Category: Skin Care Essentials

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

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, ...

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 ...

Myth: Using Collagen Creams Will Firm the Skin

Beauty-Jawline

Today, we are going to address a very common myth: collagen creams that claim to firm the skin. Unfortunately, the collagen molecule is too large to penetrate the skin, and even if it could, applying collagen does not produce more collagen. Collagens creams can be good moisturizers, but to get any collagen benefits, the skin needs to produce it itself. Collagen is the infrastructure of the skin that gives it fullness and form. As we age, the skin's ability to produce collagen on its own diminishes as a result of slowed cell production and sun exposure. Stimulating the skin to increase new cell production can result in increased collagen and firmer denser skin. Glycolic AHA in concentrations of 15% or higher, when applied to the skin, creates pathways from the epidermis to the dermis (where collagen is formed). When the dermis is stimulated it causes the functional activation of fibroblasts (needed ...

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, ...

Reading Ingredient Listings on Skin Care Product Labels

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Questions answered by Celeste Hilling Why does every skin care product contain a list of two-dozen or more ingredients?  What are the common ingredients every skin care product contains? Today, most products are expected to: Be multipurpose (i.e. sunscreen moisturizer, shampoo/conditioner in 1, etc); Have a long shelf life; Be cosmetically pleasing (needs to apply smoothly, not change color, smell nice, etc). To meet these requirements, most formulations include several key ingredient families: Humectants, Emollients, Occlusives, Protein (Plumping) Agents, Surfactants and Preservatives. Humectants are used to draw moisture up to the surface layers of the skin. Common humectants ingredients are: AHAs, Glycerin, Glycerol, Elastin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Ceramide, Propylane Glycol, Lecithin, PEG-20, Urea, Sorbitol, Lanolin, Panthenol Vitamin B-5, Ceramide. Emollients create the feeling of smooth skin by lubricating or filling the cracks in the skin. Common emollients are: Oils from Avocado, Almond, Grapeseed, Sunflower, Jojoba, Sesame, Coconut, Cetyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Isostearate, Isostearyl Alcohol, Propylane Glycol, Squalene. Occlusives form a moisture barrier ...

Myth: You Can Get Rid of Cellulite

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Trying to navigate and smooth out cellulite fact from fiction isn’t easy but there is a small amount of good news: there are options that may make a difference. The bad news is that even the treatments that have some potential of working rarely live up to the claims asserted, but improvement as opposed to merely wasting your money is definitely a turn for the better. A great way to start is to straighten out some popular myths about cellulite. Men don’t get cellulite. To some extent, that’s true. Physiologically, women are far more prone to accumulating fat on the thighs and hips while men gain weight in the abdominal area. In addition, for women, the connective tissue beneath the skin has more stretch and is vulnerable to disruption, which is the perfect environment for developing cellulite. Some men do get cellulite, just statistically not as much as women do. Drinking water helps. If ...

Seven Sun Safety Fails: Oops I Did it Again!

Do any of these sound familiar? Skipping sunscreen because you are running late. Digging to the bottom of your beach bag for last year’s bottle of sun protection and actually using it. Putting on self-tanner and sitting in the sun immediately after. You are committing sun safety fails! There are a lot of misconceptions and wives’ tales about sun safety, which can definitely harm you. One in five Americans are found to have skin cancer in their lifetime. While that number is epidemic, what is more epidemic is the fact that only one in five people wear sunscreen on a daily basis. (Source: Harris Interactive). I want you to be healthy, educated and free of sun spots. Here is the scoop on sun safety fails. These seven tips will help you be healthy, educated and free of sun spots Learn to read a label. Check the SPF number; those with SPF 15 or ...

Essential Oils for Your Skin

Think facial oil is simply about moisture? Afraid to use oils because you think they will clog your pores? Think again! Research shows select essential oils have strong anti-aging benefits. Oils are even better for your health when they contain ingredients that not only lift your spirits, but also boost the strength and radiance of your skin. We turn to essential oils because they are proven to soothe, restore, and instantly transform dryness with their high concentrations of vitamins, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. The added benefit of using essential oils is the body’s stress release response to the essential oil molecules, eliciting a calming sense of wellbeing while it works What are Essential Oils? Essential oils are very different than common carrier oils that are found in most beauty products. They are also NOT the same thing as fragrance oils. If you see the word “fragrance” or “fragrance oil” or even “perfume” on ...

Facial Cleansing Essentials, Part 3: Resurfacing Transformation

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Part 1: The Basics Part 2: Cleansing Like A Pro Part 3: Resurfacing Transformation In parts 1 and 2 of this series, we took you through the basics of daily cleansing and how to increase the effectiveness of cleansing at home by introducing controlled exfoliation into your routine. In this final installment of the series, we are going to look at how you can get a sustained transformation to a healthy complexion by stimulating your skin cell turnover cycle through home and professional resurfacing. What is resurfacing? Resurfacing is simply the natural process of replacing dull, sagging skin cell build-up on the surface with healthy, new skin cells, for a brighter, more youthful appearance. The natural process of resurfacing is accomplished by shedding the upper layers of dead skin and the body producing new cells at the lower levels of the dermis, pushing them to the surface to replace the shed cells. Unfortunately, as we age this process ...