Most of the country is well into fall by now (southern California seems to be stuck in an endless summer!). Fall can be a tricky time of year for your skin because it is transitioning between the warm, humid summer air and crisp, dry winter air. The best thing you can do for your skin is keep a consistent skin care routine to allow your skin to seamlessly transition between summer and winter. Wear sunscreen! It doesn’t matter that you are not outside in the sun or that it is cloudy; you always need to wear sunscreen. When you are not in direct sunlight (whether it is cloudy or you are indoors by a window), the UVB rays are blocked, so you may not see a sunburn, however the UVA rays still penetrate your skin. UVA rays are very long and penetrate deep into the dermis layer of the skin, where … Continue reading →

We all love spa treatments. Facials, massages, and body treatments have been touted in the past as “luxuries,” but more research is backing these special treatments as vital to achieving optimal health, and not just another superfluous expense. Each treatment has a long list of health benefits, but today we are going to focus on one of the favorite parts of a facial: the facial massage and lymphatic drainage. Although there are many different techniques (just one quick search on YouTube yields hundreds of thousands of results), there are some common techniques that can help improve your skin, facial tone, and overall health. What is facial massage? Facial massage is not only a relaxing ritual, but it is an everyday part of a skin care routine in many places around the world, particularly in Asia. It is used by makeup artists to help prep skin for everything from red carpet events … Continue reading →

One of the most common questions that our skin coaches get is, “Will this make me break out?” Sometimes new products can cause breakouts to appear, but instead of freaking out and stopping usage, there are a few things to consider. Your breakout may be a sign that you are reacting negatively to an ingredient in the product, however it also could be your skin working towards becoming healthy. We are going to start by looking at a few different types of breakouts and how to deal with them. Purging What it is: Purging is the process of removing dead skin cells and bringing supressed bacteria to the surface. This often occurs when you accelerate the cell turnover cycle by beginning a resurfacing or retinol routine. How to deal: Stick with it. Your skin is becoming healthier by getting out all of the trapped bacteria and oil beneath the surface. … Continue reading →