You only get one face and it will inevitably show signs of wear and tear. What starts off as smooth, buttery soft skin quickly starts changing as the result of sun, stress and the passage of time. Some people start caring for their skin early while others wait until there is a problem they can no longer ignore. Aestheticians see it all.

“The skin on your face shouldn’t be a luxury,” said Rachel Lee Lozina, an aesthetician and the owner of Blue Water Spa in Long Island, New York. “It’s the first thing that everybody sees and is more important than any handbag, jacket or shoes you’ll ever buy in your life because, at the end of the day, those items are not going to last you.”

We talked to top aestheticians from around the country to learn what they can tell about us based on the state of our skin ― and what we should know about how to care for our skin at home.

Aestheticians start sizing you up, and developing a treatment plan, as soon as you walk through the door.

Emma Smith, a licensed aesthetician at Glowbar (a no-frills facial studio in New York and Connecticut) told us she first notices a client’s “demeanor and how they treat the front desk staff.” However, no matter how unpleasant someone may be, Smith says that “everyone gets the same love” and their treatment isn’t affected.

Lozina said when clients arrive she sees “how put together they are, what kind of handbag they’re wearing.” These things tell her “how focused they are about their appearance and how they want to be perceived,” she said. Clients that dress nicely “are a little bit more focused on their appearance,” while clients who show up late or “sloppy” indicate that “their commitment level” to their appearance isn’t as high, she added. Knowing this is important to Lozina, who said, “If they don’t have the commitment to their own skin care routine at home, then their outcome will not be as great as I would hope for.”

Elizabeth Moran, an aesthetician and adviser to Droplette, a smart skin care device, says she notices right away how her clients carry themselves. “If someone’s skin is radiant and glowing, their body language will reflect that. If someone is dealing with a skin condition, they tend to walk with their head down, and generally, we can tell that they are not their most confident selves,” she said.

Aestheticians typically ask about concerns and skin care routines to be sure they address their clients’ individual needs.

However, they usually need more than basic information. Emily Trampetti, an aesthetician and founder of Skin Property Virtual Esthetics, told us, “The best types of aestheticians will act as a sleuth when it comes to skin. You have to uncover all the facts to get the whole story.”

“For example, if they are dealing with adult acne,” she said, referring to clients, “I might inquire more into their medications, gut health, stress levels and current regimen.” Knowing what is causing an issue is essential to figuring out the right treatment plan.

Crystal Shaffer, an aesthetician at Exhale Med Spa in Little Rock, Arkansas, learns a lot by listening to how her clients answer questions. “Are they expressing that they are feeling self-conscious or uncomfortable? They might have a concern that is really bothering them not just physically, but mentally and emotionally,” she said.

Lozina gains a lot of insight by observing her clients. “If they chronically apologize for small, insignificant things, it tells me they have some low self-esteem issues they need to work on,” she said. Clients who overshare or talk too much “don’t feel really comfortable with themselves as a person because they are not allowing themselves to just be present and take care of themselves,” Lozina explained.

Anna Hall, the head aesthetician for Argentta Spa at The Watergate Hotel, says clients with the best skin cleanse their skin twice a day, exfoliate and moisturize. She can also tell who uses effective, high-quality products and SPF by the state of their skin.

According to Taylor Worden, an aesthetician and founder of Taylor Worden Skin, clients with problematic skin tend to “try the hot new product instead of sticking to their protocol.” Shaffer said that “clients who have the worst skin typically use poor-quality products, wear too much makeup, use dirty makeup brushes or sleep in their makeup.” Those with the worst skin are usually “not drinking enough water, eating junk food, or getting too much sun exposure,” she added.

Trampetti adds that she can tell if someone smokes, drinks too much alcohol or caffeine, isn’t getting enough sleep, or is experiencing a lot of stress by the condition of their skin.

Trampetti encounters many clients who have unrealistic expectations about what an aesthetician can achieve. ”There is a huge disconnect about what is and isn’t realistic when it comes to skin goals. Media, filters, advertising and celebrity Photoshop have warped our expectations when it comes to what healthy skin looks like,” she said. “I have people come in and say they can see their pores. Of course they can. Pores are human and some of us just have bigger ones genetically than others.”

Hall has to tell her clients that there aren’t any quick fixes. Most people’s skin concerns can’t be addressed with one facial or treatment. Instead, clients who want better skin “need to be dedicated to a series of treatments, and most importantly” a home skin care routine, she said.

Trampetti stresses that the single best thing everyone can do for their skin is to wear sunscreen. “Sunscreen is not seasonal. Every day it should be applied, no excuses,” she said.

Another important step everyone can take? “Get off Google, TikTok and Instagram,” Trampetti said. Hall has similar advice. She stresses that influencers “are not professionals” and often give misinformation.

Many aestheticians also want everyone to know that it’s OK to keep things simple. “It’s quality over quantity,” said Colleen Carey, an aesthetician and founder of Skin Rx. Trampetti agrees and recommends consistency “with a bare minimum routine: cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen” to get great results.

Heeding the advice of your dermatologist, you stop by the drugstore to restock on sunscreen before heading out for a day of summer fun in the sun. But in the sun care aisle, you notice something. There are the usual bottles of sunscreen you know and love. But there are also bottles of sunscreen specifically for your face — bottles that are much smaller with a much heftier price tag.

Can’t you just use body sunscreen on your face? Do you actually need separate sunscreens for your face and for your body? Or is it just a marketing tactic to encourage consumers to buy an additional product?

HuffPost spoke to two board-certified dermatologists and a cosmetic chemist to get their expert opinions, and to learn the difference between facial and body sunscreens.

“Most sunscreens, whether for face or body, are formulated with similar ingredient profiles,” said Dr. Angela Casey, an Ohio-based board-certified dermatologist.

So, it may stand to reason that if a product is OK to use on your body, it must be OK for your face, right? It’s important to keep in mind that the skin on your face is not the same as the skin on your body. This is why we see so many brands offer separate products for the face and body.

“Skin on the face is thinner than on the body, so it needs more protection,” explained Ginger King, a cosmetic chemist and president of Grace Kingdom Beauty.

Cosmetic chemists help provide the brains behind your favorite skin care formulations. They work to ensure that skin care products are not only effective, but also maintain their efficacy for months after they are opened.

But certain challenges can arise when formulating a product for the face.

“Sunscreen for the face will be more expensive to formulate than for the body,” King said. “Face sunscreen cannot be too greasy or leave too much of a white cast.”

Additionally, specific needs for the face (such as making a formula that doesn’t burn your eyes), as well as customer preferences, need to be taken into account.

“Oftentimes, facial sunscreens are formulated to absorb and blend easily without being too oily,” explained Dr. Elaine Kung, a New York-based board-certified dermatologist and founder of Future Bright Dermatology. “It’s common to find silica or tapioca starch in facial sunscreens because they absorb oil. Sometimes, facial sunscreens also contain skin-beneficial and anti-aging ingredients.”

The physical differences between the face and body also account for why face sunscreens are more expensive and are usually packaged in smaller containers than those for the body.

“The care area is different,” King said. “It takes a lot more sunscreen to cover the body than the face. Sunscreens also have an expiration date of one year, so a smaller size for face sunscreens makes more sense.”

The smaller size of face sunscreens also makes them easier to carry when you need to reapply on the go.

If you’re at the beach, are fresh out of your favorite face sunscreen and only have a body sunscreen on hand, can you use it on your face?

“A body sunscreen is always better than no sunscreen at all,” Casey said. “If that’s all you have, use it on all sun-exposed skin, including your face.”

While body sunscreen can provide protection, it’s better to invest in a separate face sunscreen if you can afford one — especially if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin.

Many body sunscreens may contain ingredients like coconut esters or shea butter. According to Kung, these ingredients give body sunscreen a slicker finish, but they may not be beneficial for some people’s faces.

“For people who have acne-prone skin, it’s best to avoid sunscreens that have jojoba oil, shea butter, coconut esters, silicones, or waxes,” Kung explained.

And what about the opposite? Is it OK to use face sunscreen on the body?

“In all honesty, you can use facial sunscreen on the body and body sunscreen on the face,” Kung said. The formulations generally contain similar ingredients and both are effective in their intended use ― providing protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays. But with the high cost of most facial sunscreens, it’s best to only use it on the body if you’re in a bind.

And if you have a tinted mineral sunscreen, it’s best to try to keep it away from your clothes.

“Tinted sunscreens are wonderful for the face,” Casey said. “But similar to a concealer or foundation, the sunscreen’s tint can rub onto your clothes if you apply it too far down your neck.”

With all the different types of products available, what types of face sunscreen do dermatologists recommend?

“People often like chemical sunscreens because they are easier to blend into the skin,” Kung said. “The caveat is that mineral sunscreens are still more recommended for people with sensitive skin, who often get rashes.”

Chemical sunscreens use active ingredients like avobenzone, oxybenzone and octinoxate to absorb the sun’s UV rays and convert them to heat. Mineral sunscreens use active ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to protect the skin from UV rays by forming a physical barrier. This is why mineral sunscreens are also referred to as “physical sunscreens.”

As the active ingredients for mineral sunscreens tend to be gentler on the skin, using a mineral sunscreen instead of a chemical one is helpful to avoid the dreaded stinging that comes with using sunscreen close to the eyes.

“Users can also consider a sunscreen that has been formulated for eye skin in mind,” Kung said. “A good pair of sunglasses would be an alternative for using sunscreen directly on the eyelids for people with sensitive eyes and eyelids.”

And for those who spend much of their day in front of a screen, Casey noted that there is an additional benefit to using mineral sunscreens, particularly if they are tinted.

“Tinted sunscreens have iron oxide, which protects against blue light in addition to UV light,” Casey said. Blue light is emitted from the screens of electronics, such as phones, laptops, and tablets, and has been shown to cause skin damage.

Another reason many dermatologists also tend to recommend mineral sunscreens over chemical sunscreens is that the UV-blocking ingredients in mineral sunscreens tend to be more shelf-stable than their chemical counterparts.

“Chemical UV filters degrade more quickly than zinc and titanium oxide,” Kung said. “It’s more difficult to ensure the accurate shelf-life of chemical sunscreens, as storage during transport can also affect the longevity of sunscreens.”

This summer, be sure to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen that is at least 30 SPF, according to guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology Association. Apply at least 1/2 teaspoon to your face and 1 ounce (about a full shot glass) to your bod, and reapply at least every two hours while in the sun.

And when choosing a sunscreen, whether for your face or your body, always check to make sure it protects against UVA and UVB rays.

“To really get the benefits of sunscreen, consumers need both UVA and UVB protection to prevent aging from UVA rays as well as from sunburns and cancer from UVB rays,” King said.

And lastly, it’s important to make sure that any bare patch of skin is properly protected when you’re in the sun.

“Make sure to rub in your sunscreen all the way to the hairline and around the mouth, neck, and ears to get full coverage,” Casey said. “I see way too many skin cancers along the hairline of women because they don’t get the sunscreen close enough to the hair.”