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WASHING YOUR FACE

As an esthetician, I live and breathe skin care. Following a proper skin care regimen is second nature to me. But I’m constantly reminded that not everyone knows what to do or why it’s essential. Like washing your face.

Whenever I have a new facial client, my first question is always, “Can you tell me about your skin?” I know what I see, but I want to hear what you see. My second question then follows: “What are you using on your face right now?” A lot of people know what to do, but they’re just not using good products. But even more people admit that they just splash water on their face, or use their shampoo or gentle body soap (sorry—but Dove Sensitive Skin Body Soap is still not appropriate for your face). I get it…you’re busy. Kids. Workouts. Zoom calls. But it takes the same amount of time to reach for a facial cleanser as it does water. Often people who don’t wear make up feel like washing their face is unnecessary. But think about all the pollution and pets and kids that touch your face day and night. Not to mention food and your own hands. Properly washing your face can make all the difference. Even if your skin seems healthy now, it can help prevent problems in the future.

Use a facial cleanser. As mentioned above, splashing your face with water alone won’t cut through the oil. You wouldn’t wash your dishes or clothes in just water, would you? So why is it enough for your face? And using your shampoo or soap is just too harsh and will dry you out.

Cleanse morning and night. In the morning because you sweat, drool, and produce oil while you sleep. Before bed because all day long, you, your pet, and your kids touch your face. Plus, food, pollution, and oil add up to a lot of grime.

Follow with a moisturizer. So many people have told me that they, “like to start the day and go to bed with a clean face.” But a freshly washed face takes time to return to its natural pH, during which it is susceptible to dryness, irritation, inflammation, and overzealous oil production. Applying a moisturizer neutralizes your skin faster while keeping hydration locked in.

Hello, Hindsight?

SKIN CARE ADVICE FOR MY YOUNGER SELF.

‘Tis the season for holiday movies. And my personal favorite, A Christmas Carol, always makes me ponder the possibilities. If I could go back in time, what would I change? Unfortunately, any serious alteration might set off a Butterfly Effect. So I’d be happy with just a few words of wisdom about my passion…skin care. Here’s what I’d say…

“Wear SPF 30 every day.” Obviously skin Cancer is the biggest danger here. I don’t want to downplay that. But I have spent thousands of dollars trying to correct the other effects of sun damage like wrinkles and pigmentation.

“Wash your face morning and night, even if you don’t wear make up.” So many people tell me that they don’t wash their face morning and night. But we produce oil 24/7. Throw in a little pollution, dog kisses, sticky kid hands, and drool and you’ve got a recipe for clogged pores and irritation.

“Don’t smoke.” Smoking asphyxiates the skin, which leads to clogged pores, dehydration, and collagen breakdown. And those vertical lines around your lips? Totally caused by puffing and puckering.

“Don’t use drug store products.” Before I became an esthetician, I never bought professional skin care because, well, I didn’t know any better. I also thought that I couldn’t afford them. But products sold to the masses have such low percentages of active ingredients that they basically do nothing. They also have a lot of alcohol and cheap fillers. Why settle when there are professional products close to the same price?

“Start using eye cream before you need it.” Oh crow’s feet…how you taunt me every time I look in the mirror. Using eye cream in your 20s and 30s helps keep fine lines from forming in the first place.

“Get regular facials.” I used to view facials as a luxury. But now I know that getting regular facials really does make a difference. And I hear it time from my clients all of the time. They help keep your pores clear, and your skin exfoliated and hydrated. It’s all about wellness and prevention, just like going to the dentist.

It’s never too late to start good habits. Happy Holidays!

Movember is for Men!

DON’T GET LAX WITH YOUR WAX THIS WINTER.

On goes the debate over hair removal. Should I wax? Should I shave? What about laser? Can I get away without hair-tending in the winter? Should I tell my friend that Movember is just for men? Well, as expected, estheticians are cheerleaders for waxing year round. And here's why:

1. Waxing lasts longer than shaving.
Clearly it makes sense that if you remove the hair from the root, it takes longer to grow back. 21 days longer, to be exact. And if you wax consistently, your three hair cycles sync up so you'll get even more time before those hairs show their heads.

2. Waxing makes hair thinner.
If you shave every day, the constant stimulation of the hair follicle triggers a "healing" reaction where the body floods the follicle with nutrients designed to make the hair stronger. Waxing is done much less often, therefore less stimulation. Over time, yanking out the hair also retards the follicle so hair becomes thinner and may even stop growing entirely. Doesn't that sound nice?

3. Waxing leads to fewer ingrowns and irritation.
We've all dealt with razor burn and ingrown hairs caused by frequent shaving. Waxing can definitely help reduce this since there's no constant scraping of the skin.

4. Laser overpromises.
Of course there are people who are satisfied with their results, but I have a lot of waxing clients who have tried it and are still showing up on my table. That kind of says it all. Since laser is attracted to pigment, you need really dark hair and really light skin. And it takes a lot more sessions than they say. And after all those sessions, often the hair is not completely gone! I know waxing isn't permanent either, but at least it's a lot less expensive.

Check Out Our Waxing Services >>

The ABCs of CBD

GET TO KNOW THIS NEW INGREDIENT.

When it comes to hot, new ingredients, CBD is taking the wellness world by storm. And for good reason! Whether used on the skin or on the body, its anti-inflammatory properties are undeniable. 

CBD is a cannabinoid derived from hemp. That’s right…cannabis. But unlike its source, CBD is free of THC so it has no psychotropic properties. Used topically, CBD provides many benefits:

• Reduces inflammation
• Soothes and hydrates sensitive skin
• Calms redness and irritation
• Regulates oil production
• Reduces pain and discomfort
• Treats rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis

 At our Campbell location, we offer a CDB Facial and a CBD Massage so that you can experience this new ingredient in the spa setting. We also have three new retail products available in Campbell and Los Altos, including a serum rollerball, a masque, and a moisturizer. They’re all 100% hemp-derived, broad-spectrum, and contain between 100 and 200 mg of CBD. So come check them out!

Serious Serums

Tiny bottles. Big price tags. Are they worth it?

When it comes to skin care regimens, I've always believed in simplicity. Use only the number of products you need to keep your skin healthy. So for many years, I thought serums were “extra” and unnecessary. Then a funny thing happened...I turned 40. And all of a sudden, my needs changed. My simple regimen was no longer enough to fend off wrinkles and sun damage. I needed more.

That was 10 years ago, and now I covet serums like Gollum and his “precious.” I only wish I had started using them sooner.

What is a serum? Lightweight and chock-full of potent, active ingredients, serums are designed with small molecules to penetrate faster and deeper. They "feed" the skin with concentrated vitamins and antioxidants that trigger cell renewal.

How do they fit into my regimen? Serums can be used day, night, or both depending on their ingredients and their purpose, and should be layered underneath your moisturizer and SPF.

Which serums should I use? That depends on what you'd like to improve or prevent.

Fine lines? Look for serums containing Vitamin A (retinol), peptides, or CoQ10.

Pigmentation? Vitamin C, Kojic Acid, and Hydroquinone are your best choices.

Acne? Try salicylic acid, glycolic, or benzoyl peroxide serums. And don't use an "all-in-one, do everything" serum. Too many ingredients start to dilute each other's efficacy. And they're usually more expensive, anyway. You're better off getting two serums and using one in the morning and one at bedtime.

Why are they so spendy? Since serums are formulated with higher concentrations of active ingredients, they often come with a higher price tag. But you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars. We've got some amazing budget-friendly choices that work wonders!

Learn More >>

GROCERY STORE SKIN CARE

You Deserve Better!

Most of you know that I try very hard not to criticize other brands of skin care. Especially if you’re using them and your skin looks great! But there are two products that I just can’t keep silent about:

Cetaphil. This one really irks me because I know a lot of dermatologists recommend it. But the reason they do this is because it is completely inert. It literally does nothing! It won’t hurt you, but it won’t help you either. There are no active ingredients in there…just a lot of fillers and emulsifiers.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub. We’ve all used this at one time or another. But this product is known for tearing up the skin. In esthetician school, they actually show microscopic slides of before and after using this, and the integrity of the skin is frightening. This product doesn’t even use apricot as its exfoliating ingredient. It uses walnut shells, which are so jagged that they literally cut the skin. Apricot oil is the very last ingredient on the list, which means the concentration is almost negligible.

I understand the draw of buying grocery store skin care. It’s convenient, and it’s cheap. But there are better products out there that really don’t cost much more. And when you use these mass-produced products, the price you really pay is the health of your skin.

SEEING SPOTS?

Zap Zits with These Tips

June is Acne Awareness month. Which makes it a great time to talk about what causes acne. The short answer is: genetics and hormones. Clearly these two factors are pretty hard to control, but you can minimize the triggers that make acne worse. Like foods that cause hormone fluctuations such as sugar, dairy, gluten, and shellfish, inappropriate products that strip your skin’s barrier, or thick make up that clogs pores. Or even stress, which raises your cortisol levels and causes the skin to overproduce oil.

Acne may not curable, but it is treatable. So what can you do to minimize the destruction?

1. Keep a log. Whenever you break out, try to determine if there is any common denominator. Like if you break out right before your period, then maybe using a mask or getting a facial the week prior can reduce the severity. Or if you always break out when you drink beer, maybe gluten is not your friend. Or if stress is the culprit, pair a clay mask with a glass of wine when life gets crazy.

2. Exfoliate. You really need to exfoliate twice a week to remove dead skin cells and clear the path for your pores. 

3. Treat. Minimize breakouts by using products that balance oil production and fight bacteria, like Benzoyl Peroxide, Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, and Sulfer.

4. Clean. Wash your pillowcases, make up brushes, and towels more often. And always wash your face before bed, even if you don’t wear make up. Follow cleansing with a moisturizer so you don’t overproduce oil while you sleep.

WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK

GET SET FOR SUMMER WITH THESE TREATMENTS.

 Sun’s out! Time for swimsuits, tank tops, and bare backs. Which begs the question, are you ready to shoulder the season? If your back isn’t looking its best, try one of these treatments.

PROBLEM: Acne
CAUSES: Hormones/comedogenic products
TREATMENTS: Back facials, peels, masks

PROBLEM: Pigmentation
CAUSES: Sun damage/acne scars
TREATMENTS: Peels

PROBLEM: Texture
CAUSES: Sun damage
TREATMENTS: Peels, microderm, waxing 

PROBLEM: Excess Hair
CAUSES: Hormones
TREATMENTS: Waxing

Spring Cleaning Time!

YOUR WARDROBE ISN'T THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO CHANGE.

It's spring! Time to box those boots, store those sweaters, and clean those corners. But what about your personal products? Since your skin changes with every season, it's the perfect time to change your skin care routine, too.

Throw Out Old Products. Most lotions and potions have a one to two-year shelf life, but cluttering your cabinets with products you're "saving for later" is just not worth it. Bacteria could grow. Expiration dates could pass. And efficacy could degrade. Toss 'em! Like that box of Benadryl that expired in 2010 and those pants that "may fit again one day."

Switch Your Moisturizer. Dry winter skin caused by heaters, ski trips, and colder climates clearly calls for a heavier moisturizer. But the temperate weather and humidity of spring means your oil production should normalize, and you'll want a lightweight moisturizer to keep things balanced.

Trade Your Retinol for Peptides. Retinol is the gold standard for anti-aging. But using it during sunny seasons can be dangerous, increasing the likelihood of pigmentation and chemical burns. Spring is a great time to switch to a peptide product that will continue triggering collagen production without the risks of retinol.

Get a Facial. There's no better way to prep your skin for spring than with a facial. Slough off dead cell buildup, clear out impactions, and get advice on what your skin needs this season.

The Truth About Organic Skin Care

"ALL-NATURAL" IS NOT ALL GOOD

The topic of organic skin care is a hot one. The media and marketing have painted a horrific picture of "chemicals," parabens," and the "toxic" nature of any product that is not "all-natural." So I completely understand why people have switched to shopping at Whole Foods for their beauty needs. But I stand steadfast on my personal pulpit. Organic products are not good for your skin, and they don't deliver results.Blasphemy, right? Now don't get me wrong, I love botanical and natural ingredients. But these ingredients must be combined with their synthetic brothers and sisters to actually work.

The Skin Won't Absorb Natural Ingredients Without Help. Eating blueberries, carrots, and the like is great for the body. But the skin is not so hospitable. If your skin doesn't recognize an ingredient applied topically, it will reject it in the form of allergenic reactions, acne, irritation, and the breakdown of collagen. In order for the skin to accept and absorb these unknowns, they must be mixed with biogenic ingredients (ingredients found naturally in the body) as well as lab-derived delivery systems designed to penetrate.

Chemicals and Parabens are Not Evil. In fact, they create stability in products that make them safer to use and more effective. You might have heard about some studies that said parabens were endocrine disrupters linked to breast cancer. But did you hear that these studies were later disproven? No, because the media didn't want to admit that they jumped the gun on creating a panic. Thus cosmetic manufacturers were forced to go paraben-free, not because they were dangerous, but because the truth was swept under the rug.

Organic Products Don't Deliver Results. It's true. They're simply unable to incorporate and use active ingredients such as peptides, retinols, and vitamins to fight aging. And natural ingredients that have beneficial properties like blueberries (antioxidant) or sulfer (anti-inflammatory) just won't penetrate without the help of cosmetic chemists and lab-derived bonding ingredients. So get the best of both worlds...use products that contain both!