Back in January I shared the changes I decided to make to improve my skin. Since coming up with a solid adult skincare regimen was important to me this year, I met with Terri at Carolina Facial Plastics after hearing Jen say so many good things. I had an incredible consultation, purchased some new products (listed here), and committed to using them as directed.
For the past 3 months I have been religiously washing my face with my Clarisonic Brush and my new cleanser both morning and night. I’ve been using coconut oil to remove my eye makeup, a hydrator at morning and night, and SkinBetter AlphaRet every other night. I haven’t skipped a day because I started seeing results and am feeling pretty good about them!
Above is me, yesterday, completely makeup-free.
Changes I’ve noticed over the past 3 months:
- What a difference the Clarisonic Brush makes! Truly, within 2-3 days of using it, stubborn clogged pores by my nose completely disappeared and they have not come back. I’m at the point now where my skin doesn’t really feel clean without using it. I definitely had sticker shock when I purchased it, but now I’d buy it all over again.
- More even skin tone. Besides being proactive about anti-aging, achieving a more even skin tone was a top goal of mine. Though I still have a little red on my cheeks and my birthmark on my forehead is still noticeable (and probably always will be), overall my complexion has really balanced out.
- I’m more aware of the importance of taking care of my skin. I’m more conscious about wearing hats and sunglasses. I know sun and smoking do the most damage to skin, so I’m trying to make up for all those summers I spent soaking up sun at the pool.
Yesterday I went back to Terri to go over my results and create an updated game plan. We talked for a long time (have I mentioned how incredible and thorough she is?) and decided that my skin could further be helped by some treatments. We decided to start right then with a Probiotic Youth Boost with an Enzyme Mask, which stimulates collagen, brightens and hydrates skin, detoxifies, and helps build the skin’s health and immunity.
The process took about 45 minutes and was quite relaxing. It was painless, though there was some tingling sensations at different parts of the treatment. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from a single mask treatment, as I was viewing it as a nice hydration boost to compliment my product line, but was shocked at how hydrated and dewy my skin looked immediately afterwards.
Perhaps there is something to this medical grade skincare after all?
With my excitement over this single treatment I spoke to Terri about a plan to continue improving the health and appearance of my skin. The plan is to stick with my daily routine that looks like this:
Morning
- GlowBiotics Cleanser with the Clarisonic
- SkinBetter Lines Intensive Treatment
- SkinBetter Eye Cream
- GlowBiotics Let Me Clarify Hydrator
- GlowBiotics Sun Shield (SPF 30)
Night
- GlowBiotics Cleanser with the Clarisonic
- SkinBetter Lines Intensive Treatment
- SkinBetter Eye Cream
- SkinBetter AlphaRet
- GlowBiotics Let Me Clarify Hydrator
The SkinBetter Lines Product is something I’m really excited about. It has two nuero-calming peptides derived from some kind of snail that is supposed to help expression lines appear immediately smoother. I’ll have to report back on how well it works (or doesn’t), but it sounds pretty amazing since my expressions have gotten quite the workout since becoming a mom (my scowl lines, yes, but luckily my laugh lines as well).
I also am going to begin a 6 session Laser Genesis treatment beginning in about 2 weeks. The treatment uses non-invasive lasers to treat fine lines, diffuse redness, and reduce the appearance of scars. I am partnering up with Terri over the next few months to share my results of undergoing these treatments, which are being offered to me complimentary. I feel like for the first time in my life I am really learning about taking care of my skin and it is really exciting to start seeing a difference.
How has your skin changed over your life?
What is your skincare routine like? Do you have a favorite product?
I had pretty good skin growing up so I never thought much about it, but at 33 years old I am definitely noticing changes, including how hydration affects how my skin looks. //takes a swig of water// I’m OK with aging, but want to do so as gracefully as I can and keep my skin as nourished as possible.
If you are local to Charlotte and want to learn more about what works best for your skin (Terri really hammered home the point that skincare, like diet, is highly individualized), email Terri at Terri@CarolinaFacialPlastics.com. If you mention I referred you, she will give you a complimentary skin evaluation. That is what I did on my first visit and walked away with a plethora of useful information and insight into my personal skincare.
If you are not local, you can still email Terri. She said would be happy to help with an email consultation and product recommendation, as she is really passionate about helping everyone feel good about their skin.