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K & S Impressive SkinCare TIPS
The real lowdown, right from the treatment room, right from the pros who know.

There are many Halloween costumes in which makeup is a must. Imagine a cat without whiskers, or a Beetlejuice without the undead, pale skin — it’s just not possible. But with that makeup comes questions about how to keep your skin healthy, so that post-Halloween, you’re not left with seriously scary skin. Our Skin Therapist have some recommendations for how to prepare your skin and how to get back to your true self so the only spooky thing you experience are kids who've had too much sugar.
What can I do before Halloween to prepare?
Our Skin Therapist, Snowie says that the key to good skin after Halloween is to get your skin prepped before you begin covering. She recommends focusing on three things the night of: exfoliating, hydrating, and priming.
First, start with your usual cleansing to clean your skin of debris so it doesn’t hang out in your pores under your foundation. Next, gently exfoliate. Use the tips of your fingers and go in light circles. “This step will remove excess dry, dead skin that makeup will – unpleasantly – adhere to and potentially trap within your pores.”
The next step is to make sure that you hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. “Like exfoliating, this will lessen your skin’s desire to absorb all that makeup.” You can even leave it for the whole night.
Now that your skin is clean and hydrated, the last thing to do is to make sure that you use a makeup primer before any face paint, makeup, or foundation. “This is one additional barrier between your skin and your ghoulish makeup.” And the further away the better!
Seems easy enough, what about when I get home?
First, and this may seem obvious, but you need to fully remove your makeup. Our Skin Therapist Snowie says that, “After a night of makeup and drinks, the skin will suffer from dehydration, and it will definitely will show the next morning if not taken care of. No sleeping with makeup on, no matter how tired you are!”
Taking off that makeup may take longer than usual, but don't get frustrated. “A facial wipe or micellar water works great. Keep sweeping at your face until there is no residue left. Don’t give up and rely solely on your cleanser.” Like with everyday makeup, micellar water and makeup wipes are not the same thing as cleaning your face, especially if you're prone to breaking out.
Enter the double cleanse, right?
Yep! First use a facial oil or cleanser to draw the makeup out of your pores. “Allow it to sit for five minutes and gently wipe off. You can repeat as needed, it won’t dry out your skin.” If you’re dealing with a very stubborn face paint (an undead situation), then use a warm, damp towel over the oil to help ease out the makeup.
Next, do a second cleanse with your go-to cleanser to clean the skin “This works for even the wickedest of stage makeup! Glitter, on the other hand, well, patience will be needed. Lots of patience.” The key with glitter is to not scrub, as the hard edges can scrape at the skin. Once clean, make sure to tone your skin to rebalance and a mask to rehydrate.
What if I'm prone to breaking out?
“If you’re prone to breaking out,” Snowie says, “I recommend skipping the heavy face paint.” But if your costume is just too good then, “I recommend exfoliating or using a clarifying mask after your double cleansing.” This makes sure that you've given your skin some extra support. Should you need some help, stop by. We'll get you good as new!

Seven Easy Updates To Start Winterizing Your Skincare Routine
Winter. We said it. It's coming, cold weather is coming. As you trade in your sleeveless shirts to make room for sweaters in your closet, there is another cabinet to look through – your medicine cabinet. Your skin needs different help during the colder months and starting now will put you in a great place come even colder temperatures. And to our LA friends, much of this advice applies to the cooler, drier seasons, too.
Add a hyaluronic acid to your night routine.
Here’s a theme you’ll see lots of as the weather gets colder: cold weather can suck the moisture out of skin, so it’s important to give your skin more hydration than you think it needs. Add a hyaluronic acid serum to your routine to not only keep the moisture locked in but also to help your products penetrate better. “Everyone penetrates on the different levels, so you have to use different amounts of it depending on what your skin needs. Some people can handle a heavier percentage, and some people are better off just with lighter amounts. But everyone can benefit from adding it to their winter routine,” Snowie recommends.
Swap out lighter oils, like rosehip, for something heavier, like carrot seed oil.
“I put oil on morning (under my sunscreen) and night because otherwise, that wind will go right through it,” Snowie says. “I’ll usually use Naturopathica’s Carrot Seed Oil because it balances and soothes my skin, while also giving it another line of defense.” Another option is the One Love Organics' Skin Savior Multi-Tasking Wonder Balm which changes from a balm to a more liquid consistency when heated in your hands. “That balm is amazing. I use it for facial massage with clients who are dry and aren’t able to keep moisture because it penetrates deeply. It really is a savior.”
Grab your winter moisturizer to give your night routine a kick.
When it’s hot as a volcano out there, like it was this year, the last thing you might be interested in is a thicker moisturizer. But don’t forget to bring that jar back out from medicine cabinet or grab a new one in the shop, as the cold sets in. “The night time is when you really want to seal it all in,” Snowie says “I tell my clients – put on your serums, put on your heavy moisturizer at night. Protect that barrier at all costs!”
(Remember, open products have a shelf life of 6 or 12 months. Check that symbol on the back. And while not all products may "spoil" as dramatically as leftovers in the fridge, they can lose their effectiveness and ingredient power, like crackers going stale in the pantry if we're staying in the kitchen here.)
Swap your "watch TV and use a detoxing mask" hobby for a "watch TV and use a hydrating mask" hobby.
While it's important to always exfoliate and detox, winter months are about hydrating instead of pulling away. “Put away the detoxing masks. Clay masks, for example, are better for warmer months,” Snowie says. “You should still exfoliate twice a week but think about changing your goals from trying to take off to trying to put in.”
Keep an eye on the moisture in your room.
Some apartments, especially in New York, can’t control their heat. I know our LA readers are like, “Wait, what?” But this is what we deal with! Because the room can get so hot, it makes sense that you’d want to keep the window open. If you’re going to keep it open, and honestly, even if you’re not, it's time to get a humidifier. “That dryness can really get you fast,” Snowie warns. “If you don’t plan ahead then that is eight hours that you’re sitting in dry air, wasting your product away. We love humidifiers, from the chic vase-looking ones to that penguin shaped one.
If you’ve shelved your retinol, look into adding it back in.
Said more broadly, 'tis the season to do the deeper work with deeper ingredients since you don't have the sun and fun and sweat to contend with. With regards to retinol, because Vitamin A can make you sensitive to the sun, your Skin Therapist might have recommended pausing on it for the sunnier months. Now that night will be rolling around at 3pm, getting a retinol back into your routine might be a good addition. “Retinol is great for the winter when you’re not spending hours at the beach,” our Skin Therapist, Snowie says. “It’s the only good thing about losing the sun!” However, it’s important to keep in mind that you will still be sensitive, which brings us to our last point...

'tis the season for gifts, holiday soirees, and travel.
Our expert Skin Therapists have helped us build a guide for how you should prep your skin before your trip, treat it on the plane, and how to maintain a healthy glow all vacation-long.
What’s the main secret? Consistency.
One of the main draws of travel is exploring the unknown and finding a break from your day-to-day routine, whether that’s traversing a new city or unplugging by a coastline. As you step out of your comfort zone and dive into new adventures, keeping your skincare routine as close to the day-to-day of home is the best thing you can do. Your skin will be adjusting to different climates, disrupted sleeping patterns, and new foods (probably along with some indulgences), so continuing to do what works well at home is the way to go.
BEFORE YOU TRAVEL
BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT, EXFOLIATE AT HOME TO GIVE YOURSELF A FRESH START TO THE TRIP AND PACK UP YOUR ROUTINE ESSENTIALS IN TRAVEL-FRIENDLY CONTAINERS.
Stock up on travel-sized containers. We’re big fans of Muji, as they have the perfect (and inexpensive) array of TSA-friendly containers, from squeeze bottles to screw-top pots, that hold a variety of products.
Pack a creamier cleanser – and cleansing wipes. A cream cleanser that strips a little less of your natural oil is great for the colder weather. If you're heading somewhere sweaty, a gel cleanser will be a great cleansing companion. Cleansing wipes give you an easy way to freshen up on-the-go, too.
Bring your regular moisturizer with you. Hydrated skin is happy skin, so use what works for you at home while you’re away. For bonus points, bring a lightweight balm which can give you a superb blast of moisture when duty calls.
Have enough SPF, no matter where you’re going! For our faces, we’re believers in a physical sunscreen (containing either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide). Why? It turns your face into a mirror against the sun’s rays and works the instant it’s applied, unlike a chemical sunscreen which takes 15-20 minutes to be ready to protect you.
Pack a small container of a hydrating mask. It’s our little airplane secret for big time happy skin. Plus, if your skin gets a little cranky during the trip, a hydrating mask, like our favorite, back at the hotel will go far to help calm your skin down.
Don’t forget the little things. Hand sanitizer, hand cream, lip balm, and a water bottle are some other tools to keep your skin on point.
AT 30,000 FEET
AFTER THE BOARDING DOOR CLOSES, FOLLOW OUR QUICK IN-FLIGHT ROUTINE THAT’S GUARANTEED TO HAVE YOU LANDING LOOKING AND FEELING FRESH.
If you can, stay make-up free! Once you’re pulling away from the gate, you’re locked in a vessel with dry, recycled air. Your skin will be absorbing whatever moisture it can find at 30,000 feet and makeup isn’t the barrier you want.
Wash your hands before touching your face. If the fasten seatbelt sign is on, use a hand sanitizer. But keep some hand cream in the carry-on, as hand sanitizers and plane air can do a number on your paws.
Apply your hydrating mask and keep it on for the entirety of the flight. No need for a sheet mask or to mask with gobs of product like it’s Sunday night at home. Just apply a bit as if it was your regular moisturizer. If applied correctly, no one should be able to tell you’re wearing a mask. Always apply your own mask before helping others. ;-)
Apply a lightweight balm to lock in all the good hydration provided by the mask and to give yourself a little barrier from the outside world. A big-time Skin Therapist tip that'll guarantee you’ll land looking fresh and feeling less oily than ever before.
Drink lots of water (maybe plan ahead for the bathroom breaks and pick the aisle seat?) and apply hand cream and lip balm regularly.
DURING YOUR TRIP
CLEANSE AND MOISTURIZE AS YOU NORMALLY DO AND PACK YOUR DAY BAG WITH THE SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED TO STAY FRESH WHILE ADVENTURING. PLUS, OUR SKIN THERAPISTS SHARE A FEW TIPS FOR WHEN THINGS GO A LITTLE WRONG IN SUMMER.
SPF SPF (did we mention SPF?). Even in winter, yes!
Throw the lip balm and face wipes in your day bag. You may not have time to run back to the hotel to change, so keep a few wipes so you can refresh in between activities. Nothing beats feeling fresh-faced when you don't have a home base. Lip balm, no explanation needed!
Carve out a little mask time. Hopefully, you're getting some downtime. While you catch up on books or magazines, put on the detoxifying or moisturizing mask you packed. It's a great way to cleanse, calm, or feed your skin after flying and shaking up your daily routine.
If you get an unexpected visitor… Ah, travel zits. Again, the food, the sleep, the new routine – it can bring on some skin surprises. Don’t stress! If the breakout looks red and cranky, pull out that hydrating mask you packed to give it some soothing love. For a blemish that's under the surface but still making its presence known, use something detoxifying or lightly exfoliating. Spot treatments are golden to have on hand for quick fixes.
WHEN YOU GET HOME
Alongside the laundry bag and dopp kit, hopefully, you’re unpacking a few solid souvenirs and plenty of good vibes to carry you through to the next adventure.
The only thing not to hold on to? Those little travel sizes you made.
Don’t let your products sit in a closet for months. Use ‘em up. Since you brought most of your routine with you, they’ll feel right at home back on your bathroom counter next to their full-size counterparts. Whether they exchange travel tales, that we’ll never know.