Your skin and the sun

Here's a great article discussing the dangers of sun worshiping and ways to protect your skin.

I'm a firm believer that the best thing for your skin is limited time in the sun. Take the time to inform yourself and protect the only skin you'll ever have.

Be proactive and remember to start your kids, if you have any, early on the lessons of good skin care.

Hope you find the article informative. ARTICLE

As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

 

The Dreaded Imbedded Guest

Acne Cysts - The Dreaded Imbedded Guest

For those of you that are not familiar with Acne Cysts, consider yourselves lucky. They can be very painful and unsightly. Leaving behind scared skin, hyper pigmentation and leaving you feeling a bit self conscious. If not paranoid that every one is staring at the dreaded imbedded unwelcomed guest.

Recently, dealing with a client that was complaining of acne but noting it was painfu. The acne lesion itself just appeared as a dark bump on her skin. Slightly raised, red and tender to touch. Feels almost like a mass or ball in the skin. Having asked her had she ever been diagnosed, she mentioned a previous diagnosis by a dermatologist of Actinic Cysts or Cystic Acne.

The client mentioned that she tends to pick at her face out of habit. Anyone with acne knows that the touching of your face is a no, no but an unfortunate habit. A ritual created by trying to rid them faster by squeezing. What some people don't realize is that squeezing or popping the pustule "pimple" is the worst thing you can do. This will only make matters worse, spreading the bacteria over the skin and in the case of cystic acne, forcing bacteria within exasperating the problem. So if your wondering why that so called pimple keeps coming back it because your not handling it right.

Now there are many causes of acne. There's the foods we eat, the detergents we use to cleanse are skin, allergies, hormones, medicines, stress and exercise, etc. Seeing a doctor is yor best way to find out the cause or rule things out.

Actinic cysts are manageable with medications like birth control pills, injections of cortisone and topical treatments containing benzoyl peroxide or Alpha Hydroxy (AHA). Going to your dermatologist at least once a year is important but can get expense with treatments. Seeing an Esthetician for proper facial cleansing in between appointments is definitely recommended. However, there is still the expense to consider.

Here is an idea I recommended and I think it can help with some of you that deal with acne and acne cysts.

Step one: Use and oil free facial wash. A soapy cleanser is best. Wash face with look warm water. Pat dry.
Step two: With a cotton ball, clean face again with 3% Benzoyl Peroxide wait about a minute to remove. Cleanse skin with cold water. Pat dry.
Step Three: Use a toner formulated for oily skin tone or your basic witch hazel.
Step Four: If during the day moisturize, then SPF25 or higher.
If at night serum for eyes, and moisturize

Something I suggest is PanOxyl Bar 10%, which combines steps one and two. It contains Benzoyl Peroxide as one of its active ingredients. Plus, It can also be used on the chest and back for those that get acne on their body. They also make a acne foaming wash that is equally good. Roughly $6 a bar. Worth it! I also like the Differen line to treat acne and hyperpigmentation caused by the acne.

For toners, I of course love L'Bels toners that moisturize while toning but another recommendation I can make is Dicksonson's Witch Hazel for $3 or Aqua Glycolic Toner about $14. This will help to give your skin that added touch of clean that the soap may have missed.

Acne serums, I like Origins Super Spot Remover acne treatment gel. Just a little dab helps get rid of trouble spots faster. It runs close to $14. For hyper pigmentation "dark spots", I like L'Bel Clarifique Focalized Action Cream. It contains Kojic Acid, an active ingredient proven to lighten spots, cost $38. Also, a neat trick is to take cotton balls wet with Visine eye drops and freeze them. Place them on Papule a.k.a. pimple until thawed then discard. This helps with inflammation.

Moisturizers and SPF's, use an oil free product like CeraVe facial moisturizing lotion AM, dual moisturizer and SPF. Cost about $12. They have a PM that is great too. And Cetaphil UVA/UVB Defense SPF50 for the daytime. Cost about $15.

None of this is going to be a miracle cure, diet and healthy living plays its role too. Don't underestimate the importance of seeing your dermatologist for help. And an esthetician for maintenance. They have the knowledge and tools to help with whatever your skin issues maybe.

I do hope this helps many of you. Good luck and please feel free to share your personal experiences.

As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

As the season changes, so should your make up.

Each season,  I take the time to go through my make up bag and see what stays and what goes. A helpful tip, with a silver sharpie, write down the date on the make up item to help you remember when it was first used.

Ideally, you want to make sure your make up is stored in a clean bag and that your brushes are protected in a separate bag from touching items that may touch your sink, counter or whatever surface they may touch. This reduces spread of bacteria to brushes and then your face.

Examining what's good and what needs to be tossed is easy if you follow the steps in which you normally take when applying your make up.

Primer sprays or pumps/tubes tend to come with there own expiration dates but if not, check your opened date. If its over a two years  old, toss.

For foundations, check the ingredients as a water-based foundation will last up to 12 months, oil-based will last up to 18 months. You may find you need two different shades of foundation each year: One for summer when your skin is naturally darker and one for winter when you're lighter. I recommend a tube or pump foundation to minimize contamination to product. Apply with a new foundation sponge each use.

Concealer can last up to 12 months. But I toss mine out after 6-8 months. Concealers are generally used around the eyes because of this, I toss sooner. As the eyes pose risk of bacterial infections. I don't know about you but I avoid chances of catching pink eye.

With that said, same goes for eyeliner pencils or liquid, mascara and eye shadows. Always be extra careful with eye products because you can easily introduce bacteria to them. If you do get pink eye, toss all eye related make up and avoid using any new items until it is completely gone.

Pencil eye liners should be sharpened regularly and wiped with rubbing alcohol before and after each use. Do this and it could  last up to 1 year. Otherwise, I would toss after 6 months to avoid bacteria that grows from the eyes to the product. Liquid liners 6 months.

Eyeshadows, will last up to 2 years if applied correctly. I use a clean brush and make sure to clean my brushes immediately after. This habit insures that your eye make up will stay fresh longer.

Mascara expires the fastest and can hold the most bacteria. Throw out after 4-6 months. Don't pump your mascara in and out, this pushes air into the case trapping it and drying it. As well as making a happy home for oxygen eating germs. This ruins it faster.

When it comes to the mouth, you have to be cautious with bacteria as well. Lip liners can last up to 3 years.

Lipsticks  1-2 years. However if it smells rancid, throw it out, it's spoiled. If its a shade you love you could refrigerate it to preserve it longer. However, that's not very practical. Same goes for glosses and lip balms.

 So why be cautious? If you have had or suffer from herpes "cold soars" and have an outbreak, toss what you have used out. If not, you are more likely to develop a chronic condition. And no one wants that.

Brushes are generally recommended that you wash every 2-3 months in a mild detergent, dry bristles facing down.   I say, wash after each use or at least once a week reducing the opportunity for bacteria to grow. Especially for those with oily skin and acne. Germs just love to eat up the oils and dead skin cells found on brushes.

Make up sponges, I recommend you buy the disposables. Toss after 2 uses.

This probabyly doesn't have to be said but please don't share your make up. Especially not your eye makeup, because that could only lead to trouble.  And don't feel bad about tossing out old makeup. It only gives you the excuse to go out, try and buy more. Happy hunting!

I hope you found this helpful.

As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

Science and your skin

With all skin care treatments you can only go so far with natural remedies. Now all though you can make many things at home to help maintain your skin. Every now and then you have to use a product that will help set the clock back. Antiaging is a major draw for woman and in recent years, men are jumping on the skin care anti aging bandwagon as well. 

A wonderful cream to assist in the prevention of wrinkles and creases in L'Bels Neuvive Si, a Renewing and Perfecting Facial Treatment Cream. It's meant to  Renew and protect your skin's cells and provide more radiant looking skin. If that isn't enough of a draw, it actually works. The developers are from French laboratories, Belcorp, who are constantly working on new skin developments. 

Neuvive Si is a water based product that with other ingredients like PISUM SATIVUM EXTRACT (PISUM SATIVUM (PEA) EXTRACT , an anti-aging ingredient which aids in the production of melatonin giving you a healthy color or glow. Lactic acid that improves skins texture and hydration levels as well as Hyloronic acid to help with penetration of ingredients to prevent skin wrinkling. Found naturally in young skin but is often depleted as we age. Hyloronic acid is known as the "fountain of youth." Most beneficial draw is Biosilicium Technologie, that has  3 levels of action: 

-Stimulates production of new skin cells

• -Protects skin cells, making skin appear renewed
• -Eliminates dead skin cells without irritating the skin

The bottle is sold in a 1 fluid 0z for $44. Well worth the purchase.

Click here for L'Bel products

BA#2665

NOTE: I am no longer a sales associate with L'Bel but I believe in their products but am going a much more natural direction.

Excessively dry skin, easy natural fix

If you're suffering from excessively dry skin and can't get to the spa for microderm or a peel, I have a natural affordable treatment you can try.

If you find that you are shedding excessive amounts of skin on your face and body try using a body scrub to remove unwanted dead skin cells.

Face: use 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed with 1 teaspoon cold pressed Grape Seed Oil and gently rub areas affected in small circles (do NOT rub for more than an 2 minutes). This will brighten and moisturize skin.

Body: use 2 tablespoons sea salt with 4 tablespoons cold pressed Grape Seed Oil and rub on affected area/(s) while taking a warm shower. Taking care not to slip in shower, I usually sit on edge of tub for this. To maintain moisture after shower, I use a bit more oil on my entire body.

As for a daily moisturizer, I personally use 3-4 eye dropper drops of organic cold pressed Grape Seed oil. It is a great natural way to moisturize and help repair damage to skin cells. It's used in many lotions, creams and sunblocks.

Grape Seed Oil is a great source of polyphenols - flavonoids, Essential Fatty Acid - linoleic acid, vitamin E and vitamin C. It is believed through studies that Grape Seed Oil and its Extract constitute anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-histamine, anti-aging, anti-allergic, antimicrobial, and adaptogenic activity. Adaptogenic meaning (in herbal medicine) a natural substance considered to help the body adapt to stress. Impressive right! So it's great for all skin types ranging from acne, dermatitis, eczema, overly dry skin, age spots and wrinkles to name a few. As well as other physical ailments.

Grape Seed Oil can be used from the inside out through ingestion of extract supplements. With your doctors okay, can be used to help with diabetes, high blood pressure and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Always talk to your physician before starting a supplement of any kind. And if you have grape allergies, do not use. You can substitute with olive oil.

I also like to dab a small amount around the eyes just before I go to bed to help with dehydration, wrinkles and inflammation.

You can pick it up at a local health food or organic food store. I use La Tourangelle Grape Seed Oil but there are other options.  Try it out and let me know if your hooked on this powerful oil and helpful tid bit. Maybe you have a skin question, feel free to ask me by posting a comment.

  

Keihl's finally opens Spa

Great news for all you Kiehl's fans in New York/Tri-State, the opened a spa in a two-story locale at 157 East 64th Street on the Upper East Side.

It has a great vibe and only makes sense that they open up in a city where they first began 160 years ago. Great way to commemorate their anniversary. Established in 1851, something tells me they know a little something about skin care and product formulation. :)

I happen to love the Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado. It's calming, refreshing and moisturizing. I have dry skin so this is excellent! But perfect for all skin types. This product contains powerful amino acids and antioxidants to help with signs of aging and Shea butter to moisturize. So if you can't get to the Spa, pick yourself up one of these. It's $27 for .5 fl oz jar but a little goes a long way. I recommend twice a day (morning & evening) after cleansing and toning skin but before you moisturize and SPF.

Whether you attend the new spa, stop in at a store or Shop online, I'm sure you'll be happy either way.

Skin...what is it really?

The skin is made up of several layers divided into three simpler layers. It's a way to protect ourselves from the outside elements, our body's thermostat and a sensory organ. The three layers are the Epidermis, Dermis, and the subcutaneous Layer.

The Epidermis is the layer of skin we present to the world, the outer most layer. This layer has an additional five layers. This is what I call "the skin factory". The youngest layers are produced at the bottom layer known as the stratum basale. Eventually moving up remaining layers to the stratum corneum. This is where our skin dies and sheds off.

Cells found in the Epidermis are keratinocytes, melonocytes, Langherhan's and Merkel cells. The primary function of keratinocytes is the formation of a barrier against environmental damage such as pathogens (bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses) heat, UV radiation and water loss. Melonocytes produce pigment which gives us our skin color. The less melonocytes you have the easier you get sunburned because you have less of a defense. Langerhan cells are basically the immune system in the skin. They work by ingesting the antigens(i.e. Infection) that get into the skin and present them to immune system cells that fight them off by producing antibodies. As for the Merkel cells, there purpose is unknown, however, they are said to have both sensory and hormonal functions. All this and this is just the outer most layers.

The Dermis contains nerve endings, blood vessels, oil glands, and sweat glands. It also contains collagen and elastin. Collagen is a protein that works with keratin to provide the skin with strength, flexibility, and resilience. Elastin helps to keep skin flexible but tight, providing a bounce-back reaction if skin is pulled. This is a standard test all estheticians do to measure the elasticity of a clients skin, pinch and pull. Collagen and elastin is the rubber band of the skin. You always what it to be tight but flexible. Once these proteins start to breakdown it becomes challenging to repair. Creating wrinkles or lose skin.

The Subcutaneous layer, which is made up of subcutaneous tissue, is the deepest layer of the skin and consists mainly of fat cells known as adipose.  These fat cells act as shock absorbers and protect the body from trauma.  They also work as heat insulators and help to keep body temperatures stable.

In a nut shell, your skin is a complex living organ that requires care. Though all these layers work hand in hand that doesn't mean it can take care all by itself. You have to help it along.

Hydrate your skin by drinking plenty of water and moisturizing often. Use an SPF with UVA and UVB protection. I recommend no less then SPF 30. This includes people of color/ethnic skin. And remember you are what you eat. If junk is what you eat, thats exactly what you'll see all over your face. See a dermatologist for yearly skin exams and see an estheticians at least two times a year for a proper cleaning and care.