When it comes to skincare, beauty ingredients, especially one kind, are the key to getting the glow, according to celebrity skin whisperer Amber Rose Johnson.
For Amber Rose Johnson, no two skin types are the same. The Orange County-based celebrity esthetician and founder of the popular Facial Lounge has seen her fair share of skin and skin conditions, including her own.
Johnson’s journey began as a teen struggling with cystic acne. Spending so much time with her dermatologist led Johnson to intern with the practice and, eventually, to a career path. She’s certified in microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, Epicuren, and has also studied product ingredients at UCLA. She’s a reparative skincare expert sought out for her ability to help heal skin issues at their core.
In the two decades since the Facial Lounge opened its doors, it’s become a favorite for locals and celebrities alike, including Ali Landry, Amanda Stanton, and Sierra Furtado. The Facial Lounge also makes its own vegan skincare products and offers sustainable refill services to keep packaging out of landfills.
Skin secrets
“Understanding the skin in a bigger picture,” is how Johnson says she’s earned her reputation. “A lot of times people’s skin issues are food or hormonal-related, and having them see the big picture helps their skin clear up faster,” she told Ethos.
Part of the problem with anti-acne products, in general, is that they can cause aging. And, she says, anti-aging products and treatments can, you guessed it, cause acne. This Whack-a-Mole approach can lead to an overreliance on skincare products, creating a cycle of outbreaks and dry skin.
“When a product works, people think that if they use that product more than the recommended amount of time, the results will come faster, but this could actually do harm to your skin instead of speeding up the process,” she says.
“Another common mistake is using oils, especially during the day. This can cause a lot of damage,” Johnson says. “There are a lot of amazing oils and a lot of bad oils, and it is important to understand the stability of oils.”
According to Johnson, most of the oils in skincare can go rancid quickly because of our body temperature, “and if you are wearing oils in the sun, you are cooking these oils on your skin,” she says. “When using oils, we recommend using them in cream with an antioxidant, which helps stabilize the oil.”
The skincare ingredient that matters most
Johnson says the volatility of what we put on our skin is also reason enough to opt for vegan products — certified organic, if possible. She says these products are better for the environment, and they can be gentler on the skin. It goes for what we eat, too.
“A lot of acne-causing ingredients come from dairy,” she warns. “Plus, a lot of people are intolerant to dairy and gluten internally, and we notice it does affect them topically as well.”
Johnson says this is one of the core issues behind skin problems. “Our skin is a second liver, and it detoxifies whatever is going on internally. So, making sure your gut is healthy not only affects your skin but your emotions, your hormones, and your mental health.”
The most potent skincare ingredients that Johnson says are a must in skincare: Antioxidants.
“This is one of the most important steps in anyone’s skincare routine because antioxidants work to neutralize the oxidation of free radicals on the skin, which prevents oxidative damage to your skin’s cells, helping fight aging,” she says. “We recommend taking antioxidants internally as well. A very affordable antioxidant is grape seed extract. This has been used in Europe as an oral cosmetic for years.”
And she says don’t shrug off the value of a good facial, too.
“Depending on the esthetician, it is ideal to get them once a month. Your dead skin piles up every 28 days. If you find a good esthetician, try to see her once a month on or after your cycle if you have one.”
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