What a Celebrity Facialist Tells All Her Clients

As one of the industry’s leading facialists, Kate Somerville has been healing and treating skin for the past two decades. From her highly acclaimed Kate Somerville Skin Health Experts Clinic to her cult-favorite line of products, Kate has made it her mission to transform people through skin care.

To help you get to know this “guru of glow” better, we caught up with Kate to hear her secrets to achieving a healthy complexion at any age, plus what you can do for better skin.

Have a consistent morning and night routine.
"While so many people think there’s a magic pill or potion that can transform skin in an instant, the truth is, it’s how you treat your skin every day that matters. It’s also what will reveal the best results as you age. Daily skin care, morning and night, is essential. That’s not to say you can’t skip a day here and there. We’re human, after all. But I believe in these essential steps for optimal skin health: Cleanse, exfoliate, hydrate, treat, moisturize, SPF. That may seem like a lot of steps, but each one supports the next step and preps skin to better absorb products and ingredients so that you see healthy, beautiful skin every day."
Pay attention to your skin's needs (and ignore the hype).
"Unfortunately, there’s a lot of hype out there and it’s easy to get misinformed or overwhelmed. Which is why my Skin Health Experts and I spend time every day on social media as well as in the clinic educating our customers and followers about what’s right for their unique skin type and concerns.
The best way to keep skin healthy and to love how your skin looks as you age is to use products and ingredients that are expertly formulated to deliver visible results without irritating your skin. If you don’t know how to discern the hype from what’s real, ask for help. And it’s important to know that as you age, your skin’s needs change. Your products need to change, too. What worked in your 20s may not be what’s best for skin in your 30s, and the same goes for when you’re in your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond."
Treat the skin you see in the mirror.
"Your skin’s needs vary from day to day. Treat the skin you see in the mirror each morning. For example, some days skin is just drier, more dehydrated. Maybe from too much sun or wind. Or you haven’t been drinking enough water. On those days, you want to use a nourishing face wash like my Goat Milk Cleanser.
Other days, you may be struggling with skin irritation from mask use or too much time indoors. Or maybe you’ve been doing too many at-home skin care treatments and your skin feels irritated, tight or itchy. My clinical recovery collection DeliKate™ should be in everyone’s toolkit for days when skin feels stressed out. It’s designed to calm, soothe and restore skin while promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Again, it’s about paying attention to your skin’s needs on any given day and using the right ingredients and products for optimal skin health."
Make exfoliation and hydration part of your routine.
"Exfoliating preps your skin to better absorb the rest of your [products in your] skin care regimen, so everything works better when you add [an exfoliator] to your routine. ExfoliKate® Intensive is my holy grail product and the one that literally transforms skin in two minutes. It’s a green exfoliating scrub that’s chock-full of clinically formulated AHAs and fruit enzymes to deliver three effective forms of exfoliation: chemical to loosen dead skin cells from the surface, physical to slough away the loosened dead, dry, hard-surface skin cells, and enzymatic which is like little Pac-Men eating away the debris to reveal younger, fresher, glowing skin underneath. Just two minutes twice a week and you’ll notice improved texture, pores and radiance. For best results, use it in the shower. Steam enhances exfoliation so you see even better results.
Always follow exfoliating with hydration. [When you do this,] you pump your skin full of water which visibly plumps and smooths it while prepping it to receive the benefits of any treatments and creams that follow."
Don't skimp on sunscreen.
"I think people sometimes think skin care founders are perfect about skin care. Not me. Not anyone I know. We’re all human! As a California girl, I have definitely put my skin through a lot of sun time without adequate sun protection. Now that I’m older, I know better. And I use daily sun protection at the end of my morning skin care regimen."
When in doubt, see an expert.
"I started my skin care career working with plastic surgeons and helping clients heal their skin after major surgery. Over 20 years later, I’m still in awe of the skin’s ability to heal itself. It’s miraculous and inspiring! Skin gets cut and it heals itself. You get bruised and it recovers. And it’s not just about going under the knife. From acne and acne scarring to lines, wrinkles, sun damage to melasma, eczema, or other unique skin concerns, your skin can undergo remarkable transformations when you put yourself in the hands of an expert. This is what keeps me passionate and engaged in my work. The ability to show people what’s possible for their skin at every age!"