While the arrival of cooler weather marks the start of pumpkin spice, cozy meals, and the holiday season, the seasonal change can disrupt our skin’s balance, causing issues such as dullness, stubborn dryness, and an increase in breakouts, especially for those with combination skin.
Queens esthetician Priscila Pantosin is an expert in helping her clients bring out their best glow ever since she first started her business nearly three years ago in western Queens. Earlier this month, she expanded to a new studio in Astoria, called Cozy Studio, located at 42-16 28th Ave.
After suffering from severe acne throughout her teens, she tried a range of products and holistic treatments, but nothing seemed to work. A few years later, in 2016, her friend introduced her to Korean skin care products. Pantosin said she saw her skin clear up in a month. Years later, when she turned 30, she felt the urge to pursue a career that felt purposeful and made a meaningful impact on others. Her passion for skin care and her own personal struggles led her to esthetician school, and upon completing her training, she started her own business. Her newly expanded space in Astoria has offered even more opportunities to help others with a range of issues from acne to anti-aging.
She specializes in Korean skin care and offers a holistic approach for her clients’ needs, including a variety of facials and skin treatments, like dermaplaning, chemical peels, professional-grade K-beauty, and Korean lash lifts. Pantosin offered her expertise to help New Yorkers maintain their glow for the rest of the fall and upcoming winter months with a range of simple and helpful tips.
“’K’ beauty is different, because it focuses on [skin] barrier health and in Korea. It’s really ingrained as soon as you’re born,” said Pantosin. “It’s not even a luxury; everybody cares for their skin, and I really wish it could be like that here as well. I went to an esthetician school in Sunnyside, and the way that the U.S. is taught to care for skin is a lot of peels, microdermabrasion and aggressive treatments that just treat the skin. In Korea, they look at gut health and mental health, and a lot of their skin care products also use soothing ingredients, like beta-glucan, allantoin and centella asiatica.”
With the colder months, drier air and the use of heaters can exacerbate dry skin, and for those with combination skin, it can be challenging to find a balance between keeping the skin clear and avoiding dryness by using harsh products to prevent breakouts. In this instance, Pantosin recommends a product called mandelic acid serum, which is much gentler.
“I recommend Mandelic Acid for everyone, even if you have the driest, most sensitive skin, because it is super gentle,” said Pantosin. “It is derived from almonds, and there’s a brand called Hail and Hush; they have this beautiful serum called Mandelic serum. It contains 8% mandelic acid, which exfoliates the skin, brightens and is antibacterial, so it’ll help with breakouts. If you’re dealing with any hyperpigmentation, it also helps with that and is super gentle.”
For all skin types, Pantosin recommends a skin care routine that involves layering products, but also ensures the correct order of application to achieve optimal results.
“Especially when the air is so dry because of the heaters that we have, it’s important for everyone to focus on hydration and focus on layering correctly,” said Pantosin. “I always recommend washing your face with a gentle cleanser, and then you want to layer a toner, serum, and then a moisturizer, and that’s all you need. Sometimes people do like the 15-, 20-step routine, which is great, but a lot of the time you just need a good toner, serum, and moisturizer.”
Another great idea is to give double cleansing a try. While the trend has gained traction on TikTok, the concept is actually a legitimate way to properly cleanse the skin, as long as you’re using the right products for your skin type.
“I have been double cleansing since I discovered K beauty, and that is the one thing that I tell all my clients who want to glow up their skin,” said Pantosin. “Everyone has to double cleanse, especially when some of us wear makeup, and there’s pollution outside. I recommend cleansing once with a filmy cleanser; even a milky cleanser doesn’t get everything off, and oil attracts oil, so you also want to have a good oil cleanser that’s non-comedogenic. I highly recommend oil cleansing at least one minute a day, because when you’re oil cleansing, it’s kind of like passing the broom before you mop-it would be like your second cleanse, and that’s when you can go in with like a milky cleanser or a gel cleanser, something foamy that will fully take everything off.”
For those interested in visiting an esthetician but worried about letting someone else touch their skin or concerned about potential side effects, Pantosin suggests researching the esthetician thoroughly before booking an appointment and checking their work online.
“I would definitely say do your research,” said Pantosin. “I can personally tell a good aesthetician from an okay esthetician from seeing their posts, seeing their highlights, and their before and afters. When I see another esthetician post a before and after of a client, and I see details of what changed in the client’s routine, if she suggests lifestyle changes or food changes- I think that’s how you can see if you can trust this esthetician, other than them being just another skin influencer.”
To check out Cozy Studio or book an appointment, visit Priscila’s booking website or follow her at @cozystudio.nyc.
