I had a new client come in for a facial a couple weeks ago. A pretty blonde girl, about 26 years old, really sweet and fun to talk to. First, I did a short consultation to find out why she was here. She wanted an exfoliation and I was happy to oblige.
Whenever I work on a client, I start observing their skin from the moment I pick them up for their appointment. I checked her skin out as I walked her to my treatment room and not much was popping out at me, then again, she's only 26.
As my hands glided along her face during the cleanse, it felt like I was giving a brick a facial! I gently asked her about her skincare regimen. She admitted she was a big fan of Sephora and liked to try out different skincare products. I knew I had to keep digging because no 26 year old should have skin that feels as dry as the Arizona desert.
After prodding a little further, I got my answer. Clay masks, done every 3 days.
I love clay masks, and yes it's so much fun to walk into a place like Sephora and just go crazy buying every thing the magazines tell you to buy, but beware, they will dry your skin out if you don't use them properly, as they did with my clay happy client. They are touted as "detoxifiers" by beauty editors everywhere. They're actually really good at pulling the oil (and dirt) out of your skin so if you don't have oily skin on your entire face, it's best to use the clay on the parts that are oily or have black heads (like your T-zone). If you happen to be going through an acne phase, and have random blemishes all over you can use it on your entire face. Or, if you just have one zit, you can put it on that one zit.
I'm not saying don't ever use clay, I actually do use it on my T-zone, just not every 3 days. It's more like once every two weeks. I tend to love clay more for men, they naturally have larger pores than women and they usually generate more sebum so if you're looking for a Christmas gift for your guy, a clay mask is a nice gift!
As for my client, I recommended she purchase Dr. Alkaitis' Nourishing Oil to replenish and repair the hydration and after two weeks, I got this text from her "OMG thank you for the oil, I'm obsessed with it and my skin already looks so much better." :)