Skin Care Product and Treatment Part I: What Product Do I Really Need?

By Reisa Mehlman on November 7, 2010 4:05 PM

With so many treatment and product choices available today, how do you know what you really need?  Here's some sound, professional advice from the heart of an aesthetician.

As a seasoned spa goer, consumer, and buyer for Living Well Healing Arts Center and Spa, I am all too familiar with the overwhelming amount of products and services available in the marketplace today. 

I've experienced decision making on the treatment table (which, in my opinion should be kept to a minimum), in stores and at the office.  I've been subjected to the unassisted buy (drugstores), the hard sell (department stores) and the sell, sell, sell (sadly -- some spas).   

In response, I've chosen to function as a consultant:  someone who offers information as a service, thereby refusing to hard sell product or upsell service addons -- as any of my clients will attest.  So, as a skin care professional and consultant, I am happy to offer advice on products and services.  I look at my client and their lifestyle and recommend that which will benefit them the most.  To this end, I help people with their skin and their skin care needs.

So, what do I really need?

First off, let's talk about the basics: 

What products do I need?

You really need a cleanser, and probably a moisturizer too.  Add to that sunscreen depending on the season and your actitivities (are you a runner?  gardener?  skier?).  Lastly, you might want an eye cream since moisturizers made for that area have a different composition.  Beyond that, serums are fabulous, and I can make recommendations based upon your concerns, but you have to start somewhere!

What you need to do here is be honest with yourself and your lifestyle.  Do you like simplicity?  Can you work with a few minutes of extra application time?

So, now that you know what you products to buy, you should know your skin type in order to buy the right type of product, since skin type affects the kind of ingredients that would work best for you.  This, in itself, is a good reason to seek the advice of an aesthetician and is part of what you get when you have a facial.

So, just to recap:  basically, you need three, possibly four products:  cleanser, moisturizer, sun protection and eye cream.

This concludes Part I.  Please tune in for Part II:  What Kind of Treatment Do I Need?