Being in the skincare industry for 20 years and the beauty industry for even longer, I can attest to the fact that when it’s our turn to receive a treatment… we find ourselves in a state of bliss! It is also a privilege to have the ability to trade services with other beauty experts.

This morning, I was super excited for my appointment with a fellow esthetician friend, Lori, for a lash lift (perm), lash tint, and brow tint. I have been aware of lash perming and have been around it… but I have never received this service until today.

I am in the process of growing back and filling in my lashes a la Lira Clinical’s Lux Lash Growth Serum, which I love and sell. My eyes are too sensitive for lash extensions or even strip lashes. Sometimes I remember to tint my own lashes and brows, but I would never even attempt to perm my own! So things were looking a little sad this morning before Lori worked her magic.

My eyebrows are another story. I have had Microblading done and am getting discoloration and fading. Lori is going to help me with that as well. But in case you wonder what is up with my brows in my pictures, well, that’s what’s up!

I am so pleased with the difference that today’s lash lift and tint made. I walked around feeling happy about it all day! The brow tint is also helping to balance out the look of the faded permanent makeup, so that is a huge plus as well.

Lash lifting is such a great service that I think I am going to add it soon to my menu at Skinblissful – Jerri Lien Skin Care. It made me look like I have more lashes that I do and really did give my eyes a “lift.”

Thanks so much, Lori Sanders of Bella Regazza in Sumner, Washington!

When you get to be of a certain age (oh, use your imagination!), it can be a challenge keeping your skin looking youthful. There are a few maddening individuals who maintain a fresh complexion despite never doing anything good for their skin, but I’m not bitter. Not bitter at all. Ha!

A nice complexion doesn’t come easy for the rest of us mere mortals. Part of why I became an esthetician in 1997, was due to the fact that I wanted to have better skin, and I could empathize with other glow seekers. Back then, all it took for me was regular facials and professional home care products. In the two decades since… well… sometimes it feels like I am in training for a marathon.

For the first half of 2016, we were just moved back to Western Washington and living between homes in what I affectionately dub “the trailer park” AKA my in-laws “compound.” It wasn’t the ideal setting to keep on top of my skincare treatments, though I always have time for my clinical skincare products! Throw in the stress of moving and the troubles of life, plus suddenly finding myself just past my mid-forties (gasp!), I was not in love with how my skin was looking.

In August of 2016, I was fortunate enough to be GIVEN an Ultherapy full face and neck treatment! Ultherapy is not a laser, but it is a medical device that uses deep ultrasound technology to stimulate collagen reproduction and, therefore, skin tightening. That was my start on a new journey toward more beautiful skin. That and the SkinStylus Microneedlng pen I purchased for my treatment room!

I have been doing Microneedling treatments on myself semi-regularly for the past year. Microneedling is also known as Collagen Induction Therapy, as this service tricks the skin into producing collagen (our skin’s support fiber). This treatment can be done every 4 weeks for a series of 6-8 treatments. This service is also on my menu at Skinblissful – Jerri Lien Skin Care.

My last treatment on myself was 9 days ago. I Microneedled over Lira Clinical’s VitaBrite Peel for the first time. It was a little zingier than usual, and my skin is still a bit pink… but it is looking good! Today I also have on LipSense‘s Mulled Wine with Glossy Gloss on top. I smooched my husband and… there is zero evidence of that incident smeared across his face. I love it! No lip color on my hubby, none on my coffee cup. Perfect! (My distributor number is 358918) You can also contact me for LipSense as well as Lira Clinical skincare products.

Since my first foray into working for a plastic surgeon, 16 years ago, I have been very familiar and friendly with Botox and dermal filler. It wouldn’t be fair to let people think that I am working to maintain a youthful appearance with skincare treatments alone. I had two medical/beauty industry reps tell me about the same nurse injector (Jessica) at Eterna Vein and Medical Aesthetics. I like her! She is calm, conservative, with a good eye, AND close to my home. My eyes get puffy when my thyroid levels are off track (a lot), and I wanted her to help detract from that with a little bit of filler. She also injected some Dysport so I don’t look like I am mad all the time! Dysport is similar to Botox.

In my industry and in my personal experience, I have learned that when you look better, you feel better. What are you doing to feel and look better?

In the service industries, providers spend their days taking care of patients and clients, as is our passion to do so, yet we are often lacking when it comes to taking care of ourselves. I am guilty!

While it is a huge blessing to be able to take care of my own skin, there is nothing like being the client and receiving a service. I tell my clients all the time to make sure they are taking time for themselves. It is important for everyone to take care of themselves, and especially important for those who spend their time taking care of others, whether at home, at work, or both! You must refill your own tank in order to keep giving of yourself.

Lately I have been looking at my hands and feet and KNOWING I needed to get in for a mani/pedi. About a month ago I did my own, but those results expired! Not only that, but doing your own mani/pedi is not relaxing. No, not at all!

Late last night I did my own Peel/Microneedling combo… definitely not relaxing, but the results have been fabulous. My clients have people chasing them down to find out what they are having done, their skin looks that good! So I do my own. But today after seeing clients, I went with my sweet friend and real estate agent, Monica Hilliard, for manis and pedis. Great way to end the day.

Ahhh, it felt so nice to take a little time for myself!

P.S. Feel free to ask your skincare, Lira Clinical, and LipSense questions: jerri.lien@gmail.com and “Like” Skinblissful – Jerri Lien Skin Care on Facebook.

Our skin is our largest organ and is a reflection of what’s going on inside. Yes, some people are blessed with phenomenal genes (we don’t have to like those people) ha! Seriously, though, consider this, if you’re sick, stressed, malnourished, allergic… sooner or later these things show up on your skin. Your skin becomes a map of and a reflection of your health.

Years ago an esthetician friend and I had a high school senior meet with us to discuss acne and skincare. She was doing her senior project on something like the emotional impact of having acne. The girl mentioned some young people struggling with acne have contemplated suicide. The other esthetician thought this was ridiculous and could not possibly be true… but… that esthetician, while lovely and amazing, has never had any personal skin issues in her life – no teen or adult acne, no stretch marks, etc. She had never experienced these skin “afflictions” so she was not aware of the emotional toll they can take.

I remember a time when dermatologists would say that the foods we eat have no impact on acne. I have never believed that! I also know that while a healthy diet is important for a healthy body AND healthy skin, what we’re talking about here takes a little work and a little patience. The man in this video began experimenting with cutting out one dietary item at a time that he thought might be a trigger for his acne – firstly dairy, and he began adding in more vegetables and healthy foods. His results are nothing short of UHHH-MAZING!!!

Dairy and caffeine are a couple of big triggers for me. As a teen and young adult, my acne was pretty mild, but still annoying (I was a milk fiend). Then as an adult AND as an esthetician (humiliating), I went through a phase where I was getting painful cysts on my jawline. I had slowed down on dairy, but I had not given up caffeine. Even though I only consumed 1-2 coffees a day, that was enough. I also had started getting canker sores all the time. Once I cut out caffeine, the jawline breakouts and canker sores went away. Next on my list is to give up sugar. But that’s another story!

Achieving great skin is a multi-pronged approach that includes the following elements: a healthy (for you) diet, regular exercise, adequate water intake, a good home skincare regimen (including daily SPF), stress management, and regular facials/peels/skincare treatments. Your esthetician can help you with in-office treatments and can recommend a good home care regimen for you, but the rest is up to your own personal efforts. It’s a partnership!

*** Disclaimer *** Of course, some people do need medical intervention for their acne, but I know from personal experience as well as from clients’ and friends’ testimonies that the prescriptions and even the Accutane usage doesn’t always yield the desired results. With Accutane, in particular, beware that it is a powerful drug with many warnings and side effects. I know it has been a godsend for some, while others have been on it more than once and still have acne. Either way, Accutane should be a last ditch effort after you’ve tried everything else.