Let’s talk about the foundation of the ZO® skin health protocols, which is Getting Skin Ready®. Getting Skin Ready® refers to the three steps of cleansing, exfoliating, and toning. As you can see, there is nothing particularly revolutionary about the steps themselves, but what makes them unique is that the products for each step are formulated to be safely used daily and when done so, will give you amazing results. Best of all they can be adapted to any skin type or skin concern.
ZO did a clinical study of 35 patients and put them on just this Getting Skin Ready® routine and followed them for 8 weeks. At 8 weeks there was a 41% physical reduction of sebum, 24% reduction in dirt, 31% reduction in pore size, and 46% improvement in texture. The patients themselves also noticed a significant improvement in dullness, oil production, redness, and roughness.
So let’s dive into each step in more detail!
C L E A N S E:
Cleansing is the first step, and an important step to normalize the skin and remove surface debris. There are 3 different cleansers in the ZO® Skin Health range. The gentle skin cleanser is great for all skin types. It has glycerin, lauroyl oat amino acids, and a blend of botanicals which provide antioxidant and anti-irritant benefits, and also improve dullness and hydration. Then there’s the hydrating cleanser which is my favorite in the dryer winter months. This one is super gentle and soft. It foams and cleans thoroughly but does not dry out your skin. Best of all it smells like a beautiful spa treatment. And lastly the exfoliating cleanser is amazing for oily acne prone skin types. It has salicylic acid and small jojoba beads that help to gently exfoliate and unclog pores.
E X F O L I A T E:
The next step is to exfoliate. Exfoliating removes surface level dead skin cells, but also works on a deeper level - it kicks your skin’s ability to renew and replace these cells into gear. Many people have heard that exfoliating daily should be avoided because it will damage your skin barrier. This may be true of some mechanical exfoliants that are formulated with particles that are uneven or jagged which CAN cause micro-injuries to the skin. The ZO® skin exfoliating polish is formulated with tiny magnesium oxide crystals that are smooth and rounded, and contains balancing antioxidants which makes it much more suitable for daily use. This is one of my HOLY GRAIL products. If you have very acneic, oily skin - then you may want to choose the dual action scrub which combines physical and chemical exfoliation. It includes lactic acid and salicylic acid so it gets really deep into pores, gets rid of acne causing bacteria and reduces inflammation.
Tip: When you are first starting out using this, use it twice a week. Then gradually increase to every other day, and daily as tolerated.
T O N E:
Finally the toning step. Toning minimizes oil production, balances your skin’s pH, gently exfoliates, AND preps the skin for all the products you put on it afterwards. Again there are a few variations of toner depending on your skin type. If you have very oily, acne-prone skin, then the oil control pads will be amazing for you. They contain salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and mandelic acid to minimize oil and help unclog pores which is crucial for getting acne under control! For normal to mildly oily skin types I LOVE the complexion renewal pads, which also have salicylic and glycolic acid and are perfect for anti-aging, mild-moderate acne, brightening, and general skin maintenance. If you have sensitive or dry skin, then the calming toner is perfect. It will minimize pore size, gently exfoliate dry, dull skin, and is really hydrating and soothing for the skin.
You may be thinking, “wow that is a lot of exfoliation”, or “my skin is too sensitive to use these products”. Again, the ZO® Skin Health products are FORMULATED to be used together and to be used daily for the best results. You may experience redness and peeling when beginning this routine, but this is normal and expected. Sensitive skin is sensitive because the skin barrier is damaged, and the Getting Skin Ready® products will help your skin barrier repair itself, so it is no longer sensitive to the products you put on it. Also, all of the ZO® products are balanced with botanical blends that provide antioxidant support and also calm, hydrate, and soothe the skin.