StyleBlueprint enlisted expert help, in the form of skin guru Tracey Harris, to help you get your skin primed and prepped so that your Holiday makeup can do it’s best, on a perfectly glowing canvas: your skin.

Pre-party prep for skin by Tracey Harris:

In the realm of pre-party prep, I don’t ever recall considering the purchase of a new facial cleanser, Retin A, or scheduling a chemical peel…..when in fact, if I were truly wanting that party glow, I would have considered the largest organ in my body, THE SKIN, as a great place to begin prepping….and what better place to invest in than your skin?  Don’t we all want that glow, a reduction in pore size, and that wonderful ‘taut’ feeling (if you haven’t experienced that tautness, you are really missing out.)  There are many in-office treatments I can help you with.  But, there are some steps you can take on your own.

Confidence will exude when all you have to do is apply as little make up as you want, focusing on glossing up the lips and creating either a soft or smoky eye. Your world will totally change.

Here are a few suggestions to create a smooth canvas for a stunning application of make-up (or to just have that glow every day!)

At home musts:

•   Select a pH-balanced cleanser designed to leave the skin at its normal pH. Be sure to rinse thoroughly. Any lingering residue will cause a chemical reaction that will begin to break down the moisturizer and/or makeup in less than 2 hours after application.

•   Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate to ensure smooth skin. There are 2 main different means to do this, mechanically and chemically. Purchase the Clarisonic facial brush for a mechanical exfoliation. This is to be used twice daily and ensures a full 60 second wash dividing the face into 4 quadrants. After completion, your skin will absorb all your much needed lotions and potions 61% more than just cleansing by hand, and you’ve begun thinning that dull outer layer that is accentuating uneven skin texture.

Use a chemical exfoliation for skin discoloration and blemishes. Most skin types respond well to glycolic and salicylic acids which provide a smoother and softer appearance for the foundation. These are often found in certain toners and treatment lotions. However, you can’t go wrong adding in a one step Tretinoin 0.05%, Refissa, recently FDA approved to improve the appearance of fine lines, hyper-pigmentation, and skin texture.

(StyleBlueprint talking: For a quick start to beautiful exfoliation, get the in-office treatment called a Diamond Tome Microdermabrasion.  We LOVE this treatment– normally $100.  It makes your skin look instantly brighter, softer and more glowing.  It’s like having the best facial ever. It also helps clear up some acne within minutes (personal testimony here!)  See our Deals Email– sent out today– for a 20% off coupon for both the Diamond Tome and/or chemical peels from Trace Skin Care for StyleBlueprint readers through Jan 15!)

•    Don’t forget to moisturize your face as well as the eye area. The right moisturizer will increase the longevity of your makeup application. Understanding the difference between humectants and emollient moisturizers is important. Most contain both elements, but one type usually dominates depending on the purpose of the product.

For best use under makeup, chose one with MORE emollients and LESS humectants.  Humectants are usually found in night creams and/or corrective creams, lotions or serums. They moisturize by attracting water from the dermis into the epidermis and when humidity is high, they moisturize by attracting water from the atmosphere into the epidermis. This will cause the makeup to melt.  Emolients, on the other hand, bind humectants and remain in the stratum corneum to act as lubricants, hold moisture in the skin and prevent the skin’s chemistry from affecting the makeup. They help maintain the benefits of humectants that were applied the night before and provide a soft, pliable complexion for an easy makeup application. Colorescience pep up gel is a wonderful way to moisturize as it contains hyaluaronic acid and many other yummy ingredients to help give you that glow, along with firming, brightening, calming and protecting the skin.

•    Finally, silicone is one of the best kept secrets in preparing the face for makeup application. It helps to decrease the appearance of fine lines and large pores by “filling” them. This helps foundation and powders not seep into any hidden crevices. It should be applied under makeup and on top of your moisturizer with sunscreen or can be blended with it. Colorescience primers not only correct but help treat certain skin conditions as well. Other favorites of Trace Skin Care are, Line Tamer, Wild to Mild, and About Face.

From StyleBlueprint Tracey is truly a skin guru.  We will continue to feature her suggestions for skin on this site.  Liza and several friends/readers have started to carry her cards around as so many people ask “What’s up with your skin?  It’s g-l-o-w-i-n-g!”  And, Liza really enjoyed being mistaken for the babysitter several times this past fall (Thank you Tracey!) Trace Skin Care is offering 15% off all laser treatments until Jan 15th.  She is further discounting two of our FAVORITE treatments, the Diamond Tome Microdermabrasion and Chemical Peels, by 20% — just for StyleBlueprint readers!  The makeup artists love her because they can send their clients to Tracey and get the canvas they need to create the look their clients want.  Read the Deals of the Week email today for more details!

So, forward this to your friends ’cause friends don’t let friends have bad skin!

© 2009, StyleBlueprint. All rights reserved. On republishing this post you must provide a link back to this page.