We have all heard it before, drink 8 glasses of water a day and use sunscreen religiously for glowing skin. I was recently perusing a fashion magazine and there it was again, “drink 8 glasses of water a day for supple skin and don’t forget the sunscreen.” It’s still being reported in beauty magazines as if it’s news. It’s not. But it did get me thinking about what else we can do for our skin that maybe we haven’t heard of before.With this in mind I contacted three expert estheticians, Melissa Cope on Sacramento Street, Denise Spanek, owner of Visage located in the Dogpatch and Bonnie Edwards in Marin.  I asked them these following questions.

What is your favorite skin care product for under $30?

MC: Raya skin toners. These toners ph balance the skin without drying and leaving your skin better armed to fight against bacteria.  In addition, they come in a range of alpha hydroxide strength from 0% to 10%. A great product for only $23.

DS: The Air Repair Rescue Balm for $10. Robin Coe-Hutshing, the founder of Studio Beautymix at Fred Segal called it the Swiss Army Knife of beauty products! You can use it on hands, lips, body—anywhere skin is dry or chapped.  It even works on eczema.

BE: Peptide Lip Therapy by Physicians Choice.  It was just chosen by Prevention magazine as the best anti-aging lip product and retails for only $20.

What is your favorite beauty secret?

MC: Washing and toning is to your skin what brushing and flossing is to your dental care. Toners have gotten a bad rap and some deserve it as the bad ones are alcohol based. A good toner will clean up the residual cleanser and dirt left after you wash your face.  In addition it will ph balance the skin. Now your skin is ready for your serums or creams.

DS: As important as it is to be mindful of what you put on your skin, it is as important to be aware of what you put in your body.  I am a firm believer in eating alkaline forming, fresh vegetables and fruit such as dark leafy greens, carrots, avocados and berries. These not only help nourish and detoxify the system but in turn keeps skin looking clear and bright.

BE: I encourage all of my clients to take fish oil, preferably Nordic Ultimate Omega which is derived from krill and sardines so there is very little risk of mercury contamination.  I recommend 1500 mg twice daily for optimal anti-aging benefits not only for the skin but for the entire body.

If you could only afford 1 treatment 3 times a year, what would it be?

MC: A chemical peel that is appropriate for the client’s skin type followed by a deep pore cleansing with a dose of hydrating oxygen.

DS: A salicylic acid peel treatment. They are really affective but with out a lot of down time as with other deeper peels. They also reduce fine lines, clean up pores and even out your skin tone.

BE: You get the biggest anti-aging bang for your buck from chemical peels.  Today’s peels are very sophisticated blends with terrific results and not a lot of downtime.

Sign Up for the Air Repair Skincare Newsletter.  Scroll to the bottom of the page, type in your mailing address and reference the Catherine Jane Newsletter in the comment box to receive a free full size sample of the Air Repair Skincare eye cream.