WSG 6: Rose Prieto
Lately, I keep repeating something my mother said to me a few years ago: “After 50 it’s all about maintenance.” For many of us, we cruise along through life not needing to worry about our skin, hair, teeth, stomach, sanity. Then, all of a sudden, things start needing attention. What I have found is that if I ignore one small issue, reflux, it turns into a life altering affliction, asthma and can’t eat. So, I guess, the lesson is get off your bum and make the appointment and go to it, fill the prescriptions, take them, and then go to the follow up appointment even if you feel better. Then repeat for each of your many issues.
Volume 6 is dedicated to the concept of maintaining your skin. I interviewed Rose a few weeks ago and have been following her “recipe” for basic skin care and I can tell you, my skin looks better. I am not a user of botox or filler, at this point, but skin is important and wants special treatment. This isn’t to say we need to rush out and spend scads of $ on products. As you will see below, some of Rose’s favorite items are bought at the grocery store.
A friend told me I should put a request in my intro to please share this newsletter on your social media and with friends, rather than at the bottom. Done.
MAVEN OF THE WEEK: ROSE PRIETO
Rose Prieto originally hails from New Jersey (with Cuban and Lebanese roots) but calls sunny South Florida her home. Her passion for beauty and facial symmetry emerged in college while studying Theatre Arts with an emphasis on playwriting and stage makeup. She began her post-college life in corporate human resources, working freelance as an eyebrow and makeup artist, building a word-of-mouth local clientele. To follow her passion, she eventually pursued beauty licenses in aesthetics, electrolysis and cosmetic tattooing and opened Beauty & Brow Lounge, her studio in Coral Gables Florida. Her main focus is permanent cosmetics which consist of gently tattooing the skin of the eyebrows or upper eyelids, so one can experience a “wake up with make up” look.
In addition to running her solo beauty practice, she is the author of two books HOW FITZPATRICK & MELANIN INFLUENCE THE COSMETIC TATTOO and IN THE SKIN (Amazon.com), she hosts a podcast THE BEAUTY LOUNGE (Apple Podcasts, Spotify), she speaks at many industry events (she’s a well known industry guru), she’s a freelance beauty writer for Eventos Magazine and has contributed to countless other platforms such as Charlotte’s Book and The Fontainebleau Hotel. Rose is also a business coach to female beauty business entrepreneurs, as well as a wife of 27 years to her husband Alex who together they have two children, 22 and 14.
Phew! Rose is a Super Ball of energy. I took more notes with her during our telephone conversation that anyone else I’ve interviewed, by a factor of three. She is packed with information. It was hard to know which questions to ask for the Newsletter, the topic is so vast. So, here it goes.
Your passion for beauty started at age 8 with a fascination with eyebrows. Why do you think this happened? I’ve always had an innate curiosity about beauty and how makeup, in particular, can transform the appearance of the face. As a child, I would often raid my mother’s makeup table and experiment with lipstick and eyeshadow, attempting to capture the look of my favorite 70’s beauty icons. When I was 8 I stumbled upon an old pair of LaCrosse brand tweezers at the bottom of one of my mother’s makeup cabinets. Although I didn’t actually begin to experiment on my own brows until years later, I asked her if I could keep them. I held on to those tweezers for years; I knew that they represented something special. Those tweezers were the first tool I used when I opened up my own studio, years later, and although they have been retired from my rotation, they remain my most prized possession.
I don’t know exactly why I was drawn to the eyebrows in particular, but I always knew the tremendous impact they had on the face. In the 70’s women used to tweeze their brows practically bare, leaving nothing but string-like arches in their wake! This always seemed strange to me, so I began to pay close attention to the eyebrow trends of the day while experimenting with makeup to make my own arches appear fuller. It wasn’t until the early 80’s, when Brooke Shields was celebrated for her naturally full brows, that my curiosity was validated.
You were born in the US, but have strong ties to Cuba. How has your Cuban heritage affected your life and career? Growing up in New Jersey, we were the only ethnic family on the block; we were different. The language we spoke at home was spanish, the food we ate was Cuban and Middle Eastern (my father was Lebanese), the cultural habits we participated in was not the norm (we often roasted an entire pig in the backyard!), and the music we played during family gatherings was loud, a bold contrast to the quiet community we resided in. I grew up in an ethnic home where freedom of expression was encouraged. In retrospect, I appreciated this so much because it afforded me the opportunity to experiment with various hair and makeup looks without any backlash from my parents. It was this creative freedom that empowered me at a young age, ignited my passion for beauty and inspired so much of my artistic expression today.
Your point of view is “beauty is power” and what you can do to make a better version of yourself you should do. That includes botox and fillers starting at a young age when you feel you need it. How do you respond to the point of view that beauty is superficial and not the basis on which to judge a person? Or, how do we help girls find a balance between Internet influencers and reality?
This question is very controversial. There is a stigma often attached to beauty rituals. I absolutely subscribe to the belief that beauty is power, but so is the power in knowing how to achieve your best aesthetic self. This notion is about feeling comfortable in your own skin; it is about feeling like you have achieved the best version of yourself, and if a swipe of lipstick or 20 units of Botox will achieve that, then more power to you.
When a woman feels confident it elevates her self esteem, regardless of age, and that is incredibly empowering. For the record, I do not believe that medical injectables (like Botox and fillers) are necessary for women under 30. However, if a 28 year old woman feels insecure about the “number eleven” lines forming between her brows, why not explore minimally invasive ways (like Botox) to proactively manage those dynamic lines before those wrinkle lines deepen? Self assurance is very personal, and something as seemingly insignificant as softening those lines can be a beauty game-changer for many.
I am not an advocate of these so-called “Instagram celebrities''; women in their 20’s who over inject their lips and manipulate their facial features with plastic surgery. I am completely against this. I have mentored many young women over the years and my primary objective is education. I educate them about beauty and hygiene and do so in a way that will help them to create the supreme version of their natural selves. It’s about learning the art of self-care. The art of the beauty ritual is a nuance that should start at a young age and begins with soap, water and sun protection. It is about caring for the largest organ of the body in such a way that it will look radiant for decades without the need for plastic surgery, if properly cared for.
As a licensed beauty professional, I understand that not all women are educated when it comes to the whats and hows of skin-care 101. This is why I have dedicated my career to empowering women to be the best aesthetic version of themselves. Feeling beautiful should be about showcasing one’s self in the most authentic state. This is why I am such an advocate of skin health. So many teenagers suffer from acne breakouts, for example, which can compromise their confidence and self esteem. Arming them with the skin care tips and proactive habits which will lead them to managing these breakouts, is incredibly powerful.
What is your favorite new product? Although the evolution of retinoids and retinols have changed the landscape of beauty to a more results driven narrative, in my opinion, it is not lost on me that the foundation of beautiful skin begins with sun protection. If you wish to maintain beautiful skin for the rest of your life, you must apply a broad spectrum sunscreen every single day; protecting your skin from UVA and UVB damage. If your skin sees the light of day, it is becoming influenced by UV radiation, which breaks down collagen and elasticity over time and accelerates the aging process. Moreover, the continued exposure to UV light damages the DNA of skin cells which can contribute to skin cancer. There are two types of sunscreen: chemical and physical. Although any sunscreen used is better than none, the gold standard would be to apply a 20% titanium dioxide (physical/mineral) SPF 30 or 50 sunscreen to the face, neck, decolletage, arms and hands every single day (titanium dioxide also protects the skin from blue light which is emitted from cell phones and other devices). Sun damage is cumulative. Crossing the street, walking to the mailbox, strolling across a parking lot, all contribute to the building blocks of negative sun exposure that, over time, will compromise the integrity of the skin’s health.
Worst product? I was influenced by the beauty trends of the late 70’s and 80’s, which included exposing my skin to the sun for extended periods of time. I actually applied baby oil to assist in the tanning process in an effort to bronze my skin to mimic the bronzed model on the Bain de Soleil television ads of the day! If that wasn’t damaging enough, my perception of clean skin meant using 70% isopropyl alcohol to wipe away the day’s grime! The biggest lesson I learned was that unprotected exposure to UV rays coupled with the stripping action of alcohol led to lackluster damaged skin. My skin was robbed of its natural oils and acidic balance which eventually led to breakouts and the early onset of fine lines on my forehead and around my eyes. By the time I was in my 20’s (in the early 1990’s), my skin was peppered with hypo and hyperpigmentation, and I knew that my self care habits needed to change. This is when I realized that lifestyle and habits influenced my skin, so I started asking important questions about the how-to’s of skin care.
Hot new trend? I do not subscribe to trends when it comes to skin care. I am a firm believer of old-school skin rituals: drink plenty of water (and eat plenty of water-rich foods), protect your skin from sun exposure (which also includes wearing sun protective clothing and polarized eyewear), feed your skin daily by nourishing it with natural ingredients like aloe, natural oils and humectants which are massaged into the skin daily to encourage lymphatic drainage.
There is, however, a new generation of skin care paved by technology and science. There are many elegant, micronized products on the market today which contain peptides and ceramides, and a myriad of efficacious ingredients that have been clinically proven to transform the skin into a better version of what it was. Science has shown that it is now possible to reverse much of the damage caused by poor habits of the past, which also include the use of technology with modalities such as Micro Needling with Radio Frequency. There is no question that if you want beautiful skin, you are living in the right decade! There has been so much advancement in skin care, even in over the counter lines found at the drugstore. I am often asked questions about my favorite products and I typically refer women to drugstore lines first, if they have not leaned into consistent skin care rituals. I always recommend adopting those aforementioned old school rituals first before investing in higher-end lines. Achieving beautiful skin is about understanding what it needs and adopting perpetual habits. Coco Chanel said it best, “it is not about money, it is about understanding”, and although she was referring to fashion, the art of skin care is about perpetual habits, regardless of the brand.
However, there is a trend that I do love called dermaplaning, which is an aesthetic procedure which gently removes the first few layers of the epidermis using a tool which resembles a scalpel. I am a huge advocate of exfoliation and this process is basically exfoliation on steroids! Like any procedure you invest money and time in, you should do your due diligence and ensure that your practitioner practices within the scope of their license. My new at-home obsession is my own version of dermaplaning, it involves an eyebrow shaping razor. I place the sanitized brow razor at a 45 degree angle on my clean, dry skin. I then carefully “shave” my skin, in the direction of the vellus hair growth using slow short strokes. I use retinoids up to five days a week, so I always have skin in need of exfoliation, and this at-home treatment works wonders for my skin; I do this twice per month.
Over the years that you have been working in the beauty industry, what major changes have you seen? Although I have seen a great deal of advancement in laser technology which can be game changing for those with severe skin issues, what is popular now are back-to-basics modalities such as microcurrent, for example. Microcurrent has always been an energy that I believe in. This energy has been around for decades, yet has been brought to life with the evolution of new at-home and professional grade skin devices. Gone are the days where women had to spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars to achieve the stimulating results of microcurrent. They can now purchase an FDA cleared device (at an affordable rate) and adopt the use of this modality at home. Click here to read an article about microcurrent.
What books are on your bedside table? I am a huge fan of WW2 historical fiction. Books like Once We Were Brothers and The Nightingale showcase a moment in time where people truly struggled to survive. These stories are humbling to me and inspire me to give back and help others. Which is why I donate permanent eyebrows to cancer survivors each year in October. I believe that it is my moral obligation to give back in the best way I know how and the gift of beauty is how I’ve been called to serve.
What do you do to relax? My bathtub is my happy place! One of my favorite treats to indulge myself with are luxurious products for my bath. The warm embrace of the water, the fragrant oils on my skin, and the delicious scent that fills my entire bedroom is such an amazing experience for me. A nightly bath is a treat I luxuriate in daily. I cannot live without my tub! For the record, extended time in hot water is extremely drying to the skin, which is why I always use oils to occlude my skin after my nightly soak. The light lipid layer left behind when an oil is applied, seals precious moisture in.
What category would you add to the Guide? I can't think of any!
MY TOP TIPS FOR BEAUTIFUL SKIN:
Always remove makeup before bed. Use a gentle makeup remover (like micellar water) prior to cleansing the face and neck.
Double cleanse the face and neck 2x per day (morning and night) using a milky or emollient cleanser that are mild and free of parabens. Refrain from using a foaming cleanser unless you have severe oily and/or acne prone skin. Foaming cleansers dry-out the skin, so I always recommend a more gentle version such as Cetaphil, which can be purchased at your local drugstore.
Use a tissue to dry the face after cleansing, never use a towel. A towel harbours bacteria which will contribute to breakouts. A tissue is a sanitary option to pat the skin dry after cleansing.
Tone after cleansing. Toning balances the skin’s pH to a healthy acidic level. Although I use Thayer’s Witch hazel, any brand is fine, as long as it does not contain alcohol.
Apply a quality vitamin C serum (like SkinCeuticals E & Ferulic) in the morning after toning. This is your morning treatment. When applied topically, vitamin C is an amazing anti oxidant which protects the mitochondria of the skin cells from free radical damage.
Apply a broad spectrum SPF (minimum 30) in the morning, after applying the vitamin C serum.
Apply a pea sized amount of retinol, retinaldehyde or retinoid up to 5 days per week. This is the method I use: Apply a pea size to the face and another pea size to the neck and decolletage. Take care of your neck and decolletage as consciously as you would the skin of your face. If you are new to using retinol, I suggest you start with an over the counter version once or twice per week, then slowly lean into using this nightly treatment up to 5 days a week. You want to offer your skin the opportunity to regenerate on its own, which is why I do not recommend using these products everyday. The goal is to eventually graduate to a medical grade retinol or a prescription retinoid, which can be blended with your favorite moisturizer to prevent common side effects like peeling.
Unless you have dry skin, it is not necessary to apply a face cream or moisturizer. I am, however, an advocate of nourishing the skin before bed to assist in its regeneration while you sleep. I personally use nourishing skin serums containing peptides, ceramides and hyaluronic acid after I apply my nightly retinoids. I then press a facial oil into my skin to seal it all in. I have been using Clarins Lotus Oil for 30 years, it’s my tried and true. I apply 2-3 drops into the palm of my hand, I gently rub my hands together to warm up the oil and then press the oil into my skin. This process locks-in all the nourishing products that I’ve just applied, it leaves my skin with a light layer of dew and the botanical aroma of this oil is incredibly therapeutic.
Apply an emollient and hydrating under eye cream every day, after applying the a.m. and p.m. treatment. The skin under the eyes is the thinnest skin of the body and is void of hair follicles, which contain and distribute sebum onto the skin (the sebaceous glands live within the hair follicles; sebum is the oil that nourishes and moisturizes the skin). This skin is thin, it is vulnerable to UV exposure and is often manipulated more than any other feature of the face. It is no wonder that the first signs of fine-line aging typically begin with the skin around the eyes.
From Rose Prieto: CARMITA’s FLAN
Flan is ubiquitous to the Cuban dessert table! This is one of the first recipes that my mother-in-law (Carmen) learned to make shortly after her 1956 wedding. To this day, it remains a family favorite!
1 12 oz. can of PET evaporated milk
1 14 oz. can of Magnolia sweetened condensed milk
14 oz of whole milk (use the empty sweetened condensed milk can to measure)
5 large eggs
1 tsp of vanilla
¾ cup of granulated sugar
In a rectangle or circular shaped aluminum or steel pan (do not use a non-stick pan), slowly melt the sugar over low heat, placing the pan directly onto the burner and keeping your eye on it to make sure it does not burn. Melt the sugar until it caramelizes and turns golden brown. Once the sugar melts, swirl it around the pan to ensure that the sides are well coated. Set the pan aside.
In a blender, add the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, eggs and vanilla and blend on high until all the ingredients are emulsified, about 10 minutes. Pour the liquid mixture into the pan over the melted sugar, and cover it tightly with foil. Place the covered pan in the middle of a 9x13 oven safe dish (filled halfway with water) and bake the covered flan in the bain marie at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean after inserted. Cool the baked flan in the fridge overnight, while still in its original pan. To serve, run a sharp knife around the perimeter of the pan, and invert the flan onto a serving platter, ensuring that all of the liquified sugar covers it generously.
“Although I am a beauty educator, I am also a student of the school for perpetual maintenance. I am forever learning, forever evolving...” - Rose Prieto
Anyone notice their neck recently? Well, I have and I am including this link from Rose’s Blog for your reading pleasure.
I am ending before the Question of the Week as I would rather have you read the above interview a few times. There is a lot to take in! I hope you all are well and getting vaccinated. Until next time,
Kim