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When you see a celebrity waltz the red carpet—and given it’s award season, there are many red carpets to be walked—it’s hard not to focus on their glowing complexions. Of course, flawless makeup application plays a major role. But the basis of an immaculate canvas is, of course, healthy skin. And for celebrities, there’s usually a team of top estheticians and derms at the ready to tend to their skins’ needs.
One such esthetician is Natalie Aguilar, a dermatological nurse and founder of N4 Skincare. Her skillful hands grace the faces of many A-listers and skin care enthusiasts in Beverly Hills, where her practice is based.
So when I got her to join me on our beauty podcast Clean Beauty School, I simply had to ask her for all her best advice—you know, the gems of wisdom she shares with her celebrity clientele. Here, three tips I love—be sure to tune in for more:
1. Build one habit at a time.
“A healthy skin routine is no different than a healthy lifestyle—they’re both meant to be practiced every day,” says Aguilar, noting that for some clients this takes some work. “There’s definitely a learning curve here. So instead of overwhelming them, I always start with one question: How much water do you drink every day? Not how much water did you have yesterday or today, but every day.”
From there, she spends time talking about the importance of staying hydrated and your skin health. “Then I’ll tell them: ‘So for this month, I want you to practice drinking more water every single day.’ And then when their next visit comes, we add another piece of homework or another product to add in.” Slowly but surely a healthy skin routine is built.
2. Find your skin person.
For overall health, we always encourage people to seek a medical practitioner they can trust. Or for fitness, a trainer or class instructor. Or for hair, a stylist who knows your hair type and needs. Or for dietary concerns, a nutrition specialist to help answer your questions. So why isn’t there the same focus on the skin? If improving the quality of your skin is a priority, then finding a skin care expert should be on your to-do list.
“I think a few years ago, I was seeing a lot of people on social media trying facials everywhere and never really getting to connect with the skin therapist,” she says. “But lately, I’m seeing people building relationships with their ‘skin people.’ I think it’s really important for people to find therapists who can take care of you as an individual.”
As for finding that person, she says, “I think you always go with your intuition. Do you feel comfortable with this person? Do you feel like this person is listening to your needs?”
Of course, having access to facialists in your area and price range is not a given. If you don’t have access to someone, then we recommend finding smart, education-focused professionals (like aestheticians and derms) and follow their social media channels. Don’t just follow someone because their skin looks good or you like their “aesthetic”—find someone who is dedicated to sharing quality information.
Just because you see a flashy new ingredient or regimen does not mean you should add it to your skin care bucket list. The best thing I’ve ever learned as a beauty editor is that not everything is for me—and it’s OK to acknowledge that while an item may be beneficial for others, it’s not for me to use.
“I really wish people would stop doing what they see others do. This is why I don’t offer menus at my location. As humans, we tend to want everything on the menu, and not everything is designed for you,” she says. Oftentimes she’ll see people posting videos of what they’ve had done, “followed by a bunch of comments saying I’m going to get that, or I’m going to do that,” Aguilar says, but that “may not be what’s best for you.”
Want more advice on what you should do instead? Be sure to tune in.
Heal Your Skin.
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