OFF THE CUFF : Let’s Face It: Skin Care Isn’t Superficial

M any of us worry about drinking tap water. All those chemicals, all those impurities, all those worries. But it’s OK to clean our faces with the stuff, isn’t it? Not so, warns Olga Moreno, a “facial therapist” at Salon Salon in Dana Point.

A better approach is a purer solution, says Moreno, who has specialized in skin care for 24 years. She recommends using a cream or lotion-based cleanser that goes on without water.

This is another in a series of first-person columns that allow people connected to the fashion industry to talk about their encounters.

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I’m asked all the time why soap and water are not enough for cleansing. It’s because, I think, the water system in California is not of the best quality. It has chlorine and pollutants in it.

And soft water is no better; it’s attained by putting a lot of sodium in it, and that sodium has a stripping element that leaves the skin open for bacteria. You will not get the results you are seeking.

But when you use a lotion- or cream-based cleanser, you’re not stripping your skin. It protects the skin from the corrosive effects of water.

Some people think that if they don’t have the money, they shouldn’t have a facial. I have another way of seeing this: You come first.

We live in a stressful world. Women have to simply know that they are worthy. If it’s something they want to do for themselves, it is totally justified.

There is more than just skin care in what I do. It’s sharing with my clients wisdom and an aspect of themselves that they have not been in touch with. When I look through a magnifying glass, I can see so much about them.

That’s why I call myself a facial therapist. The room I work in provides a respite, a place where people find themselves. Not only can they have good skin, but they can let go.

Stress and psychological problems cause conditions in your skin, nails and hair. How you deal with emotions has an incredible impact on your skin. Stress must be released.

The skin is the major outpost of your immune system, and the immune system is connected to your nervous system, and the nervous system is connected to your emotions. When people understand this, skin care takes on a new look.

One of the types of facial treatments I offer is using oxygen in a stabilized cream form, so when it comes in contact with your skin it’s like a micro-explosion. The Vitamin A contained in this oxygen cream promotes collagen, a necessary ingredient for young-looking skin.

I believe that the integrity of the products I use is of utmost importance. These products need to deliver exactly what was promised because women and men want results.