3 Skin Care Mistakes + Tips From A Celebrity Esthetician 

If you're looking for natural-looking, glowing skin as you age, you'll find it in the hands of the renowned esthetician Aida Bicaj. Her work is truly about skin integrity, holistic practices, and setting yourself up for a lifetime of healthy skin—not just quick fixes and temporary solutions. 

Face washes aren't often in the spotlight, but Bicaj argues they are one of the most common missteps she sees with her clients. In what ways, you ask? They go too far in one direction or the other. 

"I'm seeing too many people using harsh gel cleansers that strip the protective layers from the skin—or the opposite using thick, thick cleansing balms that stick too much to the surface of the skin and don't allow the skin to breathe," she says. Now of course what face wash you choose to use will depend on your personal skin needs, but in general her opinion is that you need to find one that won't leave you feeling dry and tight nor with a filmy residue post-wash. Both of which can be bad for the skin's barrier function.  

Now, there is good advice to be found on the internet (we'd like to think we're on that list), but you should always be discerning about what advice you're willing to practice and what product recommendations you're taking. 

Here's a phrase I'll be stealing for myself: "Skin care is not fashion," says Bicaj. She goes on to explain that "the skin care market is becoming like the fashion industry. People use like 20 products from 20 different lines," she says. "I mean, how do you know what works for you if you are using 10 different products from 10 different companies? And then, of course, no one is happy when spending so much money." 

And while you're more than welcome to use different brands, you're better served if you don't have a revolving door on your skin care cabinet. Find what works for you with patience and practice, then stick with it.