Skin Care 102: The Extras

Now that we’ve covered the bare-bones basics of skin care, there are two steps you’ll want to add to your Basic 1-2-3 program on a weekly or bi-weekly basis that are important for maintaining healthy, problem-free skin. Although they are “extras”, they are essential. Exfoliating removes the dead cell buildup on your face and leaves your skin soft and smooth. A clay mask deep cleans the pores and soothes the skin. The Basics are your daily maintenance. These Extras can take your skin one step closer to being its best.

Exfoliating

• The removal of these dead cells is called exfoliation. It allows the younger, newer cells to come up to the surface, making the skin feel softer and look brighter. Exfoliating on a regular basis is one of the most important things you can do for your skin.
• You should exfoliate at least once a week. The more you exfoliate, the smoother and healthier your skin will look and feel.
• Basically just follow the directions given for the product you are using. Always exfoliate your face as well as your neck. I always exfoliate the top of my hands as well. When you’re applying a scrub, you want to use light, circular movements — never aplying too much pressure, pulling or digging into the skin. Scrubs always need to be used on wet-damp skin.

Clay Masking

• A clay mask is a deep-cleansing treatment for your pores. It is a mixture of different clays in an emollient or creamy base. Clay is stimulating and calming, as well as deep cleansing. It is good for all skin types and can even be used on sensitive and irritated skin. After using a clay mask, your face should be very clean, and the surface should be clear with a healthy glow.
• There are several common names for clay you will see in a mask ingredient list: kaolin, bentonite, French clay, China clay, green clay, and others. When looking for a clay mask, you want to make sure clay is one of the first three ingredients especially since ingredients are listed by weight.
• Contrary to popular belief, never let clay dry on your face. It’s like taking one step forward, two steps back; it will dry out the surface of your skin. On clean dry skin, apply a think layer of mask over your entire face, avoiding the eye area. Thick layer means thick enough that you can’t see your skin underneath. Unless your neck is broken out, you don’t need to apply clay there. Instead apply a thick layer of your moisturizer to your neck in this treatment.
• You want to keep the clay mask moist the entire time it’s on your face. When you start to feel your mask starting to dry, grab your bottle and spray your face thoroughly with water (it should be moist and not dripping). During the 15 minutes you have the mask on, you will probably spray 3 to 4 times — whatever it takes to keep the clay moist.
• If you don’t have 15 minutes but you really need to apply a mask, keep it on for 5 to 10 minutes. Using it even for short amounts of time is better than not using it at all. After your time is up, rinse the clay off with lukewarm water, pat your skin dry, use your toner, and moisturizer along with eye cream. When it comes time to rinse the mask off, you’ll be glad you kept it moist. Trust me, a dried-on, hardened clay mask is very difficult to remove.

Tips

• Don’t use scrubs as your cleanser. They don’t have the ingredients to break down oil and dirt like a cleanser does.
• Exfoliating prior to a special occasion has a twofold benefit for your skin. Not only will it will exfoliate dead cells, making your skin’s surface smoother and helping your makeup go on better, it also stimulates circulation, making your skin luminous.
• Using your facial scrub in the shower helps to lessen the mess when it comes time to rinse your face.
• If you are a bath-taking person, put the clay on your clean, dry face, then grab your spray bottle, hop into the tub, relax, enjoy, and every so often spray your face. I don’t recommend splashing the bathwater on your face as it could really irritate your skin.
• If you’re a shower-taking person, apply your clay mask after brushing your teeth. Jump into the shower, and the mask will stay moist from the steam. Rinse it off at the end of your shower, then use your toner, moisturizer, and eye cream.
• Using a clay mask in a steam room is the perfect marriage of protection, cleansing, and circulation. Since the clay will stay perfectly moist in this environment, it is also an ideal place to use your mask. Also note that if you find yourself in a steam room without a clay mask handy, I highly recommend wetting a few paper towels and putting them over your face while steaming.
• It’s best to mask after exfoliating if you’re using them together. They don’t need to be done together, but it’s nice to do both if you have the time.

Summary

• Thoroughly cleanse your face (Step 1: Cleansing).
• Use your exfoliator of choice. Rinse off with lukewarm water.
• Apply the clay mask. Have your water mister handy (sometimes I use my non-alcoholic toner), go to your peaceful place (quiet room, bathtub), and relax.
• Remove the mask at your sink. Rinse off properly.
• Spritz toner over face (Step 2: Toning).
• Apply moisturizer (Step 3: Moisturizing).
• Don’t forget eye cream as well.
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Until the next blog… feed your skin!