Glycolic Acid and Why it's Your Friend

What is glycolic acid, you ask?

Glycolic acid is an AHA, alpha hydroxy acid, that is used in a good bit of skincare products today including moisturizers, serums, cleansers, eye creams, and face peels. It is derived from sugar cane and is considered one the safest of all of the Alpha hydroxy acids. Its molecules are also smaller than its other AHA brothers and sisters making it easier to penetrate the skin.

Other common AHA's include Lactic, Citric, Malic, and Tartaric acids. While most of these can be found in skincare products, Tartaric is mainly used in the process of wine fermentation and as a natural preservative for things like soft drinks and fruit juices. Lactic and Malic acids are commonly added with Glycolic in other skincare products in an effort to maximize the benefits received from them.

Okay ladies, now that we have covered the boring definition part, lets talk about why Glycolic should be your new BFF.

Glycolic acid is a chemical exfoliant that safely removes the top layer of dead skin cells. It works to dissolve the sebum and/or glue like substances that bind the cells together to reveal a newer, younger layer of skin underneath promoting a faster cell turnover and increasing collagen production. As you can imagine, this process is quite beneficial as it helps to treat a number of skin problems including skin discoloration, acne, fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness. This also helps other skincare products penetrate the skin more deeply as your top layer of dead skin cells and surface grime are now gone.

This little miracle can also help to minimize the appearance of scars and pores by increasing collagen production. While there is no medical or chemical way to shrink the size of your pores, you can treat them with Glycolic to maintain them at their natural size. Glycolic does this by keeping your pores clear of dead skin cells and oil while helping the surrounding cells maintain their elasticity and strength by keeping them firm and supple. This is where your increased collagen production comes in to play as your collagen is what aids in the firming and suppleness of your skin.

While Glycolic is a beautiful skincare miracle, it is still an acid and needs to be used with caution. Using a glycolic product with a concentration to high for your skin to handle can cause irritation, redness, flaky skin, and in worst case scenarios, severe burns. Always start your glycolic journey with a 10% glycolic solution and work your way up from there allowing your skin time to adjust as you go. Also keep in mind that a glycolic peel DOES NOT necessarily mean that your skin should actually peel. The term "peel" is strictly meant to let you know that you are shedding dead skin cells. If your skin does become flaky, DO NOT pick at it as this could cause scarring and hyperpigmentation. Also while using Glycolic, you should also use a sunscreen as it makes your skin more sensitive to the sun.

Pictured below, you will find my absolute favorite Glycolic product called Invigorating Night Treatment by (surprise, surprise!) Ole Henriksen. This is a lightweight gel that feels simply magnificent on your skin, especially those ladies with oily skin! As with all Ole Henriksen products, its is formulated without parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. Its contains an AHA combination of Glycolic and Lactic acids and an Algae extract to nourish your skin. I cleanse my skin right before I go to bed, slap some of this gel on, and then finish it off with a moisturizer. I always wake up with fresh fantastic looking skin!

Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Treatment(TM) 1.7 oz

If you guys have any questions or would like me to cover a certain topic feel free to comment below and I'll do my best to help!

   

The Beauty of Dry Shampoo

Okay ladies; let’s talk about your hair. A woman’s hair is one of the most attractive things about her according to most men. That being said, how do you take care of this precious gift you have been given? How do you keep it healthy?

I receive questions about shampooing your hair and how often it should be done on a regular basis. My answer is this: shampooing your hair daily will strip away the natural oils that coat your hair. These oils are essential in keeping your hair healthy and strong. Without them, the life of your hair is not going to look very promising.

How do we correct this problem since we can’t very well go without washing our hair, you ask? I have two words for you ladies—Dry Shampoo.

As someone with very oily hair, I used to wash mine everyday until I noticed the amount of hair that was coming out of my head during the simple task of brushing or even blow drying. While heat is another hair killer, I never thought that over washing would be so harmful, so, I panicked and ran straight to my doctor. I was terrified and worried I was going bald! During my doctor visit, she tells me that my fears are not correct. I am completely healthy. My hair, however, is a different story judging from the amount of split ends I possessed. It was so embarrassing!

Armed with that information, I made a trip to my nearest Sephora location and snatched up an associate. This is where I learned about the beauty of Dry Shampoos.

Dry shampoos are powdered substances that are used to clean hair as an alternative to water and shampoo. The powder absorbs the dirt and oil at your scalp giving your hair a refreshed look and feel. I, in no way, suggest that you skip washing your hair altogether by just using dry shampoos. This would develop a film on your scalp that would not be pretty.

Here is my suggestion, girls. For fine hair, you wash your hair every other day using the dry shampoo of your choice on your no shampoo days. For thicker hair, you can probably go a day or two without washing depending on your hair type. For example, those with thick but oily hair may want to stick with the every other day rule.

Here is a more detailed account of what I do:

1. I wash my hair every other day, using my dry shampoo on my “no wash” days. I ALWAYS use conditioner and leave it on for at least a minute on my “wash” days.

2. I towel dry my hair and allow it to dry naturally whenever possible. Heat styling products are very bad for your hair. However, if you must use them, use a heat protecting spray.

3. I do a hair mask one day a week to re-moisturize my hair.

I have been doing this for two months now and no longer have split ends. I, of course, got my hair trimmed to nip the ones I currently had in the butt and continued on my journey to healthier hair.

I hope this helps!

Listed below are some of my favs:

1. Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo

2. Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo

3. Alterna Cleanse Extend Translucent Dry Shampoo

4. Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Dry Shampoo

5. Umberto Dry Clean Dry Shampoo

6. Suave Dry Shampoo

What Can Vitamin C Do For Your Skin?

What is Vitamin C, you ask? And what can it do for you? Well, let me tell you what a miracle this stuff really is and allow me to tell you why. Sit tight and read on sister because I'm about to introduce you to something that you won't be able to live without!

Here are some of the basics about good ole Vitamin C:

• It stimulates collagen
• Is an antioxidant that protects your skin from free radicals

Now, let's break these things down a little further.

Collagen is a type of protein that connects and supports our bodily tissues and essentially holds us together. You can think of this protein as our body's own version of Elmer's glue. So what happens when it is exposed to more and more damage? It breaks down and loses its elasticity, which means that the areas that used to be firm and tight are now saggy and droopy. That is no good for the home team!

Now, let's move on to antioxidants.

Antioxidants help to prevent and repair damage to your skin. This happens by blocking free radicals and preventing them from oxidizing. Oxidation (a process that uses oxygen) causes the cells to improperly function and become damaged. And what happens when our cells become damaged? We start to age.

These are essential things to know, don't you think?

So what products can we use to help with this? I have a couple of my favorites to tell you about.
My absolute number one favorite vitamin C product is Truth Serum Collagen Booster from Ole Henriksen. This serum helps to plump and smooth out those pesky fine lines and wrinkles and is packed with the antioxidants needed to fight off those free radicals we were discussing earlier. I call this one the "BLT" of my skincare routine meaning it brightens, lightens, and tightens! And, just to make it even better, it is a serum. Serums are going to penetrate past the epidermis(our first layer of skin) to our dermis(the second layer) to give you more long lasting effects.

My second favorite is a newer product that I myself have not been able to use just yet. It contains Vitamin A, which is amazing for your skin but not so much for your unborn child. And since I am seven months pregnant, I have waited to use this. The results that my clients have seen from this, however, are more than enough for me to be a believer!

Peter Thomas Roth brought us this little miracle called Camu Camu Power C X 30 Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer and Serum. These products contain the Amazonian berry Camu Camu. This little power packed berry contains 30x the Vitamin C of an orange, hence the X 30 in the name. These products also contain anti-aging peptides, moisturizers, and Vitamins A and E.

Needless to say, I am beyond excited to see what kind of results I will be able to receive with these products. Until then, I remain ever faithful to my first true skincare love, Ole Henriksen!

Some of my favorite Vitamin C products:

1. Ole Henriksen's Truth Serum Collagen Booster

2. Ole Henriksen's the Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths

3. Peter Thomas Roth Camu Camu Power C x30 vitamin C Brightening Sleeping Mask

4. Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment

5. Peter Thomas Roth Camu Camu Power C x30 Vitamin C Brightening moisturizer

6. Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester Serum

7. Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester Eye Serum

8. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Hydra-Pure Vitamin C Brightening Serum

9. Ole Henriksen Pure truth Vitamin C Youth Activating Oil

10. Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base

 

Check back for more information to come on each one of these lovely products!

 

 

 



Tips for Applying Make Up to an Oily Face

Do you spend all morning trying to get your make up perfect only to look in the mirror an hour later and find that it has all “melted” away? Would you like to know how to fix this problem? Is that a yes? Then, keep reading.

The “face melting problem,” as I call it, seems to be one of the larger problems facing women with oily skin today. In an effort to help out my fellow ladies, I did a little research and came away with one word, primer. While using a primer is only part of the solution, it will help out significantly. The other half is simply taking care of your skin the healthy way.

Allow me a moment to dig deeper now and explain the benefit of a primer. After all, if you are going to use a product, I would think you would like to know why it is useful. Primer serves as a layer between your skin and your makeup in an effort to create an even canvas for makeup application. These products absorb oil from your skin and keep your makeup in place longer. They are composed of mostly polymers, silicones, and/or waxes that contain botanicals to soothe and refresh your skin while keeping the hazardous materials that can sometimes be found in makeup from being absorbed into your skin. Keep in mind that not everyone is going to need a primer. While anyone can certainly use this, the ideal candidates would be someone with oily skin or imperfections they want to hide such as wrinkles, fine lines and/or scars. Women with dry skin will find that using a primer may dry their face and make their makeup look chalky. The best solution for that would be to use a moisturizing primer. Be sure to do your research before deciding what primer will work best. Unfortunately, trial and error is always better in finding what works the best for your skin.

Begin your makeup application by first cleansing your skin. Use warm water and a mild soap that was created for oily skin. I find that using hot water just agitates the skin and creates more oil in the process. When finished, pat your skin with a towel until it is dry. Rubbing and pulling the delicate skin on your face will lead to wrinkles later in life. I do not know about you, but I will take just about any route to avoid those pesky wrinkles; therefore, I will pat!

Next, you will apply your primer. Using a makeup sponge, apply your primer to your entire face. I personally use the same primer for my face as I do for my eyelids. However, some do not recommend this and suggest that you use a lid primer. Be sure to spread the primer as evenly as possible on your face. Allow a few minutes for it to dry, and then continue on with your foundation application.

Using a makeup sponge, apply your foundation evenly over your entire face, taking extra care to make sure that it has been blended evenly. This will ensure you have no embarrassing makeup lines. I’d rather not be the joke of the day.

Using a makeup brush—I use a Kubuki—swirl your brush in your setting powder and then gently tap off any excess. Apply the powder to your entire face. This sets your foundation and helps to keep it in place longer. Next, I apply my concealer. Lightly tap on your concealer in problem areas, never rub. Applying the concealer after the foundation, allows for better coverage but you have to be careful when doing this as sometimes the two together can look heavier than you would like.

Now, continue on with your routine! For any touch ups throughout the day, you will need to blot your face using oil blotting sheets before you re-apply your powder. Applying powder without taking that step will give you a bigger mess than what you need during the day. Trust me!

And for those ladies with extremely oily faces that can't seem to find the right primer? I do have a suggestion for you and this may be the craziest thing that you have heard all day. MAYBE! You can use Milk of Magnesia. Yes. You read that correctly.

Just put a small amount on to a cotton ball and gently run over the oily areas of your face. Allow a minute or so for it to dry, and BOOM! Your makeup will stay on all day, as in WILL NOT budge. Its kind of a miracle.

After your Milk of Magnesia dries, continue on with your makeup routine.