An Esthetician Shares Her Top Tips For Glowing Skin

“Truth is…” allows readers to get esthetician-backed advice without having to step foot into an office. In each article, certified skin therapist Samantha Mims shares her do’s and don’ts, product recommendations, and more to help you along your skin care journey.

Skin care has remained a grounding practice of mine for as long as I can remember. As I grew into womanhood I was heavily influenced by the monthly subscriptions of ESSENCE that my mother collected and, naturally, by the older women I spent most of my time with. It comes as no surprise that this is now my life’s work and trust me when I say that I enjoy every part of it.  

As a skin therapist and educator at epi.logic– a doctor- backed, clinical brand that centers melanated, hyperpigmentation-prone skin– my role as an educator requires me to give out proper recommendations, centered around each person’s skin and their concerns. 

If you haven’t been able to make it in to see your esthetician recently, and are in need of some direction, here are three of my top favorite face and body tips to achieve that scintillating glow for the approaching season.

Pro tip 1: Pre-pair twice!

Many experts would recommend you use a toner post cleanse but have you ever thought to start off your routine with a toner followed by cleansing and toning again? Safe to say this does not apply to every product you use. In most cases, this could be too much for the skin, especially when we think about toners that include acids like BHAs and AHAs. 

However, toners that act as an essence, or a highly concentrated product, made with soothing ingredients, are going to feed the skin’s biome before you actually cleanse. Starting on dry skin, apply your toner-essence and press firmly into the skin. Follow up with a thorough cleanse while the skin remains wet and after you’ve cleansed go back and reapply more of your toner. Consider this a blanket of comfort for the skin before that first step in your routine.  

Pro tip 2: Double the exfoliation! 

Anyone can benefit from a good exfoliation 2-3 times a week. Whether that be in the form of dry brushing, an enzyme mask, or a glycolic body scrub, every part of our body deserves to be resurfaced. It’s how we increase the turnover of old skin to new skin. Talk about tackling hyperpigmentation? This trick is totally for you if that’s what you’re looking to target. But If your skin is more on the sensitive side of the spectrum, my suggestion is to only use gentler acids like lactic, mandelic or salicylic once a week to keep the skin smooth and bright. This way is a  gentler approach with the same benefits! 

Pro tip 3: From eye to lip care

Ever feel like your lips need to be conditioned? With the capabilities of a multitasking, active eye cream, you’d be surprised with how many ways this could be used. Contrary to belief, some eye creams are delicate enough to be applied to the lips. I wouldn’t dare share this tip with you if I hadn’t tried this on myself first. After extensive use in my own routine with some of my personal favorite eye creams, I got to see how my lips have improved, appearing more smooth and supple than before. When implementing this trick, It’s important to use a good eye cream that is made with a meticulous blend of peptides and ingredients, like time-release retinol, that are efficient enough to brighten and soften the finest lines. Now, eye call that top tier!