Author Archives: SkinSense
We are currently experiencing the driest year on record and that means extra dry skin on both our face and body. So what can we do to stop the shedding, itching and tightness that goes along with this condition?
Of course, getting regular hydrating facials every month is an absolute must and while visiting the spa, ask your facialist about implementing the following at home.
Face, neck and decollete:
Use an essential oil blend three times a week. Rose, Roman chamomile, lavender, geranium, carrot seed, sandalwood and grape-seed oils are very soothing. Select two or three to make an excellent night-time blend. You can apply a night crème on top or simply let the oil do its job while you sleep. And talking of night-time moisturizers, use a heavier formula if your skin still feels dry.
During the day, apply a serum and moisturizer under your sunscreen. Yes, even in the winter months we still need that SPF 30. Slather on lip balm and make sure you apply your eye crème day and night.
Twice a week, give yourself an extra soothing and hydrating mask. This can be done in the morning or at night, whichever fits into your daily schedule and if you haven’t invested in the Clarisonic brush yet, now is the time. Not only is it a great exfoliator but it also tightens and firms the skin with regular use. Using a humidifier at night while you sleep can be especially helpful to add moisture to the air and can often offer relief from sinus problems and allergies, a better solution to taking anti-histamines which can dehydrate the skin.
Body care:
Body butters are great for this time of the year and can be applied morning and night. For an extra foot treat, massage the butter into the feet and wear socks to bed. Your feet will be baby soft by morning.
Holiday Break-outs:
If you have the opposite problem of oily skin and breakouts read my post on “Holiday Breakouts” for some helpful tips to keep the skin under control during the festive season.
Drink plenty of fluids – warm tea and water – and include flax or fish oils with your supplements. Hydrating from the inside out is vital to combat dryness.
Happy Holidays one and all!
Many of you have read my previous blogs about the latest in skincare ingredients. Here is another interesting breakthrough that we are already using at Skin Sense. As with many discoveries, scientists trying to understand and solve one mystery often happen upon a possible solution for another. Many of us have watched the movie “Benjamin Button” and outside of Hollywood have seen the sad images of tiny children who grow old way before their time. This is because of a rare disease called Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome. Patients develop age-related disorders and diseases when still very young that shortens their life span to no more than twenty years in most cases. It affects only a handful of children worldwide and I am sure that the scientists who are working tirelessly to understand and help those who suffer from this terrible affliction are somewhat surprised to find the beauty industry calling it the new answer to anti-aging.
However, that is exactly what has happened. This genetic mutation creates a toxic protein called progerin that prevents cells from renewing properly. In 2007, the US National Institute of Health also discovered that progerin was present in healthy skin and fat cells. And as we age, it increases by 3% every year!
What does all this mean?
Aging skin recycles itself more slowly with time. Progerin, it has been discovered, can contribute to this process by slowing the skin’s production of collagen and hyaluronic acid – both important components in keeping our skin youthful. Sun exposure also increases the amount of progerin in our cells. No surprise there. So how do we reduce or even remove this demon?
We have two exciting new formulas from Guinot that can help. Creme Riche Fermete Lift and Creme Lift 777 both contain an ingredient called Actiprogerin which claims to limit the production of progerin at a cellular level. The research is still very new but Guinot rarely includes a new ingredient in their products without seriously considering the benefits. Ask for a sample on your next spa visit. We would love to get your feedback.
Electrical currents have long been a part of the SkinSense anti-aging arsenal. They provide many benefits for all skin types. So let’s discuss the various protocols that we use continuously during our facials with great results.
Ultrasound:
Ultrasound consists of high frequency sound waves that are particularly good at getting rid of waste both on and in the skin. For example, we all love mineral cosmetics but the powders in particular tend to stick in the pores. Some sunscreens do the same thing. Ultrasound ensures that the pores are cleansed thoroughly and that the skin surface is scrupulously clean during treatment which enables later absorption of the anti-oxidants we apply.
Ultrasound also increases blood circulation, stimulates the lymph flow and reduces puffiness. Indulged in too much salt or not getting enough sleep? That tired, puffy look will vanish after an ultrasound facial.
The heat produced on the skin by the ultrasound current is mild and can be very healing for skin that has been burnt or for acne lesions that have left scarring. Not to mention the anti-aging benefits of collagen production.
The notable feature about the ultrasound unit we use is that the bracelet worn during treatment to conduct the current is a form of Galvanism.
The Galvanic current operates by electro-osmosis using negative and positive ions as a method of transport. It helps active ingredients, such as moisturizers and cleansers, do their work. This current is ideal to treat dry and sensitive skin.
High Frequency:
This is an electric current with a topical frequency of 10,000 or more cycles per second; it produces no muscular contractions and does not affect the sensory nerves but is very useful to ensure the skin is completely clean after extraction by killing bacteria and promoting healing.
This blend of electrotherapy ensures great results for a myriad of skin conditions and all three are very relaxing to experience.
We were delighted to see Marion Simms and SkinSense listed as one of model and photographer Stella Berkofsky‘s Favourite Things in the June edition of Allure Magazine!
We are all punishing critics when it comes to our own bodies and appearance, particularly as we age. Remember those days when we could jump out of bed, shower, grab breakfast, slap on some make-up and be on our way to work in thirty minutes? The older we get it seems to take longer and longer to make ourselves look presentable in the morning, so I thought I would share a few tricks that I use and that clients have shared with me to enhance and speed up the process.
1. Early morning mask treatments – when you first get out of bed, splash your face with tepid water and apply both an eye and face mask. (Keep the eye mask in the fridge for extra de-puffing benefits). Then you can go about your normal early morning rituals and be getting a mini facial at the same time. 15 minutes is all it takes. You might even want to dampen your hair and apply a mask if you are planning to wash it.
2. Lash and Brow tinting – tint lashes and brows every month to save using mascara and eyebrow pencils.
3. Have a fast way to deal with hair on the days you have no time to style – hats, hair pieces and hair ties are all great accessories to have on hand. Also having an manageable cut that matches your hair type – straight or curly – saves having to fuss or curl.
4. Select what you are planning to wear the night before including accessories.
5. In a real crunch, shower the night before and even make your breakfast smoothie.
6. Keep make-up simple. Moisturizer, mineral powder with SPF, and lipstick. You can always embellish later in the day.
Like many things in life, being beautiful and confident every day and at any age takes planning.
Living more consciously year round seems to be the theme for 2014. Everything from the food we eat, to the juices we drink, the cars we drive and the clothes we wear have details about what they contain and where they come from. All steps in the right direction.
Certain things never loose their appeal – essential oils and aromatherapy, for example, have always been important to improve ambiance but are becoming more mainstream in a clinical way for treating mental and physical ailments. And now there is a wonderful blend between science, technology, botanical and organic products that spas are in a prime position to offer.
Looking your best this year means getting away from the faux beauty fashions of the past few years and adopting a less complicated and fresh faced approach to personal care. Improved skincare formulas and electrotherapy to combat aging and a greater understanding about the body as a whole, have resulted in this more hands off approach. Even plastic surgery offices seem more focused on updated injectables, more subtle lip injections, fat harvesting and reinjection to soften fine lines and wrinkles rather than turning to more extensive surgery.
This doesn’t mean we can let go or neglect ourselves. We are returning to hippydom!
Exercise is the only area where extremism seems to be in vogue. High-intensity interval training, hot yoga (be warned: intense heat can cause irritation for some skins) and extreme outdoor sports activities have become very popular and when we travel today we often look for destinations that offer spa facilities, exercise options and healthy menus that can boost our health and well-being rather than giving us an opportunity to get off track and over indulge.
Two newer trends that we are looking to introduce at SkinSense this year are topical probiotics to help control acne and strengthen the skin’s natural defense barrier, and a treatment protocol for targeting stubborn pigmentation.
One thing that will never change however, is the need for a skincare routine that hydrates and protects during the day and treats at night. And of course, regular facials. No matter how great all the new products and protocols turn out to be, daily maintenance will always be necessary.
Anti-oxidants can be vitamins, minerals, or proteins (enzymes) that assist in reducing the damage caused by free radical activity.
Free radicals are groups of atoms that come to us through food, chemicals, the environment, radiation and stress. In part, they are a necessary and natural by-product of our bodily functions and metabolism. But when the production of free radicals is beyond the capability of our natural anti-oxidant defenses they can have damaging effects on our body cells and immune systems and can be extremely aging.
Skin is especially vulnerable to damaging free radicals, which can cause wrinkles (cross-linking) sagging and in extreme cases, when over exposure to UV light is involved, cancer.
Here is a list of ways to fight free radical activity:
Make sure your skin care products contain high levels of anti-oxidants and when having spa treatments have your aesthetician include vitamins along with hydrating and anti-aging ingredients that maintain the skin’s general well being.
Eat organic foods that have a high antioxidant level. Include lots of color in you daily food intake of fruits and vegetables – dark green, yellow, red and orange are the best – and eat moderate amounts of nuts and oil. (Extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed and hemp are excellent.) Make sure when you shop, you add carrots, kale, broccoli, avocados, spinach, citrus fruits, onions, walnuts, berries and tomatoes to your basket.
If you feel the need during extremely stressful times, add supplements, especially vitamins A, C and E, which speed up the skin’s natural repair systems by directly inhibiting further damage. B vitamins prevent itchy, dry skin and drinking green tea and eating dark chocolate keep skin soft and supple. There is also some proof that both may help protect the skin from cancer.
We cannot fully influence the environment or the level of radiation around us. But we can control what we are putting in our own internal environment – our bodies.
As far as prescription skin care products go, I get more questions about Retin-A – a form of vitamin A – than any other item. Retin-A is a proliferator. This means it speeds up cell renewal and the production of collagen and elastin, the skin’s building blocks. As far as anti-aging goes, a vitally important process that keeps the wrinkles at bay and heals the skin more rapidly from any break-outs and sensitivity. There are many forms of vitamin A – Tazorac, Differin, Avage, Renova for example, and then blends that include topical anti-biotics, hydroquinone and cortisone. And it is really important that you know how to use whichever one you have been prescribed.
All these products make the skin photosensitive so they must only be used at night. During the day use plenty of moisturizer and an SPF of at least 30. Never use any product that combines a sunscreen and a vitamin A derivative. When used in the evening, I prefer clients to alternate Retin-A with other treatment cremes and moisturizers. Most skins should not use the product every night and I generally start first time users at 2-3 times a week. Scrubs, all AHA’s and BHA’s should be stopped until the skin has adjusted and then used sparingly on the days when Retin-A is not being applied at night-time.
If you get regular facial waxing stop using Retin-A a week before your waxing appointment to be on the safe side. I often combine my Retin-A with my moisturizer before I apply it to my skin but either way, always use a creme on top.
There are now many over the counter products that contain Vitamin A and the same rules apply. At SkinSense, we can advise you about the use of all vitamins and anti-oxidants in your every day skin care regime so don’t hesitate to get in touch. And if vitamin A doesn’t suit you, we have plenty of other options that are just as effective at fighting gravity and keeping your skin youthful.
I have written about many different ingredients over the years, particularly the new ones as they come on to the market and seem to be the next best thing! And following on from my last blog, “The Discipline of Great Skin Care” there really are some effective products and ingredients available today that have stood the test of time and have made a huge difference to how our skins age.
One I have not addressed yet is stem cell extract. Just to be clear, there is no relationship between human stem cells and plant stem cells that are used in skin care. I want to avoid any misunderstandings for ethical, political and philosophical reasons.
The advantage of plant-derived stem cells is that they are unspecialized or meristematic, until they receive a signal from the host plant to differentiate or change. Meristematic cells are generated from a defense response from the plant when it is cut. The responding callus contains stem cells that are now neutral. As they carry the entire DNA gene expression of the plant, they can turn themselves into any particular cell that is needed to heal or regenerate. At this stage these cells are cultured in the laboratory, become a usable active ingredient that eventually, when applied topically can trigger cell renewal and repair. The first research into plant stem cells was done on a variety of apple in Switzerland in the 18th century which seemed to have the ability for long-term self-preservation.
More recently, other plant extracts have been tested including edelweiss, gardenia, sea fennel, grape and lilac. The role of these plant derived ingredients in skin care products is to protect against free radical damage caused by pollution, UV exposure, inflammation and photo-aging. And the results can be dramatic. Smoother, toned skin with improved elasticity and firmness.
Stem cell harvesting does not damage or endanger the plant because a very small amount of tissue is needed and easily replaced by the host plant.
I have been in the skincare industry for many years and this is one of the most significant partnerships between nature and science I have used to date. Add some of the other great ingredients we now have at our disposal – ATP, peptides and hyaluronic acid to mention three – and we can seriously delay the effects of gravity!! Plant stem cell extracts offer us a promising and earth-friendly anti-aging tool that deserves serious examination.
Reference:
Sam Dhatt, Skin Inc. magazine, October 2012. “Plant Stem Cells: The Next Generation of Skin Care Technology.”
Ivana Veljkovic, Skin Inc. magazine, January 2012. “The Science Behind Today’s Anti-aging Ingredients.”
