Diana Franklin, spa manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, shares her summer skincare routine and the No. 1 skincare concern for women in the region.
Those who balk at Diana Franklin’s extensive daily routines have not seen her radiant, unblemished skin in person. The skincare expert, who worked as an aesthetician for more than 10 years, now uses her position as spa manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner as a chance to share her knowledge with clients to help them look and feel their best. Working for the luxury spa was always the ultimate goal for Franklin, who set her sights on it immediately after graduating from college and obtaining her license due to the quality of treatments offered and level of customer service.
Franklin has found that most women in the area battle with the negative effects of humidity on their skin during the summer months. “That is a little difficult to help or control, but there are a few things that we can do. Just keep in mind that you may have to change some of your products,” Franklin says. “You should be using a gel or foaming cleanser rather than lotion or cream. For your moisturizers, step away from heavy, rich creams and move towards gel moisturizers.” The spa also uses feedback from the aestheticians on staff to create seasonal spa offerings to address these problems. This season they will offer a Babor Brightening Facial to exfoliate and control oil.
One beauty tip that Franklin wants to stress for women and men is the importance of using a facial SPF. “There are so many SPFs out there, and you want to make sure that you are using a SPF for the face and not the body,” Franklin states. “If you take two pictures, one woman that uses SPF [on her face] and one that doesn’t, same age and everything, you will see a drastic difference. It prevents fine lines, brown spots and most importantly skin cancer.” –Angela Bobo
1. “If you are having issues with breakouts or oily/combination skin, then I like to use the grapes. They are a natural acid—it’s alpha hydroxy acid—so you smash them up and get the juice. The other option is avocado. It’s big in omega fatty acids and vitamin E. It’s a natural moisturizer, hydrates the skin and [boosts] collagen.”
Morning Routine
2. “My skin type is more normal to combination, but the weather in Northern Virginia is pretty humid. A gel cleanser is always best for this type of climate.”
3. “Next I apply my [Babor] eye cream. Just remember that the eye area is the most delicate area, and it’s the first place where you start showing signs of aging. These products are loaded with peptides and hyaluronic acid. All of that stimulates collagen and elasticity, which plumps fine lines and prevents skin from sagging. It’s always best to dab eye cream with your pinky because it has the lightest touch.”
4. “I love liquid serums because they penetrate the skin deeper than actual creams or lotions. So during the day I apply my [Babor] collagen serum.”
5. “During the summer SPF is a must. For people with normal to oily skin, if you are applying serums, then creams, then SPF, it will be too much, so my SPF acts as a day cream as well.”
Nightly Routine
6. “The evening routine is very critical because throughout the day we put dust, oil and makeup on our skin, and all of that clogs our pores and makes skin look dull. I cleanse with a Clarisonic brush. Make sure that no matter what skin type you have that you pick bristles for sensitive skin, and then a vitamin C serum which helps with hyperpigmentation, sun damage and collagen.”
7. “This [Artic Berry Peel] is not professional grade, so it is something that can be done at home. This is recommended for all skin types. There’s an exfoliator (to remove dead skin cells), the activator (multi-acid peel) and then you finish with a peptide cream. I use this once a week, sometimes twice if I need it.”
8. “This is a peptide lotion, which I alternate with the serum. I like to apply the stronger products that are meant to correct and prevent at night just because that’s when your skin is regenerating and absorbing best.”
(June 2015)
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