Winter Skin Care

Our winter has been mild so far, but this seems about to change. The combination of the cold and dry outside air with the relatively high inside temperatures leaves our skin even drier, resulting in the breakdown of the protective layer of the skin thereby making it more difficult for the skin’s self-repair process to take place.

Certainly the treatment and care we provide to our skin, should reflect the seasonal requirements.

Hydration - Moisturizing

Our basic skin care routine should absolutely include products which can provide sufficient hydration to the skin. Choose moisturizing products containing hyaluronic acid, and other moisturizing agents which add moisture to the skin, but also protect the moisture that is already present in the skin.  Of course this does not only applies to the face, neck and décolleté area, but for the entire body.

Peeling

Another key factor for healthy, smooth and supple skin all year round, is systematic peeling - at least 2 -3 times a month. The more dead cells that accumulate and remain on the surface of the skin, the less healthy and shiny our skin looks.  Peeling will remove the dead cells and enable the skin to “breathe” and be ready to accept the additional effective ingredients that will follow, whether be a cream, serum or ampoule.

And speaking of serums and ampoules, remember that these contain highly concentrated active ingredients, which have a really positive noticeable effect on the skin.

Sun Care

Finally, a very important aspect of winter skin care is the protection of the skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays.  Ultraviolet radiation will do away with the natural glow of your skin and promote skin discoloration, dryness, and finally the formation of wrinkles. Consider that even fluorescent lamps emit UVA rays that cause skin aging. For this reason, regardless of the weather – whether it is sunny, overcast, or even if it rains - and regardless of your age, you should always use good sun protection.

Let's get ready to face the cold of winter and welcome spring with a clean, glowing and bright skin without imperfections! 

Until next time ladies...be beautiful!

3 Simple Steps for Dry Skin Care

Does your skin feel itchy or does your skin flake?  Well …today let me share with you some tips to avoid this issue and keep your skin soft and supple.

Dry, itchy skin is no joke. Because skin is the body's largest organ (weighing about nine pounds), the frustration and discomfort that go along with dehydration can affect your daily existence, from your wardrobe to your social life. And if you happen to have a skin condition like eczema, you know from experience that flaky skin is no laughing matter.

Use the Correct Peeling Product

We all know the benefits of peeling (exfoliation).  This is more true for persons with dry skin since it aids in removing the dead skin cells that accumulate on the surface of the skin, and prevent the beneficial moisturizing products from penetrating deep into the skin.    

If happen to have normal or combination skin, then you have several options for peelings, such as peelings with small granules such as Apricot Peeling or HoneyPeeling (containing jojoba spheres for extra moisturizing). On the other hand, if your skin is sensitive (or even acne prone) choose a cream like peeling suchas the Peeling Cream which will work equally well, but will not irritate your skin

In either case however, peeling should only be done once a week or every 10 days., since frequent use it can lead to skin irritation.

Youthful Skin In 5 Easy Steps

Hello again! 

 Is it really possible to keep our skin young looking? Well...the answer is Yes it is possible to keep our skin youthful looking and radiant  as time moves on.  The way to achieve it is by using anti-aging products that are right for our skin, in combination with professional treatments from competent beauty professionals.  This way, fine lines, wrinkles, and damage caused by the sun can be kept at bay for a longer time.

By not providing adequate protection for our skin, we allow the fine lines and wrinkles to make their appearance,  and brown spots begin to show which along with and rough skin areas caused by the exposure of the skin to the sun, start to give clues about our age.

As we age, the skin itself is not producing as much collagen, and definitely the level of hyaluronic acid production is diminishing.  Furthermore, dead skin cells are accumulating  at a faster rate, and do not invisibly fall off as previously.   It is natural of course that as our skin is subjected to the environmental elements, it is more likely to show aging signs. 

SO...WHAT DO WE DO?

Here are the 5 important  (and easy) steps we should take to not only prevent, but also to start reversing the signs of aging.  

New Year’s resolutions for your skin

Happy New Year!  The new year brings us the opportunity to do away with all those bad skin care habits and reconsider our skin care routine.

Sun Protection is a Priority

Using sun protection on a daily basis all year round is not only essential to prevent sun damage, wrinkles and sun spots, but it is an important step in preventing skin cancer.  Over the course of time, the sun can impose significant hardships and damage to your skin, so it is important to use quality sun care products to protect from the skin from the damage caused by UVA/UVB rays.  

Exfoliation for glowing Skin

Regardless of your skin type, exfoliating  should be a very important step in your skin care routine.  The reason is that as we get older, our skin is not as efficient is disposing of dead skin cells and regenerating new ones.  The result is that dead skin cells start accumulating on the surface of the skin, clogging the pores and results in excess oil production. This leads to dull looking, rough and dry skin.  In addition the excess oil can lead to blemishes and acne. 

Some Practical Beauty Advice

Hello all!

Today I will share with you some general information on masks, tonic lotions, and moisturizers, as I am often receiving questions about them from my clients.

MASKS

We all know the wonderful feeling of just relaxing with our face covered in a face mask that will make us look younger, tighten our pores and nourish our skin.  All we have to do is sit back and let the face mask work its magic.  

The question I am often asked is “what happens if I leave the mask on for too long?” The answer is that it depends on the type of mask.  Let me explain.  For most masks (hydration, nourishing type of masks), leaving them on longer than the recommended time – usually 20 to 30 minutes – will not result in any damage to your skin, but at the same time it will not really provide any additional benefits.  The problem is with masks that contain chemicals such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or lactic acid.   Leaving these types of face masks on for longer than the recommended time, can and will result in skin irritation, which can range from moderate to severe. This is more so of course for sensitive skins. 

Therefore, to always be on the safe side, follow the manufacturer’s recommended time frames when using your mask. 

An Excellent selection of Masks can be found here!

5 Tips for Summer Care!

Summer is closing in and it is time to review some tips on keeping our skin healthy and glowing through the hot summer months that will follow.

1. Exfoliation...cleaner, clearer, smoother 

 

Running the risk of sounding boring at times, I must state once more that exfoliation is imperative towards achieving a clean, smooth, glowing skin. Peeling will remove the layers of dead skin cells that accumulate on the surface of the epidermis. This is very important since the dead skin cells that accumulate cause congestion to the pores of the skin. Basically the skin cannot "breath", the pores get clogged and the skin is not able to receive proper hydration and other nutrients from products that we apply.

For most people exfoliation done once a week or every 10 days is probably adequate. I recommend you do your exfoliation in the evening, and follow it with an appropriate mask, and then with your night care cream. If you want to take it a step further, add an ampoule or serum (prior to the mask). The results will amaze you!

Good Bye Summer…Time for Autumn Care

Hello ladies!

After all the hardships endured by our skin during the hot summer months, it’s time to provide it with the proper love and care it deserves and so urgently needs.

A combination of things such as the sun, the salt from the sea, and perhaps neglecting to do proper cleansing of our skin with a cleanser and lotion, are all factors that contributed to our skin being in need of immediate care and rejuvenation.

So today, let us look at some of the ways that will help us to restore vitality and radiance back to our skin.

Peeling (scrub)

Peeling is one very important step we can take that will lead us to a more bright and refreshed  complexion and a healthy looking skin.  Since dead skin cells and other environmental impurities  “block” the surface of the skin, it is understandable that no matter what products we use on our skin, they will not have the desired perfect result, since they will not be able to penetrate effectively into the skin.   

What is it with Hyaluronic Acid?

Today I would like to discuss a little bit about the importance of hyaluronic acid in the skin

Have you noticed that the first signs of lines and wrinkles have begun to make their appearance, and that your skin’s texture is becoming uneven and the pores are getting bigger?

The reason for this is the degradation of hyaluronic acid in your skin - a completely natural process.

Hyaluronic acid is found in natural form in the human body and in all living organisms. In the human body is found in large quantities not only in the skin but also in the, eyes, the hair and the gums. It is largely responsible for retaining the moisture, volume and elasticity of our skin.

It is embedded between the network of collagen and elastin fibers in the skin as a filler substance that stabilizes the moisture and the normal inflation of the cells and which assists the proteins and skin elasticity .