Category Archives: Skin Care

How to Soothe End-Of-Summer-Skin

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The end of summer is close, it’s been fun but your skin isn’t looking or feeling it’s best.

Even if you have oily skin, you’re probably dehydrated. Travel, alcohol, and warm weather all suck precious moisture from our skin.

This is the one time of year you don’t have to be acne prone to have clogged pores. All of the above plus extra sunscreen will make sure of that.

Now is a great time to have a deep cleansing and hydrating facial. Treatments like microdermabrasion and LED light therapy are perfect for End-Of-Summer-Skin. Hold off on deeper chemical peels and hydroquinone-based lightening products until after Labor Day.

If the heat has triggered your melasma, now is a great time to start using a hydroquinone-free lightening product. These products will start to gently even your skin tone without photo-sensitivity. Save the stronger products and treatments for the fall and winter months.

Your home care routine should include a gentle enzyme exfoliation 1-3 times a week (depending on your skin type) followed by a hydrating mask.

Antioxidant serum and physical sunscreen are important year round. If you live in a humid climate, you may want to swap these products for lighter versions during the warmer months.

Do you have questions about your skin and what products you should be using? Have an Online Skin Care Consult with Hannah!

The Best Skin Care Routine for New Mothers

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As a new mother, the best skin care routine can be the last thing on your mind. Feeding your baby and getting enough sleep take priority!

When life gets busy for any reason, products that do double (or triple) duty are key.

While breast feeding, continue to avoid all the topical ingredients you steered clear of during your pregnancy.

It is not uncommon for a new batch of hormonal acne to crop up after giving birth. Your skin may also be sensitive during this time so find gentle products that balance oil production.

During the first few weeks (or months), keep it simple. Cleanse your face twice a day, use an SPF moisturizer during the day and a simple moisturizer at night. Set a realistic goal for yourself and build up to your old routine when you have more time and energy.

I love vitamin therapy: fortifying cleanser for most skin types. It removes makeup (including eye makeup) and rinses clean. The cream formula is gentle yet it won’t clog pores.

Suntergrity Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen is my favorite all in one daytime moisturizer plus SPF. It has antioxidants and zinc oxide which help prevent pregnancy related melasma from getting worse. There is a tinted version if you like a little color.

After cleansing at night, I recommend a simple hydrating cream to calm the skin that won’t clog the pores. moisture therapy: calming repair cream is good for most skin types and can be layered with a serum if you have more time.

Once your baby is sleeping thru the night and you have more than 60 seconds for skin care, add a vitamin C serum and exfoliate 1-2 times a week with glycolic acid. These products with begin to diminish any lingering discoloration from melasma or acne and brighten the skin.

What is Melasma?

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What is melasma? How is it different from hyper-pigmentation or freckles?

Melasma is a dark patch of skin, usually triggered by hormones and sun exposure. Hyper-pigmentation is a dark patch of skin, usually triggered by inflammation (such as acne) and sun exposure. Freckles are dark patches on the skin, often present since birth but they get darker with sun exposure.

The one common denominator? SUN EXPOSURE! Any unusual melanin activity is made worse by excessive, unprotected sun exposure.

The first step to treating discoloration and preventing new discoloration, no matter what the cause, is adequate sun protection.

The next step is to determine the root cause. Are you using hormonal birth control? Is the hyper-pigmentation showing up in areas where you previously has acne? This helps determine what treatment products are best for you.

Melasma triggered by pregnancy or birth control will usually begin to fade on its own 3-6 months after hormone levels have returned to normal.

Hyper-pigmentation from inflammation can take a few weeks to a few months to fade, depending on the melanin content of the skin.

A comprehensive routine of home care and professional treatments is the best way to treat both melasma and hyper-pigmentation.

Do you have questions about your skin and what products you should be using? Have an Online Skin Care Consult with Hannah!

Do Skin Care Gadgets Work?

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Skin care gadgets are popping up everywhere, but do they work?

Derma-rollers, skin tightening devices, and LED masks; you can purchase many devices to treat yourself in the comfort of your home but how do they compare to professional treatments?

Any device approved for sale to the public isn’t going to be as powerful as the professional version. Yes, even the ones sold on Amazon labeled “professional”. To obtain a professional machine, you must show the manufacturer your license and receive proper training.

Instructions on most home-use devices will tell you daily use is required to see results. This is important. Ask yourself “Will I devote 15 minutes every day to this machine?” before making the investment.

It’s better to spend your hard-earned money on a few professional treatments instead of a closet full of expensive gadgets you don’t use!

Home-use devices like facial cleansing brushes, skin tightening devices and LED masks can be beneficial if you use them properly (and daily!).

Avoid home-use microdermabrasion machines and microneedling. When you pierce the surface of the skin, there is a risk of scarring and infection. These are treatments best left to the professionals.

Do you have questions about your skin and what products you should be using? Have an Online Skin Care Consult with Hannah!

How did people protect their skin before sunscreen?

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Do you ever wonder how people protected their skin from the sun thousands of years ago?

Clothing, scarves, and shade were early methods of protecting skin from the sun. However, applying products to the skin for additional protection also started thousands of years ago.

Early civilizations used a variety of plant products to help protect the skin from sun damage.

Ancient Greeks used olive oil to protect their skin from the sun and to condition it after sun exposure. Modern science tells us olive oil has an SPF of 7-8 (and this protection breaks down when the oils is heated) so it is NOT considered effective protection from the sun but given their options, it was better than nothing.

Ancient Egyptians used extracts of rice, jasmine, and lupine plants. Again, these ingredients offered low levels of sun protection but were proven to be very beneficial to the skin and are still used in skin care products today.

Burmese women have used Thanaka cream to protect from sunburn for over 2000 years.  Thanaka is a creamy paste rich in vitamin E and is applied on the face in pretty designs. It also provides a cooling sensation and has anti-inflammatory properties to calm acne.

Zinc oxide, a popular sunscreen ingredient today, was being used for medicinal purposes as long ago as 500 B.C.E.

In the 16th century, pale skin was very important to the the upper class. The clothing of the era covered the body from head to toe but ladies were required to wear uncomfortable Visards to protect their skin from the sunburn when traveling in open carriages.

Thankfully, by the 17th century parasols and bonnets had become popular as a means of protecting the face from the sun.

The production of sunscreen as we know it today started in the 1940’s. More user friendly versions appeared on the market by the 1960’s and in the 1970’s the formulas protected against both UVA and UVB rays.

When faced with options like a Visard or a can of greasy “red vet pet” I’m happy to have my Suntegrity!

How do I treat my back acne?

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“How do I treat my back acne?’ is a question I often hear from clients.

The first step is to figure out what might be aggravating the skin on your back.

Do you shower soon after working out or do you sit around in sweaty workout clothing?

Sweat is full of things our body wants out of our system. When we sweat, our skin starts producing more bacteria to neutralize the sweat. More bacteria plus a layer of dried sweat (ew!) left to sit on our skin for too long isn’t doing the back acne any favors.

Do you wear cotton or sweat-wicking fabric when working out?

See above. Take every precaution possible to keep sweat off the area.

Do you wash your back after conditioning your long hair in the shower?

Wash and condition your hair, rinse. Pin your hair up if you need too. Then wash your back with your medicated body wash. Heavy conditioners can leave a residue on your back that can clog pores.

Do you wear your “dry clean only” clothing multiple times between cleanings?

It may look clean and smell clean (and we all want to save a few bucks on dry cleaning) but the build up of sweat and dead skin could be contributing to your problem. Also, some back acne reacts poorly to dry cleaning fluid all together. Try layering a cotton camisole under your dry clean only tops.

Does your laundry detergent or fabric softener have fragrance that could be irritating your skin?

Try unscented laundry products.

So, you’ve made all the lifestyle adjustments, how should your back for the best results?

Use a medicated body wash once or twice a day depending on the severity of the breakouts. Spot treat the breakouts as necessary. Use a clay mask and a home glycolic treatment once a week to keep the pores clean. And have a Back Facial once a month.

 

 

 

 

 

My Anti-Aging Eye Routine

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As I approach my mid-40’s, I see more signs of aging in my eye area so I’ve stepped up my anti-aging eye routine.

The delicate skin in the eye area is 10 times thinner than the skin on the rest of the face. This skin is also in a constant state of movement, so fines lines or “crows feet” are commonly one of the early signs of aging.

I’m not opposed to surgery or injectable solutions but I’d like to save surgical options for my next decade and I have mixed feelings about the results I’ve seen from Botox for “crows feet”.

Eye lifts were in the list of the top five esthetic surgical procedures performed in the United States in 2016 according to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

While working to expand my online store last year, I tested many eye creams and ended up with irritated eyes on a few occasions. I learned a lot about what ingredients work and which ones to skip.

The right combination of topical peptides, anti-inflammatory ingredients, and stimulants can give this delicate area the extra boost it needs to get me thru my 40’s without going under the knife.

This is the routine that has made a visible change for me:

Morning:

Alchemie Forever Rejuvenating Eye Balm
This lightweight eye balm is perfect for daytime. The antioxidant rich formula protects against environmental assaults while the Vitamin K reduces the appearance of dark circles.

Evening:

sowd therapy for skin: firming peptide eye therapy
The creamy formula uses Matrixyl 3000 to stimulate the cell renewal that slows with age. It also contains anti-inflammatory ingredients so you wake up with less puffiness. When I have an extra few minutes, I use my Jade Roller to massage the eye area before applying.

Weekly:

Patchology Energizing Eye Patches
These are amazing! The patches are embedded with gel-activated galvanic micro current technology, after 20 minutes my eyes look years younger. I use them once a week or before I have an important event.

Dietary changes:

I eliminated 90% of the added sugar in my diet and reduced my alcohol intake to 1-2 drinks per month. Cutting out alcohol isn’t a problem for me, I enjoy drinking less as I get older but I love sugar and seem to crave it at times. I discovered a calcium/magnesium supplement helped curb my sugar cravings so much.

Keep up your water intake and eat a large quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. When you becomes dehydrated, your eyes are the first place it shows!

15 Minute Pre-Event Facial

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Need a 15 minute pre-event skin boost?

Follow this quick and easy routine for a GLOW that lasts all night!

1. Remove your makeup, if necessary. Wash your face with warm water and IS Clinical Cleansing Complex, pat dry.

2. Apply one Glycolic Gel Pad all over your face, allow glycolic serum from pad to dry for 5 minutes. If your skin is sensitive, rinse. If you use glycolic acid on a regular basis, move to the next step without rinsing.

3. Apply one Illuminate Flash Masque Sheet. Gently rub an ice cube over the sheet mask for a cooling sensation, concentrate on any areas where you may have puffiness (like around the eyes).

4. After 5 minutes, remove the sheet masque and massage any remaining serum into the skin. Apply Suntegrity Moisturizing Sunscreen and Primer and you’re ready for makeup!

Stress and Your Skin

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The fast pace of modern daily life creates stress and your skin will suffer if you don’t take time to balance your activity with some downtime.

What is your favorite way to take a time out, create balance in your life and help your skin when life gets overwhelming?

When my life is at “peak stress”, time is always scarce. I embrace daily wellness tips I can incorporate into my routine without taking up much time.

Water

When you wake up in the morning, you are dehydrated, no question.

Reach for a large glass of room temperature water before you start on the coffee and keep sipping throughout the day.

This insures you stay hydrated and helps keep your energy levels up, I drink less coffee if I start with water and feel better overall.

“Clock Out”

Decide on an electronic end time for your day and stick with it.

This is the time your phone gets turned off (use an auto-reply for your email if you need too), stop checking social media and replying to text messages. There is nothing that can’t wait until you “clock in” the following morning.

This gives your brain some much needed downtime and gives your skin a break from screen time.

Treat Yo’Self

It’s not the time to throw caution to the wind and run to the nearest department store with your credit card or break your diet with an entire cake but do a little something special for yourself.

I usually default to getting a manicure for a few reasons; I won’t regret it when my credit card bill comes next month, I’m forced to set aside my phone and relax while my polish dries and for the next week my pretty hands make me feel like I’m pulled together when I may be on the brink of disaster internally!

Mask

A face mask makes everything better. Throw it on while you’re brushing your teeth, washing your hair, even while you are reading this blog…

Skin Care: Daily, Weekly, Monthly

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Skin care can be overwhelming. It’s difficult to know what products you should use and when you should use them. What should you use every day? Once a week? Monthly?

And what about professional treatments?

Every skin is as unique as the person it belongs too and can react differently in different environments. Here are some basic guidelines to help you determine how often you should be using each product in your routine.

Daily:

  • Cleanser
  • Toner
  • Serum
  • Eye Cream
  • Moisturizer
  • SPF

Weekly:

  • Exfoliate with an enzyme or chemical exfoliating product
  • Mask

Monthly:

  • Have a professional facial treatment with your Esthetician
  • Perform a self mole check

Yearly:

  • Have a mole check with your Dermatologist
  • More agressive treatments like laser resurfacing or chemical peels

Have a consult with your Esthetician and Dermatologist to determine the exact routine that is best for your skin type. If you have any questions, ask them in the comments below!

Bridal Skin Care

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Wedding preparation can be overwhelming, it’s important not to overlook your bridal skin care routine. Makeup can conceal many flaws but bumpy, clogged pores will show thru any foundation.

Start at least 6 months before your big day.

If you’re having regular skin care treatments, 6 months is enough time to ramp up for a wedding. If you’re starting from scratch, give yourself 8-12 months.

Have a consultation with your esthetician to determine the combination of treatments required to achieve your skin care goals. This may include chemicals peels with several days of downtime after each session so plan accordingly.

Schedule consultations with the people you hire for hair and makeup (of course!) as well as anyone you plan to hire for eyelash extensions, spray tan, nail services etc. The week before your wedding is not the time to experiment with a treatment you’ve never received before.

Make a budget and commit to your routine.

Get a price for your professional treatments up front, many spas offer a discount if you pre-pay for all your services in advance. Factor in the cost of the home care products your will need to boost the results of the professional treatments. Wedding costs add up quickly and you don’t want to be forced to skimp on your skin as a result!

Don’t forget your back and chest.

Consider the cut of your dress and plan to treat any area that will be exposed. Back or chest acne may require several treatments to go away completely. If the skin on your body is generally good, have a body scrub the week before your wedding to remove dead skin.

Plan your treatments the week-of in the correct order.

  • 4-5 days before: Massage, body wrap, hair color, eyelash extensions
  • 3 days before: body scrub, manicure + pedicure, facial
  • 2 days before: spray tan

Relax and enjoy your big day!

The most important step of all.

 

Skin Inflammation

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Skin inflammation is a positive skin reaction, it shows your skin bringing more blood cells to an infected area to fight bacteria. However the end result causes considerable damage to texture and appearance of the skin.

How can we calm inflammation, fight bacteria, and prevent damage in the skin?

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Historically, topical steroids are the first line of defense to fight skin inflammation. Studies show long term use of topical steroids can have negative effects, which include suppressed immune function and thinning the skin.

Certain compounds that occur in nature have anti-inflammatory benefits and can be used topically without the negative side effects of prescription steroids.

Botanically-derived antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties include L-Ascorbic Acid (found in citrus), Quercetin (found in apples), Resveratrol (found in wine), Epigallocatechin Gallate (found in green tea), and Bisabolol (found in Chamomile).

Everyone should use an daily antioxidant regardless of skin type. Two of my favorites are antioxidant therapy and IS Clincal Pro Heal Serum.

Daily antioxidant use protects your skin from environmental damage and controls inflammation.

Layer an antioxidant serum under your SPF during the day. Antioxidant ingredients boost the effectiveness of your SPF and help prevent free radical damage from pollution.

Why not make January #maskmonth?

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January is the perfect time for new beginnings, why not make it #maskmonth?

I encourage my clients to use a mask once a week in their home care routine, with so many options to choose from this shouldn’t be a problem.

Awhile back, I realized I was getting lazy about my masking routine. I stocked up on my favorite sheet mask, clay mask and charcoal mask and committed to following my own advice for a month.

I’m loathe to admit it but goofy photos for social media is a great motivator for #maskmonth!

It didn’t take the whole month to see the difference in my skin. After two weeks of consistent masking my face was glowing.

My tips for #maskmonth:

1. Custom blend your masks! When I have a client with combination skin in the studio I add a pump of antioxidant serum to a balancing clay mask for added nourishment. Experiment at home.

2. Five minutes is all you need. 10-15 minutes is great if you have the time but put on a mask and brush your teeth/wash your hair/trim your toenails then rinse.

3. Create a mini-facial at home. Exfoliate then mask, your skin will look amazing! Add eye patches to target the under eye area.

4. Take a goofy photo for social media, get your friends to join the fun of #maskmonth!

Three Ingredients For Younger Skin

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Antioxidants

The skin requires a healthy dose of antioxidants every day to prevent new damage and reverse prior skin damage. Layer your antioxidant serum under your SPF for added sun protection.

Retinol

Retinol helps increase skin cell turnover which in turn encourages collagen production. The end result is smoother, brighter skin with less breakouts and clogged pores.

Sunscreen

Everyone needs sun protection, end of story. If you don’t spend much time in the sun, an SPF 15 in your daily lotion is fine, if you get more exposure bump it up to SPF 30.

A good skin care routine is only as good as the products you use. While good quality products can help your skin look better now as well as in the future, poor quality products can be ineffective and even cause harm. In this blog, the dermatologists at Skin Center of South Miami explain more about the importance of quality skin care and facial products:

Why is good skin care important?
Good skin care is important for the following reasons:

It helps your skin stay in good condition: You’re shedding skin cells throughout the day, so it’s important to keep your skin glowing and in good condition. An effective routine can help prevent acne, treat wrinkles, and help keep your skin looking its best. We recommend you to buy the best face masks toronto for your skincare routine.
Your skin will look more youthful: As you age, your skin’s cells turn over more slowly, make it look duller and less radiant. Using a quality skin care line can help remove dead skin cells so your body will replace them with newer, more youthful cells.
Prevention is easier than correction: Preventing skin problems is easier -– and less costly – than trying to fix them in the future.
Your self-confidence will get a boost: When your skin looks better, you’ll feel better about yourself and have more self-confidence.

What’s Your Skin Type?

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Have you ever wondered how skin type is determined?

The amount of oil you produce is one of the major factors.

Dry

Dry skin types will benefit from washing with cool or warm (not hot) water using a cream based cleanser and treating with a serum followed by a creamy moisturizer. Serums have a thinner consistency and are more readily absorbed into the skin to deliver moisture to the lower layers, the moisturizer is designed to lock hydration in place.

PRO TIP: A common mistake is to assume dry skin does not need to be exfoliated. Exfoliating with an enzyme mask 1-2 times per week helps remove dead skin build up and allow products to penetrate better.

Normal

If you are lucky enough to fall into the normal category, chances are it won’t last forever! A gentle cleanser and moisturizer twice a day as well as an SPF during the day will keep your skin in great shape. As you age or experience hormonal changes, you can add to this routine to deal with the changes more easily since you have already established a routine.

PRO TIP: Do you fall asleep without washing your face? Get in the habit of washing your face right when you get home from work/gym/happy hour, BEFORE you sit down on the sofa to watch TV. Your skin will thank you!

Combination

Combination skin is a very common, oil in the T-zone yet dry on the cheeks. Use a gentle, foaming cleanser to get rid of the oil build up in the T-zone without over drying the cheeks. A treatment moisturizer with vitamin C will help prevent the excess oil from oxidizing in the pores and causing blackheads while keeping the cheeks from getting flaky.

PRO TIP: Use a white clay mask once a week to balance the skin, it will absorb excess oil from the oily areas and gently exfoliate dead skin from the dry patches.

Oily

Oily skin may be the most frustrating of all the skin types but the excess oil keep skin from getting wrinkles for much longer. Activated charcoal face wash helps absorb excess oil without over drying the skin, you can leave the cleanser on like a mask for 1-2 minutes for extra oil fighting power. Follow with a light antioxidant serum plus SPF during the day.

PRO TIP: Use blotting papers throughout the day to absorb excess oil without disturbing your makeup and SPF.

In-Flight Skin Care Tips

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women with dark hair looking out the window of an airplane

What’s the best routine for your skin while in an airplane?

 

The night before

 

Wash with your normal cleanser and exfoliate with an enzyme mask. Apply a balancing clay mask or a hydrating gel mask depending on your skin type.

Drink a lot of water.

 

The day of

 

Layer a hydrating serum under your moisturizer on clean skin before the flight. Skip the foundation and concealer, apply a light layer of tinted moisturizer if you need some coverage.

Drink a lot of water.

 

During the flight

 

For flights 5 hours or under, reapply your moisturizer at least once (wash your hands first!). Continue to drink water and skip the alcohol.

For flights over 5 hours, clean your skin with a cotton ball and toner mid-flight then reapply your hydrating serum and moisturizer. Drink more water.

 

After the flight

 

Repeat the enzyme mask + hydrating or balancing mask routine and continuing using the hydrating serum under your moisturizer.

Always pack travel sizes of your regular products when traveling. A foreign climate is not the time to introduce a new product to your routine.

And have a glass of water!

Why are plastic micro beads banned in the United States?

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President Obama recently signed a bill that banned the use of plastic microbeads in personal care products, this is great news for the environment!

How do plastic microbeads affect the environment?

This animation from The Story of Stuff illustrates it quite well. In short, the beads are too small to be filtered out of the water system and clog the gills of fish in the ocean or in the case of the smaller beads, become food for the fish and end up as part of our sushi platters.

What does this mean for skincare?

For many of us, nothing.

I’m not a fan of mechanical scrubs for exfoliation so I don’t retail any products that contain plastic microbeads. I prefer an enzyme or chemical product to exfoliate the skin.

Many companies are reformulating their mechanical scrubs to contain organic material. The downside to organic material is the pieces aren’t as uniform as plastic so they have a greater chance of causing micro tears to the skin.

Skin care for a hangover…

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With the holiday season quickly approaching (or did it start last night??), now is the time to think about how to look good on the outside when one too many cocktails left you feeling bad on the inside.

The most important factor is hydration. Drink water!

I like to add an electrolyte boost like Emergencee. Have a few large glasses of water before you start drinking coffee to get your system moving.

If your face is puffy, ice is your friend.

Fill your bathroom sink or a large bowl with cold water, add some ice cubes, pin your hair back and dunk you face for a few seconds.
Repeat.
Repeat one more time if you can stand it (of if you’re still asleep!).

Hydrate your skin. Use a serum under your moisturizer, you will be more dry than usual. Alcohol depletes the water from the fat layer of your skin.

Use extra eye cream. I love Yonka Phyto Contour for the stimulating effect the rosemary has on puffy eyes.

Wear a light layer of makeup but don’t overdo it, you may feel you’re hiding but it can just bring more attention to your tired face!

How can I fix my broken capillaries?

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Q: How can I fix my broken capillaries?

A: Broken capillaries are a very common side effect of sun damage and aging. People with thin skin are more prone to getting them.

The only true method for getting rid of broken capillaries is laser treatments. There are many creams on the market that claim to remove them but nothing has been proven.

Laser treatments for broken capillaries are relatively quick and not very painful. They may leave a bruise for a few days after so plan accordingly. Consult a dermatologist or plastic surgeon to determine how many sessions will be necessary to get the results you desire.

Like most skin issues, broken capillaries are easier to prevent than they are to correct.

Use a sunblock with a high percentage of physical block all year and avoiding extreme temperatures. Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum since this also dilates the capillaries which will weaken them over time.