Category: Celeste’s Corner

CEO, spokesperson, health and beauty expert Celeste Hilling shares her experiences, insights, and stories about living the healthy skin lifestyle.

Ask the Expert: What Order Should I Apply Skin Care Products?

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It’s likely you have a specific process for applying makeup (primer first, lips last) and hair-care products. So, do you have an order with your skin-care regimen? If not, or if you simply need a refresher, layering is the word. Similar to the way you layer clothing, layering skin-care products is pretty straightforward: thinnest to thickest. The basic order is serum before lotion before cream. There are two areas that may not be quite as intuitive: SPF and oils. In the morning, you want SPF to be the last product applied before makeup. This stands true even if you are applying oil; pat the oil into skin and then apply SPF on top. At night, you want your oil to be the last product in your routine. Oils help seal in moisture and keep the water in creams from evaporating. While I’m on the subject of products: I’m often asked how many are needed for ...

Protect Your Winter Skin

As the temperature keeps dropping, you may be bundled up nicely against the cold; but are you sun protected? No matter how many layers we wear, one part of the body – the head and neck area – tends to remain exposed to the sun’s damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation year-round. Not coincidentally, the face, head and neck are where the majority of skin cancers occur. So follow our winter sun safety guide and put your best face forward! Many people apply moisturizer to delicate facial skin to minimize windburn and chapping. However, long-term signs of aging like wrinkles don’t come from the wind or cold, but from the sun’s UV radiation. A sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF, which measures defense against the sun’s UVB rays) of 15+ helps keep skin supple and protected. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends sunscreens that also have some combination of these UVA-protective ingredients: avobenzone, ecamsule, oxybenzone, titanium dioxide, ...

Dry and Dehydrated Skin Causes and Solutions

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Dry and Dehydrated Skin Are the harsh winter conditions leaving your skin dry and dehydrated? Can’t put enough moisturizer on your skin, but still feel no relief? Watch this video for long-term hi-tech solutions to bring your dry skin back to normal. Cleanse your face on a daily basis – morning and night. Choose a cleanser with a low pH and gentle alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), which are antibacterial and remove dead skin cells from the surface. Unfortunately, most drugstore cleansers have a pH that is too high, which will leave your skin feeling dry and chapped. Some skin care lines try to compensate for the high pH and recommend a toner to lower pH. Most toners use an astringent, which also dries out your skin leaving it feeling dry and stripped of moisture. With a proper cleanser, you can clean your face without leaving it dry and unbalanced.  Daily Cleanser is my favorite. Resurface the skin ...

Research Backs Up Why You Should Swear Off Sugar

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The dangers of eating too much sugar go way beyond the negative effects on your waistline and health. It is a quick (and permanent) path to advanced skin aging. In my speaking engagements across the country, I often receive the attention of everyone in the room when sharing theWorld Health Organization targets hidden sugar as the #1 health issue globally.  WHO has been strongly advocating that adults and children reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake.  Because the link between sugar intake and obesity is reaching new heights in the U. S., the government finally released new guidelines advocating the dangers of high intake of processed sugar products, simple carbohydrates (think bagels, energy bars) and artificial sweeteners (think fat free is not free!). WHO evidence shows: Adults who consume less sugar have lower body weight. Increasing the amount of sugars in the diet is associated with a weight increase. Children with the highest intakes ...

3 Things to Avoid for Sexy Skin

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Read the full post on BeautyXpose. A skin care routine is similar to an exercise routine. Lifting a weight once won’t create muscle definition; wearing sunscreen only when on vacation is not the path to achieving a clear, healthy complexion. Lifestyle changes take time and commitment. When creating a routine, it’s just as important to know what not to do as it is to know what to do. Here are three things to avoid when you set out to live a healthy skin lifestyle: Inconsistency. Consistency is key for addressing skin concerns and maintaining a healthy skin routine. Again, you are unlikely to see any results by using products just once or twice. If it takes you six months to use a bottle that is intended to be used in two, you are not benefiting from the active ingredients in the product. Once you find what works for you, stick with it! Not cleansing ...

What’s so Super about Vitamin C Serums?

Read the full post on Beauty Xpose. Are you getting enough C? Vitamin C is one of the most vital nutrients. The benefits include those you are likely to have heard, including boosting immunity and overall health, but you may not know that C is super for skin. In fact, vitamin C serums should be a basic part of any skin care routine. Many people take vitamin C orally to boost immunity. That is smart, but less than 1% of the vitamins we ingest actually make their way to our skin. The skin needs C as well, so it is very important to apply it topically. Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for and using a vitamin C Serum: Look for a vitamin C that is paired with an antioxidant blend. Vitamin C boosts the effectiveness of your sunscreen, and when it is combined with a powerful antioxidant mixture, it is ...

The Eyes Have It: Make them Sparkle

View the full post on BeautyXpose. The eyes are one of the first things that people notice when they meet you, so let’s give them extra love. I’m often asked if the same moisturizer that is used on the face can be used on the eyes. Sorry, beauties, the answer is no. Under-eye creams are different than facial creams and moisturizers in many ways. Since the skin around the eyes is significantly thinner and more delicate than facial skin, specific formulas are needed. Also: The skin around the eye area requires a pH level that differs from that which facial creams often provide. Many facial creams contain added fragrances and/or petroleum, which are not safe for use around the eyes. Face products may have different end-results in terms of product benefits. Effective products for the eyes contain powerful ingredients including arnica, vitamins K & E, and polymers. These ingredients not only aid in eye hydration, but ...

Vitamin D: Essential for Skin Health

Got Vitamin D? Not Likely. One billion people worldwide are estimated to be Vitamin D deficient. As a skin care professional, I have researched Vitamin D for years, because it is an essential component of healthy skin. Vitamin D is the only vitamin made in the body It is made in the skin. As we age, skin loses its ability to produce sufficient levels of vitamin D, which presents a real dilemma as the skin needs D to make D. Studies show that less than 1% of the nutrients we ingest ever makes their way to the skin. New research shows that natural forms of D can safely be delivered through topical application of skin creams. My Daily D Defense: Apply Skin Authority VitaD Fortified™ Topical Elixir. This multi-action, lightweight formula provides a topical dose of Vitamin D and essential nutrients to nourish the skin for firm, bright luminosity. Vitamin D is a hormone, not a vitamin When ...

Can You Use Oils on Acne Prone Skin?

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Read the full post on BeautyXpose. Afraid to use oils because you think they’ll clog your pores and cause breakouts? I’m here to resolve your fears. With high concentrations of vitamins, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids, essential oils are proven to soothe, restore, and instantly transform skin. The added benefit of using essential oils is the body’s stress-release response to the molecules in the oil, which elicits a sense of wellbeing and calm. An essential oil is a concentrated liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are simply known as the “oil of” the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove. They are extremely concentrated; for example, it takes 16 pounds of peppermint leaves to yield one ounce of essential oil. Pure essential oils can penetrate your skin because they are minuscule in molecular size. They are also very different than common carrier oils or fragrance oils ...

Four Simple Steps for Busy Beauties

See the full post on beautyXpose It’s February – how are you doing with those New Year’s resolutions? If taking better care of your skin is a goal – and, I hope it is – you can accomplish this without a lot of stress, drama or cash. Just like every other form of self-improvement, a healthy skin lifestyle is a commitment to performing a daily regimen consistently. Skin care is like working out; just can’t just lift a weight once, or only cleanse your skin, and expect to look amazing. There are basic things you need to do daily. Beauties, regardless of your crazy busy schedule, these steps are simple to incorporate into your lifestyle. Let’s begin by opening your beauty cabinet: How many products do you see? 10, 20, more than you can count? Let’s simplify to no more than three to four steps in the morning and at night. In the morning, ...