Skin Series: Part 3, Treat

This posting is part of a collection of posts based on everything that I had learned at a recent Sephora class.  For the previous posting in this series, click here.

Some anti-aging skincare treatment options.

Treat
After you have cleansed your skin, you can treat it.  How you treat the skin, all depends on what you would like to focus on.  Treatments can include masks, exfoliators, serums, oils, or eye creams.  While at the class, we wanted to do something fun, so I tried the Peter Thomas Roth 24 Karat Gold Mask.  I will tell you, it did not disappoint!  I did not end of purchasing the mask for myself, instead - I thought it would make an amazing birthday gift for my sister-in-law.

Top Tips from Sephora

Masks & Exfoliators:

• Most masks are applied after cleansing to warm, towel-dried skin
• Sheet masks are a hot trend; they are super easy to using and require no rinsing
• Forget the messy cleanup; apply exfoliators in the shower, rinse and go

Serum & Oils:

• Use a pearl of serum for the "French Face" - from hairline to bust line
• For best application, place one to two drops of oil into the palms and press into the skin
• If using multiple oils or serums, work from thinnest to thickest when applying 

Eye Creams:

• Tap along the orbital bone with ring finger from inner corner to temple

Also keep in mind, that if you have bangs, you'll want to make sure that you don't use too many emollients on your skin.  It can cause your bangs (and skin) to get greasy.  Don't limit your treatments to just your face, your hands and neck also benefit from treatment.  Did you know that your hands are actually one of the first things on your body to age?

I will emphasize that any time you are trying a new treatment, test it on a small patch of skin before using it. You never know what kind of reaction you might have!  If you have any kind of skin condition or sensitive skin, I would be sure to check with your doctor before using anything.

As far as the treatments go, the Sephora SkinIQ identifies the following concerns as areas that you can focus on:

• Acne/Blemishes
• Anti-aging
• Blackheads
• Dark circles
• Dark spots
• Dryness
• Dull/Uneven texture
• Fine lines/Wrinkles
• Loss of firmness/Elasticity
• Oiliness
• Pores
• Puffiness
• Redness
• Sensitive Skin
• Uneven Skin Tone

When you pick out a treatment, keep in mind what ingredients were used in your "Cleanse".  For example, if your cleanser contains salicylic acid, a treatment containing a salicylic acid might be too drying on your skin.  Sephora has a great glossary available with information about different skin care terms and ingredients.

I hope you are able to "treat" yourself!