," she says. "La Prairie’s Cellular 3-Minute Peel is a convenient way to get an instant exfoliant that will make you look like you spent hours at the spa." Sporting some Sahara skin? "Use a product with emollients — lactic acid, shea butter, or lanolin," advises Watts. "They strengthen skin’s protective barrier, allowing better moisture retention."
Skin-Care Philosophy
"Women (and some men) will spend thousands on a purse or shoes that will inevitably go out of style, but skin care over $100 makes us run the other way," says Watts. "Our face is the first thing people notice about us, so invest in it!"
Watts’ Own Skin-Care Regimen
Daily, Watts does what she tells her clients to: cleanse, tone, apply a serum, use an eye cream, and moisturize AM and PM. "I always wear a moisturizer with an SPF during the day — and I never forget about my neck and décolleté," says Watts. She indulges in an anti-aging facial once a month with glycolic acid to help exfoliate and minimize hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Philosophy Purity Made Simple, $20, available at Sephora; La Prairie White Caviar Illuminating Serum, $470, available at La Prairie; Clarisonic Classic Sonic Skin Cleansing System, $195, available at Clarisonic.
Photo: Maria Valentino/ MCV Photo; Via Philosophy, La Prairie, Clarisonic
A skilled aesthetician will work with you to customize a program on how to properly care for your skin at home. Here, we talked to some of the best skin savants in the business about application tricks, key ingredients, and what they’re slathering on their respective mugs day and night.
Carla Watts, ISpa lead aesthetician at the Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie
The Art Of Application
Watts prefers to wash with either a face brush (like the Clarisonic) or even a washcloth for gentle exfoliation. As for lotions and potions: "Be sure to always apply and massage in an upward motion," Watts advises. "We don’t want to drag our skin down, since our friend gravity already does that for us."
Product Picks
Watts’ favorites? La Prairie White Caviar Illuminating Serum, "which helps with hyperpigmentation and brightens the skin instantly," and Cellular Microdermabrasion Cream, which polishes the skin evenly and smooths out fine lines instantly. "You can use it as a full-body exfoliant as well," explains Watts. Also, Philosophy's Purity Made Simple Cleanser: "It gently cleanses and removes waterproof eye makeup."
Ingredient Spy
Watts advises those with oily skin to look for products that contains glycolic acid, alpha hydroxy acid, and beta hydroxy acid. "Glycolic acid is an AHA used for peels that helps improve the skin's texture and overall appearance," she says. "La Prairie’s Cellular 3-Minute Peel is a convenient way to get an instant exfoliant that will make you look like you spent hours at the spa." Sporting some Sahara skin? "Use a product with emollients — lactic acid, shea butter, or lanolin," advises Watts. "They strengthen skin’s protective barrier, allowing better moisture retention."
Skin-Care Philosophy
"Women (and some men) will spend thousands on a purse or shoes that will inevitably go out of style, but skin care over $100 makes us run the other way," says Watts. "Our face is the first thing people notice about us, so invest in it!"
Watts’ Own Skin-Care Regimen
Daily, Watts does what she tells her clients to: cleanse, tone, apply a serum, use an eye cream, and moisturize AM and PM. "I always wear a moisturizer with an SPF during the day — and I never forget about my neck and décolleté," says Watts. She indulges in an anti-aging facial once a month with glycolic acid to help exfoliate and minimize hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Philosophy Purity Made Simple, $20, available at Sephora; La Prairie White Caviar Illuminating Serum, $470, available at La Prairie; Clarisonic Classic Sonic Skin Cleansing System, $195, available at Clarisonic.
Photo: Maria Valentino/ MCV Photo; Via Philosophy, La Prairie, Clarisonic
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