Ask Our Aesthetician: Skin Deep With Shari Spakes
Shari Spakes is our aesthetician and BFF of over 20 years. Pacific Heights Skincare, her San Francisco atelier, has received accolades in Goop, Allure, 7x7, and is a fan favorite on Yelp. When friends rave about our skin we simply say: Call Shari. We’ve watched her transform even the most problematic skin with her decades of expertise and commitment to proven, as well as cutting-edge techniques and dermatologist-grade products (never the latest fads).
Dry Skin Tips FROM Shari Spakes
It's winter, which means it's time to step up your skincare game to avoid dry, flaky skin. With a little hydration, exfoliation, and adding a protective barrier, you can get dewy skin during these harsh winter months. Here are a few of my favorite Dry Skin Tips:
Use Humectants
Humectants are basically magnets for moisture, attracting water from the atmosphere and your own built-in hydration system (called the NMF or Natural Moisturizing Factor) to keep your skin hydrated and happy.
Switch your gel cleanser to a creamy one, like PCA's Creamy Cleanser, which won't strip your skin and seal in moisture, leaving your skin smoother and firmer.
After washing your face add hyaluronic acid to damp skin. The Hydrating B5 Gel from Skinceuticals will prevent your NMFs from escaping your skin's barrier.
Get on the Skin Cycle Trend
This 4-night cycle helps incorporate retinol and exfoliation into your routine without overly irritating or drying your skin, as well as giving your skin a break between other facial treatments or possible hormonal fluctuations.
Night 1: Exfoliate with these peel pads Jan Marini Multi-Acid Peel Pads
Night 2: Use my 'Retinol Sandwich Method' by applying a moisturizer first, retinol second, and moisturizer again - like Jan Marini's Transformation Cream, Retinol Plus, and Hyla3D Cream
Nights 3 & 4: Recover from treatments and focus on barrier repair.
Seal In Hydration and Protect Your Barrier
After all the cleansing and exfoliating, use the final humectant - something to hydrate and protect your skin's barrier while you sleep!
Hydraluxe Cream by PCA Skin is formulated with adaptive Hydration IQ, adjusting the lipid barrier based on your environment, and will adapt to the amount of hydration needed. It also has snow algae creating a DNA bubble against oxidation to allow the skin to repair itself!
For enhanced hydration, use Skinceuticals Biocellulose Restorative Masque which will calm and smooth red, irritated skin.
Or wake up with radiant and luminous skin after a good night's sleep with the game-changing PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Overnight Mask
Whether you choose to follow some or all of these tips, just do me one favor - DO NOT SLUG! The Tiktok trend to moisturize with Aquaphor or Vaseline is not the answer to dry, winter skin and will most likely lead to breakouts and other skin issues.