True Luxury Skincare

Skincare product manufacturers, retailers, marketers and influencers want us all to believe that their product is the holy grail for solving our varied skin concerns. Some go as far as to tell us that one product can solve all skin problems with just one swipe. We have all been fed images of what good or perfect skin should look like. For most, we aspire to that societally driven image and are willing to try these miracle products to achieve it. Indeed, the reason for Beyonce's skin being flawless on awakening must be the $500 moisturizer she slathers over her face at night, right? Wrong!!!! Let me tell why you still don't have stunning skin like Lori Harvey even though you bought out the entire line of her SKN collection. These are the 5 components of true luxury skincare that will make you look like your favorite beauty guru.

1. Diet, Exercise and Water Intake. Hey! No come back! Don't run away! I know you don't want to hear it but it is true. Your skin is a part of your body. What society purports as perfect skin is simply the skin of a healthy person. Flawless skin requires healthy daily practice, not just a 21-days hit it and quit it program. CONSISTENT consumption of nutrient rich, whole foods is vital to optimally nourish your body, and your skin will reflect that. CONSISTENT exercise has a myriad of benefits and beautiful, glowing skin is definitely one of them. CONSISTENT and adequate intake of water is key. Water is needed for almost every process in your body. The human body is amazing at self preservation. It will always prioritize how to keep you alive. The skin is the important protective barrier of the body but lets be honest, it does not have to look flawless to get the job done. So if you are lacking adequate water for bodily processes, the skin is not going to be top of the list to get some hydration. No matter how much money that hydrating lotion costs it will never be able to achieve the level of hydration as adequate water intake can. If you don’t believe me, hop on to social media like Instagram or YouTube and take stock of the lifestyles of the rich and famous who have “perfect skin”. I guarantee in their interviews or posts that do not have #ad or #partnership, they are simply living healthy lifestyles. So indulge in true luxury skincare by intentionally living a healthier life.

2. Professional input. Having experienced my own set of skin problems since childhood, I can say that my skin has looked it’s best after I got professional help. While you can definitely achieve the best version of your skin through your own discovery, the task can be so much easier when you have professionals guiding you. Skin care professionals like dermatologists (actual medical doctors) and estheticians have gone through rigorous training programs. Their certifications (should and often do) mean that they understand the basics as well as complexities of skin health. They keep up to date with the thousands of products and practices that are useful in skincare. Your favorite flawless skin celebrity very likely routinely sees a dermatologist and attends regular sessions with an esthetician. These professionals can quickly identify specific skin problems and provide solutions by way of prescription medications, highly effective products and even procedures. Moreover, some skin conditions are indicators of more sinister or underlying medical issues that need to be addressed. A $200 dermatologist visit may prove more worthwhile or even life saving versus a $400 tub of face cream. Being able to commit to regular follow up with these professionals is true indulgence in luxury.

3. Procedures. Luxury skincare is not just using products that seem exorbitantly priced, but there are hundreds of procedures that are used by professionals to help people achieve glowing, supple, flawless skin. Chemical peels, laser treatments, injections, sonic wave tightening therapies and even surgeries are used for skin perfection. To be safely and effectively carried out, these procedures should only be done by professionals and often require multiple treatments to achieve a desired outcome. This puts the total costs in the hundreds or thousands of dollars per session. Indeed, this is true luxury.

4. Products. I am not going to pretend like products don’t matter when it comes to skincare. I have tried dollar store products and I have tried luxury products. I will admit, the ones with the hefty price tags are usually better. Luxury skincare product pricing does carry some weight with it. These products are usually developed through years of extensive scientific research by highly rated specialists. Millions of dollars are spent sourcing, formulating, developing, manufacturing, packaging and marketing these products. This is where true luxury lies. Sure, you can rub any lotion on your skin but luxury skincare products are created to give an elevated experience. They are often more highly concentrated than many watered down drug store counterparts, more sustainably manufactured and packaged, as well as easier to apply and feel good on the skin.

5. Consistency. You may have seen hints of this in earlier points but it really is the truest aspect of luxury skincare. Being able to keep up with product purchases, specialist visits, healthy dietary intake and procedures is an expensive fete. Additionally, committing time and energy to skincare is indeed a luxury. I often see memes and jokes stating “you’re not ugly you’re just poor”. I do chuckle and nod my head in agreement because it is true. It is not to say that having gorgeous skin is only achievable through luxury skincare but it really does help when you can afford to indulge in these practices not once but on a regular basis.

Bonus point! Of course I had to drop this one in for you! Here is one way you can experience luxury skincare without spending an extra dime:

Ask for samples! Many major department stores, beauty stores and even luxury designer houses that sell skincare products often have samples available to be issued to customers and potential customers for free. All you have to do is ask. Don’t be ashamed to. The answer will either be yes or no. A good sales associate will not hold back a sample that could lead to a future purchase. Also make use of this option on websites like Sephora and Macy’s.

Stay fashionably well,

The Fashion Findess