October 16, 2024

"They're Usually Scared of Oil"—Esthetician Talks with Michelle Foster

We sat down with esthetician Michelle Gilbert of Balanced Beauty—an integrative skin and wellness spa located in Springfield, Missouri—to learn how she applies her skincare knowledge to her own daily life. If you've ever wanted to know what the pros do at home, read on to learn from Michelle!

Meet Esthetician Michelle Gilbert

Michelle is deeply passionate about incorporating holistic practices and modalities into transformative facial treatments. With a background in herbalism, she enjoys crafting custom herbal masks and treatments tailored to her clients' needs. As a licensed esthetics instructor, she finds great joy in teaching and mentoring others in the field.

Do you have a skincare secret that you can share?

My biggest skincare secret is this….Clear skin is a mindset. Once you can begin to love your skin the way it is, true skin healing can begin. Once we recognize our skin as the immune defense organ that it is, we can appreciate the signs it is giving us (think acne, age spots, wrinkles). We can dive deeper and find the root cause and heal these issues within. Loving and accepting our skin the way it is, is the first step.

Ways to apply this ideology:

NO MORE negative self talk, especially around our skin,

Expressing gratitude for the signs from our skin that we need to heal deeper

Pick a mantra to repeat in your head or aloud while doing your skincare routine (example: I am beautiful exactly the way I am.)

Are there any skincare products or techniques that you have sworn by for 5+ years?

Hands down my favorite technique is facial massage. This is a key component in all of my facial treatments. And I teach my clients how to massage in their Apoterra Facial Oil or Vitamin C Balm to get the best results. Facial massage and lymphatic drainage will always be my go to for any skin condition.

What is your morning routine, as a skincare professional?

My morning routine is:

Chamomile & Tansy Cream Cleanser (I take my time with this, the smell and texture is my fav)
A generous covering of the Rose Hydrating Mist
Herbal Clarifying Oil

However, my night routine is where all the fun happens! I add in a double cleanse with Vetiver Cleansing Oil and some Vitamin C Regenerative Balm as an overnight mask. I take my time with massage, some gua sha, and a face yoga routine.

What is one thing that most of your new clients don’t know their skin needs?

I have realized that most of my new clients don’t know that their skin needs a facial oil. Especially acneic/oily clients. They are usually scared of oil. The two products I always recommend are an oil cleanse and facial oil as moisturizer. Clients are always blown away by how quickly we can repair their barrier and balance their oil production!

If you had to do your skincare in only one step, which step would you never miss?

This is a hard choice but I think I would have to go with a facial mist, I could bathe in that stuff it’s so good!

Which skincare trends are an absolute NO for you and your clients?

I would have to say at home microneedling is scary and definitely discouraged. “Slugging” with a petroleum-based occlusive is also a hard NO. We suggest the Vitamin C Balm if you want to lock in your nighttime skincare routine!

Did any of Michelle's responses surprise you? Let us know your thoughts or questions below!