I've said it before and I will say it a million times, spending a fortune on skin care is unnecessary. It's tempting when we walk into a spa and see all the pretty shiny boxes and bottles lined up to think there has to be a miracle considering technology. But, with money for most being tighter than ever today what are you really purchasing? Are you purchasing the miracle cleanser or just the pretty packaging. Let's go over the little things that you might not realize could be the source of your skin problems and try to make keeping your skin healthy simple.
One of the most common problems I see are allergies to products. Cleansers with harsh detergents can aggravate the skin. If your cleanser has copious amounts of foam, it most likely contains sodium laurel sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate. These sulfates are inexpensive ingredients frequently used in toothpaste, soaps, shampoos, cleaning supplies, etc. These ingredients when applied to the skin can give that "squeaky clean" feeling also creating a tight feel to the skin. The reason your skin feels this way is because the sulfates have stripped the necessary lipids from your skin. Thus, causing possible dryness, breakouts, eczyma, etc.
*Using a cream or fat based cleanser helps to remove makeup better, give you a more effective yet gentle cleanse, and keep that protective lipid layer intact. It took me a bit to get used to a cleanser that didn't foam, but I must say my skin has forever changed. An oil based cleanser is great for anyone, even if you have breakouts. Remember oil is not bad! Oil keeps our skin hydrated, nourished and young!
We've talked about using scrubs, exfoliating, and touched the topic of peels. (We will get into peels more later) Over exfoliating can lead to injured skin. I see it all the time. This is why I love the Clarisonic Skin Care Brush! It's beeps to tell you to move on to another area of your skin so you don't over exfoliate. We tend to want to scrub our skin with products that are either too aggressive and use them for too long on our skin. Our skin just needs about a minute of daily gentle exfoliation.
More and more I see the use of Retinols, a form of vitamin A, on young and mature skin types. Which are great, retinols are proven to prevent fine lines and reduce wrinkles we already have, we just need to make sure to keep the percentage used topically low for younger skin. It's great for helping control acne, smooth down the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, or even be used as a wrinkle deterrent. Just be sure to use your sunscreen everyday!! And if you are getting waxed be sure to let the technician know you are using retinols and how often.
Many think that if they have oily skin a moisturizer isn't needed. I don't care what skin type you have, a good hydrator is a must. Most of them have nutrients that our skin needs after a good cleanse. It will also help with oil production believe it or not.
When we cleanse our skin, we have cleaned off the a lot of the oil that we need. Leaving our sebaceous glands, oil glands, to over produce compensating for what is lost. Thus leaving us even more oily in the long run. It's about finding what hydrator is going to work for your skin type.
Cleansing your skin after you wash out hair products out is a great guideline to follow. Most of our conditioners and other hair care products have coconut oil and other skin clogging ingredients that we don't want to leave on the skin.
Getting facials once a month with a knowledgeable and professional skin care therapist can be a great skin booster. Your skin takes an average of about 2-3 weeks to get used to a new product. So, if you breakout from a facial it could be from the product used or the extractions moving all the "junk" from under your skin up to the surface for clearer skin.
Sunscreen is huge. Even when you are working indoors the use of sunscreen is imperative. All the quick unprotected trips to the car and back add up! Tinted moisturizers are great too, but I still recommend a good SPF base. And always remember your neck and chest!
Tip: A great sunscreen I found and absolutely love, COOLA. It's organic, affordable, and doesn't feel greasy or leave a funky tint to my skin, try the cucumber face lotion.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Make-Up 101
I don't like rules, never have they always frustrate me. This is why makeup is so fun! There are no rules for makeup, just guidelines that you may choose to follow, manipulate, or go against completely. Makeup should be fun, not fascist.
As one of my heroes, Kevyn Aucoin said, "No matter how artistic a person is, without quality tools and products even a genius like Michelangelo would not have been able to paint the Sistine Chapel."
Now, I am not saying by any means that to achieve great makeup you need to go out and make an expensive purchase. It's about finding what works for you and accumulating what you like.
There is no "magic" makeup, it's all in the application. There are going to be cosmetic lines that you may have allergies to, don't like the way they go on, or just don't work for you. It's your choice.
In the next articles I am going to go over different looks you can easily create at home and what tools work best with what products. For today we are just going to go over different tricks and tips I have picked up and use to make your experience with makeup painless.
First things first, when you are doing your makeup a good tip is to start with your eyes. Especially if you are going to be using darker colors. Reason being, when you apply powders to the eye area we usually create a bit of a mess under our eyes. So, instead of perfecting everything, and having to wipe off the fabulous job we did with our concealer and blending because some darker powder fell where we didn't really want it, let's just make it easy and start with our eyes. *Mascara is last*
For all day wear with no creasing of our eyeshadow an eyeshadow primer really does the job. You will find your eyeshadow goes on truer to color and stays put all day! Also, using a powder as an eyeliner instead of a pencil, you will have little to no migration throughout your day as well. Pencils are made of wax, and wax combined with our body temperature melts, thus giving us "raccoon eyes". Powder can be used wet or dry depending on the look you are going to achieve.
So, our eyes are done except for mascara. The following area I like to work on is cleaning up the under eye with some makeup remover. Now, let's talk about concealer. With concealer I believe less is more, especially under the eye. We don't want to look like we caked everything on! Besides, we still have foundation to apply and that will cover as well. I apply concealer under eyes sparingly and I also conceal any blemishes or imperfections I want to cover up. A good guideline to follow is to also feather out the concealer so there is no hard line, this will help with your application of your next step.
Foundation! We are almost done!! When you are trying to find the right color for your foundation the best place to test is your jawline. Your wrist and your face don't match! Put a few different strips along your jaw, running from jawline to where your neck and jaw meet, and compare the colors to find the best suited color for you. Also, when the seasons change you might want to double check and make sure your skin and foundation are still matching. Try not using a foundation color too dark or too light in comparison to your actual skin color, there is always bronzer.
Starting the application from the center of our face and blending out towards our ears and also, make sure you don't forget your neck!
Now, we are ready for our final touches. This is when I like to fill in the brows with some powder if they need it and apply my blush.
There are no rules for where your blush should go. Another common misconception. I use my blush as a bronzer, I apply it where ever the sun would kiss us. Cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. Some like their blush on the apples of their cheeks and others like applying it just below. It's up to you, be creative!
You can curl your eyelashes if you like, or you can just go ahead and apply your mascara. I like to start on the bottom lashes first and then do the top. Reason being, when you apply mascara to the bottom lashes we typically look up. So, if you already had mascara on your top lashes you might get left with little dots on your eyelid.
And, last but not least, lips. They come in all different shapes, sizes and colors. This part is completely up to you and your look. If you want to line them, go for it. If you want lipstick go for it. Or, gloss 'em up!
I want you to always keep in mind that these are steps that I like to follow. They make my applications easier and faster. If you find something that works better for you, great! Share it with me, maybe I can use it too.
Whatever you do , don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. Keep it fun, creative and easy!
As one of my heroes, Kevyn Aucoin said, "No matter how artistic a person is, without quality tools and products even a genius like Michelangelo would not have been able to paint the Sistine Chapel."
Now, I am not saying by any means that to achieve great makeup you need to go out and make an expensive purchase. It's about finding what works for you and accumulating what you like.
There is no "magic" makeup, it's all in the application. There are going to be cosmetic lines that you may have allergies to, don't like the way they go on, or just don't work for you. It's your choice.
In the next articles I am going to go over different looks you can easily create at home and what tools work best with what products. For today we are just going to go over different tricks and tips I have picked up and use to make your experience with makeup painless.
First things first, when you are doing your makeup a good tip is to start with your eyes. Especially if you are going to be using darker colors. Reason being, when you apply powders to the eye area we usually create a bit of a mess under our eyes. So, instead of perfecting everything, and having to wipe off the fabulous job we did with our concealer and blending because some darker powder fell where we didn't really want it, let's just make it easy and start with our eyes. *Mascara is last*
For all day wear with no creasing of our eyeshadow an eyeshadow primer really does the job. You will find your eyeshadow goes on truer to color and stays put all day! Also, using a powder as an eyeliner instead of a pencil, you will have little to no migration throughout your day as well. Pencils are made of wax, and wax combined with our body temperature melts, thus giving us "raccoon eyes". Powder can be used wet or dry depending on the look you are going to achieve.
So, our eyes are done except for mascara. The following area I like to work on is cleaning up the under eye with some makeup remover. Now, let's talk about concealer. With concealer I believe less is more, especially under the eye. We don't want to look like we caked everything on! Besides, we still have foundation to apply and that will cover as well. I apply concealer under eyes sparingly and I also conceal any blemishes or imperfections I want to cover up. A good guideline to follow is to also feather out the concealer so there is no hard line, this will help with your application of your next step.
Foundation! We are almost done!! When you are trying to find the right color for your foundation the best place to test is your jawline. Your wrist and your face don't match! Put a few different strips along your jaw, running from jawline to where your neck and jaw meet, and compare the colors to find the best suited color for you. Also, when the seasons change you might want to double check and make sure your skin and foundation are still matching. Try not using a foundation color too dark or too light in comparison to your actual skin color, there is always bronzer.
Starting the application from the center of our face and blending out towards our ears and also, make sure you don't forget your neck!
Now, we are ready for our final touches. This is when I like to fill in the brows with some powder if they need it and apply my blush.
There are no rules for where your blush should go. Another common misconception. I use my blush as a bronzer, I apply it where ever the sun would kiss us. Cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. Some like their blush on the apples of their cheeks and others like applying it just below. It's up to you, be creative!
You can curl your eyelashes if you like, or you can just go ahead and apply your mascara. I like to start on the bottom lashes first and then do the top. Reason being, when you apply mascara to the bottom lashes we typically look up. So, if you already had mascara on your top lashes you might get left with little dots on your eyelid.
And, last but not least, lips. They come in all different shapes, sizes and colors. This part is completely up to you and your look. If you want to line them, go for it. If you want lipstick go for it. Or, gloss 'em up!
I want you to always keep in mind that these are steps that I like to follow. They make my applications easier and faster. If you find something that works better for you, great! Share it with me, maybe I can use it too.
Whatever you do , don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. Keep it fun, creative and easy!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The Clarisonic Skin Care Brush
Let me just start out by saying this is the most effective tool anyone can use daily for superior cleansing and exfoliating. I have been an avid Clarisonic user and promoter for about the past 4 years. My own skin care routine, along with my clients, has forever changed.
This brush can be used with just about any skin type, in fact there are many dermatologists that recommend or should I say prescribe it for even the most sensitive of skin! (i.e. seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea and acne)
From the makers of the Sonicare toothbrush, the Clarisonic has revolutionized the skin care industry. I like to say that clean skin is the most important part of any routine, it's always the first step to healthy skin. But, we also need to take a look at how clean we are getting our skin.
Just using your hands to "scrub" your skin doesn't effectively remove or help dislodge dirt and oil from all those little pores and wrinkles. There are so many free radicals in our air today constantly attacking and creating a mess of our skin.
What sets this brush apart from all the others sounding so similar on the market today?
The Clarisonic uses technology to effectively yet gently enough loosen dirt and oil to help give you that deeper cleanse! They use a patented sonic frequency of more than 300 movements per second. Clarisonic even did a study and found that in 60 seconds this micro-massage action within this brush:
Many spas, skin care therapists and dermatologists have jumped on the band wagon going as far as using the Clarisonic in their facial treatments. They are finding that peels, masks and other treatments are more effective in the treatment room.
I always give my clients the feel test. I do a cleanse have them feel their skin, and then on the second cleanse I use the Clarisonic have them take another feel and they all have the same reaction, "It's so soft!"
I know it is a pricey investment, but it's an investment for a healthy, smooth, glowing skin! You will find that your makeup goes on better, your breakouts will subside, your overall texture will be improved... How much better does it get!
Tip: When switching over to a new product your skin needs approximately 2-3 weeks to adjust.
*most of my stats are from Clarisonic themselves! Check them out!
This brush can be used with just about any skin type, in fact there are many dermatologists that recommend or should I say prescribe it for even the most sensitive of skin! (i.e. seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea and acne)
From the makers of the Sonicare toothbrush, the Clarisonic has revolutionized the skin care industry. I like to say that clean skin is the most important part of any routine, it's always the first step to healthy skin. But, we also need to take a look at how clean we are getting our skin.
Just using your hands to "scrub" your skin doesn't effectively remove or help dislodge dirt and oil from all those little pores and wrinkles. There are so many free radicals in our air today constantly attacking and creating a mess of our skin.
What sets this brush apart from all the others sounding so similar on the market today?
The Clarisonic uses technology to effectively yet gently enough loosen dirt and oil to help give you that deeper cleanse! They use a patented sonic frequency of more than 300 movements per second. Clarisonic even did a study and found that in 60 seconds this micro-massage action within this brush:
- Removes 6x more makeup than manual cleansing
- Improves the appearance of your skin tone including fine lines, wrinkles and pore size
- Allows for better penetration of products allowing them to work as they should
- Helps with skin sensitivities twice as effectively as manual cleansing
- Allows a closer longer lasting shave
Many spas, skin care therapists and dermatologists have jumped on the band wagon going as far as using the Clarisonic in their facial treatments. They are finding that peels, masks and other treatments are more effective in the treatment room.
I always give my clients the feel test. I do a cleanse have them feel their skin, and then on the second cleanse I use the Clarisonic have them take another feel and they all have the same reaction, "It's so soft!"
I know it is a pricey investment, but it's an investment for a healthy, smooth, glowing skin! You will find that your makeup goes on better, your breakouts will subside, your overall texture will be improved... How much better does it get!
Tip: When switching over to a new product your skin needs approximately 2-3 weeks to adjust.
*most of my stats are from Clarisonic themselves! Check them out!
To Exfoliate or Not to Exfoliate? That is the Question!
Scrubs are an important part of our skin care routine. New skin cells are created every 30 days in the lowest layer of our skin, the dermis. Over time our skin cells begin to move to the surface of our skin and become more acidic and within time become keratinized. Which is what protects us from environmental elements. As we get older our skin cells metabolize slower and uneven which gives the skin a rough and dry feel. By exfoliating we can remove the outer most layer and reveal the new smooth skin beneath. This removal of the outer layer also helps to unclog pores, keep our skin clean, can help reduce acne breakouts, and even get a closer shave.
But, what scrub is best suited for your skin type? Is Organic better than Synthetic? How often should a scrub be used? When should it be used?
These are all common questions we all ask ourselves when shopping around for an exfoliate. I always thought an Organic scrub has to be better than Synthetic, but found that my skin seems to know otherwise.
First, lets talk about the 2 different types of exfoliation we can achieve. There's mechanical which involves the physical use of an abrasive element against the skin. Some examples are microfiber cloths, micro-bead facial scrubs, crushed nut shells, sugar or salt, sponges, brushes, micro dermabrasion, etc.
Then, we have chemical exfoliation which can be used alone or in combination with an abrasive matter. Usually containing salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, fruit enzymes, citric acid, or malic acid. It may also involve the use of Alpha-Hydroxy Acid (AHA) or Beta-Hyrdoxy Acids (BHA) which can be applied by your dermatologist or be purchased at lower concentrations over the counter for use at home.
Now, I have found that when exfoliating at home using a scrub with synthetic beads works better on my skin than crushed nuts. Typically the beads as you scrub have some type of oil (jojoba is the most common) inside them, and as they break down the oil is then released to provide moisture and more importantly providing glide on the skin. Friction and pulling too harshly on your skin can promote breakouts, premature wrinkles and just irritated skin.
I have also found that though the use of salicylic acid is great for inflammation and reducing redness moderation is always best. Which brings me to the next question, how often?
Always consult with your physician or skin care therapist for best results.
A scrub should always be used after cleansing the skin. In fact I will go as far to say that I believe a good cleansing should be done before anything we do to our skin.
Exfoliation also allows for better penetration of other products we apply to our skin. Don't forget there is such a thing as over doing it too, your skin will feel overly sensitive and dry.
Tip: Always remember whatever you do to your face, should be done to your neck and chest! You don't want to have a beautiful youthful smooth face and a wrinkled neck!
But, what scrub is best suited for your skin type? Is Organic better than Synthetic? How often should a scrub be used? When should it be used?
These are all common questions we all ask ourselves when shopping around for an exfoliate. I always thought an Organic scrub has to be better than Synthetic, but found that my skin seems to know otherwise.
First, lets talk about the 2 different types of exfoliation we can achieve. There's mechanical which involves the physical use of an abrasive element against the skin. Some examples are microfiber cloths, micro-bead facial scrubs, crushed nut shells, sugar or salt, sponges, brushes, micro dermabrasion, etc.
Then, we have chemical exfoliation which can be used alone or in combination with an abrasive matter. Usually containing salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, fruit enzymes, citric acid, or malic acid. It may also involve the use of Alpha-Hydroxy Acid (AHA) or Beta-Hyrdoxy Acids (BHA) which can be applied by your dermatologist or be purchased at lower concentrations over the counter for use at home.
Now, I have found that when exfoliating at home using a scrub with synthetic beads works better on my skin than crushed nuts. Typically the beads as you scrub have some type of oil (jojoba is the most common) inside them, and as they break down the oil is then released to provide moisture and more importantly providing glide on the skin. Friction and pulling too harshly on your skin can promote breakouts, premature wrinkles and just irritated skin.
I have also found that though the use of salicylic acid is great for inflammation and reducing redness moderation is always best. Which brings me to the next question, how often?
Always consult with your physician or skin care therapist for best results.
- If you have Sensitive Skin or what I like to call Reactive Skin, I would say using a scrub with synthetic beads about once to twice a week would be great. Make sure it's gentle! BHA's are great for this skin type as well.
- If you have Normal Skin once to twice a week would be great for you too! You could even mix it up with an enzyme treatment every once in a while.
- Combination Skin or Undecided Skin types really do well with exfoliation! Helps to keep that skin clear of trouble. You could probably exfoliate with a VERY gentle exfoliate ever day to every other day. This is my skin type and I use the Clarisonic skin care brush twice a day everyday. I could go on for days about that brush, we'll leave that for another blog!
- Acne Prone Skin, this skin type is angry. If you think about anger it's red, swollen, upset, and will not listen! The best type of exfoliation for this skin type is Chemical, definitely. Using an abrasive scrub is, well... Abrasive! It can spread the bacteria and cause more damage than good. Using an Alpha Hydroxy or even Beta Hydroxy topical is the most beneficial. Depending on the severity of the acne and the strength of the acid(s) applied this could be done as often as every day to once a month.
A scrub should always be used after cleansing the skin. In fact I will go as far to say that I believe a good cleansing should be done before anything we do to our skin.
Exfoliation also allows for better penetration of other products we apply to our skin. Don't forget there is such a thing as over doing it too, your skin will feel overly sensitive and dry.
Tip: Always remember whatever you do to your face, should be done to your neck and chest! You don't want to have a beautiful youthful smooth face and a wrinkled neck!
Monday, December 8, 2008
10 Good Reasons for Permanent Makeup
- Convenience - you just need more time
- Allergies - to ordinary make-up, you may have sensitive skin
- Eye Issues - wear glasses or contact lenses, had lasik surgery, eyes constantly water
- Arthritis - painful hands
- Difficulty - seeing, applying make-up or you don't like the way it smears & disappears
- Aging - changes in lips, brows, eyes
- Active - Outdoor lifestyles
- Natural - if you like a no make-up look and want to enhance features
- Lost Hair - you've lost hair from alopecia, chemotherapy, accidents, burns, or cosmetic surgery
- Replacement - of skin color where cosmetic tattooing can help
Saturday, December 6, 2008
What is Permanent Make-Up?
Permanent cosmetic make-up is the art and science of implanting color into your skin. It's about putting the right color in the right place so you can look better naturally!Specialized instruments allow your practitioner to place color into the layer of the skin known as the dermis.
Because the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis, is always shedding and renewing itself, you are looking at color through a thin veil of skin. When your procedure is completed, the color will appear darker than the final result. This is because the color is in BOTH the epidermis and the dermis. The color in the top layer will flake off during the healing process.
Because the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis, is always shedding and renewing itself, you are looking at color through a thin veil of skin. When your procedure is completed, the color will appear darker than the final result. This is because the color is in BOTH the epidermis and the dermis. The color in the top layer will flake off during the healing process.
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