Teen Skin Care: The Importance of Caring for Your Skin in Your Teens

When you think about who gets a facial, what type of person comes to mind first? It’s probably not a teenager! If you’ve been following the skin care department at Watershed Wellness, you know we serve a population that considers skin care a basic health right.

In our new blog series, we’re going to discuss the two most underserved demographics in terms of skin care—teens and men. First up, teens.

Teens get facials? Absolutely.

The foundation of a facial has deep roots in ancient medicines, including both East Asian Medicine and Ayurveda. More recently, we have viewed facials as a luxurious spa treatment. In 2021, the classic facial has evolved into something much more therapeutic and treatment-focused.

We’re seeing fewer clients interested in a mental check-out and more people are showing up to address deeper concerns. If you remember your teenage years, you’re probably recalling a regimen of Noxema, St. Ive’s Apricot Scrub. Skin care for teens looks similar these days, in the sense that they’re addressing the same issues, however the products look a little different.

Estheticians provide focused treatments that help many common skin care concerns and with our teenage clients, they’re encountering skin issues for the first time.

They’re curious about whichever product is hot off the TikTok/Instagram circuit, or that a friend recommends. Instead of following the latest fads and trends online that might make teenage skin issues worse, consulting someone who’s seen it all and helped many teenagers work through their skin care needs can be invaluable at this often vulnerable time of life.

What types of issues are teens facing?

Acne/Breakouts

Combine a big influx of hormones with stress and you’ve got the perfect recipe for congestion. Many factors can cause and aggravate whiteheads, blackheads, and cystic acne. Having a teen in for a facial means they can have extractions performed, as well as have the conversation of how to prevent breakouts at home. Managing expectations and presenting options for a problem that affects the self-esteem of a teenager is part of the facial process. Sometimes breakouts can’t be prevented, and we’ll let you know if a dermatologist would be the best next step.

Structure and routine

Teenage years are the formative years, and lay the groundwork for future habits. Now is a great time to put good habits and structure into place. Easier said than done, right? At-home skin care routines look different for every person, but teaching teens the importance of good personal hygiene is necessary! At this age, it’s advisable to at least get them to wash their face in the shower.

Beyond that, getting them into some sort of lightweight finishing product that addresses their specific needs is a great way to get them started. This could look like a moisturizer (bonus points if it contains SPF), or even just a serum or a toner to address any concerns of oiliness or breakouts. All of this is best advised by a skin care professional—often, we see this demographic is more likely to listen to a professional than a parent for skin care advice.

Measuring up to their friends/classmates

Teens are in a time of their lives where acceptance and approval from their peers is crucial to their existence. Regarding skin care, teens are looking for a couple of things when it comes to peer approval: they want an acne-free face, and they want to feel good about themselves. Booking a facial for a teen gives them a chance to learn more about their skin, as well as get them acquainted with a skin care term or two that they’ve been curious about.

In social media, we are seeing “influencers” talk about peels, jelly masks, jade rollers, homeopathic treatments for breakouts—even 24kt gold face masks! It’s rewarding to step in as a skin care professional, and have honest (and fun) conversations about how these trends can be practically implemented into a teen skin care routine.

What does a teen facial look like?

• A teen facial involves less of the traditional spa elements (massage, energy work, pressure point techniques, etc.), and more of the practical applications to a treatment. Double-cleansing, toning, extractions, and exfoliation are always present.Double-cleansing sets the pace for the facial, and is a great time to explain why cleansing the face every day is important. Extractions are usually necessary, and also a good time to ask any “leading” questions about their skin in order to help them learn more about their actual skin type.
• We'll ask questions like “Does your skin feel oily or dry when you wake up?” or “Do you feel like your skin burns or tans easily when you spend time outside?” These questions keep the conversation educational and distract the client from the extractions—sort of like when your nurse might ask you about your fun summer plans as they’re getting ready to give you a shot. With exfoliation, teens seem to prefer a physical scrub as opposed to a chemical/enzymatic peel, as it leaves them with a freshly buffed and clean sensation.
• The best part about these foundational teen facials is that they’ll be able to ask questions about their skin in a judgement free zone. It’s normal for teens to feel self-conscious about their skin and we’re here to help them understand the best ways for them to feel good in their skin.

Ready to set the tone for your teen’s hygiene routine for years to come? Book a Foundations Facial or get in touch with Amanda K. to discuss any pre and post appointment questions and concerns.

Essential skincare touchstones for when things are falling apart

We’ve made it to September of 2020

This part of the year is typically what people refer to as the “home stretch”–we’re right on the cusp of the holiday season. Sports are usually in full swing by now. All of those “1st day of (insert grade here)” photos are popping up on your friend’s social media.

But, as we’ve come to find out in 2020–there is no“business as usual” right now. In the spirit of normalcy being taken away from us, I’ve been reflecting on this business of beauty that I’ve been a part of for 14 years. A big question stands in front of me.

How do I proceed with the business of beauty, when beauty is the absolute last thing on people’s minds right now?

It’s a valid question. How can we possibly think of getting a facial, when the world is burning (literally) and there’s a global pandemic without a foreseeable end in sight? For me, the answer actually came quickly, as it’s how I’ve felt about facials/skin care in general for the last decade or so. Facials, and our skin care routines at home, are simply about self care.

When everything seems to feel impossible, we can perform acts of self-love and acceptance in a way that also gives us back some control to the events happening around us. Skin love is self love.

It’s nice to be reminded of a simple way to approach skin care. Or at least, examining some simple avenues that can put a person in a comfortable, low maintenance place where skin care is concerned. Here are three skin truths to stick in your toolbox, for current and further times ahead.

It’s ok to not have a big, robust skin care routine right now.

We’re definitely practicing low maintenance routines as a part of our daily lives right now, and some not by choice. And that’s okay. If it’s all that you can do to wash your face at night, great. The important part, is taking some time to have yourself a little skin ritual, even if it’s just a minute or two–let some warm water splash onto your face. Use your thumb and forefinger to slide along your jawline, from chin to ears, to do some light stagnant fluid drainage. Hang your head over a big bowl of steaming green tea to absorb antioxidant benefits. Try to get in for a facial.

If you can get away with doing very little at home, your esthetician can fill in the blanks with a complex facial treatment, and while we’re on that subject: everyone could use a little healing right now.

Nighttime is the best time.

If you just can’t bring yourself to perform a skincare ritual twice daily, drop your AM routine and just take care of your skin at night. Or at least, take better care of your skin at night. Washing your face only in the PM, and applying all of your beautiful antioxidant serums and night creams, gives your skin a chance to repair and rebuild overnight, when you’re sleeping and in your optimal repair mode anyways.

Transepidermal water loss occurs while you’re sleeping, so give your skin a fighting chance by being extra sweet to it before bed. Wash the day away away (and by day, I mean dirt/debris/pollution/smoke/everyday toxins), and in the AM, wash your face with water only. Follow that step with your nomal serums, toners, moisturizers, whatever constitutes your normal daytime routine. A simple water wash in the AM, also means you won’t rinse off all of those natural barrier repair and antibodies built up overnight. This is especially beneficial, in a time where we have physically become more sensitive to environmental changes.

Make friends topically and internally with Vitamin C.

Vitamin C is crucial to, well, pretty much everything. It’s a collagen building block. It’s a huge preventative measure against cardiovascular and microvascular changes in the body due to smoke inhalation. It’s super high in antioxidants, which fights against free radicals and UV damage to the skin. Vitamin C is cheap to come by, and very low commitment. Perfect for these trying times, when we’re rife with grief or trauma and can’t seem to bring ourselves to perform the self-care that we were previously accustomed to.

In a world where we will continue to see the effects of climate change and otherwise, specifically health and environmental changes, it’s a great time to start implementing some necessary changes to your usual behaivor, at a pace that feels comfortable to you.

And scheduling a facial somewhere that is paying attention to virus transmission guidelines may be just the thing to soothe you when you’re feeling hopeless and overwhelmed. It’s not just the skincare, of course, but the connection and conversation.

We are here for you at Watershed Wellness during these impossible times. If you’re ready for some deep self care outside of the home – I’m here ready to assist!

WW Podcast 16 – Amanda Koennecke lays out the foundations of her unique approach to skin care

The Watershed Wellness podcast is back in action. When we went on hiatus in the summer of 2018, we did so after two fun interviews with Amanda Koennecke, and she's back again, this time to lay out the basics of her approach and what makes her facials so unique. She also reports back on her time at the latest Eminence Organics regional conference & hints at exciting things to come in her future practice!

We're moving the podcast archive over to the Astoria clinic page, which is why you're seeing this blog post here despite the fact that AK practices in Portland. But, this is also a clue about something coming up in April… more on that in the next blog post. 😉

For now, check out the podcast by viewing it on your podcast app on your device, or by visiting our Buzzsprout page for this episode.

Thank you – we're glad to be back!

3 Vitals for Beautiful Skin, Part 3 – Probiotics

In this final installment of the 3 Vitals for Beautiful Skin, we’re going to explore a topic that I’m asked about often. We’ve already covered the vitals of Antioxidants and Collagen, why they are necessary for great skin health, and where to find those vitals. In the last article of what’s important for your skin health, we’ll look at probiotics, where to find them, and why they are a key player in the quest for glowing, functional skin.

First, let’s understand what it means to want “glowing, functional skin”

We’d like our skin to look supple, not too oily or too dry. Even skin tone and texture is always a plus. We’d definitely like to not have acne or breakouts. Is all of this feasibly attainable, 24/7/365 days of the year? Likely not. We may have two or three of those desirable conditions nailed down, but in my experience with skin care, something is always bothering my clients about their skin condition.

Now, what are probiotics, exactly?

Probiotics have been much discussed in recent years, highly touted for their ability to place good bacteria in the gut, which then helps to heal the gut and thereby aiding the body to address a number of conditions that start in the gut. Conditions like acne, joint inflammation, heartburn, food allergies, can and often do start in the gastrointestinal tract. With that said, imagine if we could begin to heal some of our most pressing skin issues, simply by taking good care of our guts? It’s entirely possible!

Those experiencing adult acne or hormonal acne will especially want to take note of probiotics, as it could help to clear up your skin.

Acne is not usually caused by external factors (minus climate and pollution, to an extent), but instead, internal factors. Also remember: acne is an inflammatory disease, so if you can reduce inflammation in your gut, you can reduce the inflammation on your face. This will also aid people with flushed or sensitive skin.

Aside from trying to heal acne/breakouts, having great internal health through your gut can lend a certain radiance to your complexion. Ever heard how eating dark, leafy greens or darker berries (acai, blueberry) can make your skin look amazing? It’s not necessarily the fruit or veggie itself, it’s how your body digests the nutrients and antioxidants and how easily it can be delivered to your skin via a healthy digestive tract.

Lastly: where can you find probiotics?

There are a number of places to look, both natural and effective. Probiotics come in capsulated form, and you can take them in the morning with a full glass of water. If you’re looking to incorporate them in different ways, look for probiotic-rich foods. Fermented soy products like tempeh or tofu, as well as kimchi, kombucha, apple cider vinegar, certain yogurts (kefir and lassi come to mind)….making these a regular staple in your diet is a great move. Also, for those wondering–probiotics can reduce bloating as well.

Our excellent Naturopathic Doctors could easily help you find a great probiotic for you, as well as discussing other aspects of eating, digestive health and more! We have many patients who utilize both Naturopathic medicine and natural skincare regimens to great complementary effect!

We’ve now effectively covered all the ways to naturally take care of your skin, internally! Certain fruits and veggies (Vitals #1: Antioxidants). Bone broth and supplements (Vitals #2: Collagen). Kimchi and apple cider vinegar (Vitals #3: Probiotics). Whether or not you decide to incorporate one or all of these into your routine, it’s important to point out that 80% of a client’s skin condition is accounted for at home. The treatment room, and an esthetician’s expertise, only accounts for 20% of your skin. A BIG 20%, as we give you the necessary tips and tools to succeed, but a lot of the process ends with you.

Happy to help, and here to continue lending a helping hand. Schedule a facial today to chat about your options and a regimen that fits your lifestyle. And check out the Fall Special for esthetics – designed for teens looking to feel their best moving into the school year.

3 Vitals for Beautiful Skin – Part 2 – Collagen

One of my favorite parts of my job as a skin therapist, is to educate people on current skin trends and why they may or may not matter to their specific needs. By “trends,” I’m mostly referring to buzz words and new products on the market.

Not everybody needs the same skin care advice, because the reality is–we don’t all have the same skin type, or same skin needs! Easy enough, right?

But what happens when you keep seeing the words “Retinol” and “Microdermabrasion” pop up in the media and among friends/family/co-workers? You start questioning whether you should care about these things. Clients ask me all the time about skin trends; it often starts with something like “should I care about Retinol? Is that a thing?” or a general statement of “I feel like I should be doing else something to take care of my skin, but what?”

It’s hard to know what’s right, when there is so much information to sort through out there.  So, as we dive into the newest article in my Skin Vitals series, I’d like to talk about a buzz word we hear very often in relation to skin care. The word that I’m thinking of, is:

COLLAGEN

Most of us know that this word is often associated with dry/aging/mature skin, and that it's discussed allthe time in magazines and other media when discussing skin health. But what does it mean? I’m going to break collagen down into two very simple aspects:

1. What it is + why we want it
2. Where to find it!

What is collagen?

Collagen is the main structural protein in your body. It is what your skin and connective tissues are primarily composed of. The word itself has Greek and French origins: the Greek word kolla which means “glue”, and the French word gene. Collagen is your genetic glue! It’s what binds you together, and we are born with an abundance of it.

Why should we care about collagen?

One word : REGENERATION. It has the ability to rebuild and repair itself, and up until the age of 25 that process is rapid and smooth. After 25? Collagen production starts to slow down and isn’t as quick to rebuild in your body. Now you see why aging skin concerns and collagen go hand in hand. Collagen is much discussed and highly sought after, because it is what keeps us youthful, inside and out.

When we lose collagen, our skin doesn’t look as plump or firm. Cheeks can look a little sunken, jawlines can start to sag, a deep crease may slowly appear on your forehead from years of raising your eyebrows. Lines may appear at the corner of your eyes, from squinting or rubbing them when you’re tired. When healthy collagen production is happening, it gives your skin back its bounce & elasticity.

Can collagen be restored?

Definitely, and people do so in diverse ways, for diverse reasons. The most common conventional way to work with collagen challenges is using botox or collagen injections. Whether or not you agree with injectables, the fact of the matter is that to be educated on skin trends, we must examine both sides to make our own judgement call.

Botox or collagen injections for the face (not the same product at all, but both administered the same way) are used to physically fill in fine lines or to freeze the facial muscles to encourage the skin to stay in one place – getting people closer to their skin appearance goals.

On the more medical treatment oriented side, collagen injections are frequently used by doctors to heal ligament and cartilage damage for people who have suffered severe physical trauma (car accidents, surgery, etc).

These treatments aren't without challenges, however. Some of these treatments have produced severe allergic reactions, and even impaired speech or motor function. They are definitely not for everyone, and anyone seeking this type of treatment should do plenty of research to ensure a safe treatment.

Are there other, less potentially challenging, ways to restore collagen?

Yes! 🙂

Collagen supplements and bone broth: Because collagen cannot actually be absorbed through your skin, we must ingest or inject collagen to physically supplement what we already have. Two natural remedies that are highly effective and widely available, are supplements and bone broths. Collagen peptide powders can be purchased online or at a natural food store, and can easily be dissolved into water or a smoothie. They also make collagen coffee creamer that can be used in your morning cup of coffee! How handy.

Bone broth is an amazing food packed full of nutrients to aid your quest for complete health and wellness. It is one of the best natural sources of collagen, and it’s simply a product of simmering bones and water over the course of a day or two to release collagen, proline, glycine, and a few other health boosters.

Not only does bone broth restore collagen health for skin related purposes, but it may assist in repair of leaky gut syndrome, ease joint pain, and have diverse positive impacts on immunity. Many grocery stores offer bone broth on their shelves now if you don’t have the time to stew it yourself.

What about protecting the collagen you have?

What about the actual collagen that you were born with, that’s still in your skin’s deepest layers regardless of how much you actually have left? There are simple, natural ways to stimulate natural collagen production in your skin.

Get a facial!

Facial massage nourishes the natural skin tissue and muscles in your face and neck, and flushes any toxins or unhelpful lymphatic fluid to drain from your face and allow for beneficial ingredients to do their job. Massage can send a signal to the deepest layers of the skin to get your collagen to “wake up” and start producing once again.

Skin becomes more full, plump, and regenerated, thereby allowing for healthy natural collagen production to take place quicker. Going weeks or months without a facial can leave your skin tissues stagnant and potentially inflamed, and inflamed tissues will always act out of emergency and never operate the way that they’re supposed to.

Seek out plant-based Retinol alternatives for your skin

Medically prescribed retinol (commonly known as Vitamin A) acts on the deepest layer of the skin, creating a “wound”, and the tissue acts accordingly and tries to repair itself, thus producing more collagen. It’s like when you scrape your knee, and you watch the wound heal itself over the course of a week or two. That is collagen, working to repair and heal the skin.

There are plant/botanical-based alternatives to the medically prescribed option

Two to know: swiss green apple stem cells, and tara tree. Both are two powerful ingredients that naturally encourage the regeneration process, to help spur collagen production. A few of my favorites: Eminence’s Coconut Age Corrective Moisturizer, and Bamboo Firming Fluid, which both contain the aforementioned ingredients that spur natural collagen production.

Wanting to get started with your own routine, and use your newfound skin trend education to aid you in your skin goals? Let’s work together to find a plan that fits your lifestyle.

3 Vitals for Beautiful Skin – Part 1 – Antioxidants

Beautiful skin

Big, bold words, that clearly identify what every person expects when they come in for a facial. Beautiful skin. Glowing skin.

Working at a wellness clinic is wonderful for me as a skin care specialist. We have so many talented practitioners that educate their clients (and each other) on the importance of health and wellness, these interactions enrich everyone's practices. That said, because of this wellness focus, sometimes I find myself getting a little obsessed with skin health and wellness. Sometimes, this can result in my losing sight of a simple truth – while my clients care about the health of their skin – what motivates them is having BEAUTIFUL SKIN.

Think about a time that you’ve complimented someone on their skin. Most of us don't automatically say, “your skin looks really healthy.” Instead we typically say something like “your skin is gorgeous/beautiful/glowing.”

So while of course skin healthy and beauty are interrelated – I never want to lose sight of the importance of beauty

I’ve made it my life’s work to bring happiness and health into the lives of my clients. And making someone feel beautiful when they look in the mirror is a big part of that.  What, exactly makes skin beautiful? Is it pure ingredients in facial products? A structured skin care routine involving multiple products? Is it booking a facial every month to maintain perfect skin conditions, or to treat ongoing skin conditions? What else is important to regularly achieve the goal of beautiful skin?

It is, of course, all of the factors listed above – and more. But, very simply, we can start our journey to consistently beautiful skin with the important knowledge of what your skin needs to survive – and thrive. In the next few articles, I'd like to very simply explore some of the vitals you need to build not just healthy skin, but BEAUTIFUL skin. And, hopefully, also help to unpack and explore the idea of beauty I am coming to understand as a skin therapist in a wellness clinic.

The first “vital for beautiful skin” we will explore is ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants are soldiers in the fight against free radicals, which can ravage and cause lasting ill-fated conditions in your skin. Antioxidants are agents that find free radicals, and prevent them from

taking effect in the body. What are free radicals? They are oxidizing elements introduced to the body through environmental pollution, stress, and a by-product of things that we take into our bodies regularly. In other words, free radicals are a part of our everyday lives. When free radicals attack the body, they can damage proteins and elastin, which forms the major structure of the skin.

Where can you find antioxidants? How do you ingest them or apply them  so they’re effective? It's easier than you think. Looking at labels on food, skincare products, and other products in your environment can help you identify the best sources of antioxidants. Eminence skincare products are, of course, chock full of antioxidants of various kinds – but foods and herbs can often be a powerful source as well.

Here is a short list of some important and easy to find allies in your quest for beautiful skin

• Any kind of dark fruit or berry. Blackberries, blueberries, goji berries, cherries, plums, acai, the darker the better. Look for these ingredients in your skincare products to maximize benefits.
• Oregano, turmeric, cinnamon, cocoa. Powerful herbs or seeds that are highly touted in recent years for their anti-inflammatory benefits, but also double as powerhouses in the fight against free radicals. Not only do these ingredients warm the body from the inside out to flush out sickness, but leave lasting benefits to reveal beautiful skin. I enjoy concocting a homemade yogurt masque with pure cocoa powder this time of year, not only does it smell amazing but it’ll leave your skin looking delightful.
• Green tea. Life giving! Packed with wholesome antioxidants. I actually use green tea in place of water during my facials at Watershed, in order to impart extra antioxidants into my treatments. Treat yourself to green tea by brewing some to keep in the fridge, and simply chug a glass in the morning. Or even better–boil up some green tea and steam your face at home with it, by hanging your head over a bowl of tea and using a towel around your head to trap the steam and concentrate it towards your face. Elegant and noticeable results.

What questions do you have about building and maintaining beautiful skin?

Why not come in for a facial and we can discuss building a personalized routine to get you the beautiful, healthy skin you desire?