Name a huge star, and it’s likely Joanna Czech has touched – and perhaps even transformed – their skin. When Kim Kardashian raved about her, Joanna’s own name became well known as a facialist who takes a sensible, studied approach that gets results. Here, she tells us all about how she thinks you should be looking after your skin...
Back to basics
“Certain fundamentals of a skincare routine should never change, irrespective of your age. You need to cleanse, use a treatment serum and apply SPF every day. We start ageing when we are only seven or eight, because of a rapid loss in cellular energy. The things we worry about are all related to ageing, and I’d suggest addressing them as and when they occur. So in our twenties we may worry about glycation (in which non-eliminated or non-digested sugars attach to collagen fibres, making them brittle, resulting in fine lines). In our thirties, it might be adult acne.
“What you do to your skin at night is essential: it is the single most important time of your day in terms of skin. I tell my clients that every product is improved by at least 20 per cent if applied before relaxation. I warn them not to bring the streets to their sheets, meaning they must shower before bed, ensuring skin is relaxed and clean, and ready to receive skincare and rest.
“Our skin is approximately two square metres when flattened, weighing about three kilograms — it’s a large organ. We need to think about the whole body when we think about skincare. So many people put expensive things on their face, then neglect the body. If you look after the skin on your body, it’ll show on your face, too; increased blood flow and quality of skin from the neck down makes a difference.”
The beauty within
“The fundamentals for healthy skin are very holistic. What you do on a daily basis and what your lifestyle looks like is also skincare, and I always think products and superficial skincare only account for 30 to 40 per cent of what skin looks like. Most of it is in your hands. Do you get the proper amount of sleep and movement? Do you drink enough water? Is your diet balanced and do you plug gaps with good supplements? How are your stress levels? I address all of these with my clients, thinking about the physical and mental health overall.”
Electric feel
“Another technology I love to help skin look toned and healthy? Micro-currents. Those devices are great for stimulating blood flow and getting nutrients to the area to brighten skin. Muscles will also get firmer and more toned, but only if you do it consistently. Firmness and sculpting take a while, and micro-currents really help.”
Power up
“Most people over 30 would benefit from using retinyl and a vitamin C. My favourite retinyl is by Environ and I love my Joanna Czech The C+ Serum. I would also encourage people to take magnesium, which supports the body in so many ways. I really don’t believe in trends when it comes to skincare. Invest in being under the supervision of an expert.”
Magic of massage
“Face massage is brilliant, relaxing muscles and encouraging blood flow. Again, incorporate it into your daily routine, or add it in every other day. Think of it as exercise. You don’t need to go crazy with it, just five minutes is enough. Remember to prepare the area surrounding the face; pull hair gently, massage the back of your neck, and then move onto the face. In the clinic, I now offer a 90-minute massage option because it is so good for skin. Back in Poland, where I come from, I was told to ‘treat muscles like a dough and skin like a sponge”.
Laser focus
“Celebrities don’t all have perfect skin, and many over-treat their skin, so I school them in how to look after theirs. Eighty per cent of my clients now use the LYMA, which is a cold laser light that I like because it really has an effect but doesn’t use any heat. I always tell everyone that it’s not a quick fix — although it is remarkably efficient at flattening bumps and making skin look smooth even after a single use — and needs to be used consistently. I incorporate it into my routine every night, focusing for three to five minutes on my hyper-pigmentation spots. It penetrates by 5cm, so also works on muscles. That’s important, because the way skin looks and how well it functions is also down to muscle tone.”
Good chemistry
“The concept of ‘clean’ skincare is redundant to me. I don’t really understand what it is and no chemist or naturopath has ever been able to explain it to my satisfaction. Actually, I like some synthetically-achieved molecules, because they are often more respectful of the human body than something from nature that could often cause allergic reactions. We can control synthetic materials much more — and I am very careful about what I use, as I was diagnosed twice with cancer.”
What not to do
“The four biggest mistakes most people make with their skin are: doing what their girlfriends do rather than thinking about their own needs; stopping skincare at the neck when the whole body needs to be looked after; not washing at night to prep skin; and overworking skin with too many actives and tools. I would add forgetting daily SPF to that list, but actually I think most people who are interested in having good skin already do that.”
