Spring Deals

Its finally here! My ad went out this past weekend to local residents in the Clipper Magazine. Thanks to Clara Wallace Art & Design for designing my ad. Love it! Already a great response. Some great deals untl May 5th ladies and gents. So get them while they're hot! You don't need a coupon to cash in. Just mention the ad when you make your appointment.

DIY Avocado Mask

The Avocado Festival in Fallbrook, CA is just around the corner and its got me thinking of avocados. I eat avocados almost everyday. I love them! They're high in protein, vitamins, and essential fatty acids which are good for the body and for the skin. So why not slather some avocado on your face to give your skin some extra nourishment.

This mask is great for mature and dry skin but it is suitable for all skin types.

1/2 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted

1 Tbsp plain organic yogurt

1 Tbsp honey (optional, for added moisture)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process for 20 seconds. Apply immediately to a cleansed face and rest for ten minutes. Rinse off with warm water and follow with a moisturizer.

Spring Cleaning

Spring is here! Time for the spring cleaning, and I'm not talking about your house. This is the time to spring clean your skin. After battling some of the harsh temperatures of winter, you skin is in need of some TLC. A facial is just the solution. Cleaning out your pores, sloughing off the dead skin, and adding more hydration can be achieved during your facial. A facial will bring back that glow and increase its circulation that it may not of had during the cold winter months.

This is the time to also go through your skin care products and see if you need to change things. With warmer temperatures on the way, you may want to use a lighter moisturizer. And you may want to up the SPF on your sunscreen, 30+ or even 70+ .

With my great spring deals going on right now, you can buy one facial and get the second one free. Spring cleaning never sound so fun !

Beauty Sites

I've been lost without my laptop this past week. I finally got it back from being repaired and I am so happy to be surfing the web again. I didn't realize how much I used it until I didn't have it! I like to log on and get the daily news from AOL and entertainment updates from popeater.com. I check out my favorite beauty sites when I'm looking for the new trends and new products. I always check sephora.com for whats new in makeup and I like to go on instyle.com to read the celebs beauty secrets. I also check skininc.com for the latest in skincare.

What beauty websites do you like to surf to get your information?

BPO Cleanser 5%

My go to cleanser for acne and breakouts is BPO Cleanser 5% by PCA Skin. It has 5% benxoyl peroxide, which is antibacterial and very effective in treating acne. This cleanser also has botanical extracts (chamomile and aloe vera) that help soothe and calm the skin. I love using this cleanser on myself too when I get an occasional breakout. It has a creamy consistency without the oily residue feeling.

Used twice a day in your daily skin care regimen, your skin will clear up without drying out.

Back Pain Relief

Over the weekend my husband hurt his lower back, yet again. He has a history of back pain that comes and goes. Usually when it starts hurting like this he is limping around for a week. The first day it happened, he had to lay down. The next morning I had to help him get up each time he sat down. Later that morning he was outside and our neighbor came over. My husband explained what had happened to his back. Our neighbor went home and returned with a foam roller. He explained how to use it and had my husband get down on the roller to try some of the stretches. After doing the stretches on the roller for a few minutes, he got up and felt almost no back pain. He was able to work the rest of the day with very little pain. We hurried out and bought one at Sports Chalet ($39.99) He's been using it twice a day now and loves it. I am sold on this thing! Check out the website for yourself.

http://www.gofit.net/foam-roll.php

Cleansing 101

With everything our face is exposed to each day; smoke, pollution, dirt, bacteria, germs, we need a good cleansing. A proper cleansing can help prevent breakouts and blackhead and keep the skin clean and healthy. Follw these simple tips to get your skin squeeky clean!

• Start with the right cleanser for your skin type. Oily skin: look for products that contain benxoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Dry skin: look for moisturizing ingredients.

Bar soap(such as Dial soap) is a no-no. Because of its high alkalinity, it can cause irritation and aggravation to the skin. There are some great skin care companies that have formulated their cleansers into a bar soap. That is o.k. to use. Check with a skin care therapist if you need help selecting one that's suitable for your skin.

• Use lukewarm water when washing your face. Hot water is too stripping and can damage the skin and cold water closes the pores making the cleansing process ineffective.
• Cleanse your skin with upward gentle movements. Downward movements can drag down the skin and cause sagging. Work the product in for a good 10-15 seconds. A washcloth is acceptable to use during the cleansing process. However rough abrasive items such as Buf-Pufs and loofahs are too aggressive and damaging to the skin.
• Rinse thoroughly to make sure all cleanser has been removed.
• In some cases a second cleansing is needed. Women that wear excess amounts of makeup may need to wash twice to remove all product.
• Pat dry with a clean towel. Do not rub the skin.

Cleanse your skin twice a day; in the morning and in the evening. Over washing strips the skin's natural barrier and is not healthy. Follow cleansing with a treatment serum and/or moisturizer.

Blackheads

Many people will stop me when they know what I do for a living to show me their various skin conditions. Just because I work with skin doesn't mean I can diagnose every skin ailment out there. Some conditions are a mystery and need to be examined by a dermatologist. But there are many common skin disorder that people are unfamiliar with but are easy to treat and prevent.

Over time, I'll try and explain many of these problems. The first and most common one I see is a blackhead.

Blackheads (open comedones) are a mass of keratinized cells and hardened sebum that plug a hair follicle. When the skin is not properly cleansed and/or there is an excess production of sebum the follicles get trapped with this dirt and debris. I see most blackhead on nose, but they can appear anywear.

To treat a blackhead, they must be removed. That's where a facial is a good idea. During a facial the esthetician performs extractions and properly squeezes the debris out of the hair follicle. Be very careful if you are extracting them yourself. you don't want to scar yourself by squeezing wrong.

To prevent blackheads, use a proper cleanser suitable for your skin and an exfoliator is a needed to slough off the excess sebum and debris that accumulates on the skin.

Eyebrow Color

Because the majority of women color or highlight their hair (I can't even tell you what my natural color is), they're not sure what to do with their eyebrows. Should they color them? Should they lighten them? Here's a good rule of thumb to go by. If your hair is on the lighter side, your brows should be two shades darker than your hair color. If your hair is dark, your brows should be one shade lighter than your hair color.

I would recommend going to an esthetician (such as myself) that does brow tinting. An appropriate color is applied to your brows and processes for approx 5-15 min. Then Ta-Da! New eyebrows that look great with that new haircolor. Brow tinting is great for covering grey hairs too. Usually lasts about 3-4 weeks.

Home Remedies

Another weekend is fast approaching us and unfortunately I'll be spending most of it on the couch. I've been trying so hard to not get my boys colds but it didn't work. I guess that's what happens when your kids wipe themselves all over you, cough in your face and touch your face with their dirty hands.

I woke up feeling like my head was going to explode and my throat is very sore. I dislike cough & cold meds so I'm just doing what I always do. Saline spray for the nose and a teaspoon of honey for the throat. Tonight I'm going to put my head over a pot of hot water with a few drops of eucalyptus. That seems to do the trick.

My girlfriend keeps raving about the netti pot. She swears by it. I suppose I should go out and get one of those.

Home remedies seem to always work better then the meds they have out there. I remember when I was younger, my friend's mom would put slices of raw potato on her kids foreheads if they had a fever. Anyone out there have their own home remedies for relieving symptoms of colds and sinus congestion?

Facial Massage

Who doesn't love a massage? I love getting my muscles rubbed and I love to feel all my stress and tension dissipate. But what about a facial massage? Is the same thing happening? The answer is yes. With all the smiling and frowning that we do all day, our face muscles need a break. Not only does a facial massage relieve stress and tension it also does quite a few other things that are good for our skins health.

• Strengthens and tones the muscle fibers



• Helps deplete excess fluids- reduces puffy or sagging areas



• Increases the secretion of sebum- helps skin maintain its moisture, resulting in a more youthful glow.



• Improves circulation, which is essential for cell growth



• Increases collagen production

There are different types of facial massages that are more appropriate than others for various skin conditions; swedish, acupressure, lymphatic drainage, hot stone, aromatherapy.

So next time you're getting a facial, sit back and relax. Your face with enjoy it.

Nutrition & the Skin Part II

So what should we be eating and what should we be staying away from to improve our skin. Obviously not everyone is going to drastically change their diet the way that I have nor would they want to, but there are some things that you can do that aren't too difficult.

1. Limit your sugar intake. Because I still have a sweet tooth, I substitute refined sugar with honey and agave sugar.
2. Drink green tea. Great antioxidant benefits.
3. Eat more fruits and vegetables. The brighter, the better.
4. Limit alcohol intake
5. Cut down on processed foods.
6. Eat foods rich in omega-3; salmon, nuts..

Just some very simple steps to not only help you feel better but to look better as well.
I found a great article about how sugar affects your skin. You should check it out.
http://health.discovery.com/centers/healthbeauty/beautybasics/shunsugar.html

Nutrition & the Skin Part I

Nutrition is so vital to having good skin and there's so much to talk about that I'll break it into a few parts. I'll first explain to you my journey with eating healthy. After having stomach issues for a couple years, I found out I had celiac disease (gluten intolerance) and I had lactose intolerance. I had to totally change the way I ate. Not only was I a lover of bread but I had a major sweeth tooth. All that was suddenly taken away and I had to learn to eat differently.
I cut out all bread, refined sugars, and all dairy. I began eating more fruits and vegetables and different grains like quinoa and buckwheat. I stopped drinking coffee and switched completely to green tea.
I have been on this new way of eating for about four months now. Just this past week I have noticed a complete change in my skin. For as long as I can remember, my face would always be red and slightly blotchy. I would always need a foundation to even out my skin tone. Now all of the redness is gone and my skin has a glow to it.
My new way of eating has completely changed my skin. Now I can see why and how it can really effect your body. And now I can teach my clients why proper nutrition is good for the skin and how it may solve some of their skin problems. Its true that we need to heal things from the inside out.