Category: Skin Care Essentials

The science and information behind the products, techniques, and tips that help you life the healthy skin lifestyle.

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 ...

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 ...

Fight Premature Aging with Antioxidants

Skin is your largest organ. One of its important functions is to protect your body from the harmful effects of UV exposure and the harsh environment. Antioxidants protect skin by knocking out free radicals which cause oxidative damage (the same process that rusts a nail). By applying topical antioxidants, you support the skin's ability to: Promote healing and moisture retention for softer, smoother skin. Promote collagen and protein production for firmer texture. Calm inflammation and redness for more even skin tone. Protect against some DNA mutations that can cause skin cancer. Using antioxidants and sun protection daily will defend and protect your skin and even help reverse existing damage. Skin Authority Age Defying Moisturizer SPF18 combines all this goodness into one, simple, and lightweight step — super charged antixoidant defense, powerful sun protection, and deep hydrating moisturizer. Perfect under makeup.

Your Masters Class in Cleansing

Should you be alternating your cleansers? How much do cleansing devices actually help? What is the best way to remove your eye makeup? Skin Authority skin coach Katie is back to answer more of your frequently asked questions about how to get your most professional at-home cleanse. http://youtu.be/70cFHYWvHtA?list=UU3jhgDs_SsqK1VVtE6mpC_w Do you have questions for a skin coach? Let us know in the comments below and we will answer them in an upcoming video! Products mentioned in the video:

Are you using the right cleanser? FAQs and Cleansing Tips

Skin Authority skin coach Katie is here to answer your most frequently asked questions about choosing a cleanser, ingredients to include and avoid, and how to get your best cleanse at home. http://youtu.be/2uAgon0Ebgg?list=PLFE9FEAE0BD5DEB5A Leave more of your skin care questions in the comments below and we'll answer them in a new video! Shop products in the video:

Radiant Skin for Fall

Photo Jun 03, 7 10 17 PM

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 new ...

The Benefits of Facial Massage

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 and photoshoots ...

What are Parabens?

When shopping for cosmetic and body products, have you come across the label “paraben free”? Or have you made an effort to choose products that say “paraben free” without really knowing what parabens are? Today, we’re explaining what parabens are and why you should be looking for paraben-free products. What are they? Parabens are anti-microbials that are used as preservatives in cosmetic products. These preservatives allow products to survive for months or years with minimal contamination, however they also can enter your body through your skin when you use them. Parabens come in a variety of chain lengths and the effects of all parabens are not the same. Where are they? You will find parabens in about 85% of cosmetics and personal care products, including shampoos, mascaras, foundations, and body lotions. Typically, there are multiple parabens in a product to allow for using a lower amount of each ingredient while increasing preservative activity. How do I ...

Retinol: What You Need to Know About Skin Care’s Most Popular Ingredient

In an anti-aging conversation, retinol is bound to come up. Whether you are calling it retinol, Vitamin A, or by one of its brand names, you are talking about a very popular skin care ingredient and powerful anti-aging tool. Sometimes you will hear glowing reviews ("My skin looks better than it did five years ago!") and other times you will hear about the challenges ("I don't want to deal with the redness and peeling"). So, what is retinol and how you can avoid some of the challenges that typically come with using it? What is it? Retinol, rentinoids, tretinoin, retinyl palmitate, and retinoic acid all are forms of vitamin A, which is essential for healthy eyes and skin. You may recognize it by brand names, including Retin-A, Renova, Refissa, or Atralin. When you apply vitamin A topically, the body absorbs the retinol and converts it to retinoic acid, the active form of vitamin ...

Are you committing Beauty Blunders?

BeautyBlunders

Celeste Hilling, Beauty Expert and CEO of Skin Authority, was recently invited to join the the Daytime Emmy Award winning show The Doctors to reveal three top Beauty Blunders!  Click here to watch The Doctors on air segment with Celeste. Celeste asks the question: "Are you diligently using skin care products, but still not seeing results?" It's possible that you're using the products incorrectly. Let's go through a few do's and don'ts of combining skin care products. Beauty Blunder #1: Don't combine Retinol with Sunscreen This is a two-strike beauty blunder. Retinol is a naturally occurring form of Vitamin A that is used as an ingredient in a lot of anti-aging and acne products. When sunlight hits Retinol, it renders it ineffective. That whole chemical process also breaks down the SPF in sunscreen. So you not only don't get the value of the Retinol, but you don't get the protection of the SPF. So if you want ...