Meet Dana, licensed esthetician and beauty blogger at Babe + Beauty. Dana lives in Vancouver, WA, and has worked as an esthetician for 10 years before she started her blog. She now uses this platform to share her professional knowledge of skincare with her readers and to offer online and personalized skin consultations. Dana has shared with us some of her beauty secrets and tips.

1. How did you become an esthetician?

I was obsessed with all things beauty as a child. After two years of college, I just wasn’t happy with what I was doing, and I needed to go after a career that I was actually passionate about.

I read somewhere that you could try to think about what you loved as a kid when trying to figure out your career path. So, a week later I was signed up for esthetician school and the rest is history! That was back in 2004.

2. Have you worked in any other areas of the skincare industry?

Yes, I have! That is the great thing about this industry, there are so many areas once you gain enough experience. I have worked in education, product innovation, and development, beauty writing, social media management specifically for the beauty industry and now I am consulting for skincare brands. It’s so much fun having seen different areas of the same industry!

3. What are the benefits of someone getting a facial and seeing a facialist regularly, over just having a skincare routine at home?

Regarding facials vs. a home care routine, I like to think of facials as a “tune-up” for your car. You receive a more efficacious exfoliation that generally isn’t available to the public and professional extractions. Plus, it just feels good and everyone needs to relax!

A good home care routine is also important because it helps to maintain your results from your facial. The two really work hand-in-hand and you should not overlook one or the other!

4. What skin concerns do clients most often approach you with?

Most clients come to me for acne or concerns with aging. Skincare can be of great help for these two concerns, but I always tell my clients: the thing is acne is very common and everyone ages!

5. What are some of the most common skincare mistakes that you wish more people were aware of?

One very common mistake people make is thinking they need to use a ton of skincare products or too many active ingredients all at once. This leads to over-sensitizing the skin and can wreak more havoc than good.

Therefore, seeing a skin care professional regularly is also important: they can help you define a skincare routine that suits your skin best and the products that go along with it! I would say using products that aren’t suitable for a skin type or skin condition is also a mistake that can be easily solved.

6. What are your top 3 tips for taking good care of your skin?

Pretty straightforward and easy to implement:

1. Be gentle with your skin
2. Wear sunscreen (lots of it!)
3. Use antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin A (retinoids). These can be found in many natural beauty products; you just need to select the brand carefully.

7. What ingredients do you wholeheartedly believe in?

I have a few: sunscreen in general, vitamin C, glycolic acid, retinoids (vitamin A), and niacinamide (vitamin B). These are essential to keep your skin healthy and glowing. Lots of vitamins!

8. What lifestyle habits do you have that keep your skin in top shape?

I have many! I always wear a hat while spending time outside to protect my skin from the sun. I sleep with a silk pillowcase – they are not only good for your skin, but also for the quality of your sleep.

Lots of good sleep is essential for healthy skin! I take probiotics and do regular self-face massage with a face cream, just before bed for example. Having a healthy lifestyle is also key – not smoking, managing stress, and eating food with good fats and antioxidants.

9. Could you recommend some educational resources to people who want to learn more about ingredients and cosmetic formulations?

The Milady Cosmetic Ingredient dictionary is always a good place to start for ingredients. And regarding cosmetic formulations, I highly recommend following cosmetic chemists on social media. There are so many of them that are creating educational content in a simplified way for people to understand. @skinchemy is one of my favorites on Instagram!

10. Describe your perfect self-care day.

This would be hands down an entire spa day with all the works - massage, body scrub, facial, manicure, pedicure, and lounging around in a robe all day because I’m fancy! But if I am at home I would settle for a good bath and a face mask – always a good and easy alternative!

Follow Dana on Instagram, at https://www.instagram.com/babeandbeauty/