In a transient, fast-paced, technological, and diverse world, skin care professionals interact with numerous skin types and conditions that have multiple influences, including genetic traits, lifestyle, and current state of health. Professionals must be prepared for the sensitivities and expectations arising from clients and remain mindful of how technologies interact with skin cells.

In 1910, while working in France at a family-owned cosmetic laboratory – mainly for the development of perfumes – French chemist and scholar, Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, received a third degree burn on his hand and forearm. Looking for the nearest cooling agent to calm the severe burn, Gattefosse plunged his arm into a vat of lavender essential oil. The burning sensation slowly diminished and, as he…

The benefits of essential oils in skin care are wide and varied, making them ideally suited for use in many types of facial treatments and for numerous skin types and conditions. What must be clearly understood when selecting essential oils for professional skin care treatments is that not all essential oils are created equal; their quality varies greatly. Therefore, it is vital for professionals to…

Proper context is imperative when working with a client who is receiving chemotherapy for cancer. Skin care professionals are not treating cancer; they are working with the presenting conditions of a client and their skin. Presenting conditions can be caused by medical treatments for cancer, side effects from medications, or even nutritional status. According to Cancer Treatment Centers of America, at the time of diagnosis,…