Esthetician Zaida Gordon has developed a loyal following through her business, Skintegrity LA, by working wonders on clients. From sage skincare advice to guiding those with severe acne through her Acne Bootcamp, Gordon has fostered a practice that has attracted the likes of Miley Cyrus, The Weeknd and Blair Imani. To our great privilege, she sat down with Angeleno to talk all things skin, acne and how her business became such a success.
Before we learn more about your practice, we’d love to know more about you. Why did you decide to go into skincare for your career?
From a really young age I loved beauty and skincare. I would play with my mother’s extensive collection of skincare and makeup, and I found myself obsessed with beauty/glam as a teenager. I had envisioned myself working as a tv/film makeup artist, and I would regularly do makeup and hair for friends.
I considered going to cosmetology school but after learning what an esthetician did, I knew I needed to pursue that route. It sounded like a natural fit for me, so I got my esthetics license and thus began my career as an esthetician.
Suffering from acne myself, I had a natural interest in learning about clearing acne, so when I learned about the Face Reality Acne Specialist Program, I knew I needed to get the certification so I could get even better results for my clients. After becoming certified, there was an exponential growth in my business as the word spread about the results I was getting for my clients. As a bonus, I was able to greatly improve the health and clarity of my own skin.
It’s peel season! Why is now the right time of year to tackle pigmentation, sun damage and acne scars?
Fall and winter are the best time to do more corrective and targeted treatments. During fall and winter, we generally have less sun exposure and have cooler temperatures. This makes for the ideal time to do treatments that require us to avoid direct sunlight and heat post-treatment.
On Instagram, you noted the importance of washing makeup brushes weekly. Do you have any other simple steps we can do to take care of our skin?
Some of our favorite simple steps for our acne prone clients:
Double cleansing in the evenings
Avoiding makeup wipes as a substitute for cleansing
Regularly exfoliating to remove dead skin cell build up
Wash your pillowcase every 3-4 days
Wear sunscreen and reapply religiously.
You’ve built up quite the celebrity clientele. What makes you and Skintegrity LA standout in this health-conscious city?
We take a holistic approach, give expert guidance and design personalized treatments that transform and heal our clients skin.
Before
Your Acne Bootcamp works wonders. How did you develop this regimen? Why is this the right option for acne-prone skin?
Many people need guidance as they navigate their way during their clear skin journey. With so much misinformation and so many products on the market, it can be incredibly overwhelming for many of those suffering from acne. We wanted to create a program for those seeking expert guidance and treatments that would deliver life-changing results.
After
The change in seasons, even in California, can be pretty magical, but it’s not always great for our skin. Do you have any tips for fall-time skincare?
This is a time where the seasons are changing and this means our skin care needs will change as well. Here are our tips:
•We suggest adding in more moisturizing products.
•Layering products in the evening, from thinnest to thickest will give the best results:
hydrating mist
serums
hydrating gel
moisturizers
•Incorporating a humidifier into the bedroom can also be very helpful to avoid parched skin.
•Taking a pharmaceutical grade omega-3 supplement will help prevent excessive dryness/flakiness
•exfoliating gently and regularly to remove dead skin cell build up and allow moisturizers to penetrate better
See also: Harry Styles Launches New Beauty Brand Pleasing
Achieving clear skin can be a pretty personal journey. How does it feel to see clients confident and happy about their skin after working together?
We feel truly blessed and full of gratitude to be able to give our clients confidence through beautiful, healthy, glowing skin.
What else do you love most about your career?
We love to educate our clients and also empower them with the knowledge and tools they need. Oftentimes we see our clients learn so much about themselves through their acne journey and it’s a beautiful thing to know we can make such an impact in someone’s life.
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