Skin Consultation: What products should I use on my neck? Hydration vs. moisture? Best masks for purifying?

Summarized from a consultation originally recorded on November 1, 2023.

Annmarie Skin Care Skin Consultations are FREE, virtual group sessions, hosted live by our in-house skin experts, to provide personalized recommendations and directly answer any skin care related questions. Learn more about our skin consultations.

Skin Care Routine, Collections & General Product Information

What is Annmarie Skin Care’s basic skin care routine recommendation? 

We recommend a 4-step daily routine that includes cleansing, toning, serum application, and moisturizing with facial oil. Ideally, this routine should be followed twice a day, morning and evening.

How should I choose the right products for my skin care routine? 

Annmarie Skin Care encourages customizing your routine to suit your skin and lifestyle. We advise starting with the 4-step routine but emphasize finding what works best for you. We offer skin consultations and a skin quiz, both of which can help guide you to the right products. 

How should I apply my skin care products? 

Apply your cleanser to damp skin, massage, rinse and pat dry. Mist your toning mist over your face and neck. You can let your face dry and then apply your serum and oil, or you can apply your serum while your skin is still slightly damp from the toning mist. Applying to damp skin can help with product absorption and make your products “go further,” allowing you to use less. 

Are the products safe for the eye area?

We suggest being cautious around the eye area, especially if you have a history of sensitivity. We have two eye products, the Anti-Aging Eye Cream and Fruit Ceramide Eye Serum, which are designed specifically for the delicate eye area. In general there is no need to apply products above/below the orbital bone.

What products can I use on my sensitive neck skin?

You can use any of our facial products on your neck, including toners, serums, oils, etc., as they are gentle enough for this area. However, if you have particularly sensitive skin in this area, you can try the Herbal Facial Oil for Sensitive Skin, which is essential oil free. The Radiant Skin Silk Body Lotion is also a great option to be used as a moisturizer on the neck and decollete, as it has both hydrating and moisturizing properties. We always recommend patch testing before fully applying to ensure your skin responds well to the product being used.

Could using products from different brands in conjunction with yours cause skin issues?

It’s possible that combining various brands or products may cause skin sensitivity. It is really dependent on the activated ingredients in each product. Additionally, the effects of one company’s product may not work synergistically with the efforts of our product. For example, if you are using a product from another company that cleanses, but unfortunately dries the skin out in the process, you may continue to experience moments of dryness despite combining it with one of our moisturizers, because the skin is continually being stripped of its natural oils. 

How long do the products remain effective after opening them?

All products have an expiration date marked on the bottom, regardless of whether they’ve been opened or not. Customers can check the expiration date to ensure product freshness. Our products are housed in a miron violet glass that helps to protect and preserve their freshness. To extend freshness, you can also store your bottle in a cool, dark place.

Do you offer sample sizes for the products, especially for those interested in trying them before committing to full-sized products?

We do offer some of our products in trial sizes, but not all of them. Customers can check the website for available sample sizes and trial kits.

What distinguishes the Wild Alchemy Collection from the Signature Collection? 

Our Wild Alchemy Collection is our luxury line. To create this collection we’ve worked with growers around the world to harvest organic, wildcrafted ingredients and preserve the integrity of their nutrients with handcrafted, biocompatible formulas. Products in this collection have black and gold labeling. They contain high levels of activated ingredients to deliver visible results. 

Cleansing

What are the cleansing options available in Annmarie Skin Care’s product line? 

Annmarie Skin Care offers four different cleansers: 

• Aloe Herb Cleanser
• Citrus Mint Cleanser
• Phytonutrient Cleanser – Activated Facial Cream Cleanser
• Restorative Cleansing Oil

What is the pH level of Annmarie Skin Care’s cleansers? 

All of Annmarie Skin Care cleansers are pH-balanced to protect your skin’s natural barrier with a pH around 5.5 to 5.6. This pH balance is important to avoid stripping the skin of its natural oils and disrupting its protective barrier.

What is the Aloe Herb Cleanser, and which product collection does it belong to? 

The Aloe Herb Cleanser is our most popular cleanser. It is a pH-balanced, aloe vera-based, cream cleanser, which is part of our signature collection.

What skin types is the Aloe Herb Cleanser suitable for? 

The Aloe Herb Cleanser is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive. If you are unsure where to start with building your skin care routine, this is a great choice.

What are the key ingredients in the Aloe Herb Cleanser? 

The Aloe Herb Cleanser contains aloe vera, coconut oil, lemon essential oil, and calendula, among other ingredients.

Can you describe the texture and benefits of the Aloe Herb Cleanser? 

The Aloe Herb Cleanser has a creamy texture that leaves the skin feeling clean without feeling tight or dry. It gently removes makeup and impurities. It contains a blend of herbs and oils rich in essential fatty acids to nourish skin. 

Which cleanser is recommended for combination or oily skin? 

The Citrus Mint Cleanser, also part of our signature collection, is a purifying gel cleanser ideal for combination and oily skin. It contains neem to purify, lemon balm to soothe, and a witch hazel distillate to tone and balance skin. 

What makes the Phytonutrient Cleanser stand out in the product line? 

The Phytonutrient Cleanser, in our Wild Alchemy Collection, is our richest and most activated cleanser. It works well for all skin types and contains ingredients like mango seed butter, apple extract, acai oil and our signature serum blend. It is an excellent choice if one of your skin concerns is brightening. 

How should users apply the Restorative Cleansing Oil? 

The Restorative Cleansing Oil can be used on its own or as the first step in a double cleanse routine. Apply it to dry skin and massage it in. You can rinse it off or use a damp washcloth for removal. If using as the first step in a double cleanse routine follow with a second cleanser of your choice. 

Which cleanser is recommended for removing makeup and sunscreen? 

The Restorative Cleansing Oil is excellent for removing makeup, sunscreen, and even waterproof mascara.

Are there specific recommendations for morning and evening use of the cleansers? 

Most cleansers can be used both in the morning and evening. However, the Restorative Cleansing Oil is particularly effective for nighttime use. Since it’s great for makeup removal and deep cleansing.

Toning  

What is the purpose of using a toning mist, and how should it be applied? 

Toning mists help complete the cleansing process by refreshing, delivering hydration, and providing skin-supporting nutrients. After cleansing, pat your skin dry, and then mist the toning mist over your face and neck.

Can toning mists be used throughout the day? 

Yes, you can use toning mists throughout the day to boost hydration or manage excess oil, depending on your skin type and needs.

What are the key ingredients in the Neroli Toning Mist? 

The Neroli Toning Mist contains aloe vera juice, neroli essential oil, and aspen bark extract.

Which toning mist is recommended for soothing and nurturing the skin? 

The Botanical Hydration Mist With Immortelle is ideal for soothing and nurturing the skin. It contains a blend of botanical hydrosols including immortelle, rose, chamomile, and frankincense that work together as an anti-aging powerhouse.

Is tea tree oil present in any of the toners? 

No, there is no tea tree oil in any of the toners.

Do any of the toning mists contain alcohol? 

None of our toners have alcohol in them. Many toning mists on the market utilize alcohol to create an astringent effect, however, this often dries out the skin (instead of hydrating it). Our toners are made with organic essential oils to hydrate, cleanse, and minimize the appearance of enlarged pores. 

Which toner is recommended for oily skin that needs hydration? 

The Rosemary Toning Mist is recommended for oily skin as it provides purification without drying, offering a dose of hydration as well.

Serums & Elixirs 

What is the purpose of serums in a skin care routine? 

Serums are concentrated products with activated ingredients that allow you to customize your skin care routine for specific concerns. They are made up of smaller molecules than facial oils, allowing them to penetrate more deeply. They are excellent hydrators and help to achieve optimal moisture balance in the skin when paired with a facial oil. 

Can you tell me about the Anti-Aging Serum? 

The Anti-Aging Serum is great for all skin types and offers a dose of “daily nutrition” for the skin. It’s rich in antioxidants, soothing, nutrient-dense, and deeply hydrating, with ingredients like life everlasting flowers, buddleia extract, and hyaluronic acid.

What is the Citrus Stem Cell Serum suitable for? 

The Citrus Stem Cell Serum is suitable for thicker-textured skin that has had a lot of exposure to the elements. It’s great for targeted brightening, especially for minimizing the look of age spots or dark spots.

Tell me about the Probiotic Serum With Tremella. 

The Probiotic Serum With Tremella is suitable for sensitive or imbalanced skin. It contains probiotic ferment to eliminate impurities on the skin’s surface and help balance the skin’s natural pH. It also provides a potent dose of antioxidants and deep hydration.

Can you describe the Wild Fruit Serum? 

The Wild Fruit Serum is hydrating, brightening, and anti-aging. We like to call it our “do-it-all” serum. It contains apple extract, kakadu plum extract, knotweed, and Madonna lily plant cells to strengthen the skin and improve texture and tone.

What’s special about the Activated CBD Serum? 

The Activated CBD Serum is deeply hydrating and soothing to the skin. It contains both water-soluble and fat-soluble CBD for a combined instant and cumulative effect. It’s great for soothing and calming the skin. It has a thick, rich consistency so it is recommended that it be applied to skin while slightly damp. 

What are the Concentrated Boosting Elixirs, and how should I use them?

Our Concentrated Boosting Elixirs come in a set of three: Hydrate, Brighten, and Revitalize. You should never apply them directly to your skin due to their concentration. Instead, mix them with your facial serum to customize and enhance effectiveness. If for any reason you are not using a serum they can also be mixed with your facial oil. 

How do I incorporate the Revitalize Concentrated Boosting elixir?

The Revitalize Concentrated Boosting Elixir contains our bioactive A-complex, which is derived from algae and works similarly in the skin to a retinol without any of the negative side effects that often come with using a traditional retinol. Mix it with your facial serum to enjoy its benefits, and remember to use it in the evening and always with an SPF during the day.

Eye Care 

Can you recommend an eye care product for dry under-eye skin?

Our Anti-Aging Eye Cream is excellent for nourishing dry under-eye skin. It contains squalane, which is a plant based emollient that occurs naturally in the lipid layers of the skin as well as plant cells and cucumber extract to moisturize, strengthen, and depuff.

Moisturize

Which parts of the face should I apply the facial oil to? Are there specific areas to focus on?

Apply your facial oil to your chin, cheeks and forehead and then spread and massage into skin.  

How much facial oil should one use?

We recommend using one to two pumps of facial oil. Applying to damp skin, after misting with a toning mist, can make it spread further and allow you to use less. 

Exfoliation & Masking 

Tell me more about the Resurfacing Facial Exfoliant and chemical exfoliation?

The Resurfacing Facial Exfoliant is part of our Wild Alchemy Collection and uses honey-derived lactic acid (the gentlest, most non-irritating alpha hydroxy acid) for chemical exfoliation. You may be wondering—what is chemical exfoliation and is it harsh for the skin? Chemical exfoliation relies on a formula’s activated ingredients to purify deeper layers of the skin (unlike physical exfoliation which relies on the manual act of buffing away the upper layers of debris). Like with our Resurfacing Facial Exfoliant, when using a gentle lactic acid, chemical exfoliation can be a wonderful step to integrate into your routine a few times a week to “deep clean” the skin.

We like to refer to this product as a “mini-peel.” It’s gentle and effective for brightening and addressing the look of dark spots. Start with 2-3 minutes of use and gradually increase to 10 minutes based on your skin’s tolerance.

How often should I use the Resurfacing Facial Exfoliant?

We recommend using the Resurfacing Facial Exfoliant once a week, possibly twice a week for some individuals, depending on your skin’s needs and sensitivity. You’ll want to minimize harsh sun exposure the following morning after use.

What is the Illuminating Pearl Mask, and why is it a favorite?

The Illuminating Pearl Mask is a hydrating, brightening treatment mask suitable for and easily enjoyed by all skin types. It’s beloved for its cooling effect and contains mountain wildflower honey, which deeply hydrates the skin. Crushed pearl powder imparts a luminous radiance, and it also includes licorice root and uva ursi for lightening the look of dark spots.

How often can I use the Illuminating Pearl Mask?

The Illuminating Pearl Mask can be used daily if desired without overdoing it, making it a versatile skin care choice.

Tell me about the purifying masks available.

We have two purifying masks: 

• Purifying Mud Mask: A dry powdered mask made of red and white kaolin clay and chlorella algae. This mask is excellent for deeply cleansing, balancing and replenishing the skin with minerals. It can be mixed with water, one of our toning mists, yogurt, or honey.
• Charcoal Cacao Mask: An antioxidant rich treatment mask designed to calm, clarify, and revive skin. A few of the key ingredients include activated coconut charcoal, cacao, and turmeric. 

Sun Protection 

Can you discuss the Sun Love sunscreen?

Sun Love is our Everyday Sheer Sunscreen with broad-spectrum SPF 20 and non-nano zinc oxide. It absorbs well into the skin, and it contains nourishing buriti fruit oil and pumpkin seed oil. It’s essential when using products like the Revitalize Elixir or Resurfacing Facial Exfoliant to use an SPF such as Sun Love during the day to protect skin. 

How does Sun Love sunscreen work with makeup?

You can apply makeup over the Sun Love Everyday Sheer Sunscreen. We recommend giving the Sun Love a moment to fully absorb into the skin before applying your makeup. We also have our Favorite Brands Marketplace, which contains a collection of products that we love from other like-minded brands. In our favorite brands marketplace we sell the Au Naturale powdered mineral foundations. You can choose to mix these with the Sun Love to create your own tinted moisturizer.

Our Company & What Sets Us Apart 

Can you tell me a little bit about the company? 

Absolutely! Annmarie Skin Care is owned by co-founders, Kevin and Annmarie Gianni. They started as wellness bloggers with a Youtube show called The Renegade Health Show in 2008, sharing their journey and favorite health products. When asked by their viewers about what beauty products they could recommend and unable to find clean options they could proudly stand by, Annmarie and Kevin started their search for plant-powered, non-toxic cosmetics with very few leads. Eventually, however, they partnered with formulator, Bunnie, who shared their vision and ethos and launched Annmarie Skin Care in 2009 to offer a range of potent, effective, botanically-infused skin care. 

How did Annmarie Skin Care start producing their own products? 

While they ran their health show, viewers began asking about the skin care products Annmarie was using. They realized the products available didn’t meet their high standards, so they decided to find or create a better solution. Their quest eventually led them to create their own line with the help of their formulator, Bunnie.

What sets Annmarie Skin Care apart from other skin care lines? 

Annmarie Skin Care stands out with our commitment to cleanliness and transparency. We are proud that many of our products are MADE SAFE certified, ensuring safety from harmful ingredients. We emphasize transparency, listing all ingredients on our packaging and website. We use a proprietary 3-step Energized, Botanical Infusion Process to create our products and place a strong emphasis on sustainability, using recyclable packaging.

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