Meet Sherna Malone, a skincare specialist based in West Cork, Ireland. Sherna was raised by a leading skincare expert, Bronwyn Conroy, who founded Ireland’s first Beauty Training School in 1972 and which is still considered Ireland’s leading private training school today. It was only natural for Sherna to join the family business and act as Managing Director of the Beauty School for 16 years, before becoming a full-time facialist and skincare consultant. Sherna has shared some of her natural beauty secrets and tips with us.

1. How did you become a facialist?

My mother founded Ireland’s first Beauty Therapy Training School in 1972 (it’s still training students today) and she was the Beauty Columnist for our national Sunday Paper for 25 years, so it was perhaps inevitable that I ended up becoming a facialist myself. Before I trained in Aesthetic Treatments, I went to University College Dublin and completed a degree in Psychology.

2. What kind of treatments do you offer to your clients?

I offer Skincare Consultations, AlumierMD Skin Peels, Murad Facial Treatments, LED Light Therapy Treatments, and Medical Microneedling. I am based in a beauty salon in Clonakilty in West Cork, Ireland, and I receive clients there. I also run my own blog where I provide information and tips on skin care products and beauty in general, where it can be accessed by anyone who wants it.

3. What are the benefits of someone getting a facial and seeing a facialist regularly, over just having a skincare routine at home?

Firstly, it goes without saying that a consistent at-home skincare routine using the right products for your skin concerns is key. Facials will add to this by improving the condition of the skin, and will also provide both instant and long-term results.

Benefits vary from person to person depending on the skin concerns you are treating, but along with the self-care benefits of facials, they are fantastic for deep cleaning your skin, brightening dull skin, improving the texture of the skin, hydrating dry skin, adding a plumping effect to aging skin, and supplementing your at-home routine.

Facials are a great complement to a skincare routine, and the facialist will make sure to use the right skincare products for your skin and concerns, and give you advice on how to take care of it.

4. What skin concerns do clients most often approach you with?

A very common one is brightening dull and tired skin. Premature aging concerns would be another. I also have many clients whose main concern is enlarged pores. In this case, micro-needling is a highly effective treatment for minimizing their appearance and I have seen fantastic results on my clients.

5. What are some of the most common skincare mistakes that you wish more people were aware of?

Thinking you don’t need to wear SPF daily or thinking that the SPF in their foundation is enough to protect you from UVA and UVB rays! Also, that you can close pores – I always tell them pores are not doors. Yes, you can improve the appearance of them, but they do not close!

6. What are your top 3 tips for taking good care of your skin?

Here are my top 3 tips for healthy and good-looking skin:

• Include the step of cleansing your skin in both your morning and evening skincare routines.
• Use a targeted serum to tackle the specific concerns of your skin.
• Wear SPF daily, in every season

Extra one – consistency in your skincare routine is key! You get the best results when you use products adapted to your own skin consistently.

7. What ingredients do you wholeheartedly believe in?

The following ingredients are essential: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Ceramides, and PHA’s (polyhydroxy acids). These ingredients provide great results when integrated into a skincare routine or treatment.

8. What lifestyle habits do you have that keep your skin in top shape?

A few things that are essential to help the skin: a good diet, a skin-strengthening supplement - I take Somega Liposomal Vitamin C daily - and a good night’s sleep. Also, doing things that bring me joy and increase my happy hormones is key.

9. Could you recommend some educational resources to people who want to learn more about ingredients and cosmetic formulations?

There are 3 references that I could definitely recommend:

• The Skin Nerd by Jennifer Rock.
• Great Skin – Secrets the Beauty Industry doesn’t tell you by Ingeborg van Lotringen.
• Start with Skincare by Alice Harte-Davis.

10. Describe your perfect self-care day.

I love my Teresa Tarmey Cryoball Treatment and will often start my morning with this. It's great for waking up my skin! I like to get out in the fresh air and walk my dog George. I live in a beautiful part of Ireland, West Cork, where the landscape is breath-taking.

I also like to include some yoga practice in my day. I have a sweet tooth, so I’ll always have a little time in the day when I enjoy a great cup of coffee and something yummy. At night I like to get into some nice cozy pajamas and take some time with my evening skincare and have some LED Light Photo Therapy. Definitely the best self-care day there could be to me!

Follow Sherna at https://www.instagram.com/shernamalone.ie/