Cleansers 101

There are so many different types of cleansers available to us these days that I thought it would be helpful to cover a few of the basics of cleansers.

Gel, Creamy, Balms & Oils 

The outdoor elements, stress, diet, and exercise are all key components to having healthy skin or skin issues. Plus, every skin type is SO different. It’s no wonder there are several choices of cleansers that help us address various skincare needs.

Gel Cleansers offer a squeaky cleanse finish which personally I quite like and too be honest I usually go between a gel cleanser that feels fresh and clean and a more hydrating cleanser I alternate these every night. Skin Types: Combo, Oily, Acneic

Cream Cleansers are so great as a first cleanse especially in the PM when you are washing makeup off--After the creamy cleanse sometimes I will do a Gel Cleanse afterward to really make sure the skin is clean and ready for your hard-working serums. I also recommend keeping a Cream Cleanse on hand for dehydrated skin or dry acne. Acneic skins need moisture too so adding this in a few times a week as cleanse can help combat skin being overly dry and irritated especially if you are using active spot treatments with Salicylic or BHA's. Skin Types: Mature, Dehydrated, Dry Acne, Rosacea

Cleansing Balms I am in love with cleansing balms!! The texture is like a soft putty that melts in your fingertips. Usually gentle enough to go over the eyes without any stinging. Take a nickel-sized amount of Balm, rub your palms together, and lightly use circular motions to work the Balm into the skin (don't drag the skin use more product if fingers don't glide across the skin). After 2-3 mins add a little bit of water and emulsify the Balm Cleanser on the skin--then Using a Bamboo Charcoal Cleansing Cloth (my favorite) or a clean (fresh) washcloth go over the skin until there is no Balm residue. Skin Types: Dehydrated, Mild Acne, Dry Acne, Mature (anyone wearing thick daily makeup needs a balm cleanser!!)

Oil Cleansing is also a great method. My favorite oils to cleanse with are Jojoba or a Jojoba/Coconut Oil combo. There's so much info out there and so many oils, it's hard to know which oil is the best to use for your skin. It REALLY depends on what you have going on with your skin. If you can use any oil or butter for that matter on your skin and never break out--you are one of the lucky ones. If you have break outs you need to really seek professional skin care guidance to go over what you've used in the past and how your skin reacted. Oil's for Cleansing can be used the same way the Balm Cleanse is applied--The great thing about Oil Cleansing is it can really break down the mascara on the lashes without hurting them. The oil acts as a conditioner for the lashes so it's a double action way of cleansing. I know so many clients that have active acne that are scared of using oils or anything too heavy on their skin, but I have seen many success stories with oil cleansing and clearing Acne--so it's nothing to be scared of and a little bit can go a long way. Skin Types: Dry Active Acne, Mature, Dehydrated, Combo

“PRO TIP: Always start cleansing with just your fingers and cleanse for 2-3 mins before you add water —this way the fruit acids, the enzymes or whatever “active” ingredient in your cleanser really penetrate the Epidermis in a concentrated way before watering down the cleansing product.”

Make sure you TONE the skin after cleansing--it is such an important step---balancing the PH of the skin before you put your amazing serum on that's going to clear the skin or make you look younger you need to TONE!!!

Let's talk about Toners next time!

What is Lymphatic Drainage??

WHAT IS LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE?

Lymphatic massage, sometimes called “lymphatic drainage massage,” uses gentle strokes, movements, and soft “pumping” by the practitioner to help the circulation of lymph fluid throughout the body. 

7      SKIN BENEFITS:

1) Deep cleanse
Lymphatic facials provide a deep cleanse of the skin. When carried out in conjunction with the use of topical cleansing products, specially formulated for acne prone skin, results are believed to be significantly improved.

2) Accelerated healing
Lymphatic massage helps to stimulate the flow of lymphatic fluid throughout the body, which has been designed to effectively move any unwanted toxins towards lymph nodes where they are removed.

This type of massage is particularly useful for individuals who have slightly inflamed skin. The gentle movements used throughout the massage help to prevent blockages and bring oxygen and nutrients to the cells. When carried out with anti-inflammatory products visible benefits can be seen immediately.

3) Reduced puffiness
As a gentle facial massage, lymphatic drainage can help retain a clear complexion and reduce puffiness due to its ability to disperse congestion, which may have been caused by irritants in cosmetics, illness, allergies or overindulgence in inflammatory foods.

Accumulated toxins come from the front and back of the ears, below the jaw, in the neck region and above the clavicular bone in the decollete area. Through a series of gentle and rhythmical pumping movements carried out by your esthetician, toxins will be moved to the lymph nodes and removed by the body. Esthetician’s will always work towards the direction of the nearest lymph node and in alignment with the circulatory system.

4) Congestion free skin
If our bodies become overly stressed or are subjected to environmental pollutants on a regular basis, the lymphatic system can become over saturated leading to an unwanted build up of toxins in the tissues, skin and joints. Regular lymphatic massage can help to keep the lymph system flowing freely and aid with the removal of dead cells from the surface of the skin. This increases circulation provides optimum hydration when you also apply acne safe moisturizers and serums.

5) Reduction of scar tissue
Manual lymphatic massage is believed to help in the reduction of new scar tissue. By actively encouraging increased circulation to the area and clearing any system blockages, fresh blood and oxygen flood the area and support cell regeneration. Many plastic surgery practices have licensed estheticians who specialize in lymphatic massage working with their patients to help support post-treatment healing.

6) Promotes the feeling of relaxation and wellbeing
As a non-invasive treatment which is both gentle and therapeutic, lymphatic facial massage is extremely relaxing. It promotes feelings of wellbeing while reducing anxiety and stress. Regular treatments alongside an acne skin care program can help to support clients who are suffering from a loss of confidence which often develops as a direct result of living with acne.

7) ALLERGIES: If you suffer from allergies this might be your magic bullet.  For those suffering from sinus infections, Lymphatic drainage procedures can remove much of this congestive material from around the facial area.  It allows the body’s own healing.

Fast Facts on Sunscreen - Get the Coverage You Need

Welcome to June gloom on the Central Coast. Did you know that UV rays are stronger when the weather is cloudy and/or overcast? True story (see below). So it really doesn't matter if you're a sun baby or shade lover, it's essential you have the right coverage.  And when I say the right coverage, I'm referring to a good sun screen with physical block, NOT chemicals.  Trust me, trying to decipher which ingredients are chemicals can be daunting with long unfamiliar names. So here are my quick tips on what to look for when buying sunscreen.

1) On the back of your sunscreen, look at the "active ingredients". If it doesn't say Zinc, Titanium, or a combo of the two - THROW IT OUT! 

2) If the percentage of active ingredients isn't a 12% or higher, it's not doing much to help protect you. 

3) If you don't want to think about it, stop by PASC and pick up any of the sunscreens I have for sale.  They've all been pre-approved by me!  

The article excerpt -

Sounds crazy, and many people just ignore the claim entirely believing it to be a myth. It’s no secret that one can certainly get sunburned on cloudy days, but is there any science backing up the claim that UV rays are actually stronger on cloudy days?

SO, ARE UV RAYS STRONGER ON CLOUDY DAYS?

UV intensity can vary widely with time of day, time of the year, and a locations latitude. (The equator at noon receives much more UV exposure than noon in Norway, for example). Clouds do usually block UV rays, particularly the more nefarious UV-B. On a really overcast day, they can stop 70 to 90% of the UV-B from reaching the surface.

Under skies that are only partly cloudy, something interesting happens. A phenomenon called the ‘broken-cloud effect‘ can occur, which causes higher UV levels – higher than a completely clear sky would allow. A survey conducted at six U.S. cites in 1994 found cumulus clouds could raise surface UV-B by 25%, and in 2004 Australian researchers reported that the UV-B rays associated with DNA damage were up to 40% stronger under partly cloudy skies.

HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?

Scientists don’t have a solid answer, but there seems to be two main causes. The first is UV rays bouncing off, and being reflected off the sides of dense clouds, and the second is UV rays being redirected as they pass through very fine wisp-like clouds. An American Scientist article suggested last year that a combination of these thin refracting clouds high up and thick reflecting clouds down low could result in a significant UV boost at the surface level.

People are also less likely to take precautions against sun when it’s cloudy which adds to that risk. This leaves them open to any UV-amplifying mechanisms taking place.

References:
Broken-Cloud Enhancement of Solar Radiation Absorption (pdf)
Process for Determining Solar Irradiances (pdf)
Hockberger, P. E. (2002). “A history of ultraviolet photobiology for humans, animals and microorganisms“. Photobiol. 76 (6): 561–579.