Spa Medical Approved At-Home Skincare Routine

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit Carrie Oliver at Spa Medical on Third Street in downtown Macon for a skin consultation and Hydrafacial. I’m saving the details of that wonderful facial for another post, but today I wanted to give y’all some tips on creating a great at-home skin care routine.

I turned 32 this summer, and up until this year I hadn’t really given much thought to my skin. My idea of a good skincare regimen was applying a decent BB cream in the morning and then washing my face at night. While I’ve been able to get away with that up until now, Carrie, a licensed aesthetician with more than 15 years experience, explained now is the time to start putting more thought into how I take care of my skin since most women begin to see the signs of aging (read: fine lines and wrinkles) in their mid-thirties.

Carrie said the best way to take care of my skin now is to start a manageable at-home skincare routine. Here is what she suggested for me, but I suggest you head over for Spa Medical for your free skin consultation!

Step 1: Cleanse (AM and PM)

Like I said before, I usually washed my face at night, but never in the morning.

Step 2: Vitamin C (AM and PM)

Carrie said active vitamin C is the key to promoting collagen and elastin production and brightening the skin.  This C-BRIGHT 10% Vitamin C Serum by ZO Medical does the trick! My skin is really sensitive, so after a few days of applying it both day and night I noticed some minor irritation. I dropped it to once a day and haven’t had a problem since.

 Step 3: Concentrated Vitamin A (Retinol)

Carrie said that Retinol speeds up the body’s cell-turnover rate. She sent me home with ZO Medical’s Ossential® Daily Power Defense, which, according to its website, has “time-released retinol, antioxidants and specialized DNA-repairing enzymes work around the clock to help minimize UV oxidative damage and uneven pigmentation, while restoring skin function and elasticity.”

Step 4: Sunscreen

Carrie was most adamant about adding a good sunscreen to my routine. The BB cream that I was using had only an SPF of 35, and while that’s better than nothing, I needed to up my game.

My most favorite part of my new routine is this broad spectrum SPF 45 Intellishade sunscreen. This tinted moisturizer comes in two finishes – matte and original – and has replaced my BB cream altogether. LOVE IT!

Step 5: BRIGHTENEX Skin Brightener & Correcting Crème (Every other day or every third day)

I have a ton of freckles on my face, and while I love them and definitely don’t want them to disappear, I wouldn’t mind toning them down just a bit. Carrie sent me home with some BRIGHTENEX by ZO Medical, which is a first course treatment in treating hyperpigmentation such as freckles.

Honestly, when Carrie went over this with me, I was a little overwhelmed. I have two kids under 5, so brushing my teeth in the morning can seem daunting, much less a full blown skincare routine. BUT I was so surprised to find that this takes me less than three minutes each morning and night, and I’ve definitely noticed a difference in the look and feel of my skin.

I hope you’ll do yourself a favor and head to Spa Medical for your skin consultation. You won’t be sorry!