My Skin Journey

 

Let me preface this by saying, I’ve only just started my skin care journey with Katy at Bedford Skin Clinic.  My intention is to keep you updated as the months tick by so that you can get a full picture but I didn’t want to wait any longer to share the first part of my skin journey with you.

 

I met Katy a couple of years ago when I had my eyebrows microbladed for the first time.  I distinctly remember thinking, “Wow, her skin is amazing”.  That was before I knew that she was “the skin care woman”. It was before I found out that her passion is helping women love their skin – makes sense!

 

I’ll be honest with you:  I feel like most of what you read about online is around people who’ve struggled with breakouts and cystic acne.  That’s not me, and I’m grateful for that.  My struggles are more of the aging kind.  So if that resonates with you, stay put.

 

In this series, it’s my intention to pull back the curtain and share with you everything I’m doing with Katy and the team at Bedford Skin Clinic.  This includes treatments, products, diet changes and lifestyle modifications in hopes that we can go on this journey of loving our skin together!

 

My skin issues

I should note, in case you’re thinking “you lucky bitch, no breakouts”, I do struggle with mild acne at my jawline.  It’s just the odd blemish or two, but it’s definitely something I’m working on.  Primarily though, my skin issues are:

• Dry skin
• Dullness
• Lack of firmness

 

To put it simply, my skin has been “blah”.  And no matter what I tried, I couldn’t seem to bring back the “glow” to my skin.  It always felt dry, dull and a bit “tired”.  So a few weeks ago I put my skin in the capable hands of my very own skin-care unicorn.

 

Enter, Katy.

 

Meet Katy Scott

 

Katy is a skin care genius (and also a lovely human).  No really, she actually holds the designation “HP skin care genius” and she takes that title very seriously.  She’s got all kinds of fancy accolades and is certified in everything from scalp massage to chemical peels, microneedling (more on that later) to body treatments.  But Katy’s specialization is in skin care.  It’s her passion, and it shows. 

 

Tip 1 / See a licensed aesthetician at a medical spa

Don’t get me wrong, facials at day spas are awesome.  But investing your time & dollars into seeing a professional team in a medical setting can really make the difference.  Medi-spas are different because they’re staffed by medical professionals (doctors, nurse practitioners, etc) which means they have access to tools and treatment protocols that day spas don’t.

 

Tip 2 / Develop a treatment plan and stick to it

 

I’m handing over the reigns of my skin care regime to Katy.  Why?  Because she’s a professional and she knows what she’s doing.   If you’re going for a twice annual facial because you love it, great.  But if you’re visiting a medi-spa to treat issues you’re having with your skin you’ve got to listen to your providers.

 

I’m committed to taking Katy’s treatment plan seriously over the coming months because:

 

1 – I’m ready to love my skin!

 

2 – I want to show YOU the process and pull back the curtain on some of the latest treatment options that exist like microneedling, dermaplaning, and more.

 

Tip 3 / Invest in medical grade products

 

Truth: drugstore products (even at places like Sephora) don’t stack up against medical grade products.  They just don’t.  I can already hear some of you saying “well my drugstore product is working great for me”.  That’s awesome.  If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 

 

But if you’re not happy with your skin, it’s time to invest in better products.  And yes, it’s an investment.  A great aesthetician will work with you and your budget by recommending a full suite of products along with their “top picks” if money is tight.  Your “must haves”, if you will.

 

Tip 4 / Commit to lifestyle changes

 

Seriously.  If you’re going to be investing in your treatment plan, why not give it the best shot possible.  If you continue to go to bed with your makeup on, not drink enough water and skimp on sleep, all the work that your skin care team is doing won’t be as effective.  

 

The fact is, your lifestyle matters to the health of your skin.

 

Here are a few things that are working for me:

 

• Drink 4L of water daily (I know, that’s a lot).  It’s double the recommended amount and I chose that amount for my own reasons.  The point is, stay hydrated!

 

• Girl, wash your face!  When I had my first medical grade facial with Katy I asked what her top skin care recommendation is for everyone.  She didn’t even hesitate when she said “wash your face before bed”.  Sleeping with makeup is bad enough, but your skin collects all kinds of nasty stuff all day long.  Take it off before bed.

 

• Eat well.  As I write this blog, I’m in the midst of an elimination diet.  That means no dairy, grains, alcohol, caffeine, sugar or additives.  The point is to figure out which of those are causing inflammation in my body (and my skin).  Sugar, chemicals and allergens (dairy, wheat, etc) can wreak havoc on your skin.  Do some investigating and figure it out.

 

• 8 hours of sleep every night.  

 

• Taking collagen and fish oils as part of my regular supplement routine.

 

My first medical grade facial

 

My first appointment at the Bedford Skin clinic was for a medical grade facial.  Katy likes to include dermaplaning into her initial appointments with new patients because it gives her a clear idea of the condition of your skin.

 

My treatment started with a double cleanse, followed by dermaplaning.  I LOVED this treatment.  It leaves your face feeling ultra-smooth and is the perfect prep for a medical grade facial.

 

Dermaplaning is a skin treatment that uses a surgical blade to skim dead skin cells and hair from your face.

 

After that, we proceeded with the facial.  Katy confirmed what I had thought.  I had very dry and dehydrated skin (two different things, by the way).  My facial was custom, which is another benefit to visiting Bedford Skin Clinic.  There is no “cookie cutter” treatment happening here.  Katy goes step by step, sees how your skin responds to each product or treatment, and makes decisions based on your skin throughout the treatment.

 

My facial consisted of liquid exfoliation, masks, steam and facial cupping (which was amazing).  

 

Facial cupping uses suction cups to promote increased blood circulation, relieve muscle tension, promote cell repair, and aid in other regeneration.

 

Unlike traditional cupping, Katy keeps the cups moving all the time so there is no bruising!  It also feels amazing.

 

After the facial, Katy made her recommendations and sent me home with a collagen mask and samples of the recommended products.  

 

Initial Results

It’s been only a few weeks since my first appointment with Katy at the Bedford Skin Clinic and I’ve been following her guidelines diligently.  The facial, coupled with the Botox I got a week later, have produced results beyond what I expected.  In the picture above, I’m wearing no foundation!  I have eye make-up and blush on, that’s it.  No filters, no photo editing – just natural light and my new fabulous skin!

 

I can’t wait to continue my skin journey with Katy and the team and see what else is possible for my skin.  Since my facial (and implementing the guidelines above) I haven’t worn foundation at all!  My skin is glowing and no longer has that “tight dry” feeling.

 

To book your own appointment with Katy, visit https://bedfordskinclinic.ca or check her out on Instagram.  You can also follow my journey (and see loads of before and after video clips) in the highlights of my stories on Instagram.

I’m more than happy to share more specifics on my skin journey and answer any questions you may have.  Just leave a comment below, I’m an open book!

 

* This blog post is sponsored by Bedford Skin Clinic however, all opinions are my own.  The agreement I make with any partner on this blog is to provide an honest review of the services I receive.  In short, I’ll always tell you the truth. If I didn’t like it, or it didn’t work for me, you’d be the first to know!