5 Things To Tell Your Esti Before Any Facial

Facials, what a treat and self care moment we all need, an escape from reality and definitely a treat. Some facials are more for a medical reason think peels, acne, redness, scars etc. and most are for a relaxing and therapeutic vibe. But for all facials either medical or relaxing it is crucial to tell your esthetician or facialist  these 5 things, that could endure the end result of your session and how you feel.

1. Medications
When it comes to doing a facial, it might seem so superficial, and sharing your medications with your esti is needless to say the least. That is the furthest from the truth, it is extremely important to tell your facialist any and every medication you are taking. Some meds could actually cause skin issues, and some could cause a lot of sensitivity and doing/using certain facials, tools, or ingredients could do more damage than good. You also have to be honest and not hide anything, because as an esti we only want what is good for you and for you to achieve your best results. 
2. Botox & Fillers 

It is best advised that if you have gotten botox or fillers done recently to wait a couple of weeks before getting a facial. When massaging the face, or applying deep pressure on your Botox or filler infused areas, then we increase the potential of the product moving around on your face and ruining the end result of how the injections set. So informing your esthetician is best advised, so that they can pick the best facial and tools for you without alternating the injections. 

3. Birth Control

This one is very tricky, can be prescribed to clear acne and balance hormones, and the complete opposite could be true. It is very important to inform your facialist of any birth control you are on, for many reasons. Being on birth control could lead your skin to breakouts, causing severe or cystic acne that is hard to treat. Different types of birth control react differently to everybody, so finding the right contraceptive for you, could actually be beneficial for your skin.

4. Health Conditions 

Your health and your body play a major role in what facial and tools could be used on you when getting a facial. It is very important to tell your esti about all of your health conditions. When getting the minimum basic facial with no added tools, then sharing your health conditions with your esti is not needed. For instance there are a lot of contraindications that could be harmful if you get a treatment done if using electric current, for instance if you have any metal in your body, or diabetes or heart health issues, or if your pregnant or nursing, or herpes, etc. then certain tools should not be done on you.

5. Products Used 

The products you use at home are more important then getting any facial done. These are the products that will have the lasting effects on your skin, that will essentially give you the results that you want. Having an esti analyze your at home routine and tweking out what your skin doesn’t need, and what it needs at that moment will help you in the long run. If you use the wrong products for your skin, it could cause some of the issues that are preventable and are only present because of you using that product or ingredient. And when using the right products, seeing an esti will only be for boosting your skins health. 

At the end of the day as an esti, we only want our clients to have healthy and glowing skin. So, go into that facial and get the best skin of your life.

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3 Secrets Skincare Brands Don’t Want You To Know


How To Boost Hydration Without Drinking More Water!

 

Do This After Your Workout!

3 Secrets Skincare Brands Don’t Want You To Know

Skincare products are in everyone’s home and there are so many promising products for everything that can appear on or under your skin. It gets very interesting when choosing products based on what products promote, skin typing, over-hyped products, the ingredients used, and what you think your skin needs. Every bottle we see, seems like it is reassuring in making all the blemishes, redness and dry/oiliness fade away, and that we have to have it. That indeed, is not always the case, bottles are designed to be loud and attractive to capture our attention, here are 3 secrets skincare brands don’t want you to know and how to avoid falling for something you don’t need. 

1. Angel Dusting 

Angel dusting or fairy dusting is a deceiving practice cosmetic brands use to mislead the consumer into purchasing their products. It is the action of using limited  amounts of an active or powerful ingredient in a overpowering patch, just so they can list it on the ingredients list, but it does nothing to your skin. That is overall bad because most likely they are using that ingredient to promote and sell their products, but if it has very small traces of the active ingredient then it is a lie, it will not change or benefit your results.

How to tell if angel dusting was used in your everyday products. It is very simple, look at the ingredient they are promoting on the front of the bottle (Vitamins, Acids, Plant Power Infusion, Retinoids, ect.) then look at the ingredient list on the back, pay attention to where that ingredient is located on the list. If near the top (first 5 to be exact) then that product was not angel dusted, If it is near the bottom, (last few) then angel dusting was used and there is very small amounts of it in that bottle (less then 2%). If that product is working for you, chances are your skin is loving something else, if it’s not working for you, don’t go hating that ingredient for lack there of.

2. Dermatologist Recommended 

Dermatologist recommended, #1 Dermatologist recommended, Dermatologist tested, Dermatologist approved, and all other Dermatologist claims are all misleading the costumer into trusting that product a bit more and buying without hesitation. But, what does it all really mean, “NOTHING” it is an empty promise, a way brands gain trust for returning costumers. 

Usually, all it takes for these claims to make it on the label is an approval of one dermatologist that most of the time, is part of the brands team. There are a few ways the doctor will test the product, one is scan over the ingredients and be okay with what is being used, and at that moment the product is dermatologist recommended. Another is they can do a patch test either on one person, ten people or more and we will never see the results. More ways are done for the company to use this label, as long as a dermatologist is involved in the process, then the claims are “technically” true.

This is different from brands or products your dermatologist recommends for you, seeing a doctor when needed is perfectly fine.

3. Bottle Claims

When you try new products, you tend to get very intrigued by the claims the label promises to do and most of the time when used right and combined with other products that will treat any specific issue your skin is dealing with, you will see very positive results. For the most part, using one product with a strong claim and expecting results is like drinking ocean water (will not quench your thirst), will not give you the results you crave for your skin. So, when wanting to try new products for a skin problem focus more on the ingredients rather the claims. 

Brightening, strengthening, hydrating, glow, clarifying, smoothing, toning, clearing, correcting, purifying, tightening, firming, resurfacing, repairing, plumping, rescuing, nourishing and many more claims, are all power words that lead you into purchasing that product thinking that it is one step closer to saving your skin. Like I said, when used correctly you will see amazing results, but depending all on one product to magically clear up, or smooth your skin ASAP is setting yourself up for disappointment. I always recommend you see an esthetician, dermatologist, or skincare specialist to look into your skin and give you exactly what your skin needs, for best results financially and long term. 

There it is, 3 secrets skincare companies do not want you to know, I’m sure there is more, I’m working on digging them out and sharing them on here. As for now, knowing that what is on the front of the label is all for show and all it is doing is just calling out for you to take home the bottle, know to always look on the back.

How To Boost Hydration Without Drinking More Water

Water is very important, everyone knows that, our cells need high quality water that will nourish the cell, and hydrate our bodies. But lets be honest, sometimes drinking water isn’t always on your mind and drinking the right amount for your body will keep you going to the bathroom every 20 minutes, so skipping water is common, until you get extremely thirsty which at that point your body is already dehydrated.

There is an easy way to double the hydration you get from drinking the same amount of water, and getting the moisture your skin and body needs. Athletes need a lot of hydration (there is never too much hydration), and they use electrolytes to boost the absorption of water they consume. Studies say that most people are dehydrated, and the water that is available to the people is not of high quality that cells absorb easily and efficiently. That is okay, because there is always a solution to every problem. 

Our Skin thrives off hydration and needs a lot of water for it to be smooth, supple and breakout free. (of course that is only one component of having healthy clear skin, but a major one) Luck for you, your skin cells are the last to receive nutrients and water from your blood, because your body and cells are very smart to deliver nutrients and water to the most important organ cells that your body needs to keep you alive. ( I can write a whole other post about your body’s anatomy, but I will keep this short) So in short, if there is not enough water running through your body, your skin will let you know, in many ways actually, dehydrated (not dry) skin, flaky skin, breakouts, extra oil production, dull skin, lack of elasticity, sallow skin, and dark under eye. 

Adding electrolytes to your regular water will help boost the water absorption without you having to drink more water, and without the added sugar in other drinks. It will help deliver the hydration your skin needs to all of your skin cells in an efficient amount to improve the texture and look of your skin.

Liquid IV

Benefits:

  • Easy to use
  • Adds flavor to your water 
  • Travel (bag/pocket friendly)
  • Full of vitamins 
  • More electrolytes and less sugar than sports drinks. 

How To Set Goals For Clear Skin

Hello Healthy Clear Skin!

Goal setting is a vision into the future of how you want things and when you want those things to happen. Setting goals for your skin, and then working towards that goal, will set you up to have clear and healthy skin. With goal setting you have to be realistic and

 logical in providing the time limit and work you need to see the results, and put in effort everyday to achieve your goals. You have to start taking small steps to see the results you need, and the end feeling will be very rewarding on it’s own. 

Setting realistic goals for skin is essential to completing them, for instance you don’t want your goal to be “have clear skin in the morning”, that is just setting yourself up for failure. It takes 4-6 weeks for you to start seeing results with consistent work, and by using the right products. You also have to keep in mind that keeping good clear skin is a life long journey of healthy habits, not an overnight do and done. So look ahead for a bright and smooth complexion, this is how I always suggest for my clients to reset their skin

First Step

Envision what you want your skin to look like, first you need to examine your skin. For breakouts you want clear skin. For acne scars, to have smooth skin, for redness to have a calm complexion. For dryness to have more moisture, for dull to have a brighter glow, for oily to have it more under control. For texture to have a flawless touch, for sensitive to have more resilience, for sagging to have more lifting, for aging to have more youthfulness. For loose to have more bounce, for sun damage to fade, for clogged pores to be clean, for enlarged pores to shrink, etc. Everyone has different needs they need to address, it’s best to examine your skin closely and see what you need most, then write it down.

Second Step

Give your skin a break from using any skincare products besides sunscreen and a gentle cleanser. I recommend for my clients to give their skin a break for at least 3 days, let their skin breath and purge anything that is left in their pores. To only use a cleanser morning and night and a sunscreen in the morning, this way you will know if any of the skin problems you are experiencing are caused by a product or ingredient that you are using topically. You will introduce products to your skin one at a time, and I also suggest to keep a skin journal, to document how your skin reacts to different things.

Third Step 

Your diet, do a body cleanse, a 3 day cleanse, or any other body cleanse to clean your body from the inside. A lot of people don’t know that your diet plays a huge role into how your skin looks like. Everything that we eat we will see on our skin, and a lot of problems are actually caused by our diet, “Healthy Gut, Healthy Skin,” the gut skin connection is very strong and it makes a huge difference on our skin. For instance, acne for a lot of people is triggered by diet like chocolate, dairy, sugar, and meats, keeping a skin journal will help you track how your diet affects your skin and it will be easier for you to achieve your goals.

Fourth Step 

Start introducing the right products back into your routine one at a time, only use products your skin needs at that time. 

Exfoliator – After cleansing at night, at least 2 times a week.

Toner / Essence – (optional) to calm down your skin and bring your pH back to normal.

Serums – Targeted treatment for any skin problems you are focused on, morning and night.

Moisturizer – Based on your skin type,  a lotion, cream, gel, etc. morning and night.

Enzyme mask – Once a week.

 

 

 

 

Click on the link below to schedule a free online consultation.

SkinCare Consultation

Do This After Your Workout

Working out is by far the best thing you can do for your body and health, and there are many benefits of exercising that will boost your daily and future self. Any form of exercise will help your body mentally, physically and emotionally to rejuvenate, increase blood flow, increase energy, better sleep, clearer mind, tone body, build muscle, etc.

There are a lot of benefits of exercise for our skin as well. 

  • Increase of blood flow to skin will help more nutrients and oxygen to reach the skin, healthy and natural glow. 
  • Increases Collagen and Elastin production 
  • Opens up all your pores (don’t workout with makeup, or heavy creams/skincare products)
  • The sweat helps Detox your skin
Post work-Out Skincare Routine 

Like I mentioned above, after your workout your pores are all open and your skin is very delicate. The increased blood flow will help absorb everything you put on your skin faster and more efficient, so it’s best to take advantage of these moments and not be too harsh on our skin, because it is very prone to damage. So what do you do and what do you use?

Wash your Face 

Washing your face right after you are done working out, will clean your pores and take all the sweat and toxins off your face. Use a gentle cream cleanser to wash all the impurities off, without stripping your skin’s natural oils.

Exfoliate 

A gentle exfoliation will rid your skin of all the dead skin cells that lay on top of your skin, and make the texture of your skin much smoother. It will make it easier and better for other ingredients to penetrate into your skin.

Treat / Moisturize

A clean exfoliated face with no layers of dead skin cells and open pores, is the perfect time to target treat any skin problems and if not then moisturize. A targeted serum  will help heal your skin concerns, and a lotion moisturizer is light enough for the day. 

SunScreen

Protecting your skin from the outside world and the harmful UV sun rays is a must to complete your day routine. There are many forms of sunscreen, that if you choose to do your makeup, there is a powder formula to sit on top of your makeup. 

3 Ways to Brighten Up Dull Skin

You wear makeup everyday, and you got used to seeing your face look brightened, blushed and clear, and that everyone seeing you in a  certain way, it is hard to change your face image that you are used to live by, that is totally normal. One day when you don’t have time to do your 20 step glam natural look, you walk out the door, and everyone is asking if you’re OK, if you feel ill, and that you don’t look like yourself. So you start to feel you look like the walking dead (happens to the best of us), but why is that? You are healthy, you work out, you sleep well, you do all your skincare routines, but you still don’t look alive without makeup. Usually it is just dull skin, which is a complexion that doesn’t look alive (in a nice way). 

Dull complexion looks very dimmed down, like your tired, pale or a yellowish look to face, uneven skin tone and a lot of texture that don’t reflect light to give off radiance, health and a glow. Here are 3 ways to rejuvenate and restore your skin and brighten up that healthy glow.

1. Diet

Your diet will play a huge role on how healthy and bright your complexion will be. Everything you eat will show up on your face within 2 weeks. Diet is a huge variety of what to and not to eat, but our recommendation is to always eat more whole and nutritious meals and snacks and avoid (or eat less) processed, packaged, fake, sugar, preservative laden foods, full with chemicals and synthetic man made ingredients. 

  • Increase hydration 
  • Vitamin C
  • Fats (Healthy fats) nuts, avocado etc.
  • Veggies & fruits  (Raw or cooked) full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals. 
  • High quality dairy, meats, and fish.

2. Probiotics 

Gut health is key to healthy glowing skin. Pre and probiotics aid in digestion for optimal breakdown and absorption of nutrients in the foods we eat. If there is less probiotics in the gut, then there is more skin problems. Always follow the directions on how to use of the probiotics that you want to use, and ask your doctor if you have questions or concers.

There are many forms of probiotics you can try:

  • Yogurt 
  • Drinks
  • Powder 
  • Supplements

3. Exfoliation 

Skin cell turnover is essential to keep a healthy and glowing youthful look that is full of radiance and bounce. Physical exfoliation is key to having that smooth, texture free baby bum softness, and there are so many products out that do the exfoliation. With exfoliation don’t use anything that has granules or crushed up seeds in it, because it is so easy to over exfoliate and damage your skin barrier. Use a high quality one at least once or twice a week.

Benefits of exfoliating 

  • Removes dead skin cells
  • Unclogs pores
  • Polishes texture 
  • Helps other products penetrate better 

Men’s Morning Skincare: 2 Quick & Easy Steps

A man using skincare products, is so taboo in all communities. But hey, if you are washing your face and treating your skin, you are already living in the developing world of gents skincare. There is no difference between men and women’s skin, its all made up of the same cell blocks, and we all get exposed to the same pollution, sun damage and aging. 

Having a skincare routine and skincare products are viewed as a feminine notion, and gentlemen just washed their face with plain water. But men’s skin needs just as much, if not, more love then women, and having a skincare routine will keep you looking younger and healthier. It is said that men have thicker skin, but that is not all true, it is the same 3  layers in all of us. Even though most products are targeted towards women, there is a whole new world of men’s skincare lines that are available everywhere now, and it’s easily accessible.

Your skincare regimen doesn’t ought to be fancy or long, I know that most people, especially men don’t have the time luxury or patience to do a 10 step routine. It is OK to have a 2 step 2 minutes routine to get you going for the day, and for it to be so simple you won’t need to think about what to use and when or how. To get started, your skin goes through a lot and gets exposed to many tiny particles that will cause your skin to have layers of dead skin blended with dirt, chemicals, sun rays, pollution, germs, bacteria, food, soaps and everything else that gets in contact with your skin. If your ready for this foray of skin care or simply upgrading your routine, this could be your guide on where and how to start.

1. CLEANSER
The first step is to always wash your face, using a cleanser. A cleanser is meant to remove dirt, pollution, germs and dead skin cells to clean and purify the top layer of your skin. 
There are many different types of cleansers, best ones are the creamy hydrating ones. Those that are gentle yet effective.
The key to finding the right cleanser for you, is that your skin should feel smooth and clean afterwards, not tight and dry. 
Here are a couple of options to consider. 
 
How to use:
1. Use a small amount (enough to spread all over your face with water) and massage it all around for about 30 seconds. This first time will remove everything that is sitting on top of your skin. 
2. Repeat the first step. (so your doing a double a cleanse) The second time you will be clearing out your pores and actually cleaning your skin.
2. SUNSCREEN

Sun protection is essential for everyone, and everyday of the year. It will protect against any sun damage, which includes aging, sun spots, skin cancer, rough textured skin, etc. 

Using a good sunscreen is crucial to preventing any further damage to your skin, and there are many options out to choose from. Any sunscreen will give you protection, but a mineral broad-spectrum SPF 30 will give the most protection. 

How to apply Sunscreen:

After you have cleansed your face, dab small dots of the sunblock of your choice and spread it in short strokes going in one direction. Until it is all blended on top of your skin.  Apply the cream all over your face and down your neck and any exposed areas, like hands, arms and legs.

For sunscreen it is recommended that you reapply every 2 hours, or after swimming, but you should always follow the directions on the sunscreen you’re using for best results. 

 

 

Top 3 SunScreens For Kids

Sunscreen is recommended by every dermatologist and skincare guru and all estheticians for everyone to use at all times of the year. At the same time, it is advised against using most of them, as they have the potential of harming us and the environment. So what do we do as consumers, what do we apply on our kids? 

Sun damage is now very prominent in causing so much harm in the short and long term effects. That includes sunburn, freckles, sunspots, hyperpigmentation, discoloration, skin cancer, dryness, texture, etc. In short most of these are preventable if we start prevention from a young age, for sure minimize the problems that will rise later on in life. 

Sunscreen or sunblock, whats better for us and our kids? There are thousands of products out on the market and it is very overwhelming to pick one, not knowing what to look for with many options. 

*Sunscreen is usually chemical based, but not always. They are easier to spread and are a lighter formula, like a thinner lotion, to use a sunscreen look on the ingredients and completely avoid the ingredient Benzene.

*Sunblock is broad spectrum that blocks all of the sun rays from getting into our skin, it reflects the rays back and away from us. Sunblock is mineral based and the healthier alternative to sun protection. Look for active ingredients Titanium oxide or Zinc oxide. 

Here are 3 of the safest (don’t contain cancerous ingredients)  sunblocks that will give maximum protection from the sun for our little ones. 

Sunnyscreen™ 100% Mineral Lotion SPF 50

Baby Sunscreen SPF 30

SunBioLogic Kids SPF 30 

An estheticians tip on how to easily spread a mineral sunscreen:

* Use small amounts at a time,”the dots system” and spread it with light short strokes going in one direction in a small area at a time. Rubbing a mineral sunscreen in a circular and aggrassive motion around the whole face at once will only take longer for it to blend. 

* We want the sunscreen to sit on top of the skin and not get absorbed at all, else it won’t give any protection. 

3 Pregnancy Safe Brands

Pregnancy, is a beautiful stage to live through, full of good days and ill mornings. Our bodies go through a lot during these months, and all we want as mothers, is a healthy little bundle of joy. So we look for healthy foods, avoid alcohol and sea food, skip eating junk cravings and just consume what makes us feel good and not sick. But what about what we put on our skin? A very small percent of everything that we apply topically will penetrate our skin and go directly into our bloodstream. That includes chemicals, acids, preservatives (have the worst long term damage) and all else that is in skincare ingredients. You want to completely AVOID all these ingredients that are known to cause harm to baby, Retin A/Accutane, Retinoids, Vitamin A , Chemical Sunscreens, All ACIDS, CBD, Hydroquinone (All skin lighteners). Complete list coming soon.

As these ingredients run through our blood, there is a huge potential that when pregnant they will reach your little growing baby. Using the right ingredients (internally and externally) during this time could save your baby from any harm. When searching for the right product to use, look at the ingredients on the back, and not the claims on the front or the brand itself. Here are 3 pregnancy safe brands that have clean ingredients to use during and after pregnancy. 

 

TULA

Tula is a very ingredient conscious brand that only uses clean and effective ingredients. There are probiotics in all of their products that help sooth, balance and improve the skin texture for healthy looking skin that is actually healthy.

They have products to cater to any skin needs or concerns from dryness to dull, oily, acne and sensitive skin. Probiotics will aid the skin in many ways, from soothing irritated red skin and flare ups, to calming acne and controlling breakouts, or to simply upkeep your already healthy skin glow. 

Shop Tula 

CAUDALIE

Caudalie is a natural skincare line that is safe and healthy for pregnant women to use daily. They use natural active components that will benefit the skin without any unwanted ingredients. They specialize in using grapevine and grapes which are known to help combat anti-aging, acne, redness and most skincare concerns. 

They provide many products that will deliver results for your skin to clear up and glow. Use Caudalie serums to help target any skin imperfection and keep your skin healthy and glowing.

Shop Caudalie

KORA ORGANICS

Kora Organics is an all organic brand that uses the most efficient ingredients for optimal skin health. Focusing on organic highly active components that are result driven and  mindfully resourced. They are full of nutrients and nourishing antioxidants to give you smooth glowing skin.

They carry a variety of skincare products that will feed all of your skin’s cravings. From smoothing textured skin, and clearing up acne breakouts to brightening up dull skin and calming inflamed red skin.

Shop Kora Organics

 

When pregnant your hormones are all over the place, high and low here and there. Your body is going through a lot in general. Your skin will change too, maybe bad at first then you’ll get the pregnancy glow, or a few white heads or redness and blushing are all normal.

 

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All About Microinfusion

Stimulating collagen production will make your skin look younger and smoother (who doesn’t want that), and achieving that instantly is almost a dream. It’s not, collagen inducing treatment and instant glow and improved texture will be achieved when using a Microinfusion treatment. 

Micoinfusion is a treatment that injects a concoction of super ingredients into the superficial layer of the skin. It consists of 20 fine needles, finer then one strand of hair, that are infused with very powerful ingredients (vitamins, acids, fillers, etc) to enhance the skin’s natural beauty and  brightness. Works great for skin imperfections like dull skin, enlarged pores, texture and fine lines, by delivering micro amounts of powerful active ingredients to area to rejuvenate and treat issues in skin and delay early signs of aging.

Getting a treatment will improve skin’s appearance at a mico-level, stimulating cellular renewal in the upper layer of the skin

Benefits of Microinfusion
  • Firmer skin
  • Improved texture
  • Brighter tone
  • Extra hydration
  • Minimization of pores/ blemishes/ scars
  • Glowing skin
  • Lighten dark circles
  • stimulates collagen production
  • reduces hyperpigmentation
  • reduces redness
  • controls oil production
  • plumps sallow/ dull skin

Powerful ingredient elixirs 

Many skin problems can be treated with a customized mixture of ingredients dedicated to what your skin needs at that time. Microinfusion has an instant gratitude impact on the skin, the needles are filled with these rich mixtures that is directly penetrated into the shallow layer of the skin causing a quick and effective reaction.

  • Vitamin C – for a brightening
  • Hyaluronic Acid Filler- Hydration, plumpness and reduce fine lines.
  • Botulinum Toxin (Botox or Xeomin)- Tighten skin, natural smoothing of the skin, reduce pore size and oil production, and eliminating redness with time, treats acne, improves fine lines and wrinkles, and overall texture and tone.
  • Glutathione – Antioxidant that evens skin tone and brightens
  • Vitamin B12 – Glowing skin

You will see results from the first from smoother texture to glowing skin. 

It will work best of people who already have good skin care and use sun protection, I recommend investing in good skincare regime before getting microinfusion (can cost anywhere from $250- $2000, depending on the area and what you need)