Tune In: A Holistic Esthetician's Best Tips For Stronger Skin

The theme of today's Clean Beauty School episode is summed up quite succinctly by my guest, esthetician Athena Hewett, when she said this: "Love what you came into this world with, don't try to change it, and just embrace it—that's when your skin will really glow," says the founder of the cult-favorite brand Monastery and San Francisco–based spa of the same name.

As she explains throughout the episode, the skin is a resilient, smart, dynamic organ that does its best work when we don't fuss over it too much. Of course, maintenance is necessary—more on that below—but it's when folks go overboard that can lead to adverse reactions. 

"I see a lot of patients that they've kind of tried it all under the kitchen sink, but the one thing that they hadn't tried was leaving it alone," says Hewett. "Sometimes the best way to care for your skin is to leave your skin alone."

Research shows time and time again that perception has the ability to influence outcome1. For example, the mindset that we approach a habit with can ultimately affect how successful we are in keeping with it. Or how being more optimistic can make folks more resilient to external stress2. 

Hewett takes a similarly optimistic approach to treating people's skin—namely, by encouraging them to look for strengths over weaknesses. 

"The first thing I ask new clients that come in is 'Why is it that you came to see me today?' You can tell a lot about a person with that answer. So many talk about the things they perceive as flaws," she says. "Someone will say, 'Oh my pore size,' but I'm looking at their pores and they're beautiful. As an esthetician and dry-skinned person, I love larger pores."

Over the last several years, most beauty folks have woken up to the fact that we have an over-exfoliation problem. With growing awareness, folks are better about avoiding irritation, not using harsh topicals, and prioritizing their skin barrier. This is a good thing! 

"Making sure the skin is lubricated as much as possible so you're not becoming dehydrated or exposed to environmental stressors is really important," she says. "Some people have a sort of desquamation disorder where their skin isn't sloughing off as quickly as it should. Those people will need a bit of help from [chemical exfoliators] AHAs. But most people's skin is doing just fine."   

While much of Hewett's work is about how to take care of your skin naturally, she's certainly not opposed to the latest and greatest skin care tech. In fact, she notes that her favorite spa treatment at the moment is their signature ​​Sculpting facial, which combines Cidesco and neolifting massage techniques with the power of LED and microcurrents.