Liz’s answer- Aside from being a nurse for almost 20 years, and having a basic medical knowledge of skin care, I also found a world renowned school for skin care in Portland, Oregon (Esthetics Institute). It was strictly a skin care program and did not include hair and nails. (It is not a cosmetology program.) The curriculum included; anatomy and physiology, histology, pathology, products-ingredients and uses, microdermabrasion, galvanic currents, high frequency, lymphatic drainage, and much more.

Liz’s answer- It is not yet required to be certified in Oregon. My school, however, had the foresight to make sure we met the requirements to be certified and are therefore considered certified by all standards. This is important because I was not just trained by the rep that sold me the machine. I know what is happening to the skin, the benefits, the contraindications, and how it should be used for different issues.

Liz’s answer- I have 2 microdermabrasion facials that can include glycolic acid depending on your needs and objectives. Glycolic acid is the smallest molecular weight of any alpha hydroxy acid available. What that means is that it will get into the skin deeper than any other AHA. This is good because; it is most effective to clean the pores and make them appear smaller, glycolic acid will even out skin tone and lighten hyperpigmentation, it will help to unbind the collagen. (Collagen binds up as we age. Unbinding the collagen will soften lines and wrinkles.) And glycolic acid can also help to decrease scarring.

Liz’s answer- Currently I have 4 of my 6 facials that I will do extractions. Extraction means manually removing blackheads (comedones) and whiteheads (milia). It is important to remove those issues because if left alone, the skin can grow around the dirt and bacteria and this is what creates the pits and scarring.

Liz’s answer- Whether it is pure relaxation and cleansing or therapeutic needs, my objective is what the clients’ goals are combined with my professional advice. My main objective is always to improve the health of the skin.

Liz’s answer- We all build up dead cells and product on our skin. I see dehydrated skin in almost every new client because the build up prevents our moisturizers from getting into the skin. Because of the build up, we are wasting our money on moisturizers. And it almost doesn’t matter how much water we drink to keep our skin hydrated because of the constant exposure-we need our moisturizers to get into the skin. Facials are analogous to going to the dentist…we can do all our maintenance work (brushing and flossing) between visits, but every 6 months our teeth need a good scraping for optimal health. Our skin needs even more attention if we want to stay young looking and make sure there are no serious problems that might need medical attention.

Liz’s answer- When I became interested in this business, I found a product line called Intaglio. It is medically researched, very basic-and most importantly- it works. The goal of the product line is to increase the cell turnover to average every 14 days vs. the otherwise average 28 day cell turnover. This is important so that the newer, cleaner skin is what is on the surface, giving dirt and bacteria less opportunity to get into the pores and create the blemishes. Also, when there is buildup, and moisturizers can’t get into the skin, there is a greater likelihood of lines and wrinkles. Intaglio has many glycolic acid products that are the best I found in the market today.

Liz’s answer- Yes. Waxing techniques are more important than they appear. Waxing needs to be done a certain way; from the cleansing process, the actual way the hair is removed, to the calming process. See my waxing menu. Yes- I do Brazilians. I have become rather well known for this procedure. I am very quick and thorough (my medical background helps), and I also have a product that can help to numb the area being waxed. It needs to be applied 30-40 minutes prior to the appointment, so be sure and get some if you think you may need it.