So I’ve been living in Boston for almost a year now and I swear by my amazing clinical facials by my esthetician Alexis Robertson, the creator of ALXS SKN GYM.
Alexis has been a licensed Esthetician for over 10 years and has 18 years experience in the Beauty and Medical Aesthetics Industry working for companies such as Estee Lauder and Living Proof. I am SO excited to be able to share her exclusive, professional advice for her 5 step process for conquering breakouts and maintaining a healthy skincare routine. I’ve noticed such an amazing difference since I’ve followed Alexis’ guide to healthy skin and I hope you do too!
Xoxo,
NL
My Skin Freakout Plan of Action
“No matter how dedicated we are to our skin care routine, all of us are vulnerable to random periods of strange breakouts or unexplainable red or dry patches. Most of the time we can attribute these fluctuations in the skin to changes happening inside our body. Spikes in blood sugar, inflammation, and hormonal changes are the biggest culprits of those nasty, unexplainable developments we see in our skin.
One of the many things I help my clients with is balance! Balance is key to healthy skin because if your body is out of balance, it can be difficult to get your skin health under control. But don’t freak out, these changes just mean it is time to check in with yourself and and get your healthy routine back on track. Below are my top tips on what you can do to get both your skin and body in balance! Also, I highly recommend seeing an experienced facialist to help calm and heal your skin during this time. It is amazing how a proper facial treatment can speed up the healing time when your skin is under stress!
CONSISTENCY. Do not make lots of changes to your skincare routine! No matter what your skin type, your daily regimen should be based on products that increase your skin’s hydration levels and contain high amounts of antioxidants. Maintaining balance in hydration and nutrition levels helps keep skin calm and healthy. It is important to apply serums and moisturizers immediately after cleansing your skin to lock in moisture and prevent skin from becoming dehydrated. And of course, a high quality SPF is vital to daily environmental protection! TIP: Keep it healthy, hydrated, simple and effective.
REPAIR. Do not over exfoliate! One of my main goals when discussing at-home exfoliation with clients is making we maintain and preserve the lipid barrier of the skin. The lipid barrier is a vital component to keeping our skin protected and in balance. Over exfoliation will break down the lipid barrier which can cause our skin to become even more dry, sensitive, irritated, and not to mention more vulnerable to infection. TIP: Limit yourself to only one exfoliating product in your skincare routine…this includes cleansers!
EAT. What goes in your body shows up outside your body! Alcohol, foods high in sugar, processed foods, and foods you may have sensitivities to such as dairy or gluten cause spikes in our insulin levels which leads to inflammation in our bodies. If you are acne prone this inflammation will show up on your skin as acne. Inflammatory foods such as dairy and red meat have also been proven to increase acne in adults. TIP: If you are going to eat, drink, and be merry do so in healthy moderation.
BALANCE. Be mindful of stress levels. This can be one of the most difficult to master because we all experience periods in our lives where we don’t have control of our stress factors. When our body goes into stress mode two things happen that can spell disaster for our skin. First, when our body is stressed, it releases cortisol which then releases testosterone into our bloodstream. Second, blood sugar levels rise to give us energy to fight off whatever life is throwing our way. But, blood sugar spikes lead to blood sugar lows which lead to late night sugar cravings or an increase in alcohol consumption. The increase of testosterone and insulin in the blood stream are both linked to increased acne and inflammation in the skin and body. A variety of healthy mind body activities will have a positive impact on your entire well being, which will in turn show up on your skin. TIP: Every week, incorporate one or more of the following into your current exercise or self-care routine; acupuncture, yoga, pilates, meditation, or connect with nature.
SLEEP. Try for 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Not getting enough sleep has a major impact on our skin! I am not just talking about dark circles; lack of sleep causes stress-induced aging like fine lines, wrinkles, loss of collagen, and acne! Sleep is a time for our bodies to heal, recover and eliminate toxins from our largest organ, our skin! “Beauty Sleep” is in fact your most affordable and best resource for younger-looking, healthy skin! TIP: Healthy sleep habits lead to healthy skin!”
By Alexis Robertson | @bostonskingirl
