Maintaining the Glow

July 2006 Special Advertising Section

1. Professional At-Home Products
Ask your esthetician to educate you on a skincare routine using products recommended by the clinic as a follow-up to your treatments. Most spas carry skincare lines used in their clinical treatments, which will continue the treatment’s effects. “It doesn’t help to go into the clinic for a treatment and then reverse the effects with junk products,” says Marin Burow, an esthetician at Skin Klinic of Edina.

2. The New Top Three
Step aside, cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. Focus your finances instead on three other products: a chemical exfoliant with alpha-hydroxy acids, an antioxidant Vitamin C product, and sunblock. “The alpha-hydroxy acids help repair damaged cells, while an antioxidant Vitamin C product helps protect against free radicals,” says Gena Schmoll, paramedical esthetician at Seasons Medical Spa, part of Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia. “And everyone should wear at least an SPF 20 on their face.”

3. Switch it Up
Over time, your skin may become immune to products. That’s when it’s time to switch it up. “If your regimen isn’t working suddenly, you may need different products or to upgrade from those you are currently using,” says Diane Baker, paramedical esthetician at Consultative Skincare in Wayzata. “If you’re starting with drugstore products, perhaps move into some salon-grade products. From there you may want to consider upgrading to medical-grade products that you can purchase through a professional spa. We can sell prescription-strength products that aren’t sold in department stores or at regular salons.”

4. Spring (and Fall) Cleaning
It’s difficult to get to the spa once a month to give your pores a good cleaning. At the very least, Baker recommends going during spring and fall months when your skin has a harder time adjusting to the temperature changes. When in doubt, put a routine facial treatment on your wish list. “Gift certificates play a nice role in allowing people to continue to get into the spa for a routine facial,” says Diane Cook, co-owner of The Day Spa in Edina and the Teen Spa and The Day Spa II in Burnsville.