As an educator and practitioner, the moment I hear skin conditions, I immediately get goosebumps. Not only does it top the list of my favorite subjects, it is also one of the most open-ended, ever-changing topics in the skin care field, which is what makes it so darn exciting. I could take up this entire magazine writing on various skin conditions – what they are,…

I know you all know that skin is the largest organ of the human body. You have studied it for hundreds of hours, analyze it every day, and spend your career focusing on making it healthier and more youthful. What is interesting about this is the fact that for most of skin care professionals, and certainly for the majority of their clients, the focus of…

I can recall a time when the primary focus of my skin care clients was antiaging and skin renewal. Though both remain at the top of the list of skin care concerns, they have been surpassed by the skyrocketing concern of hyperpigmentation. I travel the world to educate on skin care, and in Asia, combating pigmentation ranks at the top of the list, with lightening…

As an aesthetics educator, I often get that child-like, cross-eyed look when I announce that the next subject to be covered is chemistry. “What? Chemistry? I hate chemistry – what does chemistry have to do with skin care?” Skin care professionals know full well what chemistry has to do with skin care. To truly appreciate the magnitude of a professional’s abilities, consider the physiology of…

The fusion of holistic and medical aesthetics is a very sticky topic. There are many different opinions, definitions, and interpretations of both from various skin care professionals. Skin care professionals who have an opinion on their preference, may not be willing to share. I have been involved in education long enough to know that my purpose is not to offer opinions but to give facts.…

I recall my early years as an aesthetician and educator discussing antiaging products and aging skin. It all seemed so distant. The topic has always been at the top of the skin care agenda, but the word aging seemed to carry such a negative connotation with it, as aging skin is deemed to not be desirable. From there, the preferred referential term became mature. Professionals…

Of all the topics that could be highlighted in the month of July, hydration screams to be at the top of the list. Even though hydration may seem to be a simple topic, it is often set to the wayside and overlooked as the essential foundational component of healthy skin that it is. It is a well-known fact that the human body can survive longer…

June marks the halfway point of the year. Sort of like calling Wednesday hump day, I liken the month of June to hump month. We have eased passed the chaos of a pandemic with vaccines, boosters, reduced quarantine and isolation, and all of the unknown. We have shaken hands, given hugs, seen long lost friends and family, and maybe even met amazing new assets to…

Well, here we all are! May. I love it – and I hope each of you are surrounded by blooming summer flowers. One of the things that I love about May is that regardless of where you are in the world, May is a month of early blooms, new blooms, and regenerating blooms. There is nothing quite like it. It is the absolute ideal month…

I try to find something special about every month of the year. The older I get, the faster the months go by. In the blink of an eye, I am left wondering where the seasons have gone. April is pretty unique. It is what I refer to as a “cusp” month. I live in the Northeast where we desperately struggle between early winter, winter, late…

It is rather ironic that I am writing this AIA Welcome in recognition of two events: AIA’s 50th anniversary and this month’s topic of antiaging. In reality, both topics could be a bit of a downer if one is a “half glass empty” type of person. Not me – I am a “half full” kind or girl! I will tell you why. Turning 50 has…