A Lesson In Washing Your Face ( + A Giveaway!)

It might sound like an elementary task, but considering that skincare can be one of the biggest sources of discouragement when it comes to self-confidence, we wanted to discover how properly washing your face (and with what) can either help or hinder how your skin deals with stress, age, and environmental toxins.

Even though sonic cleansing systems have been around for a few years now, the fact that more continue to pop up — everywhere from drugstores to department stores — had us wondering if these gadgets can really make a difference to our skin. We caught up with skincare expert Julie Kost, who has worked with top-name companies including Gucci, Bare Escentuals, Juice Beauty and RejuvaSea, to find out how her newest partner, Michael Todd USA, is leading this sonic skincare boom and why.

Darling Magazine: What are some misconceptions about skincare today? 

Julie: There are so many myths that have developed over the years. Here are some of the top myths I hear in skincare:

1. You don’t need to wash your face every day.
It’s all about keeping a healthy balance to your skin and not overdoing it. It is important to wash your face daily with a cleanser that is suited for your skin type and skin condition and one that is not filled with harmful chemicals that can end up drying and stripping your skin of natural oil production.

It’s a must to wash your face at night, specifically as your skin collects dirt, pollution and debris throughout the day and if left on your skin can clog pores and allow free radicals to wreak havoc. A good skin care routine starts with clean skin. This creates the perfect pallet for the rest of your regimen to be effective. We recommend using a Soniclear Antimicrobial Cleansing brush with a Michael Todd compatible cleanser for optimum daily cleansing.

2. All skin ages equally.
This would be a skincare company’s dream! Unfortunately, it simply isn’t true. As we evolve through life our skin goes through many different phases depending on our environment, our hormones, and how much we indulge in life’s excesses. The aging process is unique for each individual, therefore the skincare regimen you choose should be, too.

Early in your teens to early 20s you might experience acne; as you mature into your late 20s and 30s you will traditionally start experiencing fine lines and wrinkles. Into your 40s and so on is when you’ll really start to notice the loss of firmness, elasticity, develop deeper lines and wrinkles, and perhaps also notice hyper pigmentation, dark spots or uneven skin tone from many years of over exposure to UVA and UVB rays.

Your skin takes a journey through life. Since we’re are all individuals, we will experience the aging process differently; luckily, there are many amazing skincare products to help address any of these concerns along the way. Michael Todd has skincare regimens for all skin types and skin conditions to help you through any stage in life and to maintain healthy, radiant, youthful skin.

3. You don’t need to worry about wrinkles until you are older.
Unfortunately, many women wait until they start to see the signs of aging before they start to address them and have to jump right into “repair” mode. The goal is to start with a “preventative” mode. Begin by implementing a healthy skincare regimen at a young age and stick to it. Studies show that women who start taking better care of their skin at a younger age reap the benefits as they mature, setting a foundation for healthy, radiant, youthful skin.

4. Using more products gives you better results.
Actually, it isn’t the amount of product you use but the efficacy of those products and implementing a daily routine that is specific to your skin. That is what produces results. Be careful not to layer product upon product trying to achieve better results. Many times you’ll be stopping the effectiveness of a product by layering another one on top of it.

…  it isn’t the amount of product you use but the efficacy of those products and implementing a daily routine that is specific to your skin.

A simple Cleanse, Treat, Moisturize, Protect regimen has proven to be very effective. You might try one regimen for a while, then decide that your skin wants a change and therefore start a new one. Either way, be sure your products are all working together and enhancing each other’s benefits instead of diminishing them.

5. My skin is oily so I don’t need a moisturizer.
Many women ask this question and wonder if they can skip this step as they see the word “oil” in a moisturizer and they freak out. Your skin does need a moisturizer, especially oily skin. The good news is that certain types of oils work to help oily skin and moisturizers can work to reduce sebum production and give your skin better texture.

The oil in our skin is not the same as hydration, and many times oil production is linked to hormones. This is why as we mature we lose the ability to retain oil in our skin and our skin becomes drier. A moisturizer acts like a humectant, increasing water content in the skin preventing loss of hydration. Your goal should be to choose a moisturizer that doesn’t contain bad oils that can clog the pores and therefore lead to bacteria. 

DM: Some women claim to be able to sleep in their makeup without it causing any damage to their skin. Is this really true?

Julie: Although some women chose to sleep in their makeup, it is not recommended, as [when makeup is left on] your skin doesn’t have the time to restore and breathe. You actually are allowing free radicals to damage your skin while you are sleeping. You may think that you are getting away with it, but over time those free radicals can cause break down of healthy collagen and cause fine lines and wrinkles. So, do yourself a favor and wash your face before you go to bed. Every skin type (whether you do or don’t wear makeup) should wash their face at night.

DM: Sonic skincare brushes are becoming increasingly common in the marketplace. Why do you recommend using one over the classic washcloth?

Julie:  To maintain healthy skin, daily cleansing is a must. I recommend Michael Todd Soniclear because it allows for that daily, deep pore cleansing with built-in antimicrobial protection. So, even if you have acne prone skin you can still cleanse knowing this brush will not spread bacteria and allow you to cleanse not just on your skin’s surface, but the underlying layers as well for a gentle exfoliation.

 The main reason why I don’t recommend using a washcloth is that it collects bacteria. Bacteria thrive in moist environments, such as a wet washcloth. Washing your face with one that hasn’t been cleaned could spread the bacteria all over your skin. Even if you start with a clean cloth every time and wash them after every use, that isn’t the most green-friendly practice. You’ll consume more water than you would if you washed your face without a washcloth.

DM: Tell us more about Michael Todd’s Soniclear and what makes it unique on the market? 

Julie: Cleaner skin begins with a cleaner brush™. Soniclear is the first ever sonic skin cleansing brush with built in antimicrobial protection against stain and odor causing bacteria. Sonic cleansing can create a breeding ground for microbial contamination when skin cells, makeup and moisture residue combine with bacteria that cling to the brush bristles between cleansings. Traditional rotary and sonic skin cleansing systems don’t offer protection against bacteria, so the team at Michael Todd set out to find a solution.

Traditional rotary and sonic skin cleansing systems don’t offer protection against bacteria, so the team at Michael Todd set out to find a solution.

After extensive research and testing, we found a way to incorporate safe, effective and durable antimicrobial technology into the brush heads at the time of manufacture. The result is Soniclear, a revolutionary sonic cleansing brush that thoroughly cleanses the skin and then protects itself against microbial contamination. Safe, effective and long lasting, the antimicrobial product protection in Soniclear doesn’t wash out or wear off so the brushes stay cleaner, fresher for longer.

DM: How does it clean your skin?

Julie: Soniclear uses a patent-pending sonic-wave powered technology to micro-massage away dirt and other impurities and gently exfoliate at brush speeds in excess of 300 times per second. Slower spinning rotary cleansing brushes without sonic technology can pull or tug the skin, causing redness or irritation. Powerful, yet gentle enough even for sensitive skin, Soniclear removes makeup 6x better and cleanses 2x better than with hands alone. Within just minutes of use per day, your skin is healthier, clearer and brighter looking with smoother texture and refined pores. All this and at a price that is more than 30% less than the comparable leading sonic cleansers currently on the market.

DM: What are a few things that any woman could do (for free) to take steps toward healthier skin? 

Julie: Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Don’t overexpose your skin to environmental assaults that can cause pre-mature aging. Exercise and move your body. Be sun smart! Don’t be fooled, remember UVB and UVA rays are very damaging. UVB = You Vil Burn and UVA= You Vil Age!

Your skin is the largest organ of your body and it absorbs over 60% of what you put on it. It’s the first place that will show signs of aging, so be good to it. Love it, nurture it, keep it clean, hydrated, and protected.

Want to win a Micheal Todd Soniclear of your own? See below for ways to enter to score the full kit, complete with the Soniclear (Boho Babe), extension arm, travel case, and cleanser (valued at over $220)!

[Contest open until 2/23/15 at midnight PST]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Images via Milena Mallory