Your face is the very first thing everyone sees. Taking care of this delicate skin begins with some sage advice from Krystal Lynn Carey, owner of Bowtox Junky. Here are her tops tips and recommended treatments to keep you glowing into the new year.
Sun Protection
1. Aside from hydration, Krystal says the one thing she stresses to all her clients is SPF. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. 365 days a year. Nothing will age you quicker or is as unforgiving as the sun. There are lots of ways to apply sunblock. Krystal's favorite is tinted sunscreen. She especially loves ZO primer sunscreen and PCA tinted sunscreen. Beware that having sunscreen in your makeup is not the same. She advises to start with sunscreen then apply your makeup.
Upgrade Your Skincare
Your average skincare will not do, according to Krystal, you have to up your skin game to medical grade. It can change your life! Krystal says that the skin care counter at the mall can actually charge the same as medical grade when they are not even close to the same quality. Krystal recommends Dr. Obaji and his medical grade skincare line ZO. In addition, she stresses the importance of getting your skin ready for treatment. In other words, you must wash, tone, exfoliate. Then you add your treatments that are customized to your skin care needs.
Retinol
Retinol is considered a lifelong treatment, after age 25 Everybody should be on a retinol to maintain their collagen and help with cell turnover. Medical grade retinol is ideal but what people don’t realize there’s different types of retinol so it’s important to talk with a knowledgeable provider who can start you on the correct retinol treatment.
Neuromodulators
Perhaps better known as Bowtox Dysport, Xeomin and Jeuveau are all great ways to erase years off your face. One treatment can last on average of 3 to 5 months. It works by temporarily reducing the muscle movement that causes those pesky lines and wrinkles.
Sculptra
Sculptra is a bio-stimulator that encourages collagen to grow. Over time our skin begins to thin out because it loses collagen and elasticity. Krystal suggests doing the recommended 3 sessions of Sculptra and then maintaining it once a year to reclaim your collagen. Follow up treatments can then maintain the collagen you lose each year. Drinking a collagen supplement is not the same as growing your own collagen. Just like muscles, you have to work out to grow your muscles, you can’t just drink them.
CO2 facial
This facial is one you can receive in your office or at home. Carbon dioxide therapy forces the oxygen in the surrounding tissues to open up into the upper layers of the skin. Not only does it help with anti-aging but it’s like putting your face in an oxygen chamber. This can increase hydration and moisture in the skin significantly.
'Krystal says that the skin care counter at the mall can charge the same as medical grade when they are not even close to the same quality.'
