South Florida Lifestyle Guide - Holiday Gift Guide Volume I Inaugural Issue | Page 26

The global industry of skincare and all of its classifications, is generating billions of dollars each year; at some point, during the not-so subliminal beauty/skincare advertising we are exposed to daily, we became overtly curious about the fundamentals of skincare; short of a cosmetic company selling its entire product line we question the numerous products and time-consuming steps we are told it requires to take care of our skin. So we asked South Florida Lifestyle Guide expert contributor, Nicole Oden, Founder of Eleven Salon & Spa and ElevenSkin her views on this topic.

"When it comes to beautiful skin,

the key is consistency. Forgo a drawn

out cleansing routine and embrace a

four-step skin care regimen that you’ll

look forward to each day." -Nicole Oden

Cleanse

Your face is your canvas, and like every artist, you need to start with a clean surface. Begin your routine with a mild facial cleanser to remove any build up of excess dirt and oils. Be careful not to over cleanse or you will strip your skin of the natural oils that help to keep it supple and glowing.

Tone

Many women use toner to remove excess makeup that their cleanser missed. If that’s the case for you, get a new cleanser. Toner is meant to balance the pH levels of your skin so that any other items you use will be more effective.

Serum

Skin does most of its repairing at night and serums are specifically designed to work over a longer period of time. Used overnight, serums go deeper into the skin to target the root cause of blemishes, helping combat many common beauty complaints.

Moisturize

Moisturizing your face locks it all in, giving back to your skin what was removed while cleansing. If you will be exposed to the sun it is imperative to use a day moisturizer with sun protection of at least a SPF 15. By applying a layer of moisturizer, you help keep your skin hydrated, healthy and protected.

No matter your skin type, you can create a simple regimen with quality items to find a skin care routine that you will never want to miss.

skincare 101

Nicole Oden, Founder of Eleven Salon & Spa and ElevenSkinDelray Beach, Florida. ElevenSalonSpa.com