Real Beauty 101

Cleansing Oils

While scouring various internet forums, I came across several threads referencing "olive oil" washes.  Featured in these threads were several testimonials from people who had experienced great results utilizing olive oil to cleanse their face.

Here's the deal - most people have not nearly the amount of dirt on their face to warrant the detergents utilized in most skin cleansers, especially those that foam (i.e. strip).  Therefore, the idea of cleansing the skin with something that's not associated with soap, seems weird to most.  On top of that, the thought of putting more oil on top of oily skin just seems preposterous!!

However, the premise that "oil dissolves oil" is true.  Oil used on the face will dissolve the bonds that make up oils that are sitting on the face.  The reason is pure chemistry, but all you need to know is that it works.  

Cleansing oils work really well for those that wear sunscreen and make-up on a daily basis, especially those that wear water-proof make-up.  While using a cleansing oil to remove make-up, you'll notice that the make-up disappears in a flash and your skin will feel soft and conditioned afterward.

The key to using a cleaning oil is to start with a DRY face.  Rub the oil onto dry skin.  Then massage water into the oil which will cause it to emulsify (creates a creamy milk-like texture).  This is when the "cleansing" occurs.  Utilizing the oil on a wet face, will leave the skin feeling greasy and will prevent the oil from working effectively.

There are various ways that you can use oil to cleanse your face.  Many people use olive oil.  Personally, I recommend lighter options - such as grapeeed or jojoba oil.  The heaviness of the oil that you use, will depend on how sensitive your skin is and how much make-up you use.  The more make-up, the heavier the oil.  The more sensitive your skin, the lighter the oil.

If you want to take the guess work out of the equation, there are many great cleansing oil products on the market.

Shu Uemura Cleansing Beauty Oil

The Mack Daddy of them all.  Quite pricey at around $75 for 15ozs, this product has achieved cult status in the beauty world.  Created in the 1950s, the first versions of the cleansing oil were used on famous faces such as Lucille Ball, Elizabeth Taylor and Debbie Reynolds.  These cleansing oils use mineral oil as their base.  Shu Uemura maintains that mineral oil is the most sensitive oil and has very thorough cleansing abilities.

L'Occitane Almond Apple Cleansing Oil

This cleansing oil is formulated with a base of sweet almond oil and contains organic apple extracts from Provence (fancy...).  Apple extract is known to be an effective skin brightener and aids in preventing the breakdown of collagen.  Many users rave about its gentle feel on the skin.  Price point: $22.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

This product comes highly recommended and has legions of fans in the beautysphere.  Unlike others in this segment, this product has an olive oil and Vitamin E - which means its super nourishing.  Formulated for all skin types, this product has a great price point - under $20. 

Origins Clean Energy Cleansing Oil

       Probably the most complex cleansing oil of all featured, Origins' product features         Olive, Sunflower, Sesame Safflower, Kukui, and Macadamia Nut oils.  To top it off,         the product has been scented with essential oils of grapefruit, orange, and lemon -         so refreshing!!  Price point: under $20.

Homemade Sunscreen

Well, you learn something new everyday!  I have never heard of homemade sunscreen.  I have no idea how effective this concoction is, but it sure looks interesting and may be an alternative to those who can not tolerate chemically-based sunscreens.  Note, this solution is NOT waterproof so you must reapply after swimming or excessive perspiration.

Kudos to Dr. Susan Jewell for another great, educational video.

Homemade Skin Care Product Recipe -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

Esthetician Secret #2 - Face Mapping

Ok, I'm going to let you in a technique that some estheticians use to conduct skin analysis - its called Face Mapping.  Its a technique developed by the International Dermal Institute and is only shared with licensed estheticians as an advanced course.

Face mapping is a technique that allows therapists to throughly analyze the condition of the skin but also may provide insight into underlying health conditions.  Its based upon the principle that the various zones of the face are linked to areas of the body. 

Here are the zones:

zones 1 & 3
Traditionally, this zone is regarded as the "sister" to the bladder and digestive system. If you breakout frequently in this area, it might mean that you need to improve your elimination by drinking more water and eating more "whole" foods.

zone 2
The middle of the forehead, between the eyebrows, is related to the liver. Congestion in this zone can indicate over consumption of alcohol, rich foods, and possibly a food allergy (such as lactose intolerance).

zones 4 & 10
The ears are highly sensitive area related to kidneys. If you notice that your ears are very hot, you might be stressing them out - drink plenty of plain water and cut down on caffeine and alcohol.

zones 5 & 9
The cheeks often give an accurate glimpse into any respiratory distress. Smokers or people suffering from allergies generally experience fine, broken capillaries or congestion in this area.

zones 6 & 8
The eyes are truly a window to the body's health because they're related to the kidneys. Dark circles, while here datary, are made worse by dehydration and poor elimination.

zone 7
A reddened nose can indicate heightened blood pressure, or the early stages of rosacea. Congestion around the upper lip can occur if you use comedogenic lipsticks or liners.

zone 12:
Breakouts or unusual hair growth can indicate hormonal imbalance, possibly caused by extreme stress. Premenstrual breakouts are also very common on the chin.

zones 11 & 13
If you've had extensive dental surgery done, you might notice a breakout in the jaws near years.

zone 14
Don't forget to include your neck in your treatment regimen - its skin is just as fragile as that on your face, so it definitely needs the benefits of moisturization and sun protection.

To receive an accurate face mapping analysis, complete with your own face-map, you must visit a Demalogica salon.

The Clarisonic Chronicles

So, it FINALLY arrived.  Its one of the most coveted beauty gadgets, the iPhone of the skin care world.  Its the Clarisonic Skin Care Brush and finally, its all mine.  When word of this contraption hit the streets via Oprah's Favorite Things circa 2007, the product quickly sold out everywhere.  With a retail price tag of $195 (currently $165 at Amazon, see left pane), this thing isn't cheap.  But man, is it amazing.

The beauty of the Clarisonic is that it is a multitasking wonder.  Utilizing the same technology that powers the Sonicare Toothbrush (another face of mine), the company claims that the product can

• Removes six times more makeup than traditional facial cleansing.
• Helps reduce oily areas, dry skin patches, blemishes
• Reduced the appearance of visible pores

After using the brush system for a week, I can attest that my skin feels MUCH smoother and also feels cleaner. I am a firm believer that proper and effective exfoliation should be a key element to any skin care regimen, regardless of skin type. As an esthetician, we are taught to cleanse the face with both manual and powered brushes in an attempt to achieve a deeper level of cleansing.  The good thing about this product is that the bristles are extremely gentle. 

The creators forgot to mention that the system produces a fabulous facial massage as well!

I especially like the timer system (which is also featured on the Sonicare Toothbrush) which ensures that you not only clean your entire face for the proper amount of time (2 min) but it intermittently alerts you when you should move to various sections of your face.

The Skinny: This product is great for anyone with dehydrated, normal, or combination skin.  Due to the aggressive action of the motor, I would caution those with oily skin from using the product on a daily basis.  If you have oily skin, limit use to 3-4 times per week at most.  All others can use the product daily, but only use it for one wash of the day (preferably your nighttime wash since exfoliation should occur at night - more on that later).

In all, I'm thrilled with the results.  I will give another update in 3 weeks.

Lead, carcinogens, irritants - oh my!

According to the Manchester Evening News, recent reports suggest that women ingest about 5lb of chemicals in their lifetime just from their beauty regime, with lipstick being the primary culprit.  Outside of ingestion due to licking and biting, lipstick is found to be absorbed right through our lips, directly into our bloodstream. More importantly, some lipsticks has been shown to contain trace amount of lead. 

Kinda makes you wonder just what we're eating!!  If you want more information on the toxicity levels of your favroite cosmetics and skin care product, check out Skin Deep. 

Home Spa Gadgets

Great segment from the today show featuring effective at-home spa treatments.  Of special note - Nu Skin's new Galvanic Spa System II.  Until recently, one could only receive galvanic treatments in a spa. 

A galvanic treatment utilizes electrical current to introduce water-soluble treatments into the skin.  This process is especially effective and may produce a firming, tightening of the skin.

Also, check out the $27,000 spa "chamber"....some people have waay too much disposable income!

Drugstore Finds

So some of you are thinking...."I don't have $45 to spend on a moisturizer!"  Trust me, I hear you.  I try to stick to my regimen as much as I can but there are times when the funds are low and I am in Target and I just ran out of my favorite cleanser.  So here's a list of products that I love, love, love from my local drugstore.

Dove SkinVitalizer Facial Cleansing Massager ($9.99)

I stumbled upon this product about a few months ago.  I was intrigued because I was contemplating purchasing the Clairsonic Facial Brush, however the $100+ price tag was a bit daunting (even if it was recommended by Oprah!).  This product was under $10 and it came with 5 cleansing pads, so I decided to give it a try.  Boy, am I glad that I did.   

The device has a motor that powered by a battery which causes the it to vibrate.  It comes with pads, that are dry to the touch but foam up once immersed in water.  The pads attach to the device in a "velcro-like" fashion.  Each pad has two sides - a smooth side and an exfoliating side.  I recommend using the exfoliating side first and then flip over to the smooth side to finish.

You are guaranteed a smoooooooth finish when you're done.  Skin like silk, trust me.  Good for all skin types.

Olay Definity Foam Moisturizer ($23)

This moisturizer is the bomb!  Its especially great for those plagued by dark spots on their face that never seem to fade.  While this product is marketed toward the "anti-aging" set, its great for everyone.  I would recommend this for people with normal to dry skin.  The consistency is excellent in that it feels like you're getting both a serum and moisturizer in one product.  It deeply penetrates your skin, very hydrating.

I especially like the version without SPF.  The SPF version of this product leaves my skin looking ashy (due to the mix of SPF agents, especially avobenzone). 

The best part is that it leaves your skin with a nice glow.  Not shine, but glow.  There are light-reflecting pigments mixed into the moisturizer that make your skin look fresh and healthy.  Oh yeah, and it foams like mousse.  Love that.  Great product.

 

Burt's Bees Head to Toe Stater Kit ($14.99)

  This little kit has everything (and I mean everything) that you need to cleanse and moisturize yourself from top to bottom.  It is packed! 

It contains: Hand Salve .3oz., Coconut Foot Crème .4oz., Milk & Honey Body Lotion 1oz., Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Crème .25oz., Garden Tomato Toner 1oz., Carrot Day Cream .25oz., Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream .3oz., Orange Essence Facial Cleanser .4oz., Beeswax Lip Balm .15oz., Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar .8oz., Peppermint Shower Soap .8oz., Apricot Baby Oil 1oz.

I especially enjoy a few of the products in particular - the Apricot Baby Oil (especially after a shower, apply while wet), facial cleaner (great for dry, chapped, winter skin - not good for oily skin), and  Lemon Butter cuticle cream.

The best thing about this kit is that it is TSA friendly.  It fits neatly into the 1-quart plastic bag required at all airports and contains all of your necessary items.   Sweet!