What Your Skin Really Needs

If you’re like most women somewhere in your bathroom there’s a graveyard of beauty product regrets. These mournful heaps of squandered resources are testament to the beauty industry’s unmatched cunning to get consumers to pony up for the latest, greatest, all-the-rage, celebrity-endorsed scientific breakthrough that will give you the youthful skin of your dreams. Afterall, “73% of users saw a 31% decrease in fine lines and wrinkles in just 11 weeks.” Because…..science.    

Knowledge is power. A big part of my company’s mission is to empower women to be savvy, confident beauty consumers. We do it by sharing what I’ve learned during my 30 years in this industry. 

I’ve given thousands of facials, shaped thousands of brows and designed products with many of the finest cosmetic chemists in the world. I’m not a celebrity. I’m not a millennial with a smart phone and a YouTube channel. I’m a skincare expert and I earned it through thousands of hours of study and hard work. I know how skin functions and what it needs to function well. I understand cosmetic ingredients and what they can and cannot do. Every day I help women achieve optimal skin health and I can help you, too.   

What Your Skin Really Needs

My company uses the tagline Fewer Products, Better Beauty?. Ninety-nine percent of the clients at my studio get better skin from doing less, not more. At my studio, we offer a simple, fast, yet highly effective 30 minute treatment that we recommend once a month. For optimal results and ongoing care, I can tell you with utmost certainty that all you need for healthy, glowing skin is a simple routine using just three or four products: 

·      Cleanser

·      Moisturizer

·      Sunscreen

·      Exfoliator

Find a product in each category that you like, one that fits in your budget, and stick with it. Your skin prefers predictability.

Cleanser

The science is inconclusive on how often you should cleanse. But there’s clear evidence that over washing the skin or using harsh, astringent cleansers and mechanical brushes or other tools cause dryness, flaking and irritation. I’m a daily cleanser because it’s what’s best for my skin and I wear makeup. The best cleansing tools are your hands and a comfy washcloth and the best products are gentle. 

For more than 25 years, oils have been my preferred type of cleanser for their soft, supple, non-drying qualities. My go-to oil does double duty as my makeup remover and cleanser (fewer, better). I always double cleanse. The first pass along with my washcloth, removes my makeup and the second gently cleanses my skin. 

Moisturizer

Hydration is essential for proper skin function and a healthy, radiant appearance. Your skin is a vital organ with a 24/7 list of tasks. It is the first line of defense against UV light and airborne viruses, bacteria, pollutants and nuisances. It is our largest sensory organ and plays a starring role in regulating body temperature and withstanding trauma.   

Your skin is a complex semi-permeable barrier with a demanding job. And it needs a little help. A good moisturizer boosts your skin’s water content and helps it defend against water loss. And nothing minimizes fine lines and wrinkles like a healthy dose of hydration. I moisturize morning and night. Whether you prefer creams, oils, fluids, serums, ampules or some combination look for products with hyaluronic acid which is clinically proven to attract and bind H2O. 

Sunscreen

Sun damage is real. It is the top cause of skin aging. If you use only one product make it a sunscreen. Practice avoidance whenever possible and wear sunscreen every day in any kind of daylight. I recommend a mineral based, broad-spectrum, SPF of 30 or higher.

Exfoliation

As we age our cell-rate turnover slows. A build-up of dead surface cells dulls the complexion and exaggerates fine lines and wrinkles. Exfoliation removes the oldest layers of retired skin cells to reveal their younger, more radiant replacements. Exfoliating also boosts the efficiency of moisturizers. 

I like to exfoliate two or three times a week. I favor mild alpha and beta hydroxy acids (AHAs and BHAs) and Retinols over mechanical scrubs. One caveat: these exfoliants make your skin more vulnerable to UV rays so extra vigilance against sun damage is mandatory. 

Now that you know what your skin really needs you’re ready to be a boss beauty consumer. Cleanser. Moisturizer. Sunscreen. Perhaps an exfoliant. Make a simple habit out of it and I guarantee your skin will respond. The kicker is you’ll invest less time, money and fuss into looking your best. And you won’t have a graveyard of product regrets hiding in your bathroom.

Jessica Johnson is the founder of Jessica Johnson Beauty, a holding company that includes the Jessica Johnson Beauty product line, a brow and skincare studio in Portland, Maine, and industry specific real estate. Jessica paid her way through college in the 80’s working the beauty counter at the late, great department store I Magnin. She is currently the guest brow expert at the Yves Durif Salon at The Carlyle and a guest skin care expert at The Cornelia Spa at The Surrey Hotel. In between she’s owned spas and salons, built and sold a depilatory wax company, and served as a spokesmodel, beauty branding and marketing consultant and product formulator.