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GET YOUR (skin) GLOW ON WITHOUT MAKEUP

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Have you ever craved a smooth-as-silk skin glow without the use of dewy highlighter or luminous foundation? Have you ever desired bump-fee, smooth skin that's hydrated, plump to the touch, free of hyperpigmentation, and that possesses that post orgasm, glow-from-within appearance? Or is it all an urban myth, forcing us to reply on makeup to achieve those results?

As the owner of a Miami-based Beauty & Brow Lounge, I can tell you first hand that ALL of my clients crave luminous skin. They come to me for eyebrows, but the conversation always (without fail) evolves into discussions about good skin. My clients avail themselves of my brow services because they want to reveal the best aesthetic version of themselves. As a self-professed beauty-obsessed freak, and a licensed skin-care pro, I consider it a moral obligation to educate and empower my clients, and share with them everything I know, in order to help them achieve their aesthetic goals.

I can say with 100% certainty that beautiful skin is something that most women (and men) want, regardless of age, yet some find it challenging to achieve. Melanin-rich types require a bit of intention with regard to care. Since there are six levels of skin type, and melanin-rich begins at level three, this refers to most of us. Skin of color, particularly brown skin, produces more melanin than lighter skin-types which makes the skin vulnerable to hyper-pigmentation, as well as stubborn dark marks that like to set-up camp on the skin. Achieving beautiful, clear, glowing skin is a matter of consistent rituals, and using simple products that work for your specific skin type. What does that mean exactly? It means that skin is not one size fits (Fitz) all, and skin of color is temperamental, requiring thoughtful attention with precise intention. 

Let's begin with the foundation: 

  1. Understand what your skin needs, based on its type. 
  2. Establishing consistent skin maintenance rituals. 
  3. Protect, feed and hydrate your skin everyday. 
  4. Choose the best skin-care products that work for you, based on your goals (within your budget).

WHAT THE SKIN NEEDS

When I talk about the skin, I'm always referring to the face, neck and décolletage. Skin needs daily  maintenance in order to perform at its optimal level. Daily means consistent. If you want to achieve beautiful skin, enroll in the School for Perpetual Maintenance. Once you wrap your head around the notion that results-driven beauty takes commitment, intention and patience, you will be on track. Simply put, perpetual deposits into skin care will yield consistent long-term results. So stop complaining about your lackluster skin and commit to creating the skin-change that you wish to see.

A twice per day cleanse, tone and hydrate ritual is the foundation of beautiful skin. However, it isn't enough. Yes, it's essential to cleanse and tone (I’m partial to face-misting toners), but  for a renewed, stimulated, healthy glow, the skin must be open to receive active nourishment. Think of the visual of a baby bird opening its beak to receive food while in the nest. The mother bird soon flies in with a worm, and the baby bird is fed. The same theory applies with skin. If the skin is not prepped prior to applying active products like retinoids, peptides and other serum, the product will just sit on the face, rather than penetrate into the skin in an effort to create positive change. 

HOW TO CLEANSE YOUR FACE

Let's talk about the art of cleansing, because yes, it is an art. The first thing I’d like to point out is to explain the main point of cleansing. Oxygenated skin on a bacteria-free surface should always be the starting point of any skin regime. The primary purpose of cleansing is to create an environment void of bacteria, where oxygen has the ability to flow freely.

Cleansing begins once the skin is void of any make-up. Remove all facial makeup well, using micellar water or a makeup removing balm, it doesn't matter how you remove it, as long as the act of removal doesn’t cause you to pull or tug at the skin, or the eye area. The goal is to use a product that does a kick-ass job at removal, but allows the user to gently handle the skin. 

If you have severely oily or acne-prone skin, that is a topic of another conversation. However, these skin types would benefit from foaming cleansers containing salicylic acid. Otherwise, mild, emollient or milky cleansers are what I recommend. My favorite cleanser is Farmacy Whipped Greens with Moringa and Papaya, but inexpensive cleansers like Cetaphil works fine as well. Mild cleansers have a low-foam count which is really important because foam cleansers will dry the skin. 

Some of the women I consult with complain that emollient or milky cleansers don't feel as though they’re cleansing the skin. This is because we’re conditioned to think that the only way our skin becomes clean is when the product bubbles-up and foams, like the ubiquitous bar of soap sitting next to the sink. This is not true. It’s all about the product’s ingredients and the massaging action one adopts when using skin cleansers. 

Harsh cleansers can compromise the skin's harmony and balance by stripping away its protective barrier known as the acid mantel

Prior to cleansing, lightly wet the skin first with one hand, add the cleanser to the opposite hand with warm water, and gently massage the cleanser into the skin. Massaging the skin while working the product into the skin, will break down grime and dissolve any surface oil and residual makeup on the face. Massaging also encourages blood flow to the surface. 

BE CONSISTENT

Consistency means “every single day”. I have many clients who neglect to wash their face after a long night out on the town, or go to bed with their makeup on. These habits are not serving the best interest of your skin! Cleansing and toning the skin, morning and night, is a good skin-101 best practice, and it begins with establishing consistent habits. 

A simple game-changing tip after cleansing, is to dry the skin with a tissue, and nix the towel. Bacteria is the enemy of skin. The reason why skin-care rituals, like cleansing, are so important is to wash away the build up of surface bacteria that has set-up camp on the skin throughout the day. Using a towel to dry your face after properly cleansing it, is negating your efforts by re-introducing bacteria back onto the surface of the skin. Never use a towel to dry the face, especially your bath towel. A simple tissue box, resting on your counter, is all you need to blot your skin dry and ensure that you’re touching the skin with something that is sanitary. 

THE SECRET SAUCE TO GETTING THE GLOW

Think of a screen on a window that’s covered in grime and crusty schmutz. In order for oxygen and air to flow freely through the window, the dirty screen must be scrubbed and de-crusted. Are you getting the visual?

Similar to the schmutzy-screen, skin will become lackluster when dead skin cells and grime accumulate on the surface. Exfoliation is the secret to a luminous facial glow! For normal and combination skin, I recommend exfoliating twice per week (three times for oiler skin types). My two favorite types of facial exfoliators are: granular and acidic, although the skin cleanser I mentioned a moment contains both; I love it when products tik two boxes!

Many well known over the counter brands offer both options. Simply choose the line that you're most comfortable with. If choosing a granular scrub, make sure that the grains are spherical, and stay away from jagged edged scrubs like crushed apricot seed. Scrubs that are jagged can injure the skin by causing micro-damage. The key is to make sure that the scrubbing-grains are round without rough edges. Something as seemingly insignificant as scrubbing the skin with a non-spherical scrub can create a micro-injury that can cause melanin-rich skin to form patchy dark spots on the surface that can be challenging to get rid of. 

This is because the melanocytes cells that transport melanin to the surface of the skin (in response to an injury) rush to the upper layers of the skin and camp-out on the skin. In the case of the injury-redsponse, think of melanin as the bandage that won't peel off! Whether the injury is caused by the UV rays of the sun, a scratch, an insect bite or even friction, the melanocytes will release melanin-dye to the surface of the skin in an effort to protect the skin.

The melanocytes don't care about how your skin looks. They don’t care if vanity runs amuck. The melanocytes are not concerned with the unsightly appearance of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The melanocytes have one job, which is to protect the skin from injury, and they are on-call 24/7. Aesthetics is the least of their worries. Therefore, it's essential that you choose a scrub wisely. Skin care is not a one size fits all process. Sometimes it's about trial and error and finding out what works best for your skin.

MY FAVORITE MICRO SCRUB IN A PINCH

What's my favorite go-to scrub? It’s actually Olehenriksen 10% AHA. But in a pinch, mix a drop of your favorite cleanser with a teaspoon of baking soda, and add a drop of water if needed to loosen up the mixture. 

Massage the baking soda scrub into wet skin for a solid minute, and rinse clean. You will be amazed at how soft your skin feels, and it costs pennies to achieve! Take note, however, that baking soda is alkaline, and healthy skin has an acidic pH of 5.5. Toning the skin, after cleansing, will balance the pH towards the acidic side. 

Healthy skin requires 3 components: It must be acidic, it must be bacteria-free and it must be oxygenated. Soap and cleansers lean more towards alkaline, therefore the simple act of toning after washing will leave your skin balanced, which is always the goal. 

I love acid exfoliators. Products containing skin friendly acids like glycolic (AHA) or Salicylic (BHA) dissolve dead skin and debris without abrasion. Salicylic acid is an amazing protocol for those prone to acne, as this modality has the added benefit of infusing oxygen into the follicle (oxygen kills the bacteria that causes acne). 

If using an acid wash, gently massage it into the skin, after removing makeup, and allow it to sit on the skin for a minute prior to rinsing. 

PROTECT THE SKIN

If your goal is to -not only- protect the skin, but to create positive change within it, then applying a morning and night active protocol is the solution.

Applying a daily, topical, vitamin-C serum followed by a daily broad spectrum SPF each morning will set your skin up for success throughout the day. Cleansing and toning in the morning does not protect and strengthen the skin, per say. It simply preps it and creates a sanitary canvas to receive daily treatment protocols. Before you apply your daily hydration and sunscreen, find a good vitamin-C serum to apply first. Active serums, like vitamin c, should always be applied prior to applying your thicker products and investing in good quality products does matter. 

Vitamin-C is an antioxidant, and will protect the skin from UV damage, as well as damage from the external environmental elements. What if I tell you that pollution can cause your skin to age? External pollution and UV radiation are known as free radicals, and creep their way into the skin cells, change the DNA and create negative change in the skin. The simple act of applying a quality vitamin-C serum will protect the skin cell, and will proactively create antioxidant protection against free radical damage. A vitamin C serum with added ferulic acid and vitamin E makes the C-serum more efficacious. Although Skinceuticals raised the bar for that formulation, Paula’s Choice and Timeless have good affordable options as well.

An added bonus of topical vitamin-C, is that it fades hyper-pigmentation. A pea size amount on the face and another pea size to the face and décolleté is all the skin needs before applying a daily moisturizer broad spectrum SPF. Your Uv protection should be at least 30, and although a chemical sunscreen will protect the skin against UV damage which causes premature aging and skin cancer, I much rather prefer a mineral sunscreens, preferable Zinc Oxide 20%, because it provides  physical protective barrier on the skin, it protects it from blue light, and it protects melanin-rich skin that is prone to melasma. 

Physical sunscreens get a bad rap because of the white pasty film it leaves on the skin. However, there are so many elegant, micronized formulas on the market today like EldaMD, La Roche Posay Anthelios and Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Oxide.

Trust me, there is nothing I crave more than sitting on a beach and feeling the warm sun on my skin. But I rather keep my skin looking healthy, youthful and cancer-free for as long as I can. UV rays break down collagen in the skin, it breaks down the skin's elastin fibers, which translates to loss of firmness. Exposure to UV rays can create hyper-pigmentation marks on the face on most skin types, and it makes the skin vulnerable to skin cancer. Bob Marley died from metastatic melanoma between his toes, so if you’re reading this and your skin is brown (Fitz 5-6) you do not get a free pass because your skin is melanin-rich. 

And for the record, sun exposure isn’t always “laying by the pool”. If you ever sit by a window, or drive in a car, or walk down the street you are exposing your skin to cumulative UV damage. Five minutes in one location, fifteen minutes in another will add up and over time your skin will show the cumulative damage. The point is, UV exposure is all around us, even in the winter, even through glass, especially in higher elevations and especially during the summer months. Whether sitting by the pool or walking to the mailbox, the skin is exposed to damaging UV radiation. 

It's never too late to start a skin care regime, so forget about the bad habits of the past and move forward with these simple tips. 

CHOOSE PRODUCTS WISELY

I curate custom protocols for my clients every day. If I have a client who's a skincare virgin, and is just now leaning-in to good care habits, I send her straight to the drugstore. Coco Chanel said it best: It’s not about money, it's about understanding. Although she was referring to fashion, the same principles apply to skincare. A drugstore cleanser, toner eye cream, daily SPF, vitamin-C serum, retinol, and skin hydration product is all you need to begin an effective twice-per-day routine. If you wanted to begin to splurge, I would recommend investing your money in a quality vitamin-C serum, and eventually a prescription retinoid. 

A moment ago I discussed important daytime protocols that protect the skin. However, night time requires repair and nourishment as well. After cleansing the skin, dry with a tissue, then apply toner before bed. Now that the skin is ready to receive treatment, apply a repair serum like a retinol or a prescription retinoid (a vitamin-A derivative). I won’t go into detail about the importance of retinoids in this post, but it is important for you to understand that a repair serum changes the skin. Aside from vitamin-A derivatives, serums with growth factors are also a skin-game changer. I typically tell my clients to start with an over the counter retinol, twice per week, then use a growth factor serum on your days off. After the product is absorbed into the skin, apply a nourishing skin oil or night cream, as well as an eye cream. I can go on and on about specifics and brands and protocols, but the main message that I want to leave you here with today, is to find a skin care program that is realistic for you and stick to it every single day. Even if you start by cleansing and toning morning and night, it's a start. It's about establishing habits, leaning into perpetual skin CARE, and reaping the rewards of beautiful skin that glows without the use of makeup. 

Ciao for now, xo

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