Another year, another wrinkle.
Last years birthday pics troubled you. Of course, you’re confident, assured and yet? It’s subtle, but you can’t deny you’re beginning to notice a change in your appearance.
Those lines around your mouth? When did they appear? And, as if out of nowhere, you seem to have little brown patches appearing around your eyes and cheeks. And then you notice what can only be described as a brown mottling on your chest area. What the heck is going on there? Oh no!!
Not one to be scared easily; you can fix this.
Where’s that super expensive cleanser you bought just after Christmas, the one you were sure was going to deliver as promised? The consultant convinced you, and it cost so much, it must be good. Right? Well, maybe.
But hey, you always fall for that stuff; you can’t walk into a cosmetic department without buying some “promise in a jar”. It’s all so alluring.
Except now you’re feeling a little foolish. Deep down, you believe nothing works… But still, where is that cleanser?
Oh… yeah, it’s in the bathroom cabinet, hardly used, but it’s okay; the guilt of going to bed with your makeup on every night only lasts a couple of minutes as you drift off to sleep. By morning yesterday’s troubles are but a mere black smudge under your eyes, easily fixed in the shower with a bit of soap and water.
This is depressing.
There are days when just a fleeting glimpse of your reflection can send you into a spin. Let’s keep every room in the house dimly lit from here on in. It’s far more ambient anyway. Problem solved!
But still, it’s nagging at you. Why is it every magazine cover and Instagram post has an image of women who seem so perfect? Why does every celebrity your age manage to look so amazing? Seeming to age effortlessly. Or, not at all.
Okay, it’s clever lighting, airbrushed photography and the latest filter. And, let’s be honest, they’ve got a cast of thousands making them look good. None of it’s real! That’s true.
Even so, you ponder? What’s their secret? It seems like superstardom comes with a secret code to the “amazing-skincare-that-works” vault.
You don’t care!
Exactly, you don’t care. You’re too busy! This is 2021! We don’t care. Except I think you do care.
Next year when you’re turning [insert your age], you’ll get plenty of sleep, eat well and have a facial before your birthday celebrations and you’ll try to avoid the usual obligatory round of photos! But that’s silly. It’s your birthday!
It’s around about now when you shake yourself back into reality and tell yourself it really is okay.
You’ve accepted your age.
You’re at a time in life where you can finally feel confident in your own skin. And thankfully, the world is changing. Okay, at a glacial pace, but it’s changing. It’s a time of great liberation, and yet? You feel uneasy, even fearful.
You’re so vain!
Of course, you’re vain. We all are. It’s human nature. But getting older is a bit weird. It’s strange to see someone you don’t entirely recognise looking back at you in the mirror every morning. It’s hard to adjust. It’s, well, it’s unsettling.
I see it this way. I want to accept the way I age. I want to be proud of the woman I’m becoming, and sure, in a world full of strife, my wrinkles are insignificant.
Even so, we all do better when we feel good about ourselves. And you should feel good about yourself!
When it comes to your skin, your goal, or let’s say your quest, should be for healthy skin.
You see, how well you age is determined by the health of your body organs. Your lungs, kidneys, your hard-working liver. And like every other organ of the body, your skin is no exception. It needs your attention if it’s to age beautifully.
Your skin, IS AMAZING and like every other cell in your body, the cells of your skin are a wonder to behold. Your skin keeps you together, protects you from invading bacteria and viruses, controls your body temperature, sometimes it even indicates your internal health. Your skin is awesome! Surely, a little respect is in order?
So what to do?
Okay, so you want beautiful skin, great skin or just better skin than you have today? You even obsess over it, just a little. Is it really too much to ask to have the skin you deserve?
You already take pretty good care of your skin, and you cleanse; most of the time, you didn’t always, but you’re getting better at it, and these days you always apply sunscreen every day.
But, the march of time goes on, and the changes in your skin can seem to appear overnight.
What else is there to do?
Well, as it turns out, plenty. Muscle relaxing injections, dermal fillers, laser, high frequency focussed ultrasound.
All these treatments help hold back ageing, but when it comes to the texture and condition of your skin? There’s something else you can and should do, and it’s an instant pick-me-up to refresh your skin.
I see it this way. I want to accept the way I’m ageing. And, be proud of the woman I’m becoming and sure, in a world full of strife, my wrinkles are insignificant. But, if I can make a few minor improvements then why not? Right?
Let’s talk about professional chemical peels.
I want to demystify them a little, remove the scary image of red, burning, blistering skin from your mind and show you how amazing your skin can be with a little extra help to bring back your natural glow and improve the health of your largest organ.
But perhaps you’re a veteran when it comes to peel procedures, and you have your dermatologist on speed dial whenever you’re in need or, maybe like me, you need a bit of convincing.
The truth is, there was a time when the idea of a chemical peel touching my skin was Sacré bleu! Mais non!! Absolutely never!!
It was quite a few years ago, but I remember the day as if it was yesterday.
As a beauty therapist with many years of experience, I was somewhat of a ‘purist’ in my skincare beliefs, until one day, the education manager told me of the company I had just started working for that, despite my protestation, I would have a chemical peel!
So there it was, just like that, a little speechless, my first chemical peel was scheduled.
I considered calling in sick on the day, but curiosity overcame me and the rest, as they say, is history. From that day, I’ve never looked back.
I’m now happy to say I’m a HUGE advocate of chemical peels. The change in my skin seemed almost instant. My skin looked fresher, more radiant, and, dare I say, younger. Was it my imagination? I don’t think so. And, to this day, I continue to have professional chemical peels.
But chemicals! Really?
Now I can almost hear you saying, but Julie… They’re CHEMICALS!! Well, yes, but then, so is water… Everything has a chemical composition, but most of us associate the word chemical with bad, nasty things that are going to hurt us, so to be clear, it’s the chemical substances deemed as hazardous to your health that you should be wary of and that’s not chemical skin peels.
So the big question? To peel or not to peel? Is it safe? Should you take the leap? Well, it depends, and despite being a massive fan of professional peels, there is no room for complacency—exercise caution. Chemical peels, when administered by an experienced skincare professional, should never harm you or your skin.
Chemical peels when administered by an experienced skincare professional should never harm you or your skin.
With a little bit of knowledge and common sense on your part, you can safely experience the benefits of regular chemical peels, and you can be amazed at how good your skin can look.
But of course, ALWAYS seek out the right advice and ALWAYS have your peel procedure administered by a skincare professional, which, depending on the peel you’re having, could be a beauty therapist, or in the case of stronger, deeper peels, it would be and should be a cosmetic physician or dermatologist.
What kind of professional chemical peel is best for you?
Again it depends. You have choices, from Alpha Hydroxy Acids, Beta Hydroxy Acids, Phenol Peels, TCA Peels, Jessner Peels, Fruit Enzyme Peels, Purple Peels, Green Peels and on it goes. Most cosmeceutical skincare brands have a chemical peel formulation in their professional arsenal. The one that’s right for you will be determined by your skin condition and whether you’re in the care of a beauty therapist, a dermatologist, or a cosmetic physician.
Uncovering the best of the best and my personal favourites.
So this article is the beginning of a series on chemical peels. Yep, I’m going to go deep on this subject. I’ll explain exactly what’s happening to your skin when you have a peel, and rather than fear chemical peels, you may begin to consider embracing them as a way of achieving radiant skin health.
Not only will I reveal my personal favourites, but I’ll seek out what is currently available, find the best on offer, and I’ll be sharing everything I find out right here at The Beauty Issue. So hang tight and keep a lookout for my peel series, where all will be revealed to help you get your glow on.
In the meantime, I’ve created a checklist that will help you. As I said, knowledge and common sense go a long way when deciding on chemical peels. Click on over to my Chemical peels checklist. It’s an excellent starting point.
Continue here for The Peel Series, Part One.
See you next time,
