Skin is not universal, and now more than ever people are paying attention to their skin’s needs and concerns. Whether you’re someone who lives with acne, hyperpigmentation, or skin texture issues, a tailored routine is necessary for getting your skin in the best shape. The first step is always educating yourself, and this starts with advice from a professional. But, in a world where typical doctor’s visits and skincare appointments are cut short due to a pandemic, you might be more frustrated with your skin than usual. I caught up with my go-to skin wizard, Christie Kidd, to discuss all things skincare and maintenance. Frenshe’s, take notes!
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am born and raised in Southern California, Los Angeles. Happily married to my amazing husband John P. Roberts and we have the sweetest, most hilarious 8-year-old son, Jason. As a kid, I was always outside at the beach or riding my bike with my friends. My mom was a girlie girl and had so many beauty products and I LOVED IT. At a very young age, I loved beauty products and would do what I called, “mixing” my own products. I loved it when my mom would give me her nail polish, lotions, eyeshadows, and lipsticks. I would grind the eyeshadows down to dust, carefully pour some into a bottle of nail polish to make the polish have a new color and shimmer. I would mix eyeshadows and lipsticks and make a new eyeshadow color. I also loved mixing her bronzers into body lotions and make my own self-tanning lotion. Now, this was in the 80’s so imagine my white high top Reeboks, scrunchy white socks, and my “self tanned” legs on a hot sweaty summer day in the valley! *Laughs* My socks would be a lovely shade of rust by the end of the day. This is how I knew I would have to go back to my “lab” which was my bathroom and start “mixing” again.
What’s your skin philosophy?
I am a huge believer in less is more, use clean products as much as possible, and treat your skin from the inside out. People do not realize that your skin is an organ. It is actually the largest organ of your body, so treat it with kindness and love. What I mean by less is more, is just that. I see thousands of patients a year and I would say more than half of them, when I first meet them they are using way too many products. Too much of anything is never good, especially on your delicate skin. So keep regimens simple, effective, and gentle. We live in a time where marking of skincare is off the charts, so think before you hit “purchase” because you really may not need it.
What is your stance on wrinkles?
Wrinkles are going to happen. No one can defy the aging process. But, we can sure slow it down and soften the blow!
What are your top tips for avoiding wrinkles?
CK: If I had to list my top favs it would have to be:
- SUNBLOCK
- NO SMOKING
- SUNBLOCK
- HEALTHY EATING and HYDRATE
- SUNBLOCK
- MOISTURIZE TWICE DAILY
- SUNBLOCK
Did I mention SUNBLOCK?!
You helped me with my acne, what are your top tips to clear breakouts?
Breakouts are a global problem and it is my passion to clear up the world. My top tips are to be sure you are using the right regimen. Your regimen should always be used twice daily and should be gentle yet effective. This is what drove me to create my own line to bring together the best ingredients in one line.
What’s your theory on food sensitivities and your skin?
I am asked this question a lot. What the studies show, sometimes there is a link between the two, but not always. If a patient has a health issue like IBS, Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, SIBO, or Celiac I almost always see the direct link to their skin. Gastrointestinal problems almost always result in some sort of skin issue, be it acne or rashes. So with that said, those types of patients do have food sensitivities. So say someone is allergic, “sensitive” to strawberries, that is not going to result in acne, which would result in a rash on the face and body.
What about hormones?
Hormones are a topic for sure and I could go on for days about this topic. In a nutshell, NOT all acne is due to one’s hormones being out of whack. Increased oil production and bacteria are the causes of breakouts and sometimes hormones can affect your oil production. If a girl’s hormones are really irregular like if she has Polycystic Ovarian Disease or struggling with menopause, she is likely going to struggle with acne as a result.
I was once told I needed Botox and you advised me not to. When do you suggest someone start administering Botox?
I am a firm believer to enjoy your youthful beautiful skin while you can! Girls are doing Botox and fillers way too young in my opinion. Young girls quickly make themselves look older when they do too much too soon. It is noticeable when a younger girl has had work done, and you find yourself saying, “is she 45 or 25? I can’t tell because clearly she has had work done.” To me, that is not beauty. Now on the flip side, I do like using tiny amounts of Botox preventively for a younger patient whose facial movements are really animated and the muscles are strong. I like to reduce the movement and strength of the muscles while he or she is younger so they age gracefully. If a younger patient, or any patient, has lost quite a bit of weight, then I do suggest a little filler during the weight loss time frame to prevent the patient from have deep laugh lines or too hallow of cheeks. So to reiterate, my point is, if you do not really need it, do not do it yet, but if there are strong muscles, deep lines starting, then yes, it is time to start the treatments.
THE FRENSHE FIVE
What’s something toxic you’re trying to get rid of in your life? STRESS is so toxic and causes terrible skin and health issues
How do you keep yourself balanced? I LOVE to be outdoors, whether it is sunshine or snow – I want to be outside. Having fun with my family and laughing is my daily medicine. Fresh air, eating well, sleeping well and lots of laughter does my soul some serious good.
One health or beauty trend you’ll never do again? Well thankfully I have never been sucked into bad treatments because I do TONS of research before I ever use a product or do a treatment By the time I offer a treatment/product to a patient in my office, you can bet I have read every study, I have tried it out myself and I have asked no less than 100 questions to the selling company.
Top 3 favorite skin products?
- My own skincare acne line, Perfect Skin by Christie Kidd [Editor’s note: not available to the public yet], is a must for me as I tend to breakout.
- I LOVE injecting PRP (platelet-rich plasma) for anti-aging.
- SUNBLOCK.
Quote you live by? It’s such an old one, but it’s the best. “LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH.”