Here are some common questions and concerns many women in Orange County face before they have entered a salon or cosmetic department. Yes, we all have been there at one time or another whether it's your "first time" or "about time", we find ourselves unsure of what we want, so here you can find some constructive answers to hopefully help alleviate these worries.
Such as:
"I don't have a lot of money and time to spend on things that don't work."
-Before ever entering any store or salon, analyze your own skin concerns at home first. Do you find your skin more on the oily side, combination, dry, or even sensitive? Do you have five/ten/or 15 minutes at night and in the morning to apply these new products to your skin? Are you looking for organic products, fragrance free, lifting, firming, and or smoothing effects? Taking some or all of these into consideration will better prepare you when you find yourself bombarded by the sales people standing around throughout the department stores insisting that their products are perfect for you.
"I don't know where to begin when picking the right skin care for myself so how will I know if the sales girl knows what's best for me?"
-Ask them a questions first. Armor yourself with one or all of these questions that can give you a better idea if they truly know their stuff. "How long has this line been around?", "Who is the creator of the line?", "What is their philosophy behind it?", "What are the prime ingredients in your best selling product?" You will know right away if they can educate you or that they need to go back to the home office for a better education.
"Is it normal to break out after my facial or did they use the wrong products on me?"
-Most of the time when the skin specialist uses proper procedures and appropriate product for your skin type you should leave feeling and looking fresh, clear and clean with few or if any after effects. If your skin had quite a bit of extracting done and your therapist couldn't get to all your areas of concern, you may experience some "purging" in the next day or two. If you leave the salon with irritated skin, break out in more than two to three areas, or just don't feel your skin is as "rejuvenated" as expected, you should find out what the therapist used precisely on you, and let the management know as soon as possible.
"What do I do if I think they are not answering my questions?"
-To begin with, always enter the establishment well prepared with your questions and concerns. If you still feel like the sales person is eluding your concerns and more interested in pushing the line and it's products on you. Never feel pressured, you have every right to request another associates assistance who may better provide you with the information you need and/or ask for the managers help.
"Do I have to pay more for quality?"
-This is not all together true. But, you do need to do a little research. This day and age we have the luxury of the internet and most any service as well as product available, will have a review, articles, editorials, write ups, and testimonials to help weed out the not-so-goods. You can compare and contrast on the internet before you even step foot into a store or salon. When it comes to skin care there are so many levels of creams, lotions, gels, serums, moisturizers, nutraceuticals, etc. What's best for one skin type may not be best for another. But, if a certain eye cream or lift serum is difficult to keep in stock year after year, it must be doing something right. Always ask for samples for at least a weeks worth of trial. No skin care line should expect you to jump right on the bandwagon before you have even tested the product on your own skin. Know something about the ingredients and whether they are efficacious to your needs.
"Do I really need to layer on five different things on my face twice a day, everyday?!"
-Not necessarily so. If washing, toning, applying serum, eye cream, and moisturizer, are just too much work for one person, there are ways to simplify and still enjoy healthy nourished skin. You can use a soap-free,(non-foaming) face wash, to avoid the stripping of the skins natural PH balance where now toner wouldn't be as necessary. Finding a combined hydrating as well as vitamin enriched serum can take the place of a daily moisturizer, unless your main concern is overly dry skin, a medium to full moisturizer can be more beneficial for your skin than a serum. An eye cream unfortunately is a totally different entity to your face moisturizer. The skin and pores around your eyes and your lips is a lot more delicate and sensitive where heavy creams can clog and possibly cause milia. Eye creams are beneficial for both preventative as well as corrective purposes and specifically cater to these areas of concern.
By asking the right questions you not only prevent yourself from going home with all the wrong things, they can empower your position as a consumer, as well as help the skin care and make up specialists stay attentive and better directed!
