Lisa's Bathroom Shelf

To continue in our series of peeks into our teams bathroom cupboards:


This month:  What Lisa uses in her day to day routine!

I've always had a combination skin, although it's definitely not as oily in my t-zone as it used to be - the joys of aging! I've always suffered with dehydrated skin, and once I hit late 20's, pigmentation.

In the morning I cleanse with NeoStrata Clarifying cleanser, and I use a homemade balm cleanser at night.

After cleansing I use Skinceuticals Vitamin C serum, Phloretin CF. I have been using a Vitamin C serum for 15 years now and it's made a huge difference to my pigmentation and gives my skin a real glow. I would never not use it now. 

After waiting a few minutes for the Vitamin C Serum to sink in, and drag the kids out of bed in the meantime ...., I then apply Skinceuticals H.A. Intensifier for hydration and firming and plumping, and finish my morning routine with NeoStrata Ultra Daytime Smoothing Cream with an SPF 20. The glycolic in the cream exfoliates, helps my congested areas and also helps with anti-aging.

Both morning and night I apply NeoStrata Intensive Eye Therapy around my eyes. I love this product! It's great for hydration but also contains peptides and very powerful antioxidants to help trigger and reinforce collagen.

In the evening, after cleansing with the homemade balm, a very gentle cleanser that melts on the skin,  I switch between NeoStrata renewal cream and their Dermal Replenishment. Both focus on antioxidants, plumping and hydrating, but the renewal also contains pro-retinal, so is more active.

Top tip

Always apply your products in thin layers, rather than one thick layer.  The skin can only absorb so much product at one time. You are much better putting one layer, and then 30 minutes later, applying a second layer. It will really help with dehydration.

(Photos our own)

Jurgita's Bathroom Shelf

Summer holidays is but a distant memory,  but even so,  getting back into the swing of things back in London takes some time!  Back to work, back to school, back to routine!!!  We understand how our skincare routines can slip while we are on holidays, so we are here to give you some inspiration and motivation to get back on track.  Following on from where we left off, the Fern Team are here to share with you what is on our bathroom shelves and what our daily skin care routines are.

What is on Jurgita's bathroom Shelf?

"My moto is quick, easy and practical. I like to spend max 5 min for my morning routine. 

My skin is combination, where the T zone gets oily and congested, however the skin over my cheek bones is dry and the very top of my cheeks can get red on a hot summers day or chilly winter morning. 

My morning routine is always the same:  

Glo Theraputics Hydrating gel cleanser, Skin Ceuticals CE Ferulic, Glo Theraputics Moisturising Tint SPF 30 on top.  

My favourite product is Skin Ceuticals CE Ferulic. I could not live without it. It brightens up my skin and gives a natural glow, protects the skin from premature ageing. 

My evening routine: 

Same cleanser followed by Glo Theraputics Brightening polish (twice a week) and Skin Ceuticals Phyto Corrective Serum. I do not like putting too much on my skin at night, so I use serums only.  Phyto corrective really helps to reduce the redness as well as hydrates my skin. 

Once or twice a week I will spoil myself with a Restorative mask – and leave it a bit longer than 15 min".

One Skin Does Not Fit All - Skin Conditions

Hello everyone,

One of the last blogs was all about Skin Types - this month I will explain Skin Conditions:

A Skin Type and a Skin Condition need seperate care.  With a Skin Type we can control the 'problem', eg, with a Skin Type that is Dry, we can recreate a lipid barrier on the skin to protect it and prevent further drying by using correct products. A Skin Type can be controlled but not cured as it is something we are born with.

A Skin Condition, on the other hand, can be treated as they have been caused by external factors and some internal factors. This can include dehydration which may have been caused by central heating, or not drinking enough water.

Skin Conditions include:

Dehydration – lack of water in the skin, possibly flaky, very fine lines, loss of ‘bounce’ to the skin, tight surface, dull complexion, oilness and blockages can still be present. We would recommend some regular light exfoliation and a serum with Hyaluronic Acid to help bind water into the skin.

Sensitised – reactivity to certain products/treatments/environmental factors, tendancy to redness, inflammation, reaction to heat and friction.  We would recommend soothing and calming products such as SkinCeuticals Redness Relief to help combat the triggers of redness and irritation.

Ageing/Premature – wrinkles, loss of muscle tone, pigmentation, dull, low in oil, course skin texture. Peels containing Glycolic and Lactic Acid are fantastic for treating Ageing and Premature Ageing skin conditions. Also use of products at home that contain Vitamin C, Peptides, Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol.

Pigmentation/Sunspots – brown or white irregular patches on the skin. A course of Alma Light Therapy to diminish the brown pigmentation patches, along side regular exfoliation, use of a Vitamin C serum and of course a high factor SPF is essential!

Congestion/Breakouts – under surface congestion, comodones (blackheads), milea (whiteheads), possible pustular breakouts. Build up of skin cells can cause a build up of blackheads which in turn can lead to breakouts. Regular exfoliation is a must alongside regular facials to have your blackheads removed.

So regular facials and a good home skincare routine are essential for your skins health.  Book in for a Fern Facial and we can determine your skin type, any skin conditions and a home skin care regime.

Nicki's bathroom shelf!

We have a lot of our clients who come in for facials asking what we use on our skin. So over the next several blogs I will be sharing with you that very information and a few secret skin care tips .....

So this month:  What Nicki uses!

My Skin Type is Dry and my Skin Condition can often be sensitive and prone to irritation. I also get the odd hormonal breakout and because of my Dry Skin Type, premature ageing is my main concern.

In the morning, I cleanse my skin with Glo-Therapeutics Gentle Cream Cleanser for sensitive skin.
I follow this up with NeoStrata Skin Active Anti-Oxidant Defence Serum all over my face and neck. I find that Vitamin C Products are too active for my skin, and this contains Chardonnay Grape Seed Extract as well as Green Tea Extract which really reduces the look of inflammation. My new hero product is the NeoStrata Skin Active Triple Firming Neck Cream - the triple being plumping, volume building and firmness!  And lastly I am currently using Glo-Therapeutics Moisturising Tint SPF30 in Medium.

In the evening, I cleanse my skin with the Gentle Cream Cleanser again, and I follow this up with Skin Ceuticals Resveratrol B E Serum. This is an anti-oxidant serum to reduce the free-radical damage that may have happened during the day and prevent collagen breakdown. I only use an eye cream at night, purely as I have more time, and my favourite at the moment is  Skin Ceuticals Eye Balm, a rich hydrating cream and I just love the texture of this product. I follow this with the Restorative Cream from Glo-Therapeutics which deeply nourishes and moisturises my dry skin, as well as being anti-inflammatory.

Once a week I will very lightly exfoliate with Glo-Therapeutics Refresh Facial Polish. This one does not stress my skin, I love the peppermint smell and its very refreshing. I am also using the Skin Ceuticals Phyto-Corrective Mask. This mask is highly moisturising and hydrating and so soothing and calming. I actually leave this mask in the fridge, then  massage it into my skin and leave it on overnight!

Nicki's Top Tip!

Lots of my clients often tell me they forget or struggle to find the time to exfoliate. I am a stickler for the correct exfoliation, and I suggest to keep it in the shower and exfoliate when you have your conditioner in your hair!

One Skin Does Not Fit All - Skin Types

Hello Everyone,

Skin Knowledge

As Esthetician's, it is our job to use our knowledge of the skins functions to help guide you on how to best look after your skin, by recommending the right product usage to establish what is the best skincare regime for you. When doing this we always recommend coming to see us for a Fern Facial, this is the time we take off all of your makeup, and have a good look at every inch of your skin under the bright light.  Scary, I know, but necessary!

Skin Type/Skin Conditions

Whilst we are analysing your skin, we are looking to determine two things - Skin Type and Skin Condition.  These are both very different things and over the next 2 blogs I am going to explain what they are, starting today with Skin Types.

The Four Skin Types

Your Skin Type is genetically pre-disposed (something you are born with) A Skin Type falls into 4 basic categories - Normal, Oily, Dry and Combination.  I am also going to add in Sensitive, as for some people this can be a permanent  skin condition.  So what do the different skin types look like?

Normal - very rarely do we find "normal" skin type, a bit like hunting for a four leaf clover! For those lucky few the T-zone (forehead, chin and nose) may be a bit oily, but overall sebum and moisture is balanced and the skin is neither too oily nor too dry.

Normal Skin has:

* fine pores

* good blood circulation

* a velvety, soft and smooth texture

* a fresh, rosy colour uniform transparency

* no blemishes 

Oily - ‘Oily’ is used to describe a skin type with heightened sebum production.

Oily Skin has:

* a glossy shine

* thicker, pale skin: blood vessels may not be visible

* enlarged, clearly visible pores

Dry -  Dry skin can feel tight, brittle, rough and look dull. Skin elasticity is also low.

Dry Skin has:

* a rough and blotchy appearance (sometimes it appears to be prematurely aged) 

* a feeling of tightness 

* possible itchiness 

* mild scaling or flakiness in patches 

Combination - In combination skin the skin types vary in the T-zone and the cheeks.  For example, and oily t-zone and normal/dry cheeks.

Combination Skin has:

* enlarged pores in this area perhaps with some impurities

* normal to dry cheeks

* an oily T-zone (forehead, chin and nose)

Sensitive - is skin that is easily irritated and is more reactive than normal skin.

Sensitive Skin can have:

* Redness/visible capillaries

* Rash

* Swelling

* Itching sensation

* Burning sensation

So if you find yourself unsure of your skin type, the next step to take is booking in for a Fern facial and beginning your skin journey.


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