Every part of being a skin care professional in a treatment room involves understanding not only skin but also how ingredients in the products being used are beneficial or effective for the client’s concerns. Those still in school can get overwhelmed by the concept of learning a new product line, especially in addition to everything else that they need to study for. However, seasoned professionals know the importance of very specific and active ingredients that benefit virtually every skin type and skin condition.

Knowing ingredients of facials or homecare will help you be prepared for what sensitivities may arise, what contraindications exist, and what will benefit or could irritate skin. Ingredients are ever changing and always getting better, safer, and more innovative. Keeping up with education throughout your entire career as a skin care professional is an absolute must in order to keep up with the new advances in ingredients. Here are some tried and true ingredients you can bring up during a consultation that can benefit a large pool of concerns and conditions.

HYALURONIC ACID

It’s easy to know and remember the most common benefit of this humectant that is capable of binding a thousand times its weight in water, but it is much more than that. Hyaluronic acid is produced by the body and is considered a glycosaminoglycan, or a lubricating substance within the body. It plays an important role in wound healing and tissue repair. As people age, their natural production of hyaluronic acid slows down. This can be seen in skin with more noticeable dryness, as well as more visible fine lines and wrinkles.

Hyaluronic acid helps skin maintain its stretch and flexibility and fills in and plumps skin to provide a younger, more youthful appearance. This powerful ingredient is safe for most skin types; however, when in doubt, it never hurts to patch test on rosacea or any sensitive skin clients.

Andrea Gregaydis is a licensed aesthetician and international CIDESCO diplomat. She holds multiple additional licenses as a New York state instructor and nail technician, as well as certified laser technician. Gregaydis is the lead instructor at the Aesthetic Science Institute and has over 10 years of experience as a practitioner, team coordinator, and role model for hundreds of future skin care professionals. She is contributing author to top industry trade magazines, as well as a speaker at various aesthetics conferences across the United States. She is also a CIDESCO International Examiner.