Kelly's tips for radiant skin

Radiant skin requires a daily skin care regimine specific

to your individual skin type.  Kelly Kirby Walker, age 47

If you have ever taken my "Over 40 and Fabulous" makeup class, you are going to recognize much of the information that I will be covering in my blog over the next few days.  

Many women over 30 are using application techniques and choosing makeup colors that they wore in college or in their early 20's.  More common than not, what looked great on you then will make you look older once you reach your 30's.

As a makeup artist, the most common theme that I find in women over 30 is a fear of color.  In most cases, a woman may have 3-5 tubes of lipstick in her purse but there is very little variance in the colors, unbeknownst to them.  We all get in color ruts occasionally and it’s very helpful to enlist the expertise of an experienced makeup artist who will be objective and recommend products that will compliment your features and create a more youthful appearance.

Now more than ever, is the time to rethink makeup shade choices and opt for brighter shades of lip color, eye shadows as well as blush to define features and counterbalance the sallow tone and texture changes common at this stage in life.

Let’s start with the basics and work our way forward.  

Every woman’s beauty routine should begin with proper cleansing, moisturizing and priming the skin for makeup application.  I am shocked at the number of women that go to bed without washing their face first.  This is one of the biggest and most costly mistakes you can make if your goal is to have a healthy, youthful glow.

At night, the skin isn't having to fight environmental aggressors such as smoke and pollution and is in repair mode.  This is the opportune time to maximize results that can be achieved with a targeted skin care regimen designed to combat the affects of aging and over-exposure to sun.

Recommended Cleansing Steps:

Step 1: Double cleanse (all skin types)

Precleanse: Using an oil based cleanser as the first step in your cleansing routine will dissolve makeup, dirt and debris to help relieve skin dullness and congestion.  This is something that a normal cleansing product can not do.

Not sold yet?  Try washing your face with your normal cleanser then take a cotton ball moistened with a toner or similar product and gently wipe across the face, being sure to hit the nose and any other areas that tend to be oily or exhibit large pores.  Now, take a look at the cotton ball, does it look clean to you? 

Next time, try using a carrier oil based pre-cleanser such as Precleanse by Dermalogica and follow with your normal cleanser and compare the results.  Not only is your face cleaner but the dirt and debris that is normally lodged deep in the pores have been removed and over time, enlarged pores will shrink to a normal size and skin will look more radiant and youthful.  Women who are over 35 with oily skin will experience unbelievable results with this process.  Trust me, I have always had oily skin and out of frustration, followed an esthetician’s suggestion to precleanse in October of 2006 and wouldn’t skip that process now no matter how tired I am before bed.  Not only has my skin leveled out and I no longer exhibit oil in the t-zone but it looks more radiant and healthy than it did 10 years ago. (look for precleansing products that do not contain mineral oil as the goal is to unclog pores and mineral oil is much thicker than natural carrier oils and results can be achieved much faster)  There are several brands on the market that offer mineral-oil free precleansers.  Here are a couple that I have tried and recommend:

Dermalogica Precleanse (my favorite and staple in my makeup bag since 2006)  

Cost $35 for a 5.1 oz bottle which will last for at least 6 months if used properly.  I really like the consistency of this product as it is made with light carrier oils such as Apricot Kernel oil and doesn’t leave the skin feeling greasy.  It’s also packed with essential oils that are healing and calming to the skin.

I recently discovered Bioelements at an industry trade show and find myself replacing many of my "old" favorites with products from this professional spa line due to their natural botanical extracts in formulations targeted to produce results without harsh chemicals.  A new favorite is Bioelements Sensitive Skin Cleanser, a gentle oil-based cleanser.  Although the Bioelements website states that you can use this as your only source of cleansing, I prefer to use it as a precleanser and follow with a gentle foaming cleanser.

Philosophy: Purity MadeSimple: Cost $25 for a 5.8 ounce bottle.  This is a bit cheaper than the Dermalogica Precleanse but I find that it is also heavier as it is olive-oil based.  Purity Made Simple also contains essential oils that are healing and calming to the skin.

Step 2: Cleanse with a cream or foaming cleanser to complete the cleansing process.  

Chose products based on your skin type for maximum benefits

Recommendations:

Oily skin: .Oily skin does well with cleansers that contain salicylic acid, a type of beta hydroxy acid (bha) that opens up clogged pores and neutralizes bacteria.

Neutrogena Oil-Free AcneWash Pink Grapefruit Facial cleanser smells fantastic and is easy on the pocket at a mere $7 for 6 oz bottle.

Normal/Sensitive Skin: CetaphilDaily Facial is a beauty editor and dermatologist favorite and is gentle enough to use following a post-laser procedure.  (as always, follow your physicians advice following any medical procedure) Another steal at $12 for a 16 oz bottle.

Dry Skin: Cerave HydratingSkin Cleanser is a soap and fragrance free cleanser that contains ceramides to hydrate and calm skin. $13 for 13 ounces and currently on sale at soap.com for $11.99

My pick for a cleansing product for dry skin is Phelityl Cleansing Bar by Erno Laszlo which I have personally used for the last year. (longer than any other cleanser I have tried).  It comes in a bar formula which is great for travel and is made with safflower and castor oil to hydrate the skin.  Cost $39 for a 5 oz bar but will last several months if kept dry between uses.

I hope all of you have a fabulous Thanksgiving Holiday with family and friends!! xoxo