So you are past your teens and many of you still get the occasional blemish or two, and unfortunately many of the spot treatments and acne regimens out there are designed for the excessively oily skin of teenagers caused by hormone imbalances. There are several environmental factors that can play into your adult blemishes such as stress, sleep cycles, and excessive drinking.  These factors are sometimes unavoidable, but there are ways to clear up those blemishes quickly, and even tackle them before they start.

If you haven't already, switch to a foaming cleanser, which will clean deep into pores and clear out any bacteria that may be trapped.  Try:

CLINIQUE Ance Solutions Foaming Cleanser
This cleanser can be used during and after breakouts to help maintain overall complexion, as its active ingredient, salicylic acid is a great antibacterial.

$18.50 Clinique www.clinique.com

When you feel a breakout coming on, add a toner or skin tonic to your daily routine that will provide further anti-bacterial quality for your skin.  For adults, I recommend an alcohol free skin tonic to prevent over-drying of the skin.

JOHN MASTERS ORGANIC Bearberry Balancing Serum

$24 - John Masters Organics www.johnmasters.com

Remember, don't forget to continue moisturizing even throughout the breakout.  If your skin gets dry, it will produce excess oil, which can lead to further breakouts, though you may want to switch to a lighter one.  When I experience a breakout, I switch to:

SKINTACTIX Treatment Moisturizer

$14 - Skintactix www.skintactix.com

If all else fails, and your blemish still rears its ugly head, try a spot treatment.  In my experience these don't do alot other than make you feel better about treating an unruly zit, but the active ingredient in spot treatments (Benzoyl Peroxide) oxygenates the skin and the bacteria that cause acne can't survive in oxygen, so there is science behind it.  It doesn't matter what brand you choose, but look for a concentration of 5% or 2.5%, not 10% like some of the "maximum strength" creams out there contain, as they will over dry the skin and cause other problems!

Continuing with SPA WEEK, we are discussing at-home facial treatments targeting specific skin concerns. Though you may not have the time in your daily regimen, adding some of these products and techniques to your daily routine may dramatically increase your skin's appearance, texture, clarity, and tone.
5 Steps to Perfect Skin:
1. Cleanser
2. Exfoliate
3. Tone
4. Mask
5. Moisturize

These steps can be applied with small variations for any skin type

NORMAL SKIN:
You already have great skin, so maintaining it is your main concern.
Using good quality products is important as inexpensive fillers and detergents can dry your skin or cause breakouts. For a normal skin treatment, I really like the selection from KATE SOMERVILLE because you can really see instant results, even after just one treatment!

1. CLEANSE with the Gentle Daily Wash which contains soothing herbal ingredients to clean without overdrying.


$32 - Kate Somerville www.katesomerville.com




2. EXFOLIATE with Exfolikate Gentle to remove dead skin cells, prevent cellular turnover, and reveal brighter, more radiant skin.



$65 - Kate Somerville www.katesomerville.com



3. TONE with the Micro Glycolic Polisher, which contains lactic and glycolic acids along with powerful antioxidants to promote cellular health and reveal younger-looking skin.


$90 - Kate Somerville www.katesomerville.com



4. SOOTH with the Quench Hydrating Mask. Exfoliation and toning can cause mild, temporary skin irritation and/or redness, so it important to follow with intense hydration. This mask will sooth with cucumber and hyaluronic acid for ultimate hydration.


$45 - Kate Somerville www.katesomerville.com


5. MOISTURIZE with Deep Tissue Repair for intense moisture with proteins and vitamins to help improves skin overall texture, and reduce fine lines.


$150 - Kate Somerville www.katesomerville.com



Using these 5 steps once a week will keep your skin radiant and healthy for years to come!

SENSITIVE / ROSACEA:
The most important thing to know when your skin is easily irritated is that you must avoid harsh detergents and other ingredients that can cause irritation.  I really like BIOELEMENTS because of their ability to really customize a treatment plan that works for you.  For example, the process I just outlined that works for normal skin would wreak havoc on overly sensitive skin.
1. CLEANSE with the Sensitive Skin Cleanser, which contains essential oils to soften and sooth the skin.



$41 - Bioelements www.bioelements.com





2. / 3. EXFOLIATE / MASK.  Sensitive skin can't handle very abrasive exfoliation, so instead try the Measured Micrograins which works as a mask and gentle scrub.  Not only is it a great time saver, combining the steps eliminate irritation caused by excessive wetting and drying the skin!



$31 - Bioelements www.bioelements.com










4. TONE with the Calmitude Hydrating Solution.  The best part about this solution is it comes in a spray bottle for easy application, and includes licorice and white tea to calm and reduce redness.



$26 - Bioelements www.bioelements.com




5. MOISTURIZE with Calmitude Sensitive Skin Moisturizer.  Really massage into the skin for full absorption until the hands no longer slide easily.



$39.50 - Bioelements www.bioelements.com





You can use the cleanser, toner, and moisturizer daily, and save the exfoliating mask for 1-2 times per week, and you will see dramatic improvements in skin tone.

DRY / AGING:
Some problems that affect aging skin are dryness and discoloration along with the obvious fine lines and wrinkles.  Common ways of treating the visible signs of aging are antioxidants, proteins, exfoliation, and moisturizing.  LA MER has spent years building up a cult following for it's iconic anti-aging products, which contain what they call "miracle broth", which is unlike any other anti-aging product I have tried, with results starting to show almost instantly, and full results showing after continued use.
1. CLEANSE with the Cleansing Foam.  Massage into face with warm water and the luxurious foam cleanses and sooths the skin without over drying, revealing soft, pure skin.



$65 - La Mer www.cremedelamer.com




2. EXFOLIATE with the Refining Facial, massaging into skin with circular motions to reveal smooth, radiant skin using diamond powder and polished sea quartz.



$75 - La Mer www.cremedelamer.com




3. TONE with The Radiant Infusion to minimize pores and brighten complexion without over drying and to prepare your skin to receive moisturizer.



$95 - La Mer www.cremedelamer.com





4. MOISTURIZE with Creme de la Mer, which includes the legendary miracle broth.  Warm the formula in your hands and generously massage onto face and under eye area for the ultimate in anti-aging and hydration.



$130 - La Mer www.cremedelamer.com




For dry and aging skin, you don't want to use a mask, as they can often irritate and dry skin further.  There is a reason for the La Mer cult following, as it works so effectively it's like nothing I've ever seen before.  If you are still skeptical, head over to your nearest Neiman Marcus and try it out for yourself.  By the time you are finished shopping, your skin will feel younger and brighter!

OILY / ACNE-PRONE
If you have problems with breakouts, a traditional facial is not usually beneficial, and can cause further irritation. and actually strip the skin, which can actually cause an increase in oil production.  Recently, I discovered SKINTACTIX, which is a skincare line specifically designed to treat acne without the use of harsh chemicals like benzoyl peroxide.  You too can enjoy the facial experience while working to treat your acne prone skin.
1. CLEANSE with the Antibacterial Cleanser, which foams to get deep down into pores and balances pH.



                $10.50 - Skintactix www.skintactix.com

2. EXFOLIATE with the antibacterial Pineapple Scrub, which contains a gentle abrasive to remove dead skin cells while soothing with aloe and seaweed to allow skin to accept further treatments.



$12 - Skintactix www.skintactix.com




3. TONE with the Glycolic Exfoliator.  Witch Hazel and alcohol in toners can cause excess drying and actually lead to more oil production and acne.  Apply to a cotton pad and wipe over face in a thin layer.

            $13 - Skintactix www.skintactix.com

4. MASK.  The Green Tea Poultice is my favorite product from the line, calming irritated skin and soothing acne bumps almost instantly.  Product directions say to rub into skin, but I found that it works very effectively as a mask.  Massage onto face and leave on for approximately 30 minutes and then rinse with cool water.


$16 - Skintactix www.skintactix.com



5. MOISTURIZE with The Treatment Moisturizer with calming Hyaluronic Acid, Avocado, and Green Tea without clogging pores.



$14 - Skintactix www.skintactix.com






REMEMBER That with all of these facial procedures, read all product directions thoroughly, and you can often maximize results by using these products daily or weekly.