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.
October 20, 2011
It’s party time! Saturday Oct 22 from 3-6. Bubbles, treats and discounts like never before. Stop by and see us.
October 18, 2011
I have made a point lately of telling my clients to just stay out of the beauty aisles. Whether it’s a grocery store, box store or big name department store, just stay away! My training as a professional esthetician allows me to advise you on what is best for your skin type as well as any conditions that you are experiencing. Trust me I will save you SOOOOO much money. I too used to be an impulse buyer, which is what the beauty industry is banking on. They spend millions of dollars every year on catchy phrases, lovely packaging and promises of the ever so sought after “fountain of youth” serum, cream or potion.
Go to your bathroom and count how many bottles, jars, etc. that you have purchased either online or in the stores that you tried once and never used again. Add up how much you have spent on wasted products that did nothing for you either because you did not use them or they gave you some strange reaction. I would bet you will find at least a hundred dollars’ worth of products sitting on your shelves without including makeup. How many of us have purchased make up, only to realize that they were the wrong color for us once we left the store.
If you are feeling like you need a little “something” for your skin just give me a call. I am happy to recommend a little something something for you to try. As for Make up, we will personally color match you and apply whatever you would like to try. We even recommend wearing it for the day before you commit. No pressure here, we just want you and your skin to be happy!
October 17, 2011
It’s officially fall today, 46 when I got up this morning and sunny and crisp right now. I had a new client this morning and when I asked if she is wearing sunscreen everyday said I only wear it when it is sunny!
I want to clarify a few misconceptions regarding UVA.
- It is approximately the same strength year round
- Is full strength year round
- Penetrates glass
- Is in fluorescent light bulbs
- Strong at any altitude
- Damages deeper in the skin than UVB
If you can change your mindset about sunscreen and think of it as anti-aging perhaps you won’t hesitate to use it daily!
October 15, 2011
Here are some crazy skin facts you can amaze your friends with at your next dinner party.
Did you know that your skin is the largest organ in your body? That it weighs approximately 7 lbs and is approximately 20 square feet? It contains approximately 25% of blood and 50% of your primary immune cells? That it takes in 2.5% if the body’s oxygen and releases 3% of carbon dioxide and produces hormones and enzymes? That it is alive up to the stratum corneum?
Now how cool is that? Just a few reasons you should treat it with care, it’s working really hard for you.
I want to share this lovely (handwritten) note that arrived in the mail this morning. This is just reason why we do what we do.
Dear Marywynn,
The facial experience with Casey was wonderful! I feel like my complexion is markedly improved from when I stopped in one week ago. Thank you so much. I never feel manipulated into buying products from you and I never regret spending the money on them. Hope to see you soon for a maintenance facial!
Take Care,
M.
