Peggy Roin’s Karadimas is a licensed aesthetician and skin therapist with 20 years of experience who is presently with Levato Salon and Skin Lab in Hinsdale, Il and is an Educator for HydroPeptide. We are so excited to spend this time with Peggy and talk about one of our favorite subjects- skin!
YASOU: Peggy thank you for joining us today, to share your expertise on skin and skin care. Can you give us some background on yourself and your experience.
PK: Hi Terry! Thank you so much for chatting with me. I started my career in skin care when I turned 30! Before that, I received a degree in merchandising and marketing and worked in retail sales. I had always liked helping people enhance their lives through beauty. I have primarily worked in day spas, providing esthetic services such as facials, waxing, lash perming, and makeup. And recently I have started working for a skin care company as an Educator. I have been married 26 years and I have a 17 year old son and love to travel and eat good food!
YASOU: Why is it important to see an aesthetician?
PK: I believe skin care is self care. And we are in essence skin care coaches who you can partner up with to maintain healthy skin, change your skin’s condition and provide stress relief.
YASOU: Is there a difference in being a licensed aesthetician vs a skin therapist or do they
co-mingle?
PK: When I worked with the skin care line Dermalogica, for 15 years, the company always referred to us as skin therapists, and skin therapists are Licensed aestheticians who specialize in treating the skin. So do they co-mingle? I would say so. Though now, I see so many specialized titles for esthetician: skin care specialist, waxing specialist, facialist all of them fall under the scope of licensed aesthetician.
YASOU: How important is knowing your true skin type in caring for your skin? And at what age does this become important?
PK: We all have a genetic predisposition to our skin type–dry, oily, normal and combination–that’s our skin type. Then we have skin conditions–that are caused by internal factors such as diet and hormones, and external factors such as environment and stress. So when we are talking about how to best take care of your skin, I take into account their genetic skin type and what condition the skin is in at any given time. And that is how you achieve great skin . I would say that this really becomes important as early as preteen years.
YASOU: Peggy I believe that we should be teaching our children about skin care at an early age. I don’t think there’s enough skin care education preparing young teens for puberty and acne- which effects one’s self esteem. What are your thoughts on this?
PK: Young girls have access to so much information these days! All I had was Seventeen magazine! And yet there is such a thing as information overload. So this is where
aestheticians are so vital in preparing young teens for puberty and acne. We can educate, treat, pamper and coach them. Of course, this process has to start with the parents bringing them in for services regularly.
YASOU: There’s a green movement that’s happening in the beauty and skin care industry, what are your thoughts on it? And how is it changing things in the spa and salon industry?
PK: I love the fact that in today’s beauty and skin care industry, we have choices. We have the green movement, the wellness aspect, the holistic, the clinical , etc — and everyone can choose what is best for their lifestyle, their skin and their budget. The beauty industry is a billion dollar industry and the reason I believe for that is because we can mix and match to truly customize our ideal beauty routine. My personal beauty routine looks something like this: I use vegan body care, I work with essential oils, I indulge in great skin care as well as receiving quarterly clinical peels and injections. And to heal my body I get monthly massages.
YASOU: What is the most important part in a skin care regime?
PK: Believe it or not. Cleansing. The first step in any great skin care routine is a thorough, proper cleansing with the right kind of cleanser for your skin type and condition, and doing it day and night without fail. I have seen all skin types ruined by improper removal of makeup, and not thorough enough cleansing. When that first step of having real clean skin is achieved, then all your other products such as serums and moisturizers can do their job. And clean skin also means less bacteria and irritation to the skin, which means less skin problems.
YASOU: For us aging folks is there one ingredient we should be looking for on our labels that’s “A MUST” in choosing a skin care product?
PK: There are so many great ingredients, it’s difficult to choose . However, I have to say that the one ingredient that never fails to impress my clients is a stable form of Vitamin C. It addresses: collagen, capillary activity, clarity, circulation and color. It’s my go to!
YASOU: Do you have a favorite skin care tip you can share and leave us with?
PK: Choose an esthetician and make them your partner in skin care, listen to their recommendations when it comes to products and services. Find the one that matches your beliefs/lifestyle: whether its clinical, green, holistic, pampering etc. With so many influencers out there now in our society, I still think that a dedicated, educated, and experienced licensed esthetician, is the best professional option for serious skin care health.
YASOU: Peggy thank you for your time, answers, thoughts and expertise. I so appreciate it and am looking forward to speaking with you more in the future!
PK: Thanks for chatting with me!