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Do These 3 Habits Every Week For Firmer Skin, From An Esthetician

Hannah Frye
Author:
October 04, 2024
Hannah Frye
Beauty & Health Editor
By Hannah Frye
Beauty & Health Editor
Hannah Frye is the Beauty & Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including beauty, women’s health, mental health, sustainability, social media trends, and more. She previously worked for Almost 30, a top-rated health and wellness podcast. In her current role, Hannah reports on the latest beauty trends and innovations, women’s health research, brain health news, and plenty more.
Woman with clear skin
Image by Stocksy | MEM Studio
October 04, 2024
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Every beauty professional has their nonnegotiable steps. In our series, Like a Pro, we tap experts for the top three techniques they absolutely swear by. Here, you'll hear from a variety of industry insiders on the fail-safe tricks they always keep in their back pockets. We're all about simplifying your beauty regimen wherever you can, and sometimes the best routines are as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Working toward a firm complexion that bounces back is much like building muscle on the body—you have to commit to a regimen and see it through for at least a few months before getting those wow-worthy results. 

There are many different paths you can take, but according to celebrity esthetician Mila Moursi, the following steps should be at the top of your list. 

1.

Start dry brushing—for your skin and your mind

Moursi starts off with a tip focused on the body skin: Start dry brushing as soon as humanly possible–and stick with it. This process helps to improve microcirculation in the skin and doubles as an accessible way to relax and ward off stress, she says. 

Dry brushing is a hybrid of exfoliation and massage,” she explains. “As a full body exfoliating treatment, at-home dry brushing is performed with a soft-bristled brush stroked against the skin in slow, circular motions. You start at the feet and hands and then move toward the heart," she explains.

Once the dry skin is sloughed off, Moursi explains, the smooth skin surface will more easily absorb any body serums, lotions, or oils you have on hand. 

Finally, this step serves as a gentle way to support lymphatic drainage. “The lymph system lies immediately underneath the skin, dry brushing stimulates lymph flow, helping the body rid itself of toxins,” she says. 

You can opt for a dry brush with a handle like this one from Skin Gym or go with a more hands-on shape like this one from De La Heart

2.

Make retinol a regular in your routine

“Retinol is a must-have ingredient in a serious anti-aging regimen for smoothing out lines and wrinkles,” Moursi says, which won’t come as a surprise to most skin care fanatics. She adds that retinol helps to stimulate collagen production, improving skin firmness over time—another reason it’s so effective for healthy skin aging.  

But just as you wouldn’t want to jump into lifting heavy weights six days a week, the same is true for retinol use: Slow and steady wins the race here. 

“It’s important to remember to let skin adjust to retinol so that you can avoid any chance of skin irritation or peeling,” Moursi says. Here’s how she recommends easing into it: 

  • Once a week for one week
  • Twice a week for two weeks
  • Three times a week for three weeks
  • …and only more frequently if needed. 

Everyone’s skin is unique, Moursi says, so always do a patch test on your inner arm skin for a few days before going all-in with a product on your face. 

3.

Drink (and eat) more water every day

We’d be remiss to not mention the inside-out approach to skin care—which includes water intake. 

“Certain habits can lead to skin getting dehydrated faster, which can lead to more wrinkles and a lack of elasticity, or skin ‘bounce-back,’” Moursi says, listing excess caffeine as the first example. 

While caffeine itself isn’t always dehydrating, skipping water for more coffee most certainly is. Moursi suggests going one-for-one: “Get into the habit of having a glass of water with your coffee,” she says, which will help to mitigate the dehydration that could occur. 

She also suggests increasing your water intake through food. “In the summertime, take advantage of the availability of watermelon, which is so hydrating,” she says. Moursi’s favorite way to serve it is with some lightly salted feta cheese. She raves about the skin-boosting snack, “Another delicious way to nourish yourself and stay hydrated.” 

The takeaway

If every single week you prioritize dry brushing for lymphatic drainage and exfoliation, retinol for collagen support and skin cell turnover, and inside-out hydration for plump skin, you might just notice a complexion overall. For more healthy skin aging tips, peruse our full routine guide here

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