Time for Skin Rejuvenation: What One Esthetician Has to Say
6 min read
Caring for ourselves, even for a few minutes daily, is invaluable in our undoubtedly busy lives. One of the many ways I practice self-care and maintain a healthy relationship with myself is by caring for my skin. I am particularly invested in skincare because it is a literal form of self-care that encourages us to regularly tend to our body's largest organ. My daily skincare ritual, combined with my monthly facial, is a time I've carved to nurture my body, which boosts my confidence.
During a recent facial appointment, I talked to my esthetician, Ramnit Bloch, about caring for ourselves and how it benefits our well-being. Ramnit is a licensed medical esthetician with years of knowledge and experience. She is passionate about making people feel good and their skin happy. Below, she shares advice and some steps you can take to care for your skin so you can look and feel your best.
What is your personal philosophy on skincare?
My philosophy is to keep the body and skin healthy from the inside out. Eating well keeps your nutrition up, and can enhance the look and feel of your skin. So, of course, you will need to eat healthily and cleanse your body accordingly to stay healthy.
As an esthetician, why do you think everyone should care about skincare?
To keep the skin healthy, you need to take care of it. Everybody's skin gets buildup from pollution and products we use on the face, so we need to take care of it with deep cleansing and exfoliation to eliminate the build-up. When we exercise, it stimulates blood circulation, and when our blood circulation is stimulated, that area of the body can work optimally. Same thing with facials. Facials are exercises and massages for the face, which help to maintain healthy skin for a long time.
If someone is overwhelmed by skincare, what's one thing they can focus on or one thing to start off with?
Cleansing! It's very important. By the end of the day, our skin has taken lots of trauma from the environment, makeup, and so many things. And when I say environment, I also mean the environment inside the office. There are extreme temperatures (hot and cold), and dust sits on our faces. So, cleansing, especially double cleansing, is essential to keep skin clean and healthy. Once the skin is clean, anything we put on will absorb properly and benefit properly.
How do you double cleanse?
First, cleanse with an oil-based cleanser to dissolve dirt, makeup, and other impurities that build up on your skin during the day. Then you do another cleansing because the first cleanser only took care of the surface, the very top layer, where the pollution and makeup were. But you still need to clean the skin underneath your makeup or debris. So you do the double cleanse to take care of everything on the skin.
For those individuals with oily skin, should they abstain from doing a double cleanse with an oil-based cleanser?
No. The oil-based cleanser is just breaking down particles of dust and makeup. They can use a second cleanser that is for oily skin or acne-prone skin or according to their skin condition.
Is there an oil-based cleanser you recommend?
My favorite oil-based cleanser is the One Love Vitamin B Enzyme Cleansing Oil, which has enzymes that break down all the particles and exfoliate. I really like it because it feels hydrating, and it's not too harsh on the skin. It does not strip the skin or dry it out and doesn't leave it oily, either.
If someone does not have money for regular facials, what can they do at home to keep their skin healthy?
Two things you can do are Gua Sha and masks. You can do Gua Sha at home while watching TV for just ten minutes. A little bit of massage, even if you don't know how to totally do it, helps because the movement can boost circulation, as well as collagen and elastin on the face. Another thing you can do is the hydrating masks. Those are the easiest and cheapest ways to keep your skin healthy and young.
What do you do regularly to connect with and understand yourself?
In the morning, I do stretches to keep my body active and moving. During the day, it's very hectic; my job is very demanding and requires a lot of physical labor, so when I come home in the evening, I do a headstand to rejuvenate my brain. After the headstand, I shower, eat, watch my TV programs, and before going to bed, I always do some Pranayama (yoga breathing exercises), which relaxes my brain and body. They are the best because they give you lots of oxygen. Lastly, I put on meditative music in a low rhythm and sleep with it. That's my basic daily routine.
What is one thing you wished more people knew about skincare or body care?
Hyperpigmentation is very common, but many people don't know how pigmentation and melasma work. Many expect it to go away after two or three treatments of chemical peels, micro-needling, or anything to that effect. Melasma is one of those things that could be genetic or hormonal. One thing about melasma is it takes a very long time because the molecules underneath the skin are dark and stubborn, so breaking them down takes a very long time. For people who have melasma, I will tell them, please be patient and take their time, and continue their treatments on a professional level and at-home treatments that their esthetician recommends. I used to have melasma on both sides of my cheeks, and now I have none. It took me two years to get rid of them, but I am very happy with my results.
Again, be patient. People want instant results. Nothing is instant. It is not magic; it is science. Patience and daily routine will go a long way.
How do you go about finding a good esthetician?
You want to find an esthetician who is knowledgeable and can give you good advice. It is hard to know what is good advice. One way to tell your esthetician is knowledgeable is when you are talking to an esthetician, and they are explaining to you your problem or condition; it makes sense. And remember, we are human, and we have different chemistry and structure, so sometimes the treatment the esthetician gives you may work or may not work; that doesn't mean the esthetician is not good; it's just that our body doesn't respond to certain kinds of treatments so if you communicate with your esthetician that the treatment didn't work, a good esthetician will change or tweak your routine until they find something that works. It's about working together.
Ramnit’s Favorite Products For Skincare
One Love Organics Vitamin B Enzyme Cleansing Oil Makeup Remover
IMAGE Skincare VITAL C Hydrating Enzyme Masque
Naturopathica Carrot Seed Soothing Facial Oil
Naturopathica White Tea Antioxidant Mask
You can book a facial with Ramnit at Behodi Aesthetics and Wellness | (917) 362-1321.
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