By: Hannah Hartz
Hannah Hartz is a Chicago-based esthetician with 7 years experience. She currently works at CaTara Med Spa. Here, she shares her own morning and nighttime skincare routine.
Every day we are inundated with new information to help guide us on our skincare journeys; it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Should you go with a simple cleanser and moisturizer, or start implementing that 12-step routine you keep seeing everywhere? Should you go for all-natural DIY masks or high-end creams? Which products are going to make you break out? We ask ourselves these questions daily as we scroll through Instagram, taking in all sorts of tips and tricks from professionals, which leads us to the biggest question of all: how do I choose a step-by-step process that’s right for me?
The best answer is to go see your beloved esthetician, who knows your skin far better than the internet ever will. He or she can provide a truly personalized consultation as well as product recommendations for your specific skin type. The runner-up best answer is to take a peek inside an esthetician’s skincare routine. Let’s dive in, shall we?
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My Daytime Skincare Routine
When I wake up, I cleanse my skin with Gentle Foaming Cleanser by Epionce, making sure to keep the water lukewarm, and afterward wiping away excess water with a disposable cotton wipe (NOT the towel I use to wipe my hands throughout the day!). This particular cleanser is pH balanced, which means I don’t need a toner, so I jump right into my 30% Vitamin C by Revision Skincare to keep my skin bright and healthy, and to shield me from any nasty pollutants I will encounter when I go outside.
Next, I gently apply my Revision DEJ Eye Cream to hydrate and smooth out the delicate skin around my eyes. This also gives my vitamin C a little extra time to penetrate before I move on to my next steps.
To lock all these goodies in and boost my hydration and health, I throw on some Mizon’s All-In-One Snail Repair Cream, a K-Beauty gem, followed by Epionce’s tinted SPF, which protects my skin from pollutants, free radicals and UV rays. It also blurs any imperfections, and literally feels like I’m smearing a fluffy cloud on my face. A couple spritzes of Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Glow Water by Fresh, and I’m ready to take on the day! …Or at least my face is.
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My Nighttime Skincare Routine
Winding down at night, I get all the grime from the day off by working in Revision’s Papaya Enzyme Cleanser for a glorious minute with my Foreo, my most beloved tool for deep cleaning. Then, I apply my anti-aging lotion – my Epionce Lytic Tx – and my ultimate fortifier – ProHeal by IS Clinical. My eye cream and my snail cream get double duty for my morning and night routine (don’t worry, no snails are harmed in the making of this product). Everything gets sealed in with Epionce’s Renewal Facial Lotion, a hydrating and healing lotion, that leaves my skin clean, nourished and protected.
Should You Be Doing This, Too?
Maybe. But maybe not. The most important thing to remember when choosing a routine is that everyone’s skin is different. Everyone has different sensitivities, problem areas and goals. What works for one person might not work for the next person. Insight into an esthetician’s daily practice should merely be a jumping off point. Think of this as a guideline to help point you in the right direction. Always remember the best way to choose a routine: go see your esthetician!