Sunday, January 31, 2010

Skin Care.....So What?!?!?

So, I work as a Beauty Advisor for a national retail store. It is part of my job to talk to people about skin care, products, and building a regimen. I want to educate my consumer. Its not that I push products on people, but its very common that they come to me looking for a solution to their skin concerns. This is where a consultation comes in. During a consultation, I try to get to the root of their problem by asking questions, like if they have any pre-existing skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema, etc., if they are sensitive at all to any specific ingredients or fragrance, and I discuss their skin type (dry, normal, combo, or oily). I also like to find out what it is that the client or customer is currently using, and why they are looking for something else...and to my chagrin, what I find is that people aren't really using much of anything!!! Let me elaborate:

It is unbelieveabley common for people to tell me that their skin routine consists of them just "splashing water" on their face to cleanse it, or even using a simple bar of soap. Water alone does not remove dirt (do you just use water to wash your body in the shower?), and bar soap normally isnt pH correct to your skin (skin has a normal pH of 4.5-6, whereas a bar soap has a pH of around 9-10...can we say DRY SKIN?!)

A normal skin care routine usually consists of a quick and easy three step process: Cleanse, Tone, Moisturize. At times, depending on your skin condition or concern, a fourth step of "Treating" the skin may be added. These steps, when used for your specific skin type and concerns, have been clinically proven to improve the quality and health of your skin. However, I speak to so many people on a daily and weekly basis, and its so suprising to find out how many people are NOT following these three steps.

There are all sorts of excuses as to why people do not properly take care of their skin: "I dont have time", "I cant afford it", "I'm not really into beauty". Let me give you the one reason why you SHOULD find a little extra time, money, and interest for taking better care of your skin.

Your skin is the largest living, breathing organ of your entire body. Your skin acts as a barrier to all of your internal organs, and protects them against external environmental aggressors. Your skin probably does the toughest job of all your other organs...without your skin, your organs will be exposed, and you will not survive...you don't see people walking around without skin, do you? People spend so much time and money on methods to keep their insides healthy (sure, you SHOULD be taking care of your body from the inside out), however, no one seems to think about taking care of themselves from the outside in.

By making a daily habit of Cleansing, Toning, and Moisturizing your skin twice each day, your skin and body will thank you. Some would ask: "Twice each day??!! Isn't once each day enough?" The answer to that is an honest "NO". The cleansing process in the morning prepares your skin for the day. If done correctly, it will remove any impurities that have found your skin overnight, prepare your skin to recieve moisture and makeup if you wear it, and it will also protect you from external aggressors such as pollution, and the sun's harmful rays which cause Cancer. When done at night, the cleansing process will remove all the dirt and debris that have found your skin throughout the day, prepare your skin for treatment (anti-aging, acne, etc.), and ultimately correct and improve your skin concerns.

So, the moral of this story is take care of your skin!! If you already are, then GREAT JOB!! But if you are someone who just "doesn't have time, money, or interest", my professional recommendation is that you find it. Those three steps could actually improve your life, and in some cases, save it.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Welcome!

Hello there, and welcome to my blog!! Let me introduce myself...

My name is Melissa Wilson. I'm 24 years old, and I am located in Rhode Island (for now!!). I'm a licensed cosmetologist and skin care specialist. I have been studying the beauty industry for almost six years now, and this is something that I am very passionate about. As a cosmetologist, my focus is on hair, skin, and nails, however, my main interest lies with hair and skin. This is because the two go hand in hand: people notice you from the neck up (in most cases lol) when they first meet you, and if you are confident that you look your best, then you will be confident in any situation. I am also very passionate about the health of your skin and hair. Your skin is your body's largest living organ, and your hair is an appendage of the skin...so take care of it!!!

So, let me tell you a little bit about my experience. I worked as an assistant in a salon while in cosmetology school. This means that I shampooed clients for stylists, swept up hair after their cuts, and basically did all the work that nobody else wanted to do. Once I became licensed, I became a stylist. I've worked with many different product lines, and have attended many different trainings for hair styling services. I have worked under and next to numerous stylists, whom I have learned a great deal from. I've also met a lot of great people. My interest in skin care and cosmetics came about while I was living in New Jersey. I began working at Macy's Herald Square in Manhattan as a Clinique Consultant. The knowledge that I gained from working as a Clinique Consultant, combined with my Cosmetology training, gave me the fundamentals I needed in order to speak confidently to others regarding their beauty concerns.

I have been trained in numerous hair care and skin care lines, and I take special interest in learning about what makes each line different and effective. I make it a point to further my experience and education. I am constantly attending trainings, seminars, and tradeshows, or just reading books and online articles about the industry. In addition to my cosmetology and skin care training, I also went to school for Marketing, and am working towards my degree in the field.

Currently, I work as a Certified Beauty Advisor for a national retail store. I also work part time as a Stylist in a salon. I provide hair and skin care services. In addition to those two endeavors, I own and operate a home based online skin care business. I'm quite a busy girl!! In my spare time, I enjoy sleeping (gotta get the beauty rest!!), learning, spending time with friends and family (and my Chihuahua Macho!), and just trying to enjoy life in general.

...So there you have it!! That's Melissa Wilson in a nutshell!! Please feel free to check back on my blog regularly. I plan on posting LOTS of useful information here for anyone interested in the beauty industry, or in the marketing/sales industry. If you have any questions, or if I can help you in any way, please let me know! Hopefully, you will enjoy my blog, and find the content here very useful.

Thanks for reading!!!