promote the healing of your skin with 6 simple treatments
A No-Nonsense, Quick Guide to Healthy and Vibrant Skin
Recovery in skincare is an underrated practice - most of the time we are told we should focus only on active exfoliation. At a certain point though, the healing of your skin is required for it to shine as intended.
As a licensed esthetician, I have worked with countless products that can be overly expensive and unnecessary because healing your skin can be so simple! Here’s a behind the scenes look at the ingredients and treatments to look for in recovery services that are most beneficial for the deepest healing of and impact on your skin.
Let me help you heal and glow!
Healing Ingredients
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If you have been in the skincare game for a while, you've likely heard about cannabidiol or CBD. It is one of many active cannabinoids within hemp and cannabis plants. CBD is an amazing recovery ingredient for the skin with anti-inflammatory properties.
How you may ask?? Our body contains its own Endocannabinoid System (ECS) with CB1 and CB2 receptors that communicate with our skin directly and are responsible for the skin’s homeostasis or balance. By using topical CBD products, you are igniting the body’s natural healing process.
For those that have inflammation-based conditions, like acne, premature aging or other sensitivities, adding a CBD facial treatment will support your skin’s recovery and healing process by regulating skin cell reproduction, as it is highly antioxidant, and antibacterial (1).
When choosing a CBD skincare line, be sure to look for organic, small batch products - high quality ingredients lead to excellent results. Check out my store for my recommendation of quality CBD skincare products!
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The power of oils is usually overlooked because of their simplicity. Natural oils have the power to transform the skin by balancing the microbiome, offering deep cleansing through pore penetration and recovery for sensitized skin through nourishing the acid mantle. Basically regular use of skin oils can help reduce build up of dead skin and impurities, keep your skin moisturized and nourish your skin’s fragile barrier.
There are a plethora of oils to choose from to work toward healthy, healed, and toned skin, however here are my recommendations of a few great ones to start with. Let nature heal your skin!
Hemp seed oil - Rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids, hemp seed oil promotes optimal skin health and reduce inflammation as well as uneven texture. It is non-comedogenic (doesn’t tend to cause blackheads), helps regulate sebum production, and contains ceramides that support the skin’s barrier layer for moisture retention.
Rose hip oil - Packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids to support smoothness and evenness in texture and tone, rose hip oil promotes skin regeneration and helps reduce scarring and fine lines.
Macadamia nut oil - This oil supports healing skin by restoring the skin’s barrier function and reducing trans epidermal water loss, keeping skin soft and hydrated.
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Vitamin C has been a power player in the skincare world for a long time, though how are you to know which is the proper serum? There are vitamin C skincare products that are too strong for sensitized skin types, so it’s important for you to experience the right combination of ingredients and percentages of vitamin C in order to induce recovery.
For instance, vitamin C is particularly effective at reducing oxidative damage to the skin when it is used in conjunction with Vitamin E (2), and unfortunately there are many serums on the market that do not contain this pairing. A great way to start introducing vitamin C into your routine is to find a skincare product with 10% or less. This can yield results while reducing the likelihood that you’ll experience sensitivity.
Zinc Oxide is a beautiful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, in addition to its sun protecting properties. It stimulates the healing response in the skin, has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, and is beneficial for reducing hyperpigmentation.
A great tip for people with acne and/or inflamed skin is to use zinc oxide skincare products as a night treatment. This is additionally great for anyone who isn’t able to wear zinc during the day due to the white cast it can give to skin.
Healing Treatments
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Gua Sha has been in the spotlight as a recovery treatment to support the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, smooth skin texture, and contour the face. While there are many tutorials on the internet, knowing how to properly perform these movements can support natural skin healing via lymphatic drainage, increasing circulation, toning facial muscles, and breaking up adhesions that block proper skin function.
While official certifications are not technically necessary, I encourage looking for a service provider with formal training to support the esthetician in knowing specific techniques to make this treatment effective.
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Traditional European facial treatments are focused on exfoliation and extractions while squeezing in a treatment masque and massage, which creates the fear (or maybe you’ve personally experienced this!) of having red, irritated skin post-facial. To see recovery in a traditional skin treatment, consider getting a European facial with a twist!
A correction-based or -focused facial does not mean a lack of thorough cleansing with your professional treatment. In fact deep pore cleansing can occur through several minutes of oil cleansing, which stimulates the skin’s natural detoxification process. Replacing the exfoliation step with a hydrating masque is a great way of “giving back” to the skin throughout the service. Additionally, pressure-point massages or facial reflexology are great ways to receive relaxation, instead of just a traditional massage.
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There are many lifestyle factors that can contribute to the state of our skin. I always encourage clients to share details of their lifestyle during a consultation, including their stress levels, diet, exercise and sleep patterns. This is super helpful because it assists me in caring for your skin in the best way during our time together and I can provide future recommendations to you for continued vibrancy.
Did you know that self-care practices, like deep breathing, can stimulate the lymphatic system? Or that proper sleep and incorporating whole foods into your diet can boost recovery and benefit your skin? For some people, stress can manifest as contributions of skin conditions, for other people, it won’t. Either way, there is definitely a correlation between a healthy lifestyle and beautiful skin!
Whether it is damaged, inflamed, or just not as vibrant as you want it, there are easy ways to integrate simple ingredients and treatments into your current routine that can help manage and heal your skin. As a professional, knowing the root causes of skin issues can help me to support you in achieving your skin goals through proper home care, professional treatments with healing ingredients, and lifestyle tweaks.
Let’s work together to recover and strengthen your beautiful skin!
Sources:
1. Tóth KF, Ádám D, Bíró T, Oláh A. Cannabinoid Signaling in the Skin: Therapeutic Potential of the "C(ut)annabinoid" System. Molecules. 2019 Mar 6;24(5):918. doi: 10.3390/molecules24050918. PMID: 30845666; PMCID: PMC6429381.
2. Pullar, Juliet M et al. “The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health.” Nutrients vol. 9,8 866. 12 Aug. 2017, doi:10.3390/nu908086
Ashley Deckard, Licensed Esthetician, is the Assistant Director of Education at Color Up Colorado and is the owner of a.d. esthetics.
