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I am of course being dramatic here. However, you should go see a cosmetologist periodically and on a regular basis, regardless of your age. I must warn you though; you are a little too late if you’re questioning why you must do as I say. Cling on to that speck of hope as you read on to find out why
Here is my story.
A month ago I received a phone call from a beauty salon. It made me suspicious -as I had never been to one. How did they get my phone number? I spoke to a very nice cosmetologist over the phone while examining my face in the hallway mirror. Perhaps they spotted me in the neighborhood and reported me to the beauty police for my crimes?
With the greatest concern for my skin’s well-being, I made an appointment and confidently strolled into the salon thinking that this was a silly decision on my part; I can take care of myself and I don’t need a cosmetologist! I wash my face everyday.
Upon meeting the cosmetologist I’d seen (have you noticed they’re always good-looking?), my confidence dropped to insecurity as I sat in a corner chair of the room being scolded by an adult. Olesya, the cosmetologist, asked me how I cared for my skin. When I answered truthfully – ‘soap’, she went on a ten minute lecture about my terrible life choices- soap is a BIG No No!
I’m not an airhead but an astute young woman of 22, and was aware of the issues that surround skincare and the catastrophic aftermath that awaited me if I didn’t change my ways – like today, this very minute!
It’s time to get a little more serious, and focus on the educational aspect of this article. The following summarizes advice from a cosmetologist for anyone interested or concerned like I have become.
1 Why visit a cosmetologist?
Ladies, chances are you’re not a medic. You may have a soap routine down, but improvising on skin care choices without consulting a professional might just do more harm than good. To avoid battling with the consequences of improper skin care, you need to consult with someone that actually knows what they’re talking about.
Your face is the first thing you present when you go out into the world. It should be a priority for every woman. Your appearance affects your work and touches your personal life in one way or another no matter how you look at it. You have to take care of your skin and stay young and beautiful. Having good healthy looking skin is not a slam-dunk! You have to work at it, know what products and procedures are right for you. And then it get real cause you gotta do routines everyday to insure long term skin health.
Problems with your skin may be visible already; the ones on the surface reflect those that are internal. You must be selective of your skin care products, as they’re particular to different skin types. There is no one universal product that will solve all your problems (as I previously thought). Do you even know what type of skin you have?
Consider how much sun exposure you get everyday. And if you think that’s a joke, watch this video:
You can talk further with an esthetician or a dermatologist and they will tell you NO ONE SHOULD EVER to be in the sun. Concentrated sun exposure even for 30 minutes repeated over time can lead to you developing melanoma cancers later in life; these can be fatal. On a beauty level the sun ages your skin, so avoid it!
2. What are the main issues we should pay close attention to?
Your skin’s condition, of course. Your skin falls into one of the following categories; oily, dry, or normal skin (because you’re doing all the right things).
The dryness of skin is indicative of the aging process. You must nourish your skin with nutrients. With this skin type, your priority should be moisturizing. If your skin is dry, it lacks elasticity and durability. It might flake and you might even be seeing wrinkles.
Oily skin has a whole other set of problems, the major one being all sorts of inflammatory processes. Oily skin is a haven for bacteria and other unwanted organisms that can and will multiply in this habitat.
Stabilizing your skin, and bringing it to an acceptable condition should be vital especially after you turn 20. The world dubs you as an adult (by now), so you should look into preserving those good looks. If you do it the right way, you still have a shot at looking 25 when you hit 30.
3. What problems are particular to different age groups?
(The following describes the natural aging process of your skin.)
20s – Internal resources begin to depealt. Your skin will become either dry or oily. Hormonal changes are still taking place so you are likely to encounter problems at some point in your 20s.
25 – First wrinkles appear out of nowhere! Moisturize your skin daily to avoid problems in the future. Remember, you have to start early. Begin by enriching your skin with nutrients and other goodness that maybe prescribed by your cosmetologist, esthetician or dermatologist.
30 – The structure of your skin begins to change and becomes flabby. Your skin stops being as durable, stretches and begins to sag. Dead skin cells begin to build up. This is when you’ll have to attend some form of treatment or therapy.
35 – Wrinkles become more evident during this time. Wrinkles appear on your forehead, near you eyebrows, your nose and even lips.
40 – All wrinkles become visible. Even those small ones on your cheeks!
45 – Ptosis creeps up on you (the drooping and falling of the eyelids). Cologen and elastin production stops almost entirely. These proteins are responsible for allowing tissues to snap back to their original shape. Your face begins to droop.
50 – You likely have a second chin, as your face begins to droop further. Your neck becomes the focal point as it reveals your age instantly, even if you do more invasive procedures to cover up for it.
That’s it. Past 50 you’re looking back and wishing you had listened to me in 2015 when you initially read this article.
To sum up this load of information, watch this slightly scary video to see what awaits you in the near future:
The aging process is of course natural. Decades ago we had no means to battle the hands of time. Today, we know that all we have to do is aid the secretion of nutrients and give our skin more resources to prolong its life. So reach for that phone…
4. What are the steps of basic skin care?
It’s a difficult question to answer and also the reason why you need professionals. You must consult and find the right skin care products for your particular skin type. Drug stores have ‘consultants’, but they are nowhere near the same thing. Their job is to sell, not help you take care of yourself.
ALWAYS read the back labels on all the skincare products you are thinking of purchasing, RELIGIOUSLY! Know what you are thinking about putting on your face! Avoid parabens, sulfate, vaseline and see the general list below. Stick with natural ingredients instead.
Top Vilified Cosmetic Ingredients
1. Parabens
2. Diazolidiny Urea
3. Diethanolamine
4. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
5. Petrolatum
6. Mineral Oil
7. Propylene Glycol
8. Triclosan
9. Fragrance
10. Color pigments
11. PEG — Polyethylene Glycol
12. Talc
(taken from http://chemistscorner.com/the-12-most-maligned-cosmetic-ingredients/)
5. Know your skin layers!
Epidermis – This is the protective layer of our skin. It shows the consequences of what’s happening internally. All cosmetics work on the epidermis level. Working with the consequences (on the surface), doesn’t solve the internal problems below the surface.
Dermis – The internal skin layer where all nutrients are secreted.
Professional cosmetics work on the dermis level. As they have a low molecular mass, all elements go 4, 5mm deep, which is how you eliminate the problems that you do have.
A word of warning: Your skin will quickly readjust according to your skin care products, so find 2 lines and interchange them every half a year.
Don’t forget to moisturize your skin. Protect it during the day and cleanse it daily. This is all the basic care you will ever need.
Hypodermis – Packed with nerve endings. Do not go here.
So yes, you will have to spend money on yourself. You will have to make an investment into your future unless you think you will enjoy being witty (and a liar) with all the ‘how old are you’ questions later in life. No one asks an older looking lady how old she is because they all know. Old.
Olesya took her time to evaluate my skin thoroughly. She offered a very professional presentation discussing my skincare type and what were the best products for my skin type. I’m glad I decided to go see a cosmetologist. Although my morning routine no longer takes 30 seconds (more like 3-4 minutes now).
I feel better now after my chat with Olesya and am willing to invest some of my valuable time to look my very best. Yes, I’m only 22 but I know now that slowing the aging of one’s skin start when you are young. It’s time well spent.
