Remember your carefree teen years, laced with summer sunshine, experimental eye shadow shades, and bare-faced beauty? When your skin was smooth, and whatever you put on your cheeks looked shiny and pretty?
At some point – maybe it’s in your 30s, maybe your 40s, maybe beyond – skin care becomes an obsession. And certainly, we’ve reached a pivotal point in society where we’re starting to ask ourselves tough questions about what this whole “look younger” thing means. Why do we want to look younger? What’s behind the drive to keep the same face we had when we were 15 years old? And why are women spending thousands of dollars a year on skincare products and procedures to bring back a “glow” they remember having 30-plus years ago?
The truth is, we all just want to feel great in our own skin. For some, that means eradicating every line and wrinkle that appears around the eyes. For others, it means becoming comfortable with a look that may appear older, but also enjoys a wisdom and clarity unknown to our teen selves.
Is anything wrong with either approach? In my humble opinion – no! Individuals should make their own decision about how to approach aging. The underlying commonality is that everyone wants to feel like THEMSELVES. Whatever that means.
For me, I’ve steered clear of cosmetic procedures for now, but I’m not ruling them out. As our skin changes, we’re allowed to change our minds too! I’ve been fortunate to have the friendship and guidance of local Ave aesthetician Gina Eastman for many years, and I tend to follow her advice verbatim. She gives the most amazing facials that leave your skin glowy and hydrated. So, I decided to sit down with Gina to get insider info about keeping your skin healthy and beautiful – regardless of age. My Top 10 Questions – and Gina’s answers – are below:
- What is the most common complaint you hear about aging skin?
Fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, hyperpigmentation! How can I make them go away, or at least not as noticeable?
- What is your best piece of advice for women who want to keep their skin looking fresh?
Use the correct products for your skin type. Always moisturize day and night. It’s essential to hydrate inside and out; drink plenty of water. A lack of daily water intake can lead to dull, less radiant skin. Wear sunscreen 365 days a year, rain or shine, indoors and outdoors.
- Do you think there is too much emphasis placed on staying “young”? How do you teach clients to embrace their age?
Yes. Absolutely, there are so many outdated stereotypes about aging in older women. Staying positive, active, and practicing a daily regimen is key.
- For younger clients in their 20s and 30s – what is the best thing they can do now to keep their skin healthy?
Get in the habit of wearing sunscreen every day. I cannot stress that enough. It is the most important step in your daily regimen. Stop using just makeup wipes and just cleanse your face. Also, add an antioxidant and Vitamin C. It helps to fight free radicals from all environmental aggressors. They will help boost the protection of your SPF and give you radiant skin. Retinol – using it at night can increase collagen production and decrease its breakdown.
- What is the most requested skincare treatment at Ave?
HydraFacial! It delivers instant and long-lasting results that you can SEE and FEEL. The only hydra dermabrasion machine which cleanses, exfoliates, and gives you a no-downtime peel. It extracts, hydrates, and infuses your skin with antioxidants and peptides.
- What is the biggest game changer in terms of results?
A DAILY AT HOME REGIMEN, and frequent visits with me. 😊
- Skincare products can be expensive. What is the best way to save money and still get great-looking skin?
Start with the basics; cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and sunscreen specific to your skin type. Then I like to introduce an all-in-one product, such as ALASTIN Restorative Complex. It can improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, restore volume to thinning skin, improve elasticity, contain antioxidants, and helps with skin dullness, as well as even out the skin tone.
- Are facials really that important? Will women see a big difference by getting facials regularly?
100% and YES! They deep clean your skin, remove dead skin cells, and unclog pores. They have tons of anti-aging benefits. Massage and face masks help to lift the face and muscles, which helps with fine lines and wrinkles. Rejuvenation helps make your skin tone more even, brighter, and your skin more elastic.
- What is the most significant advancement you’ve seen in skincare in the last 10 years?
Hands down – HydraFacials and microneedling.
- What is the question you get asked most frequently?
“Your skin looks amazing, what do you?” I credit it to great genes (thanks Mom), and I’ve been on an at-home regimen for 14 years. And I’ve done BBL (BroadBand Light) which helps with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.
There you have it! Expert advice on what you can do now, at any age, to take care of your skin. However, you choose to grow older, healthy skin will always showcase your most beautiful being.
