Getting Skin Ready | “GSR”
ZO Skin Health developed by Dr. Zein Obagi is the #1 physician dispensed prescription skin care line and everyone is loving it! If you are reading this post you are hopefully looking to give your skin (the largest organ on our body) that much needed attention it deserves (insert clapping emojis here). ZO Skin Health is going to age you backwards, giving you glowing, flawless skin! These products target sun damage, age spots, pigmentation, redness, lines and wrinkles and has quickly become a fan favorite especially during quarantine. I have spent a lot of my time learning and studying everything to do with skin and these new products. The first steps to transform your skin involve literally and figuratively getting your skin ready. I will explain these essential steps and the reasoning behind it in this post.
But first: Who is Dr. Zein Obagi?
Founder of ZO Skin Health, Dr. Obagi is a board-certified dermatologist who is the visionary and pioneer of the philosophy and science of “skin health”. He specializes in skin health restoration and rejuvenation, the signs that he invented in the 1980s.
The concept of skin health didn’t exist when Dr. Obagi began to change the realm of skin care. Do you have melasma? Because at the time melasma was especially difficult to treat, but Dr. Obagi gained national attention because he successfully treated these impossible cases. He was also the first doctor to develop treatment protocols for different ethnicities.
Dr. Obagi has over 30 years of clinical experience, also famously known for the Obagi Nu Derm System. The ZO products he has since created contain more advanced ingredients and effective formulations that will help to Improve and maintain any skin condition.
NOW, thanks to Dr. Obagi, let’s get your skin ready... literally!
If you have found yourself looking blankly at the ZO Skin Health website wondering which products are for you, don’t worry you aren’t the only one in that boat (I was too at one point!) Getting your skin ready or GSR is the essential FIRST step to getting your skin glowing again. Family, friends, clients have reached out to me needing better skin, these GSR products are going to work together to normalize skin function and restore the overall health of your skin. Even if money is an issue and clients are looking for an “anti-aging” product, I always recommend buying the GSR products first. They will literally help to optimize the effectiveness of your ZO corrective products. GSR comprises of a cleanser, exfoliator and toner. Let’s dive deeper...
Cleanse
“But I already have a cleanser, why can I just use what I already have?!”
I have consulted with a lot of clients who say that they already have a cleanser or that they are happy using bar soap. What?! The first step to GSR- the cleanser comes in three different types suitable for all skin types (normal, dry, and oily). The cleansers are going to help to restore, replenish, revive, and retain hydration to the skin’s barrier. It is important to cleanse your face in the morning and right before bed- to all you makeup-on sleepers, who want better skin, THIS MEANS YOU! I keep one cleanser in the shower and one underneath my sink! Folks, you only need a pea-sized amount, the product goes a long way!
Exfoliate
“But isn’t bad to exfoliate everyday?”
The exfoliation product in the GSR regime will be essential when you start seeing the effects of your corrective products and you start saying goodbye to that dead, damaged skin. The scrub comes in two types for our dry and oily clients. This Exfoliating Polish was named one of the 6 Best Face Scrubs to Exfoliate Your Way to Smooth Skin by Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab. The scrub contains magnesium crystals that help to exfoliate dead skin cells, prevents clogged pores, and creates a clear, smooth and even toned complexion. The Dual Action Scrub for our oily folks is going to help exfoliate skin cells, target surface oils and bacteria while soothing the skin. No matter which scrub you get, it’s going to help scrub away dirt and debris to help keep those pores open and clean. It’ll be essential to use this product at least 2 to 3 times a week or everyday! Either morning or night. By removing buildup we are activating our skin cells, in turn, revealing silky skin. This is another product that I keep handy in the shower, it allows me to affectively scrub away dirt, oil and any peeling that I might’ve had from my overnight corrective products.
Tone
“But what’s the point of using a toner anyways?”
The last step to the GSR bundle are the toning pads. These toner pads make sure the skin is completely clean of surface dirt and oil. They have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that will NOT leave your skin irritated or dry. The Complexion Renewal Pads, perfect for normal (or mix) skin types, were voted as Refinery29’s Editors Pick. These moistened toner pads soothes and calms irritated skin, decreases surface oils, and exfoliates pore-clogging dead skin cells and dirt. The Oil Control Pads, are for our…you guessed it, oily clients! Excess oil causes inflammation and breaks down the skins barrier function and causes acne breakouts. So lets combat that with these pads containing salicylic acid. The dry clients should use the Calming Toner, this product balances PH and will help minimize pore size. I use this on patients with dry skin to help provide hydration. Make sure to use these pads front AND back to absorb all the goodness these pads have to offer.
So lets sum things up:
Normal skin type: Gentle Cleanser, Exfoliating Polish and Complexion Renewal Pads
Dry skin type: Hydrating Cleanser, Exfoliating Polish, and Calming Toner
Oily skin type: Exfoliating Cleanser, Dual Action Scrub, and Oil Control Pads
You can get your Skin Ready here!
Up next…moisturizers…
XO,
Lauren
