Author: Katie Hitchcock

Peptides: Your Anti-Aging Powerhouse

You probably have heard about peptides in skin care and wondered what they are and if they actually work or not. Peptides are key fighters in your anti-aging routine. They are a part of the strength training portion of your BeautyWorkoutTM. Read on to find out why this skin care trend is here to stay and how you can incorporate the best peptides into your own skin care routine. What are they? Peptides are chains of amino acids in the body. They help improve inter-cell communication, which leads to improved function of healthy skin structure. Because peptides have a tiny molecular structure, they easily penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin. Why are they important? Different peptides have different sizes and strengths, which have diverse effects on the skin. Peptides with longer chains and more amino acids are more powerful and will be more beneficial to your skin. They can brighten your skin tone, ...

A Healthy Skin Summer BBQ

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August is speeding by and we are coming up on Labor Day, a new school year, and summer coming to a close. In a last effort to get in all the summer fun we can, we are helping you plan an end-of-summer barbecue that will have each course leaving you and your guests full of delicious, skin healthy nutrients.   Hummus & Veggies Ingredients 4 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon salt 2 cans (15 oz. each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2/3 cup tahini 2/3 cup water 1/4 cup olive oil 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons VitaD Fortified™ Whole Food Spice Powder Assorted chopped vegetables Instructions Mince and mash the garlic with salt to create a paste. Combine the garlic paste with chickpeas, tahini, water, oil, lemon juice, and VitaD powder in food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Add salt to taste. Add water, if necessary, to thin hummus to desired consistency and transfer to a bowl. Serve with cut vegetables to munch on before dinner. Greek ...

Stress, Cortisol, and Your Skin

Let’s talk about stress. It can be difficult to get through a day without the feeling of being overwhelmed or anxious about some aspect of our very busy lives. Stress can affect you in many different ways, both mind and body, and particularly in the appearance of your skin. When you are stressed, your body releases a set of hormones, including cortisol. Chronically high cortisol levels have a number of known health effects (including lower immune function, increased weight gain, risk for depression, interfering with memory, etc.), but it also has additional effects on the skin, including dryness, aging, overactive oil production, and redness.  Dryness The release of cortisol causes skin dryness by diminishing the skin’s ability to retain water, so your skin can become dull and dehydrated when under constant stress. This lack of moisture is why your psoriasis and eczema may worsen during periods of heavy stress. Aging High levels of cortisol will ...

Sweat It Out: Exercise and Your Skin

Summer hikes, trips to the beach, morning and evening runs, days spent at the pool…summer is full of opportunities to stay active! As beneficial as it is to shake up your fitness routine year-round, it probably happens much more during the summer- there’s nothing like the idea of being in a bikini tomorrow to get you to the gym today! Many take advantage of the warmer months to head outdoors for more workouts, which can be a great way to get fresh air and switch it up, but can also lead to a multitude of skin problems. We’re addressing common fitness and skin concerns that are particularly important during the summer. Skin Hygiene and Fitness Before and immediately after participating in a sweaty activity, wash your face with a gentle, pH balancing cleanser. This goes for men and women! You skin may be feeling oilier or more hydrated than usual because exercise promotes the production ...

SUGAR: How You are Unknowingly Aging Your Skin

Have you ever noticed that people who eat a lot of sugar and processed foods tend to look older? Or how people with antioxidant depleting habits (like smoking and tanning) seem to age faster? Lifestyle habits have a huge effect on your skin and it goes much further than how consistently you wash your face or how often you do a mask. How does sugar make our skin older? If there is an excess of sugar in the body, protein molecules and sugar molecules cross-link and create aging by-products. Your body produces antibodies in reaction to the by-products, causing inflammation. Free radicals are produced, causing further damage to your cells. There are three types of collagen in your skin. When glucose cross-links with type 3 (strongest) collagen, it transforms it into type I (weakest) and becomes rigid and inflexible. This makes it more likely your skin will develop wrinkles at an accelerated pace. What ...

Say Goodbye to Summer Skin Issues

Everywhere you look, you see short shorts, swimwear, and sunshine, which must mean that summer is finally here! Summer should be a time of carefree spontaneity, so don’t let any skin issues get in your way. From sun damage to razor burn, we are going to combat common summer skin issues for your best summer yet. Sun There is something alluring about the summer sun: long days, warm nights, and the feeling of those hot rays on your skin. Unfortunately, the comfort of being out in the warm sun comes with a hefty price: UV damage. UVA and UVB rays damage your skin in multiple ways: immediate tanning and burning, long-term aging, and increasing your chances for skin cancer. Avoid short- and long-term damage by using a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher (remember, higher SPFs aren’t necessarily better!) to guard against both types of rays. Give your SPF a supercharged ...

5 Steps to Your Best Shave

As far as skin care goes, women are often jealous of men. Men’s skin is built differently than women’s: it is about 25% thicker and has a higher collagen density, so you look younger longer…lucky! But let’s not forget that men typically do not have the benefit of covering imperfections with makeup. You have to solely rely on skin care to have the best complexion possible, and when this involves shaving, you risk some serious harm to the skin. Since shaving is an extremely important part of male grooming, we’re here to help you get the best shave for healthy skin in five easy steps. 1: Prep Always shave in the shower or directly after. The shower heat will soften your facial hair, making it easier to get your closest shave. Whether you are shaving in the shower or at your sink, the first step is to cleanse your skin. Use a cleanser ...

The Dangers of Tanning Beds

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Can you believe it’s already mid-June? Summer officially starts next weekend, but don’t let that send you running to get your “base tan” before the pool parties, barbeques, and summer get-togethers begin. A tan is bad news, whether it is “real” from laying out at the beach or from “fake baking” in a tanning bed. The FDA recently mandated label changes on tanning beds, now requiring a black box label, their strongest warning. In 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization) raised tanning devices that emit UV rays into the highest cancer risk category “carcinogenic to humans.” The more research that is done, the more dangerous we are realizing that these tanning beds are. So why are millions of people, particularly teenagers and young adults, still using them every day? What They Say With all of the information out there about the dangers of tanning, ...

Men’s Health Awareness Month

June is Men’s Health Awareness Month. Skin is the largest organ in the body, but men's skin health in particular needs more attention. Melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, is one of only three cancers with an increasing mortality rate for men. Within melanoma cases, young men account for 40 percent of cases, but more than 60 percent of deaths. In fact, from ages 15-39, men are 55 percent more likely to die of melanoma than women in the same age group. According to a study done by the Skin Cancer Foundation, nearly 1 in 2 men surveyed said they had not applied sunscreen in the past 12 months, and only 32 percent considered themselves very knowledgeable on how to properly use it. Skin health isn’t just about protecting against skin cancers, it is also about getting your skin as fit as you can. Give your skin a workout with cardio, ...

Melanoma & Skin Cancer Awareness Month

May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month. For many, May is just the beginning of a long summer, filled with days spent at the beach or lake, lounging by the pool, or out at sporting events in the sun. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of getting a tan, but are those compliments on your “vacation glow” worth all of the risks and consequences of UV exposure? Luckily, sunless tanners have continued to improve over the last few years, so it is as easy to safely achieve that bronzed glow as it is to put on lotion. But even if you have started religiously applying sunscreen and taking precautions to limit your sun exposure, you still need to be on the lookout for warning signs of skin cancer. Here are some important prevention steps and warning signs: SPF 15+ should be used every single day. Whether you are outdoors, ...