February 17, 2012
You would be surprised at how many times we hear this question asked. Here are some examples of reasons you should consider giving us a call:
- A facial provides proper analysis of your skin and correct product recommendations
- It includes exfoliation which refines your skin’s texture allowing better product absorption
- It is Anti-Aging by combating the negative effects of sun exposure and incorrect product use
- Stress Reduction-
- Stress is quickly rising to number 1 in the premature aging process (sun exposure is #2)
- Stress is a rosacea trigger
- Stress lengthens wound healing by up to 30%
- Stress shortens the life span of your skin cells
- Stress increases your cortisol levels triggering inflammation in the skin — weakens the skins barrier—increases dryness and sensitivity
- Stress aggravates acne- increased inflammation
- Stress makes every skin condition worse
- Women are more susceptible to stress aging
- Education
- We explain how to care for your specific skin type and conditions you may be experiencing. We also discuss diet and how it can affect your skin.
January 25, 2012
Ok, who else has holiday face? Seems like everyone, ourselves included, had too many sweets, way too much rich food and not enough sleep for the past month. Now our skin is suffering.
Sugar alone can cause crazy amounts of damage to the skin. Glycation happens when your blood sugar goes up rapidly and it attaches to your collagen. It stiffens it and turns it brown like creme brulee. Glycation of the collagen fibers makes the skin stiff and inflexible. This in turn contributes to deep wrinkles that make you look old. It also drives up insulin levels which contribute to acne. Dairy also plays a role, increasing certain hormones, like androgen, also increases acne.
If you are puffy, irritated, congested and all around not happy with your skin, get in here for some skin intervention.
December 8, 2011
Last week a client asked for the perfect product she could give to her mother who lives in Arizona and her sister in Chicago. Without hesitation I handed her two jars of the Soothing Gelle Mask
This is my favorite go to mask for all skin types. It quickly delivers comforting moisture and repair-support to the skin in minutes. Great for wind burn, like Chicago or sunburn like Arizona. Rosacea prone, acne, stressed or irritated skin will all benefit from this lovely and easy to use mask.
We also have a new shipment of earrings, rings and of course gift certificates are always a great way to go. Feeling crunched for time? We can ship any of our amazing products for you.
November 21, 2011
We are often asked which is better, eye cream or eye gel. Around here we are quite obsessive when it comes to eye products. When testing a new product we use it on one eye, testing it against the Valmont Contour which we consider the mac daddy of eye creams. That way there is clear and visible proof of a difference.
Both creams and gels are effective at treating wrinkles. There are 2 main differences as I see it. First, eye gels are better at reducing puffiness and dark circles. Second, if you have really sensitive eyes gels work much better at not bleeding into your eyes.
So if you are 20 a light weigh lotion/cream is perfect, but upon hitting your 30′s you want to target the under eye area with a great gel. Once you hit your 40′s you may use both a gel and cream like I do. If you have any questions about which is better for you, ask at your next appointment.
November 20, 2011
Finding Your Correct Foundation Color:
When looking for a new makeup color I always recommend matching the neck and décolletage.
A lot of times our skin color varies between our face and the rest of our body. This is because our face receives the most sun (SPF!). So if you match your face and don’t check to make sure the color matches everything else it is very easy to end up with the dreaded “line” along the jawline.
When applying makeup, make sure to always blend your makeup down your neck as well. This will also help to ensure nice even coverage.
November 16, 2011
Ok this is true, this morning I awoke to three lovely pimples on my chin. I went to dinner with some girlfriends, had some salad, pizza and wine. Not sure if it is related as I assume it’s the crazy level of stress I am under.
Try following these steps and see if this helps expedite you healing process.
1. DON’T PICK!
2. Grab a cup of coffee..this makes everything better in my world.
3. Grab an ice cube or frozen bag of peas or whatever you have in the freezer and hold it on the pimple(s) for a few minutes to reduce the swelling and pain. Don’t pick!
4. Grab a topical that has anti-inflammatory properties, I use the Platinum Soothing Mask from Tu-el as my pimple cream. If you don’t have anything at home, wet a tea bag and apply it to the area and hold for a few minutes. I don’t like pimple creams with Salicylic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide, but if you respond well to those ingredients knock yourself out. Again don’t pick.
5. Repeat with the ice, tea and topical. Don’t pick.
6. Dab some concealer on it, I use the Susan Posnik colorflo powder trick. Don’t pick.
7. Do this again at your lunch break or whenever you can through out the day and again before you go to bed. Don’t pick, don’t pick and lastly….don’t pick!
My breakout tends to go away in 2 days. Treat your skin with gentle loving care, lots of anti-oxidants and clean food and water and it will heal much faster.
November 15, 2011
This is a great question. In a word the answer is yes.
Many of us who take care of our face tend to neglect our decollete and neck. Often when giving a facial I can feel a line of demarcation on the jawline, where the cleansing and exfoliation stop. Our skin shows signs of aging starting in our 30′s, one obvious sign is a wrinkled chest. I call it the tree, you know the one big wrinkle with several little shoots coming off in many directions.
The skin on our chest and neck have less sebaceous glands than our face, so already we have less oil. Even if we do put sunscreen on our face many of us, (including myself) didn’t extend it down as far as we needed to. Most neck neck creams are formulated a bit richer than face creams and tend to have better results in that delicate area. Consistent use will give you the best results long term.
When I wash my face at night with my Tu-el cleansing oil and herbalizer I make sure to wash my decollete and follow with my Valmont DNA repair serum and finish with the Valmont Neck Cream. We also carry a beautiful neck cream from Guinot that many of our clients are quite happy with as well.
During the day you must use your SPF all the way down, anywhere that is showing skin is where you should be applying your potions. Happy necking!
November 12, 2011
I had a client come in for her monthly facial today and tell me she loves how her skin is responding to the treatments and home care, but she really hates the extractions. She asked if we could possibly avoid them as they are painful and she is stressed and wanted to relax.
The short answer is of course we can. We have plenty of options in our treatments that can help do the work of pore cleansing. The results are not quite as effective but work none the less. In this case after her glycolic peel we used a purifying mask (she added on a collagen eye treatment) then a firming mask to finish.
She was thrilled and her skin looked fantastic. So lesson of the day, if you would rather not have extractions you don’t have to. Just let us know at your next appointment.
November 10, 2011
Just what the heck are antioxidants? In a nutshell a chemical compound or substance that inhibits oxidation, or a substance (like vitamin E or C) thought to protect cells from oxidation. What is oxidation? The combination of a substance (your skin cells) with oxygen. So antioxidant literally means to counteract oxidation. So what does that have to do with my facial?
When it comes to treating the skin, some of our favorite ingredients are antioxidants. Often when it comes to the treatment/mask portion of your facial, I will say this mask is like a huge vitamin pill for your skin. Most people are drifting off to la-la land at that point and ask later, now what was that you were saying about anti-oxidants?
There are 2 main types of antioxidants, direct and indirect. Direct antioxidants directly neutralize free radicals where as Indirect assist the cell in it’s own production of antioxidant enzymes.
In the skin antioxidants can soothe irritation, control sensitivity, firm, reduce sins of wrinkles, fight signs of acne, moisturize and soften dry skin. This is why we need antioxidants in our skincare. One of our favorites is the Crystal C Serum from Tu-el, not only does it contain Vitamin C, but it also has SOD (Superoxide Dismutase). SOD destroys lipid peroixde, which destroys the skins barrier. Do you see where this is going. ‘There is no one antioxidant that can do it all, you really need to use many as they all work differently.
Feel free to ask us what would be best for you on your next visit.
October 29, 2011
When applying blush it is very easy to end up with a line of color across your cheek bone. It may look nice from the front but from the side there is a very distinct line of makeup.
To avoid this I recommend only applying blush on the apple of the cheek and then blending with your fingers up and along the cheek bone. This way you still get the color and definition without the heaviness that using a blush brush would cause.
If you would like some help with application or color selection of blush, I would love to help.
