The skin is our largest organ. This is taught in elementary schools around the world, but how we take care of it is, unfortunately, not. In order to keep our skin at its best, we need a regimen that not only works for our skin, but also for our schedule…especially as we get older. We are bombarded everywhere with skin care products that vow to change our skin in 20 minutes or less, but when put to the test, they typically require multiple uses, multiple products, and specific conditions to recreate the promises made by those products.
Enter Sano Naturals (www.sanonaturals.com), a natural skin care company focused on a luxury experience at, quite frankly, a retail price. According to Abha Saraswat, the Founder and CEO of this Texas-based company, “our mission is to make premium skincare affordable and accessible for everyone, regardless of their demographics or skin type and for those who use our products to see significant improvement beginning with the first use.”
When learning more about the Sano Silk Mask and how it works, I realized that some education was in order. At the same time, I also realized that, regardless of what skincare products one decides to use, it is essential to have the right expectations about the results which may or may come out of the process. For example, Ms. Saraswat strongly recommends that users limit all facial movement when the mask is drying, to eliminate cracks in the mask. These cracks, regardless of how small they are, could potentially impact the end result. In other words, you could expect improvement, but if after putting on the mask, you don’t relax, you could impact those results unwittingly. Ironically, the act of relaxing and sitting still while getting a treatment is exactly what we do at a spa, but almost never do at home on our own time.
I spoke with one user of the Sano Silk Mask named Ruth, who told me that she used the mask to help herself relax after a long day at work and after putting her children to bed at night. According to Ruth, “just knowing I am going to have time for myself helps me get through the most stressful parts of the day; but, actually scheduling the time for myself forces me to actually do it. And, because I am already tired, it gives my skin the lift it desperately needs, while helping me relax in a spa-like environment, without having to go anywhere.”
When doing research for this story, I learned that there are several keys to a successful treatment. First, it is essential to prepare your skin prior to using a given product. When cleansing it, do so gently and blot dry. Far too often, we are too rough on our skin, damaging precious cells. After using a skin care mask like the silk mask, it is especially important to be gentle, as the new layer of skin could be equated to virgin skin that has only just seen the light of day.
It is also important to understand that some redness is possible with any product. This is because products like the Sano Silk Mask bring blood to the surface, encouraging significant circulation (which we want), and helping skin cells heal and turn over, while developing a natural glow. The redness will decrease as you use a product like this more often.
You’ve probably never thought of when the optimal time to use a skincare product is. However, the experts have done the work for you! While you can use a skincare product, like a mask, at any time of the day, the evening is always the best time to use a mask. If you are wondering why, it is because a mask is a restorative product and your skin restores itself at night while you’re sleeping. It’s the one time of day that it isn’t stressed or challenged, and when the skin healing processes naturally take shape. To get the most out of your treatment, keep it sealed, air-tight, and out of harsh temperatures as well. Sano has already done this for you, by packaging their mask in individual use sizes. Plus, for those who travel a lot like I do, they are even easier to take on a trip.
Finally, it is important to remember that a real spa treatment is never complete with a moisturizer. Using a quality, all natural moisturizer after a mask is one of the easiest ways to maximize the benefits of it. According to Ms. Saraswat, “after a thorough cleanse and exfoliation, your skin is primed and ready to absorb serums and/or creams to lock in the moisture, minerals, and vitamins.”