“Skincando’s Combat Ready Balm is my absolute favorite product to slug with. It is thick, moisturizing, and smells like a spa. Top your skincare cocktail with this military grade skin salve to compliment your skin cycling routine.
Do you know what’s in your skincare? While it’s easy to analyze the foods we’re putting into our bodies, many of us disregard the products we’re placing on our body. From foundation to lotion, cleansers and even chapstick, 20-year holistic aesthetician and owner of Skincando Sara D’Amelio is here to help us wake up and read our skincare labels.
Growing up, Sara always had sensitive skin. She attributed her constant reactions to using only the cheap products she could afford and waited for the day when expensive luxury brands would heal her skin. But when Sara landed a job at a premium skincare company and finally had access to those coveted pricey bottles, her skin got worse. Frustrated and confused, Sara did her own research on skincare and what she found left her feeling scammed and betrayed by the beauty brands pushing chemical-filled products.
Today, Sara talks with Jen about creating a clean skincare company, the secret to glowing skin, what skincare and nutrition have in common, and why price point, shiny packaging, and quality don’t always go hand-in-hand.
Quotes
[02:30] – “Psychologically we’re programmed that the more expensive the product is, the better it is for you. When in reality, it’s the packaging and marketing. So if the packaging is gorgeous, it’s considered a luxury status product.” ~ Sara D’Amelio
[04:53] – “It’s easy to buy a product for like $50 that you think is going to cure your skin, when in fact, it’s constantly adding to the irritation, inflammation, based on what those ingredients are in that skincare.” ~ Sara D’Amelio
[06:09] – “That’s why I started Skincando: Simple, healthy ingredients based in nutrition. So you’re feeding your skin just like you’re feeding your stomach. You’re thinking of your skin like the organ that it is.” ~ Sara D’Amelio
The Best Indie Brands To Support This Holiday Season
Every year in late November, around the start of the holiday shopping season, talk of “shopping small” picks up. But have you ever considered what it really means to support independently owned businesses? In the beauty industry’s corporate landscape, parent companies with extensive funding tend to dominate the scene, with the resources to run large-scale campaigns, and attract the attention of influencers and celebrities. Sadly, the odds are stacked against the little guys.
“The real benefit of the beauty fridge is the luxury of keeping aloe-based lotions, sheet masks, toners and facial tools like gua sha and jade rollers cool to the touch,” Sara D’Amelio of Skincando says. “When these products are used cold, they help to reduce puffiness and feel more soothing, especially after a glycolic mask if you were doing an at-home facial.”
Acne is infamous for its unsightly and sometimes painful physical symptoms (which can even lead to negative psychological effects). The road to clearer skin is long, with suitable regimens often encompassing strong active ingredients, in-office treatments, supplements, and prescription medications like spironolactone or Accutane to manage the most stubborn breakouts (like hormonal or cystic acne). Not to mention, pandemic-era reliance on face masks has intensified patient complaints of breakouts for many aestheticians and dermatologists, as even those with historically clear skin have fallen victim to “masksne” on the lower half of the face and chin.
She shelters in the Seychelles with her Sicilian sweetheart. That tailor-made tongue twister tells the tropical tale of esthetician-entrepreneur Sara D’Amelio’s ongoing Coronavirus lockdown experience. A few days into her March vacation in the Seychelles, the island nation’s airport shut down in response to the pandemic…
A trip to the beach just wouldn’t be the same without the sweet smell of sunscreen. We lather it on throughout the summer months, knowing it is supposed to protect from UVA/UVB rays, and keep our fingers crossed that we will avoid the dreaded bright red burn.
But according to the American Academy of Dermatology, most individuals only apply roughly 25 to 50% of the amount of sunscreen that is recommended for avoiding skin cancer and early aging.
Sara Damelio, CEO of DC-based skincando and licensed holistic esthetician, has offered some of her knowledge to help everyone have a better relationship with their skin, and a safer summer overall. Here’s a hint: if sunscreen is not the first thing you put in your suitcase on your way to the beach, it better be a key component of your daily vacation routine. Highlights from our conversation are below.