After jet setting around the country for the last few years with her Air Force husband, our Natural Beauty expert Hannah has settled down in Sacramento and realizing her big dream of becoming an esthetician. We can’t wait to live vicariously while she geeks out over microdermabrasion and perfects her pore extractions. Now, in addition to her popular DIY beauty ideas, Hannah will be taking your skincare questions in her new column, Ask an Esti. Whether you’re battling blemishes or befuddled by that fancy serum, no question is off limits for our resident expert. Leave them below in the comments section, or email Hannah anytime at hannah.kuhary@gmail.com. –Bets
Filed Under: acne, ask an esti, esthetician, facial, hannah kuhary, natural beauty, skincare, wrinkles
Hello lovelies! I'm Elizabeth Dehn, a beauty writer + lifestyle editor who's equally fanatical about lip gloss as juice cleansing. I live in Minneapolis with Mr. Bets and our white lab, Molly Thomas . . . 
What face lotion do u recommend for oily skin? (budget and investment) thank u!
What face lotion do u recommend for oily skin? (budget and investment) thank u!
i also wonder about moisturizer for oily skin (one that is easy to find and price-friendly).
and anything to help with blackheads! thank you!!
I would like to know a good spot treatment (budget and investment) for adult acne. I’m 22 with combination skin, moderate acne. I’ve read in some places the Benzoyl Peroxide is good, others bad. A lot of products seem to have the same concentration of salicylic acid but some work better than others. I’ve tried expensive pink spot treatments (Mario Badescu, Kate), Murad, Burt’s Bees natural stick…products in all price ranges. I think the thing that worked best for me was Benefit’s Boo Boo Zap, but it’s 20 dollars for a tube that lasts me like 2 weeks, which seems unreasonable. Right now I’m just using Seabuckthorn oil which has helped, but I want something I can wear under my makeup in the mornings. Can you help?
I would like to know a good face wash and moisturizer for dry/normal skin with big pores and moderate acne. Also budget friendly. I seem to always get dry spots with certain treatments and nothing seems to keep my acne at bay. Thank you!
How can you stop hormonal breakouts? Thank You!
Any recommendations on how to gently fade acne scars? Can scarring spot treatments be harmful in the sense that they make spots of skin thin/sensitive?
How can you fade acne scars from your chest, face, and back without using harsh treatments? Especially those scars that have been there for a long time? Thanks.
Is it best to use the same products routinely or is it ok to change it up often. I get Birchbox and have sample and travel sizes so I’m wondering if my face is ok with all the change ups.
Great questions! I’m thinking it might be beneficial to do some spotlight posts on specific skin type care & maintenance. Would this be of interest/helpful dear readers?
@Eva & @Lynda: for truly oily skin, you need a moisturizer that will put hydration (water) back into the skin while balancing excessive oil production. Two options that I love are Dermalogica’s Active Moist (investment) and Aubrey Organics’ Natural Herbal Maintenance Oil Balancing Moisturizer (affordable). You can find Dermalogica at Ulta stores and Aubrey products are carried at Whole Foods.
@Jennifer: I would suggest trying Dermalogica’s Skin Renewing Booster. You can use it as a spot treatment or massage 1-2 drops over areas where you tend to breakout. Great under moisturizer/makeup & will also help balance your combination skin. Start by using every 3 days and work up to every day. For a budget option, try pure tea tree oil at night. Use with a q-tip & apply directly to blemish.
@Deanna: you are my skin-twin! I have dry skin, but am breakout prone. Use a gentle cleanser that will not strip your skin’s natural barrier. A couple options are Korres Milk Proteins Cleanser or Dermalogica’s UltraCalming cleanser. As for moisturizers, I tend to reach for products designed for sensitive skin since they are hydrating, but less likely to cause breakouts. I really love Decleor Harmonie Calm Soothing Cream. It’s not super budget friendly, but I haven’t found any great drugstore equivalents. Your skin is worth the investment!
@Brittany: this is an excellent question, and one I get asked a lot. I will do a separate post on this. In the meantime, keep after your skincare routine (cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize), try to relax/meditate around that time of the month, drink plenty of water & try a spot treatment with salicylic acid.
@Jay: it really depends on the level of scarring we are talking about. Are they just small, flat red marks where a pimple was, or are they deeper scars/marks that dimple the skin?
Hope this helps! Keep the questions coming and I’ll do my best to answer them!
@Alyss: a couple thoughts on acne scars – if they have been there a long time (years), it might be best to check with a dermatologist about what therapies they suggest. Laser therapy can be beneficial. If the scars are recent and superficial, look for a topical product made to lighten hyperpigmentation. Kojic acid (from mushrooms) & ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) are great alternative ingredients. While these treatments may help, it’s important to remember to never pick or squeeze an acne lesion and always wear SPF. Sun exposure, as well as picking, will make scars darker & harder to get rid of.
@Lindsay A: I’m a firm believer in sticking with a routine. If you are constantly trying new products, your skin may respond adversely (breakouts, redness, irritation, etc) and then it becomes more difficult to isolate which specific product is causing a problem. On the flip side, rotating products to quickly might not give your skin enough time to take full benefit of it. My best advice is to stay with a good skin care foundation and save the samples for weekend trips or travel.
Hi, Hannah! I am in my mid-twenties and have been blessed with nice skin (not overly oily or dry, rare pimples/breakouts). I would love to keep it this way! Can you recommend anything for wrinkle prevention/anti-aging other than SPF and moisturizing? Maybe I don’t need anything else at this point? Thanks!
Is there an eye cream that you can say definitely works in reducing under eye circles? Mine are genetic.
I seem to have developed a touch of cystic acne as a 27 year old….anything I can do before during or after one of those painful bumps pops up to lessen the effects? (I know not to pop..but they seem to linger for so long!)
@Danielle: Lucky you! To maintain your beautiful skin, keep after your skin care routine (cleanse, exfoliate + moisturize), drink plenty of water, find ways to reduce stress in your life (if you have any) and yes, SPF! If you want to include an anti-aging serum in your skincare routine, you can use it in the evening under your moisturizer to help boost your skin’s natural repair cycle, which occurs at night. ARCONA + Caudalie make some excellent ones.
@Nicki: “definitely” is a tricky word. If you are predisposed to dark circles, chances are you will have a hard time getting rid of them. However, to lessen their overall appearance, look for an eye cream that has Vitamin C or green tea – both will help lighten the area, as well as mica to reflect light. As for cystic acne, email me (hannah.kuhary@gmail.com) and I can give you a more thorough answer.
Hello Hannah. I am 51 and dealing with Rosasea. It was recomended I try Obagi Rosaclear System of which I have been using for around 5 months. I have also been to dermatologists and used other prescribed treatments. Not much of a change in my skin. My problem is I have very oily T zone and tiny broken blood vessels across my upper checks and nose now. Any recommendations? Thank you so much for this opportunity.
Hi Karen! It can be tough to find products to treat oily skin that won’t aggravate your rosacea. I haven’t had much experience from the Obagi line, but generally speaking, skin with rosacea needs a gentle cleanser (soap & sulfate-free), a soothing product to help with redness and irritation and a good moisturizer. I would highly recommend the UltraCalming line by Dermalogica or finding an esthetician that carries Tecniche, which is an amazing skincare line that is made for compromised, sensitive & stressed skin. For your T-zone, I would suggest using a clay-based mask 1-2x a week and apply it only where you experience oil (never on red, irritated skin or rosacea pustles).
A few other things to consider:
-Try to avoid products with excessive fragrances, stimulating essential oils (cinnamon, clove, peppermint, geranium) and harsh acids.
- Avoid spicy foods, hot showers/baths/steam, alcohol and extreme cold/hot weather.
- Always wear a proper sunscreen. Skin with rosacea can burn easily!
- Try keeping your moisturizers or facial sprays in the fridge – the cool products with soothe inflamed skin.
Good luck!
Hi! :)
I have combination/acne-prone skin and have dealt with Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation on both of my cheeks (basically in the area right under the cheekbone on each side) for yeeeears.
Any ideas for at-home treatments, or over-the-counter products, that can help me fade the pigmentation spots? Mine are a dark reddish-purple, and all of them are flat. A couple feel a bit concave, but not noticeably so.
I did a round of chemical peels last year to see if they would help, and the treatments didn’t even touch the marks; the peels actually just ended up making my entire face break out worse than ever, and I had to do “damage control” for a good two months after to get my face mostly clear.
Any help or ideas would be awesome; thanks! :D
Would you be willing to suggest a cream that combats the look of sunken eyes? I don’t have “dark circles” or wrinkles. Just mild sagging that I’m afraid will grow worse with time. I want to plump the skin under my eyes. What cosmetics could I use? What dietary changes could I make? (I see that you’ve given eye cream advice above, but my main concern is lack of firmness. I need a boost!)
Thank you, Hannah!
Retinols, AHA’s….
How do I know if the products I am using are negating the other products? I am a product junkie and try to not use the different products on the same night. For example, if I used a peel pad with natural AHA’s I try not to use any serum with retinols. I have a rubber face and my forehead wrinkles need all the help they can get.
So proud of you and your new Esti adventure! Your Esti knowledge is a fabulous bonus to bring life long gal-pals. Keep up the great work! XO
What gentle cleanser do you recommend for combination skin, nothing to drying always searching for the perfect cleanser!
I have pimples on my legs and back. Any bodywashes cheap and well working? -Thanku!!!!!!