Getting Back At It!

I've been thinking about this blog for a while and I totally miss adding to it.  I love science and I love the science that goes hand in hand with skin care, products, ingredients, affects to our skin, what works and what doesn't work, and beauty!  So here it is, I'm now recommitting myself to it.  I hope I can provide good and interesting info for you.  Please feel free to contact me, comment, and let me know if you have questions, or comments for me.  I love hearing from you.

DIY Salt & Sugar Scrubs

So, I have been using home made scrubs for years now and I LOVE what they do for my skin.  I love that they're somewhat cheap.  I love that I know what goes into them, they're natural, and they feel soooo good!

Why Salt/Sugar Scrubs Work

Salt/Sugar scrubs exfoliate the skin. The gentle abrasive action scrubs away dead skin cells, revealing the softer skin underneath. Exfoliation helps prevent ingrown hairs, allows moisturizer to penetrate more easily, and gives skin a rosy glow.

Selecting Your Salt

The salt for your scrub doesn't have to be fancy. For a basic salt scrub, you can use simple table salt! For a more luxurious feel, choose a finely textured sea salt, which you can find at the grocery store. You can also find packages of dead sea salts or other bath salts at beauty and cosmetics stores, or even in the bath aisle at the drugstore. You may need to grind these salts for a finer consistency. Kosher salt, with grains a little larger than regular table salt, works too. And it's extremely affordable.

White sugar and brown sugar both work wonders as well, and are both good for sensitive skin.  It's a little less abrasive than salt and it's more moisturizing as well.

Choosing Your Oil

You can use just about any oil in your scrub recipe. Which one to choose depends on what consistency you want, how long you need to store your scrub, and how you want it to look and smell.

Almond oil is delicate and smells great, but it spoils quickly. Don't use it if your scrub is going to sit around for a while, or if you're planning to give it as a gift.
Olive oil will keep longer, but feels "oilier."
Canola oil isn't fancy, but it works.
Massage oils are made specifically for use on the skin. Choose one with a scent you like, or choose an unscented one and add a few drops of essential oil.
Other options include sweet almond oil, sunflower oil, grape seed oil, jojoba oil… essentially, whatever strikes your fancy. You may need to experiment to find out what makes the best-feeling scrub for you. One to avoid is mineral oil, which won't work as well and can even clog pores.


Adding Scent to Your Scrub Recipe

I am in love with essential oils.  They are so nourishing and loving, depending on your need, you can find one that will make you feel like a million bux! One of the pleasures of a scrub is that is leaves your skin not just soft and smooth, but smelling great. When you create your own scrub, you can mix in whatever scents you choose.

Essential oils add a strong scent with just a few drops. These oils are available in a wide range of choices, including almond, citrus, mint, and floral scents.
Lemon, lime, or orange peel can add a citrus scent.  My favorite is Lavender for bedtime scrubs, and lemongrass for morning scrubs.

Other Ingredients

Some scrub recipes call for other ingredients to add to the texture or appearance. Options include:

ground almonds, which help with exfoliation
oatmeal, which is thought to soothe sensitive skin
cornmeal, another exfoliant
coffee grounds, also an exfoliant
glycerin soap, to give a smoother texture and make the oil easier to wash away
dried herbs, for a fresh scent and a fancier look.

How to Make a Bath Scrub

The basic recipe for a salt scrub is easy.

One cup salt, sugar, or brown sugar
One cup oil
A few drops of scent
For a firmer, less runny scrub, try two parts salt/sugar to one part oil, and then add oil to reach the consistency you want. Don't be surprised if the salt and oil separate. Just stir them back together before you use the scrub.

You only need four or five drops of scented essential oil. Too much will irritate your skin. You can mix and match scents, if you want. Try citrus and mint, ginger and lime, apricot and almond, or whatever sounds good to you.

Adding Extras
Adding another exfoliant, such as oatmeal or cornmeal, requires cutting back on the salt/sugar or adding a bit more oil. Try a quarter-cup of your second exfoliant for each cup of salt/sugar. Different recipes call for different amounts of soap. Some add one tablespoon per cup of salt. Others add more, sometimes replacing some of the oil. Try a quarter-cup of soap for each cup of salt/sugar, cutting the oil back to 3/4 cup. Then alter the proportions until you get a texture you like.

Using Your Scrub

To use your scrub, simply rub it gently onto your skin before you shower. It should feel rough, but not painful. Don't scrub too hard or too long: you just want to rub away the dead skin cells, not the entire top layer of skin.

Be careful in the tub, because the oil will make your bathtub slippery. After you're finished, shower as usual, then apply a gentle moisturizer. Your skin should feel soft and fresh, with a hint of the fragrance you chose.

There it is.  I hope you find this inspiring and go out and make your own.  Try it and let me know what you think about your skin afterwards.  :)

Fabulously Festive Fall Face

I wanted to do a post on the make up I'm currently using, and the colors and products that are fresh for fall trends.  I like to think I use a good mix of product types and prices, and hopefully I can inspire you to try some of my favorites!

The first thing I start out with (after a good moisturizer primer and SPF), is the NeoStrata Exuviance Skin Caring Foundation SPF 15 True Beige.

This product is a light to medium all day coverage, that adds a natural light diffusing look.  It builds the health of the skin while providing a light moisturizer.  I love it!  I've been using this product for about 5 years now and I've always gotten compliments on my skin.

Because of the discoloration and pigmentation of my skin from acne scarring and sun damage, I layer my liquid foundation with concealer and also powder mineral foundation.



My favorite concealer has got to be the Smashbox Camera Ready Full Coverage Concealer #2 Light Ivory.

This is a vitamin infused portable fix-it stick.  It contains soft finish powder to minimize imperfections like fine lines and wrinkles, and keep your skin looking younger.  It is a natural yet buildable coverage.  I use it to cover under eye circles or puffiness, laugh lines, and any other discoloration on my cheeks and forehead.


Next, I use the beingTRUE Protective Mineral Foundation SPF 17 Powder.

This mineral foundation is formulated with the finest minerals.  It creates a perfect dewy glow, that looks as if your face is being lit from within.  Makes your skin look so healthy and beautiful!

If I still have stubborn spots or acne that is still red or discolored, I use a sponge to spot apply.  This works amazing if you've never tried it.  And then I lightly apply the powder foundation to the rest of my face with the beingTRUE Mineral Foundation Brush




The blush I'm currently using right now is the Laura Geller Blush-N-Brighten Roseberry.

This is a baked blush which contains very rich pigments and marbleized with different tones, and silky soft powder create a very soft glow.  A little goes a long way with this blush, and this compact literally lasts six months to a year depending on how pink you like your cheeks.








My eyes change almost on a daily basis!  There are a few go-to shadows and eyeliners that I've been using...but for fall, I recommend just warming things up a little, and depending on what colors you're wearing... nudes, browns, and pinks are huge right now!

These are the items in my bag right now!

Maybelline Unstoppable Smudge-Proof, Stay-Put, Water-Proof Eyeliner Cinnabar

I've been using this color for quite a while with soft warm browns and cream colors.  It creates soft dramatic look when used on the water line.











L'Oreal Extra Intense Liquid Eyeliner Pencil Black

Great for creating a sharp edge on the water line when wearing a smokey look!  And it stays strong all day!











Almay Satin intense i-color satin-i kit for Hazels

I'm particularly fond of the creamy highlighter and also the brown in this compact.  This is one I've used for years....and keep going back to as a daily natural yet done up look!  It's great with the Maybelline Cinnibar eye liner!  Once in a while when I'm feeling particularly pink...I'll go for the PINK in this compact!  It's also great for those with sensitive eyes!







Maybelline EyeStudio Color Plush Silk EyeShadow in Copper Chic

When I first bought this color last fall, I fell in love with the shimmering effect, and found I used it most for special occasions like holiday festivities and such.  This is the palette I chose for my wedding look!!!!  My wedding colors were peach and teal and it was in October, and these colors worked perfectly for a dramatic, yet warm, and not too heavy look.  The shimmers give it that extra oomph that you'll want for those special occasions!  Here's a picture of my make up and particularly my eye shadow on my wedding day.

nvey eco Eye Shadow Palette No. 3

This is a very neutral palette that gives some lightly pigmented colors for a great daytime look.  It is a very natural organic line and nvey eco is very environmentally conscious!!











Cover Girl Eye Enhancers Shimmering Sands

This is a product I've been using since I was in High School in the 90's.  Its been a constant staple.  Sometimes I stray to find new products I like, but this one always comes back as one of the favorites. They're very neutral shades that can be worn with any eye color.  They're not too pigmented, which makes them good for everyone.  I find I love them most as a daytime color that looks super fresh and makes me look wide awake!  I always get compliments when I wear this palette.

L'Oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes Black

I use two coats for very dramatic lashes when I'm doing a smokey eye, and one for a simple daytime look.  My mom borrowed this for a day and her lashes were significantly fuller!  I love that!!!!
















MAC Tinted LipGlass Oh Baby

I've been using this lip gloss since 2001 and I absolutely love it!  Occasionally I'll find a new love color like Love Child, or PlushGlass Full For You, but I always go back to Oh Baby!  It's a neutral shimmery color that's not too sheer and not too opaque.







And that's it for my make up bag!  Of course there are lots of other brands and colors I love!  I'm still waiting to try the NAKED Palette by Urban Decay.  I think that would be a fun one to work with.  If you have any questions or recommendations, please feel free to comment, or e-mail me.  I would love to hear from you!!

Pregnancy and Products

So, I'm in my sixth month of pregnancy and it's about time I do a post on skin care and pregnancy.
First off, I want you to know that you shouldn't use just anything.  Some chemicals and ingredients in your favorite cleansers and creams can cause birth defects like retinoids and retinols which are used to diminish lines and wrinkles, and salicylic acid which is found in many acne fighting products.  Please remember that everything you put on your skin is soaked in and ingested into your blood stream and ultimately into your newly forming baby.  These are the ingredients to avoid in your products.

RETINOIDS - A type of Vitamin A that speeds up cell division and turn-over.  High doses of vitamin A during pregnancy can cause harm to your unborn baby.  Ingredients to Avoid:

Differin (adapelene)
Retin-A,
Renova (tretinoin)
Retinoic acid
Retinol
Retinyl linoleate
Retinyl palmitate
Tazorac and
avage (Tazarotene)

SALICYLIC ACIDS - In the asprin family, so it can be used to reduce inflammation and redness.  High doses of this acid has been known to cause birth defects and other various pregnancy complications.  Ingredients to Avoid:

Salicylic acid
Beta hydroxy acid
BHA

SOY - Can mimic the same effects of estrogen which can make melasma and chloasma (dark spots on the skin) much worse.  Ingredients to Avoid:

Lethicin
Phosphatidylcholine
Soy
Textured vegetable protein (TVP)

*THESE ARE THE THINGS I'M USING RIGHT NOW*

The whole M2 Skin Care Line.

It's formulated with mandelic and malic acids that are naturally derived, and completely safe during pregnancy.  Not only are they safe to use, but they are amazing with all the crazy skin care problems that come up with pregnancy.  The two acids are antibacterial which is great for acne, extremely exfoliating which is great for acne and fighting fine lines and wrinkles, lightening and brightening and great for keeping away chloasma and pregnancy mask, super moisturizing, and it just feels great!

DermaQuest Skin TherapyDermaQuest Skin Therapy C-Lipoic Cleanser.

This line is a great balance of nature and science.  This vitamin C cleanser contains a lipid soluble vitamin C and tons of other nutrients to help prepare your skin for any treatments and moisturizer you will use.  It's suitable for all skin types.  My skin feels softer and hydrated when I use it and the vitamin C creates more of a glow to my skin.

DermaQuest Skin TherapyDermaQuest Skin Therapy Solar Moisturizer SPF 30.

This product has powerful free radical scavengers and anti-aging ingredients that stimulate the dermal matrix and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, as well as a broad spectrum SPF 30. It's great for keeping that chloasma at bay.  It's great for sensitive skin and smells  like kiwi.

DermalogicaDermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm.

This product is great for fine lines and wrinkles in the lip and eye area.  It's supercharged with vitamins and extracts to repair damage from free radicals.  It has silicone to fill in the fine lines and wrinkles and create a barrier to protect from future damage.

These are the actual products I am currently using every single day.  Yep, all of them!  :)  If you are currently using something, are pregnant, and want to know if it's approved, please check with me.  I'll let you know for sure, and if it's not approved, I'll give you a recommendation for a different product for the skin care concern you have.

Thanks for checking in, and I hope to hear from you soon.  Leave a comment!!

Dark Spots and Sun Damage

I've had some questions this summer randomly from people who know or have heard that I am an Esthetician.  The questions sparked my mind about sharing some ways to combat sun damage spots and pigment. Some of you are at the age where you're starting to see the visual effects of your younger days of sun worship.  It was certainly not uncommon in my day to see my friends laying on their rooftops or trampolines next to a bottle of baby oil or cooking oil.  They would drench their bodies in the slick shiney stuff hoping to attract more of the suns rays for a golden sunkissed look.  I can understand the desire.  It feels so good (number #1)...and number #2 it made you look healthier!  I looked slimmer and muscles more defined when I was tan.  I loved it!  Now we're seeing more and  more patients in doctors offices with skin cancers that are deadly.  It's frightening!  I think we're smarter about the sun...even though it still feels good to be in it.  We're more aware of the damage we're doing to our skin, which is good because when we're aware of the health of our skin, we can be preventative.  With that....some of us are starting to experience the damage that has already taken place.  Dark spots around the eyes and lips, foreheads, decollete, and hands.  Fortunately there are products that can help.

First off, what happened when the moment the damage occurred, is that the sun reached the deepest most layers of the epidermis.  It happened probably as a young child or baby when your skin was very tender.  You most likely got a severe sunburn.  It only takes a few in our lifetime...even possibly one bad burn to do serious damage, even though it won't show for years to come.  Cute little freckles on children are also a sign that the skin has been damaged.  Anyhow...the sun reached deep down into our skin and damaged the little cells (called Melanocytes) that actually create and control the pigment in our skin.  As our skin renews itself, those little damaged cells slowly get pushed forward to the top layers of our skin in the shedding process.  The older we get, the more prominent the sun damaged spots get because they're getting closer to the top of our skin.  You will never be able to completely reverse the damage that was caused, but you can help control the amount of pigment the melanocytes produce, thus lessening the darkness of the spots.

Fading sun spots and sun damage is a HUGE multi-million dollar industry and it's not always cheap to get the results desired.  With that in mind... Here are some of my tips and products for erasing those nasty dark spots. 

1. ALWAYS use sunscreen no matter what the forecast says!  ALWAYS!!!!  Use SPF 30 or more.  Here are some recommendations:

Obagi Nu-Derm Healthy Skin Protection SPF 35

NuCelle Mandelic SunSense SPF 30

Oil of Olay Complete SPF 30

2.  Use an antioxidant serum to protect your skin from further environmental damage caused by pollution, toxins in the air, and the sun.  Here are some of my favorites:

SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF (for Oily skin - CE Ferulic for Normal skin)

SkinMedica TNS Essential Serum

Eminence Grapefruit-C Gel

3.  Spot correctors are useful.  You can spot treat existing spots to help fade them away.  Some are natural plant based formulas and some are more chemical physician grade.  Whatever you prefer, you're more than likely to see results.  Here are some that I recommend:

Obagi Nu-Derm Clear

Mesoestetic Cosmelan 2

Clinicians Complex 6% Bleaching Cream

5.  Exfoliate Regularly!  There are many ways this can be done.  Depending on what you prefer and how much money you want to spend...  here are some methods:
     

•  Mild soap and a washcloth - With gentle circular motions, you can use this method easily and      regularly in the comfort of your own home without having to buy anything.  Besides soap....
  
• Granular Scrubs - This is called a "physical" exfoliator because it uses ground up particals or microdermabrasion spheres.  This can be done anywhere from once a week to daily depending on how sensitive your skin is and how oily your skin is.  Keep in mind that if you have open sores from acne or anything like that, do not use a granular scrub on your skin as it will aggravate the healing process and also spread bacteria causing more acne and inflammation.  Also in the line of granular or "physical" scrubs is the new hand held facial brushes you have seen like the Clarisonic and Derma New.  Here are some of my favorites, and some I am using right now:

Nucelle Papaya Skin Exfoliator

Clinicians Complex Microdermabrasion Cream
(With perfectly round microdermabrasion crystals)
My personal favorite - and it smells so lemony fresh!

DermaNew with Microdermabrasion Scrub

Clarisonic Mia- Pink

• Chemical Exfoliation - This is a more gentle form of exfoliation you can get by having chemical peels at your facial salon, or skin care school.  Glycolic Acid is a very popular form of chemical exfoliation that women use for anti-aging.  You can find Glycolic acid peels, home use creams, cleansers, and serums.  Lactic Acid peels are even more gentle but also trigger more of the "melancytes" in the skin preventing them from sending darker cells to the surface.  Lactic acid actually has a bleaching affect on the skin.  You can get creams and serums with Kojic acid (derived from mushrooms) that also have a bleaching evening affect on your skin as well, with out being so "chemical".   Here are some I recommend:

Image I-Peel Lactic/Kojic Acid Chemical Peel
(Only done by professionals in Salons)

Glytone Cleansers, Serums, and Creams

M2 - the whole line.  Cleanser, Serum (for face & Body), and Moisturizer

After all that....there are some really great Skin Bleaching kits that some well known skin care companies have with much science and great results.  Check them out:

And if after all that doesn't work for you....see your dermatologist for special skin bleaching cream prescriptions they can offer you, that you cannot find over the counter.


I hope you all continue to treat your skin well, be safe, and have the best summer yet!!!

Enjoy!

Vitamin C Benefits for the Skin

So, lets talk about vitamin C.  In 2005, I got my hands on a vitamin C cream that changed the way I look at vitamins for the skin.  The product was from Neova and it was their only vitamin C cream at the time.  I don't think they carry it any longer, but when I put it on my skin for the first time, I was amazed at the silky creaminess.  It was really rich and almost felt a little siliconey.  It glided right on. It was moisturizing and a great base for my make up.  But the biggest effect I noticed was that my skin was glowing.  The more I used it, the more my skin had this youthful healthy glow.  I loved it.  Then I was able to try the SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic which became an all-time favorite of mine.  I love vitamin C!  There are soo many more benefits to it than what I first experienced.  The more I use it the more I love it.  I mean, it's no miracle cream or anything, but I really see awesome results when I use it.

One thing that a topical vitamin C can do for your skin is fight against free radicals because it's such a strong antioxidant. 

What is an Antioxidant?

An antioxidant is a molecule that neutralizes damaging free radicals. 

Free radicals are unstable molecules that destroy the structure of the skin and accelerate premature aging. (You know that gross look in the air that sometimes comes around winter...INVERSION!  Polution,,smoke from cigarettes, car exhaust, the sun, etc... ) They are generated by UV exposure, pollution and other damaging environmental elements and can be a chief cause of fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.

Because vitamin C is used so much in cosmetics now, it can get confusing because there are many forms, each with its own name formulated in varying amounts. Here’s what you need to know:

• The forms of vitamin C that are proven most stable and effective are: ascorbic acid, L-ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, retinyl ascorbate, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate.
• A proven range for vitamin C efficacy is between 0.3% and 10%.
• All antioxidants, including vitamin C, are vulnerable to deterioration in the presence of air and light. If a product containing antioxidants does not come in airtight, opaque packaging, don’t buy it!

These are the different kinds of vitamin C as listed on the ingredients on lables., and how you can tell if they are good for your skin or not.

• L-Ascorbic Acid (also called ascorbic acid): this is basic, untouched vitamin C. This form is from citric acid and may be undesirable to use on your skin – if it is extra sensitive. It is often used in exfoliates, because of the acid.
• Ascorbyl palmitate: derivative of vitamin C. It is the most common form used in skin care, being less acidic. 
• Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate: also a derivative; it is rapidly gaining in popularity as an ingredient. It s also less acidic and more stable than vitamin C; but may not often have a high enough concentration in many products to cause collagen production.
• Tetrasubstituted lipophilic ascorbates: these are probably the forms of vitamin C that you will start to see in the very near future. Cheaper than some of the other, they also may have the same effects on collagen production as vitamin C.

So what can vitamin C really do?

Here’s what a well-formulated, stably-packaged product with vitamin C can do for your skin:

• More Concentrated than nutritional Vitamin C
• Rapidly absorbed so it won’t rub or wash off
• Greater penetration to the epidermis and dermis, greater benefit
• Neutralizes free radical damage caused by UV light, smoke, and air pollution
• Allows skin cells to remain healthy and able to perform their necessary functions
• Enhances the protective barrier function of the skin
• Helps moisturize and increase skin hydration
• Stimulates collagen production
• Restores elasticity
• Prevents premature skin aging
• Protects against damaging UVA and UVB rays
• Reverses the appearance of photoaging
• Decreases fine lines and wrinkles
• Lightens and brightens the skin for more even tone
• Fades brown spots
• Helps reduce oiliness and restore sebum balance
• Helps to normalize problem skin (pimples, blackheads, and other problems associated with oily skin)
• Anti-inflammatory
• Can lessen redness and sunburn if applied before (or after) sun exposure (Reference 1)
• When combined with sunscreen, can enhance the power of sunscreens (Reference 2)

WOW!  That's a lot of REALLY good things that a great vitamin C cream or serum can do for your skin! Now you can go out and find a really great vitamin C product for your skin!  Remember that vitamin C always does your skin better when applied in the morning.   
I firmly believe that just as vitamin C heals us from ailments from the inside out, it can heal us from the outside in as well!  So be sure to swallow your vitamin C daily as well!

Cheers!

*Winter Glowing Skin*

So, I'm totally into things that make my skin glow and shimmer right now!  I have to say that one of my wish list items came true in October.  I had to have it for my wedding, and I really LOVE LOVE it!  Its the Tarina Tarantino Sparklicity in Pure.  Its absolutely beautiful!  It's made almost entirely of a shimmery reflex material. It seriously sparkles like real diamonds but not overkill!  I wanted it to create beautiful eyes for my wedding, and also to highlight my cheeks a tiny bit.  I also was able to put it on some of the little nieces too...it was really so much fun and I'm glad I purchased it.  Oh, and it has no parabens!

So on that note, the first item on my wishlist is the Urban Decay Naked Palette! Its a universally flattering palette that features 12 eyeshadows with a distinctly Urban look.  I have seen the wonders that this little palette creates and it looks magical. I can't wait to get one!

The next item I think I need to have in my make up bag is the NARS Illuminator. This light-reflecting liquid glides on to refresh and enhance the complexion, creating a shimmering incandescence. I am so excited to try this stuff! I think I will add just a tiny bit to my liquid foundation to see what kind of glow I can get. I love the backlight look some illuminators can give and I hope this lives up to all the hype!

And of course the last item is another Urban Decay goodie.  Its the Urban Glow Cream Highlight.  Urbanglow Cream Highlight is packed with coconut oil and vitamins A, C and E that smooth, moisturize, and protect the skin.  It gives a really pretty youthful dewy glow.  I can't wait to try this one too.

So there it is...   four great products to make your skin look fresh, glowing, healthy, and beautiful during these drab winter months!  Let me know if you've tried these products and how you like them!  I'd love to hear your experience!