How to improve your skin care

It all started with a question – how can I improve my skin care?

A question we all ask ourselves, our friends, family and specialists at various points of our lives.

For Ayesha, this was the beginning of her own skin journey, and at the same time as she was embarking on her journey of clinical Nursing education. This led to many years of deep study of facial anatomy, skin assessments and finding the right people to help. Countless hours learning from and working with experts in skin and health care inspired the founding of The Face Collective.

The Face Collective blog is dedicated to sharing knowledge and comprehensive information to support skin care journeys. We view skin care as part of your quality of life, and having the right skin approach for your unique skin journey can make a big difference and is really important to us.

With so many options available in the health and beauty industry it can be difficult to understand the best approach for your unique skin environment. In this post, we’ll cover a few basics of skin care routine and some suggested strategies to improve your skin care that can be implemented no matter where you are in your skin care journey.

 

What is ‘skin care’ and why does it matter?

Skin care refers to the specific steps and actions that you take in your daily life to help you skin stay nourished, hydrated and protected. The skin is the largest organ in the human body and its role is to play the first line of defence for your body. So, it is really important to take care of this amazing part of your body and give it the best chance to protect you.

 

The fundamentals

You can take immediate steps to improve your skin by implementing a changing a couple of fundamental factors that impact your skin care.

Foster a healthy mind and body – it may sound cliché, however supporting your body though regular exercise, nutritious foods and focusing on your overall well-being has a major impact on how your skin reacts.

The basics

An effective skin care routine is key and knowledge really is power when it comes to this. A 12-step routine isn't necessary for everyone, nor is it always practical.

Your skin care should fit in around you, that is why knowledge and education is so important here. Understanding your skin type, skin conditions and what ingredients are going to be suitable and effective for your skin, is half the battle won already.

The other half is effectively implementing it! This could look like a simple morning routine of cleanser, serum, moisturiser and SPF for the busy individual that needs to get their day moving a little quicker, and a more luxurious routine of an evening, when you have more time.   So where do you start?

Skin care audit

First off, let's audit our skin care products we have at home. What are we looking for here?

- How long you have had the product for?
- How long it has been open for?
- How often you are using it?
- And of course, the holy grail - the ingredients.

All of these factors will help to determine whether the products still belong in your routine and are benefiting you, or if a spring clean is in order.    

Skin analysis

Next step, visit a Skin Specialist and have a skin analysis done. Often machines will be used like the Observ 520x, which will enable your therapist and you, to see deeper skin layers and concerns such as; pigmentation, vascular, UV damage and texture, just to name a few.

By determining the root of the skin concern, and the type of skin you have, you can then determine the appropriate ingredients, products and treatments, specifically tailored for you.

Additional steps to take

After establishing an effective and consistent (key word here 😉) skin care routine, if you’re ready to further improve your skin care regime, the next step would be in-clinic skin treatments. The great thing about our industry is that it is constantly developing, and there is quite literally a treatment for everyone! 

LED skin therapy

A great place to start is with LED skin therapy. The term 'LED'  is all over social media, but what actually is it? LED stands for Light Emitting Diode, it can comein a variety of colours, with each having a different property.

- Red is mainly for rejuvenation
- Yellow is healing (pain relief, wound healing, muscle and joint pain) and skin rejuvenation
- Blue is for active acne.

LED's are great as a standalone treatment, or as an add on. Here at TFC we use Yellow & Blue LED light therapy and common recommended treatment courses are: 

- Yellow LED - x2 a week (with a 48hr window between treatments), for 4 weeks and once a month thereafter
- Blue LED - x1 a week, followed up with a Yellow LED 48hrs later. For a minimum of 4 weeks, as each individual's skin and acne are so different, the treatment course will vary.

What about skin facials or peels?

For those looking for something a little more relaxing, with a 'buff and polish' for the skin, treatments like Deep Hydration Facials and Microdermabrasion are best suited.

These leave the skin glowing and refreshed, with no down time. Ideal for just before an event, or some much needed relaxation. These treatments are recommended once per month to keep on top of your skin.  

 

Advanced skin care

In clinic specialised treatments is where advanced proactive and results driven treatments can occur, this is where you will need to work with your Skin Specialist to determine the best approach for you.

Results driven treatments (looking at you here, Collagen Induction Therapies), include Skin Needling and Chemical Skin Peels. These treatments will include some down time (think some redness, no make-up, avoiding active products for 3-5 days post treatment, possible peeling/flaking from the skin), and will be spaced at different intervals, depending on the treatment and skin concern. 

Skin Needling

Chemical Peels

For oily, congested, uneven textured skins, Chemical Peels are often very beneficial.

They can vary in the depths they penetrate to, and what their chemical makeup, dependent on the skin concern. Our Medik8 Peels are recommended every 2 weeks, with a treatment course containing 6 peels.

A short break is then taken, before commencing another course. Chemical Peels are a great anti-ageing alternative, if Skin Needling isn't your jam.

 

As always, we recommend a skin analysis and consultation with a professional before committing to a treatment, to ensure that it is the most suitable for you, and of course SAFE! 

 

Final thoughts

There can be many considerations, products and treatments in improving your skin care, use the guidelines above and do a quick check of your current skin care routine. If there is anything you have questions about drop us note, make a booking or come in to the clinic for a consultation, we will take the hassle out of reviewing your current skin care regime and recommended an approach that is unique to you.

Do you want your own personalised skin care plan? Book in a skin analysis and consultation with our amazing Skin Specialist Dani. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of our blog updates and other TFC news and offers!