Beauty Really is Skin Deep
By Barbara Strickland, Certified Para-Medical Esthetician

One of my clients once told me that if she took all of the money she had spent on makeup for the last 15 years and invested it at only 5.5%, she could retire long before age 45 and live quite comfortably for the rest of her life. In addition to spending a small fortune, she has never really liked the way her makeup looked on her skin. She complained of not having that flawless, smooth and glowing look we are all taught is ours if only we buy that special foundation, powder, blush or eye shadow. The bottom line is that all the makeup in the world can do very little for your appearance without the right palate.  The key to a flawless makeup application is preparing the skin to accept the enhancement of cosmetics. 

Twenty billion words have been written on cosmetics in the last two years alone. By ignoring the hype and concentrating on the basics, you will come much closer to achieving what you are looking for than you ever have before. When a painter prepares a canvas, she starts by stretching and smoothing the canvas.  Without doing so, the application of the paint will not create the definition of color and light that she desires. Think of your skin as that same canvas. Dead skin cells (keratinocytes) and Sebum (oil) create layers of dry and uneven texture and smudged color on the skin.

Spreading foundation across these canyons and craters is like trying to cover a six-week-old apple that has been "air drying" on your kitchen counter.  Following the steps below will create the perfect palate for the application of cosmetics.

Spreading foundation across these canyons and craters is like trying to cover a six week old apple that has been "air drying" on your kitchen counter.

Preparing the Skin For Make Up...

Moisture/Mask

1. If you wake up feeling dry, tight or flaky (remember the image of the air dried apple!) do not put on make up before applying a generous portion of your Gelloid Moisture Mask. Leave on for as little as 5 or as long as 30 minutes. Rinse or gently remove with your Corrective Grains and water.

Exfoliation

2. By using your Corrective Grains over the residue of your Gelloid in the morning, you will notice a 25% improvement in the TEXTURE and SMOOTHNESS of your skin which affects your make up application!

Cleansing

3. Your Facial Shampoo is a water soluble, biodegradable, NO TEARS, lathering cleanser that can be used at night as well as in the morning…

SPF 25 Protection

4. Apply a pea sized shape of SPF 25 (year round!) on DAMP skin and spread gently across face, neck and eyes. Use an additional pea sized shape on your hands.

Glycolic Acid

5. Apply a flat dime's worth of your Smoothing Gel or Smoothing Cream directly over your SPF 25 in the morning. Spread gently. Do not rub. The Glycolic Acid has been hydrolyzed to penetrate your skin.

Hydrator/Moisturizer

6. Follow your glycolic acid with a dime sized shape of your Emulsion and/or Gelloid for protection. Spread gently. Do not rub.

These simple steps, which take about two minutes, prepare your skin (The Canvas) for the application of makeup. This is the enhancement of your skin. The application of the foundation and powder must be done correctly for maximum effect. However, without the steps outlined above, you will have the same flat or dull looking skin you are used to seeing in the mirror. Even those of you who are genetically blessed and wake up looking absolutely gorgeous will notice a new radiance and glow before cosmetics are applied.

Next, read Make Up Application and Finishing for a glorious look and feel.