A: The skin cells take about 28 days to reach the surface under even the best of circumstances, so once a month it is beneficial to have a professional esthetician deep cleanse and remove impurities from the pores. My clients always ask me to recommend the proper home care agenda as well as help them maintain their skin’s balance and ultimate well-being.

A: There are many benefits: Clear, smooth, hydrated, youthful and supple skin. Things like hormones, stress and seasonal changes can bring on problems that are best addressed by a licensed professional. When I see clients regularly, I get to know their skin’s cycles and can adjust treatments and offer the correct products for them to use.

A: First of all, stop laying in the sun! This is my favorite topic to lecture and nag about (second favorite is smoking, in case you were wondering). The sun is the number one reason why the skin ages. Surprisingly, ethnic skins are particularly prone to pigmentation. To protect your skin from premature aging, always wear a total sun block. Try to stay out of the sun between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm when the sun is at its hottest and always wear a hat with a wide brim when you’re outdoors. *Other great options to get that nice golden glow (without skin cancer) are self-tanner and misting tan booths. (can you say Britney?Jennifer Aniston?)

A: You shouldn’t have to. Keep it simple and just get a daytime moisturizer that contains sunscreen (I like our own Skin Haven Solar Defender SPF 28 moisturizer or Eminence Organics Sun Defense Minerals SPF 30, both for any skin type). That should provide you with enough hydration as well as protecting you from the sun. Don’t forget your neck, ears, and chest. Tip: Have a big pump bottle of SPF 15 or 30 in your bathroom so when you get out of the shower in the morning, you can hydrate with a sunscreen moisturizer all over to protect all exposed areas. Make it easy on yourself.

A: This is a question that I get asked almost every day. When people hear the term ‘exfoliation’ they almost always think of a scrub, but there are other ways to get an efficient, gentle exfoliation. I recommend an exfoliant containing Alpha & Beta Hydroxy Acids—a combination of AHA fruit acids for an active exfoliation buffered by the calming action of BHA—so you get great results without irritation. I like Bioelements Quick Refiner, a light gel that goes on at night before your moisturizer and stays on--no rinsing, no fussing. For people who like to do masks, I like Bioelements Kerafole mask, an exfoliating, detoxifying, hydrating mask. For more resistant skin (or for you men out there) I recommend Bioelements Measured Micrograins OR Pumice Peel scrubs.