Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of information out there regarding skin care?  Between charcoal masks, microdermabrasion, facials…and, let’s be real…just finding time to wash your face!…it can be confusing. 

 

I recently had the opportunity to interview Danielle Pinkerton of Pink Tanning & Body Spa.  As an esthetician for 13 years and spa owner for 10, Danielle is passionate about skin health, especially for In Demand Women! 

 

Read more to find out all you need to know about the best routines to take care of your skin and simple tricks you can implement at home or at the spa.

What is the best routine for taking care of your skin (especially your face!) first thing in the morning and before bed?

Over the years as an esthetician I’ve learned less is more. Often clients are over-using products or over-cleansing which throws the pH levels of the skin off. This causes dryness, breakouts and poor absorption of products. The three most basic steps are:

 ·        Cleansing — Washing your face.

·         Toning — Balancing the skin.

·         Moisturizing — Hydrating and softening the skin.

I recommend doing this routine at night and not rewashing in the morning. You’d be stripping away all those natural oils, serums and moisturizers that have been healing the skin overnight. If you’re going to work out, don’t fret. Rinse your face off after (no cleanser) tone, serums, oils, eye creams, hydrate and SPF and go about your day. I also recommend a manual exfoliation 1-2 times a week, whether a scrub or enzyme mask. See how this works for you and always remove that makeup at night.

Product recommendations:  Dermaquest Essentials Starter Kit

Winter time is hard when our skin is dry and flaky.  What are your favorite products to keep your skin feeling fresh and not dry or irritated? 

My absolute favorite skincare treatment for the winter months that I offer clients is the DermaQuest line Winter Cranberry mask. Hydrating and nourishing for the winter months. It’s brimming with antioxidants from organic berries, fruits and roots, all working together to regenerate skin, quash lines and wrinkles and lift discoloration. Gently exfoliating, you’ll see plumped, luscious and renewed skin.

Performance Ingredients

Cranberries
Pomegranate
Blackberries
Ellagic acid
Vitamin C
Honey
Ginger root
Cinnamon
Licorice
Citric acid

As far as body products I love a natural body wash and the Little Barn Apothecary line offers two with no fillers, parabens or sulfates. Muhuhu + Clementine Body Wash and Lemongrass + Cedar Body Wash. As well as a honeysuckle + grapefruit body oil. I love a great body oil. Add it alone or to an unscented natural lotion. Non-greasy and the formulas quickly absorb deep into the skin.

 Product Recommendations:

Dermaquest Mini Pumpkin Mask

Dermaquest Winter Cranberry Mask & Little Barn Apothecary products (available only professional locations but contact Danielle and she can help you!)

How often should you get a facial?  What are the biggest benefits?

If you are maintaining proper skincare protocol an at-home facial once a month is idea.  A more specialized treatment including professional extractions is key to maintain the natural flora of the skin. Some of the biggest benefits are reducing stress, therapeutic touch, facial massage (promotes blood circulation), treating acne and eliminating whiteheads and blackheads.

If you can’t afford a facial at a salon, what are some at-home options that are beneficial?

Most spas and skincare studios offer mini versions or what I call a “Glow on the Go” for a fraction of the cost of an hour long facial. Educate yourself on products and what are in them. If you invest in good skincare that’ll get you farther. Every true at-home facial should include steaming the skin (hot water running with a towel over your head does the trick), a double cleanse, removal of makeup, exfoliation and products that re-hydrate and calm the skin. Natural ingredient masks are great as well. For dry skin a mixture of coconut oil, cocoa powder and Greek yogurt make a wonderful mask. Equal parts of each ingredient is good, eyeball it enough to cover your face and you can apply it with your hands or a facial fan brush.

I keep hearing a lot about the benefits of charcoal for the skin.  Can you explain a little more about this?  

Absolutely! Charcoal draws out pollutants without over drying your skin. If it is a charcoal cleanser it’s suitable for daily use or as needed, activated charcoal acts like a magnet to attract and absorb your skin’s excess oil and pore-clogging pollutants and is antibacterial.

Product recommendation:

Little Barn Apothecary Charcoal Aloe Face Cleanser

What is microdermabrasion and who benefits most from this?

Microdermabrasion is a facial procedure that uses manual exfoliation to remove the outer layer of skin. This process works in a series to achieve the best results. The result with this treatment is smooth radiant skin with reduced fine lines, wrinkles, scars, and pores.

Specifications:

1. Rejuvenation of sun damaged skin – face, neck, shoulders, back, arms and legs

2. Advancing the quality of the skin and rebuilding healthy skin.

3. Reduction of age spots.

4. Minimization of blotchy skin coloring.

5. Reduction of acne and superficial scars from past injury.

6. Get rid of pock, concave holes on skin.

7. Extraction of blackheads and whiteheads.

8. Reduction of oily skin and improves overall skin health.

  

I have heard that Vitamin D is important for skin health, can you explain why?  And what is the best way to get more Vitamin D even if you can’t spend as much time as you like outdoors?

Vitamin D contributes to skin cell growth, repair, and metabolism. It optimizes the skin’s immune system and helps destroy free radicals that can cause premature aging. The use of a topical Vitamin D on the skin, along with supplements, you can get vitamin D from fortified foods, such as milk and orange juice, as well as from eating fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel. Beef, shiitake mushrooms, egg yolks, and fortified cereals are also good sources.

What are your favorite sun protection products?

COOLA and DermaQuest Sunscreens.

Both companies weed out all the stuff you don’t want on your skin or in the environment, like parabens, GMOs, and oxybenzone.

Product recommendations:

Dermaquest Essential Sheer Zinc Sunscreen

COOLA Mineral Suncare Unscented Sunscreen

I hope you found this information as beneficial as I did to unmasking some of the most commonly asked questions around skin care regimens, product recommendations and spa treatments.

 

If you are visiting the Rancho Mirage, CA area and want to meet Danielle in person at her spa, check out her location Pink Tanning & Body Spa (www.pinkbodyspa.com), 71-537 Highway 111, Suite I.  (760) 641-5009.

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Bio: Danielle Pinkerton has been an Esthetician for 13 years and opened Pink Tanning & Body Spa 10 years ago. She is a wife and mother of three, a son and twin daughters. She knows what it’s like not to have a lot of time for one’s self and that is why she opened her business in hopes of creating a welcoming environment for customers to have a place to feel at home and have spa services done. Her passion runs deep for customer service, a love for family, friends and the environment. Growing up as a competitive athlete she’s always had a love for fitness. She loves the outdoors, yoga, animals, Brazilian jiu jitsu and teaches indoor cycling classes on the side. She loves being a part of her community and believes energy runs through and connects us to each other, especially through touch. When you experience a treatment with someone who is entirely present and has the intention to lift your spirits and calm your mind the act effortlessly prevails! Her hope is to bring this type of connection to every visitor that walks through her skin care studio door.