SSBS #005: Serums - injections in a bottle!
Welcome to another issue of the Saturday Safer Beauty Series by Jess Gaertner. I focus on giving you actionable steps and education around all things safer skincare. I appreciate your attention and feel honored you're on this journey with me. (If you decide you're in the wrong place, you'll find an unsubscribe link in the footer of this email.)
Today, I’m going to break down what a “treat” product is, what they do, and how to choose the right one for YOU!
The reason I can’t wait to talk about the TREAT step is because honestly, this is one of the steps that I think can make the BIGGEST IMPACT on your skin concerns.
Skin concerns are typically things like: hyper pigmentation, sun spots, fine lines, redness, skin tone, pore size, black heads, texture, dullness, etc.
Having an appropriate regimen designed for your skin type (oily, dry, normal, combo) is step one to getting those concerns taken care of (good news is, you probably already have that down by now!)
And step two to seeing improvement is the use of specific and targeted ingredients that are designed intentionally to address those concerns. Guess what?? The most active and targeted treatment of those concerns typically comes from the TREAT STEP!
Unfortunately, this step is one of the last things people tend to add in, because the concept of a treat step or serum can feel a little foreign to those of us who are used to washing and moisturizing but not necessarily using items like peels, serums, etc. regularly!
People do not understand that a “treat” product is the number one product that will CHANGE your skin.
You’re not alone if that’s you - it’s confusing. Does any of this ring a bell?
You’re perplexed by the difference between a serum, a peel, a mask, etc.
Buzzwords like antioxidant, resurfacing, vitamin, peptides, and collagen tend to send you into analysis paralysis
You skip this step because you think that you have to have major issues to use a treat product in your regimen
You’re not sure what skincare concern to address first, so you can’t make up your mind which product to use
Don’t worry friend, you don’t have to be confused any longer, I’m here to help you decipher what a “treat” step product is, and how you can find the one for you!
Here's how, step by step:
Step 1: Know what a treat product is and what it can do for you
The treat step is usually step three in your four step regimen, and is THE step that can produce FAST and targeted skincare changes when used appropriately.
For our purposes, we’ll call treat step products, serums today. Serums are generally smaller particle moisturizers that are more easily absorbed into your skin and therefore penetrate more deeply.
Typically, they have a higher amount of what we call “active” ingredients that address and treat specific skin concerns. Think of it as a supplement for your skin that gets locked in by the moisturizer you use following its application!
Here is a short list of some of the positive impacts serums can have on your skin:
seal in moisture and strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier
brighten dullness
decrease sun spots and hyperpigmentation
stimulate collagen and elastin production (two key components in youthful skin)
decrease inflammation and calm redness
treat acne and blemishes
provide antioxidant protection against daily environmental skin stressors (sun, smoking, pollution, indoor/outdoor air dryness, etc.)
Step 2: Understand some key active ingredients to look for in a treat step
Now that you know what a treat step product is and can do for you, we’re going to decipher just a few of the key active ingredients you might find in safer skincare treat products. Most people don’t understand these ingredients and therefore choose the wrong product for their skin goals!
Peptides - Peptides are short chain amino acids that are the building blocks of collagen and elastin fibers that are found in our skin and keep our skin plump and youthful looking. Peptides can act as a messenger to also tell the skin to produce more collagen, which is kind of a big deal because collagen production starts to decline as we age! Tripeptides target skin cell renewal through the regeneration of collagen. Tetrapeptides focus on boosting elasticity and firmness.
Amino Acids - Amino acids help protect skin from damaging environmental stressors that lead to aging, while helping skin maintain optimal levels of hydration.
Vitamin C - Acidic in nature, most skincare products that use a form of Vitamin C in their composition are using them for brightening, smoothing, increasing cell turnover, accelerating collagen and elastin production, decreasing fine lines and wrinkles, reducing the appearance of scars, spots, hyperpigmentation, and sun damage. Learn more about Vitamin C here.
Bakuchiol (a safer retinol alternative) - Many conventional treatment steps will include the ingredient RETINOL or some derivative of it. While retinol is a highly effective skincare ingredient, it’s also considered highly toxic and rates a 9 on the EWG Healthy Living App (on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the most toxic). I personally look for treatment steps that include the ingredient Bakuchiol which is a safer alternative to retinol. In our Countertime line we use what we call the “retinatural complex” which is a combination of bakuchiol and Swiss Alpine rose that deliver benefits similar to retinol, without the potential side effects. Seek out this ingredient when you want to really address signs of aging in your skin.
Hyaluronic Acid - When we use HA in our skincare products, it’s going to work to bring moisture to the surface of your skin, and acts as a humectant or water attractor. It is a skincare product SUPER INGREDIENT in this regard. Because just one gram (or 0.03 oz.) of hyaluronic acid can hold up to six LITERS of water, it really can instantly brighten and add a beautiful plumpness to the appearance of skin, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Learn more about hyaluronic acid here.
Salicylic Acid - Salicylic is especially good at aiding this process, and not only removing dead skin cells, but preventing clogged pores, rough skin, blackheads and more. It also cuts through excess oil easily, and helps to remove excess oil in the skincare process so other products and ingredients can penetrate deeply.
AHA - Also known as alpha hydroxy acids, these are typically gentle but powerful acids used to chemically exfoliate your skin. They work to remove dead skin cells, even skin tone and pigmentation, decrease inflammation, and jumpstart collagen production
Step 3: Learn about some different types of treat products you might use and how to use them
Ok, now that I’ve filled you with all the knowledge, let me give you the light at the end of the tunnel with a little practical advice!
Because you now know what a treat product is and does, and what some of the active ingredients are, you’re now equipped to pick your treatment options!
Know that I use several treatment options on rotation depending on night or day, and even some that I use just once or twice a week because they are so powerful.
Let’s chat some tips, tricks, and products because once you nail this down, you’re skin is going to be GLOWING LIKE A GODDESS!
Typically apply while toner product is slightly damp for better absorption
You can actually rotate through several different types of treat products depending on time of day or area of face
Daytime Treat products typically focus on antioxidant ingredients and protection from environmental stressors
All Bright C Serum is a daytime specific treat step
Nighttime treat products typically are going to have your more active ingredients since you aren’t going to be exposed to sun at night, these tend to be a bit more active in terms of CHANGING the skin and repairing it overnight
Overnight Resurfacing Peel is a nighttime specific treat step
You can typically use the treat step from any regimen, day or night, and then rotate in targeted treat steps like the All Bright C Serum and the Overnight Resurfacing Peel every other day/night or so
the type of treat step you choose will be dependent on your skin’s type and the general regimen recommended for you. See the graphic below for some suggestions or find all the recommended treat products here.
Today was a big day!! If you want to dive EVEN DEEPER into the treat step and safer options available to you, you can see peruse my dedicated blog post all about the treat step for more information.
If you still have questions, need to fit a specific budget, or prefer a different brand, hit REPLY here and I’m happy to help find other options for you!
TL;DR:
The treat step is confusing!
The treat step is POWERFUL.
Understand certain key safer active ingredients to look for in your treat step
Find the right treat product for your skin needs
See you again next week friend. We’re bringing it home with the last and final step of your basic four step regimen and I can’t wait!
Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:
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