Yes - a comprehensive and effective skincare routine is the foundation for healthy, youthful, and glowing skin. But sometimes we want to do a little something extra to add an anti-aging boost: things like botox, microneedling, and chemical peels.
And if you want to get the most bang for your buck, you’ll need to know how to take care of your skin and maximize benefits after these treatments.
Here’s what you should know.
An FDA-approved injectable toxin made by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum.
Botox actually works by paralyzing the muscle that it’s injected into. This prevents the muscle from contracting, which, in turn, reduces wrinkles and expression lines in the area.
It can also help with a variety of other conditions, including:
Yes, but not much. Remember, when someone injects Botox into your skin, they’re making holes through your dermis and all the way down into the muscle. That means that, if you get any bacteria, dirt, grime, or makeup on your skin directly after, it’ll go right into those holes. For this reason, we recommend that you:
Products that can help:
Like Botox, dermal fillers are liquids that are injected into the skin. That said, fillers are not toxins. What’s more, fillers are not only used to reduce wrinkles, but also to restore facial volume or augment appearance. There are many different kinds of filler, including temporary options like:
Hyaluronic fillers, on one hand, are injected to add volume, reduce wrinkles, or add structure to the face. They actually work by attracting water into the skin (just like hyaluronic acid applied topically can attract water to the surface of your skin).
Radiesse and Sculptra, on the other hand, are biostimulators, meaning that they actually cause an inflammatory response that stimulates your own collagen growth over time. That’s why they provide such long-lasting results.
Yes. For one, you should avoid certain activities like:
When it comes to direct skincare, we recommend that you avoid makeup! You can also apply a peptide-rich hydration gel at night to give your skin extra protection and restore your natural barrier.
Products that can help:
A chemical peel is an acid-based peel that exfoliates and resurfaces the skin. It’s like an AHA or BHA chemical exfoliant that you’d buy in the store, but usually much stronger.
Generally, chemical peels work by dissolving the bonds that hold dead skin cells to the surface of your skin. This can ultimately:
Yes - and the level of aftercare you need will depend on whichchemical peel you get. Lactic acid, for example, will provide lighter exfoliation as a rule. Glycolic acid, a smaller molecule, can be stronger. Salicylic acid, a powerful BHA, can treat more prominent signs of aging.
With all, you can expect redness, tingling, flaking, and dryness during and after your treatment. To combat the negative effects (and maximize your exfoliation benefits) we recommend that you apply restorative, protective, gentle skincare products with:
Products that can help:
As the name suggests, microneedling is a treatment that uses tiny needles to puncture the very first layer of skin (using either a roller or a pen).
The small holes, or “micro-injuries,” that the needles make actually encourage healing in the skin. Microneedling can ultimately:
As with the other treatments, it’s better if you skin the makeup directly after microneedling (you can always microneedle in the evening so this isn’t an issue). Something else to keep in mind? You’re making tiny holes into a deeper layer of your skin! That means that active ingredients like antioxidants and moisturizers will be able to penetrate your skin more easily. In other words, it’s the perfect time to apply all of your good products.
Products that can help:
Find all of the products you need for effective treatment aftercare in the Eight Saints Discovery Kit!