Search results matching tags 'Skincare Regimen' and 'sun-damaged'

Scientific Skin is a brand that makes scientific sense!

Karen — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:21:00 GMT

Has anyone tried Scientific Skin? Because I just purchased two products from Spalook.com after reading some excellent reviews along with some intriguing information about the brand and these two specific products.

Scientific Skin was developed by a world renowned dermatologist (Dr. Beer) and is very target specific in terms of indications and skin layers treated.

I ordered Scientific Skin White Bamboo Exfoliator which is a clay type scrub. It warms up with contact and resurfaces the outer layers setting up the skin for excellent absorption of further treatments depending on specific needs.

I also ordered Scientific Skin Brightening Serum which sounds like the ideal treatment to follow the primed skin from the use of the White Bamboo Exfoliator. The serum was formulated with special botanicals from the Swiss Alps and minimizes hyper-pigmentation and brightens the skin. One reviewer said she had tried “tons” of brightening serums, creams and gels in the past to help brighten her brown spots and prior acne marks and that Dr. Beer’s Brightening Serum is “truly amazing!”

I can’t wait to share my results after I start using it! I have a feeling it will be all I expected and more!

Key to Looking Younger! Education of Products and dermalogica and Jan Marini!

Karen — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:22:00 GMT

My favorite skin care brands that I’ve used (or still use) personally are typically ones that I used professionally in the past. This is usually because I was thoroughly trained via classes and seminars put on by the brands themselves, attended aesthetic conferences with workshops, or simply taught by the brand or cosmeceutical or pharmaceutical rep within the office or spa.

When you’re professionally trained you understand how and why each product works whether by understanding the ingredients used, the science which makes it work (bio-availability and what part of the skin and underlying cells its affecting and why that is), indications for usage and what the expected outcome should be, as well as proper application technique (absorbability, mechanical means, steps, etc.).

When I think of the ultimate example of a brand that trains exceptionally well, two skin care companies come to mind. Dermalogica and Jan Marini! Both lines are phenomenally effective and results oriented, easy to use, indication specific and extremely professional. They are constantly evolving and are the leaders in cutting edge science in relation to skincare.

You can find both at many professional day and medical spas as well as many dermatology offices. I buy both my Dermalogica and my Jan Marini products at www.spalook.com because that’s much more convenient for me and they are a lot more competively priced.

You will never find me out of stock of my two favorite dermalogica and Jan Marini products as they are crucial to my skin care regimen and to my looks! LOL I always have a back up of each.

dermalogica AGE smart power rich is an amazing pharmaceutical strength treatment that moisturizes brilliantly, reverses the signs of aging, softens, firms and tones and stimulates cellular turnover and renewal. It’s pricey, but more than worth it. This is probably my pick for the best skincare product on the market.

Next is my Jan Marini C-ESTA Facial Mask. The effects are instant and absolutely amazing. I always use it before important occasions or when I want to look my ultimate best. It is seriously the closest thing to an instant facelift I’ve ever used. I can’t even begin to tell you how much you will love this mask!

Emu Oil is Excellent...and it's found in Dr. Dennis Gross All In One Tinted Moisturizer SPF15!

Karen — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 02:51:00 GMT

The only thing I love more than a skin care multi-tasker is a skincare multi-tasker with Emu oil!

Emu oil’s benefits have long been known throughout the world for many ailments including skin conditions. It has been shown to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, moisturize and soften the skin. It is also used as an effective dermal carrier as it has been proven to be one of the fastest and most penetrating oils into the skin. I love when I find skin care and beauty products that formulate emu oil into them.

Dr. Dennis Gross products use this amazing oil in their Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare (previously known as MD Skincare) All In One Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15. This fabulous moisturizer comes in Medium and Dark. I use the medium tint and I’m a blue eyed blonde.

Product’s benefits include providing essential moisture with sun protection along with imparting beautiful sheer color facilitating a beautiful skin tone and also firms, smoothes and improves skin texture and appearance of age.

This product is not only a win-win it’s a win-win-win!!! As stated previously, I love Emu Oil and I love a great multi-tasker!

Be Pretty with Prevage!

Karen — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 02:26:00 GMT

I was so excited a few years back when Prevage was coming out. I’d heard all about the new cutting edge science with regards to the active ingredient “idebenone.” However, when it finally hit the market and I bought some I soon found out I was allergic (or at least sensitive) to it. So I gave the brand new bottle to my sister who loved it and has used it since. And believe me she was extra thrilled with this little unexpected gift because she had previously suffered a severe allergic reaction to Botox, so she really wanted to find a quality, “results oriented” anti-aging product. And as it turned out, she found it in her (well my!) new bottle of Prevage. She’s reordered it many times since and it’s her veritable staple in her array of anti-aging creams. Recently I noticed in her drawer a new jar of Prevage that I had never seen before. So I thought, “Hmmm…I wonder if I should give it a try?” It may have been a dumb move and I would never want any of you to try a product that you may potentially be allergic to but I figured I could use a little plastic spoon to scoop a little out without contaminating her jar and place the cream on the inside of my elbow as a patch test. Well 24 hours later there were absolutely no signs of any sensitivity whatsoever so I decided to give it a try on my face. Normally I exfoliate my face while in the shower but I thought that I’d skip that step so as not to irritate my skin at all before trying the cream just as an additional precautionary measure. I applied it to my face with no feelings whatsoever of discomfort or redness and wore it throughout the day with no itching or problems at all. I applied again two nights later and used it every other day for a week. After week 1, I began using it daily at bedtime. It’s been two weeks and I’m happy to report I have had no problems with it at all…only amazing results! My skin looks so much fresher and younger. It’s that nice peaches and cream looking skin we’ve all searched high and low for.

The phenomenal night cream is called Prevage Anti-Aging Night Cream by Elizabeth Arden. It’s a blend of high performance moisturizers that nourish and infuse the skin with idebenone and Mega complex-A which leave you with a smoother, brighter, toned and radiant complexion. My skin also feels hydrated all day long. I love my skin. It’s more than just looking better…it’s repaired! I love Prevage Products!

Renew, Regenerate and Hydrate with PTR Retinol Fusion PM!

Karen — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:49:00 GMT

With all the latest chat on our blog and other beauty networks lately about retinoids, vitamin A, carrot seed oil and the like, I decided to tell you about one of my top notch retinol skin care picks. Peter Thomas Roth offers a potent retinol serum which contains 1.5% retinol and 1% vitamin C + E. Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM is formulated with concentrated microencapsulated retinol which facilitates maximum results but with very little or no irritation. Since I've begun using it my skin's tone and texture has been restored and revitalized. It appears healthy and luminous and has less lines and wrinkles. Peter Thomas Roth products always deliver for me!!

Vast Improvement With Vivite Skincare!

Karen — Mon, 10 May 2010 18:41:00 GMT

Get vibrant gorgeous skin with the Vivite System. Vivite is a new glycolic acid line from Allergan the makers of MD Forte and Botox. Just imagine the strength and notability of an MD Forte Regimen but with the added boost of the best antioxidants available on the skin care market today!

Vivite System is a brilliant regimen that results in beautiful radiant skin. Tried and true glycolic acid along with the best antioxidants and cutting edge science are a winning combination for achieving amazing luminous younger looking skin. Priced at $249 but is a $296 value. It comes with Exfoliating Facial Cleanser, Daily Antioxidant Facial Serum, Night Renewal Facial Cream, and Revitalizing Eye Cream. These four essential Vivite products will transform your skin into the radiant youthful skin we all desire and strive for. Vivite for very extraordinary skin!

CosMedix Corrects!

Karen — Wed, 05 May 2010 06:36:00 GMT

After yesterday’s CosMedix article I got so many great responses about this brand that I thought I ought to tell you all about an incredible kit from this phenomenal company.

CosMedix Correct Kit is a retinol based regimen that is mega skin brightening and a complete skin correction program. It comes with an amazing cleanser called Benefit Clean that calms and protects the skin. It also has Affirm which is an antioxidant serum that dramatically reduces free radical damage. Additionally, it includes Define which is a vitamin A resurfacing treatment. And lastly an outstanding hydrator called Hydrate+ which not only moisturizes but also protects with an spf 17.

CosMedix is extraordinary!!

The Beauty Ingredients Snob...Part 4! Vitamin A and Argireline for Anti-Aging!

Karen — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 01:45:00 GMT

Today I’ll start with the letter A. It seems like a good place to start! A is for apple…but I maintain it’s for Anti-Aging!

In my opinion, if you want your skin to look younger you need key ingredients. Both of which start with the letter A!

Vitamin “A” is the first and “Argireline” is the second. Vitamin A or retinol is great for long term anti-aging benefits while argireline is for those of us who want to look great asap! A great combo in my opinion because while you’re waiting for that retinol to work over time you’re looking great in the interim because of the quicker effects of the argireline.

Vitamin A or retinoid derivatives work by generating new cells from deep within our skin. Argireline, which is a peptide chain of amino acids works by relaxing the muscles within our face to lessen the pronounced look of wrinkles from frown lines and crows feet.

My favorite retinol products in the past have always been virtually retinol only. Meaning a separate container that was retinol exclusively. It made sense to me because retinol is best used at night and so I just used it along with my other night treatments at bedtime. Additionally, I felt that it must be a stronger form if it were in its own container. However, since then I’ve discovered ZO Skin Health Ommerse Overnight Recovery Cream. ZO Skin Health gets an A+ for this amazing product. During precious sleep your skin gets a chance to get amazingly healthy by getting hydrated and repaired. The retinol reduces fine lines and wrinkles while the ceramides nourish the skin.

My argireline pick is one of my favorite skincare products on the market today. However, it’s also the most expensive. You’ll have to dig deep for this precious blend but you’ll be glad you did. Euoko offers Euoko Y-30 Intense Lift Concentrate. This product works both immediately as well as in the long term. It is anti-aging skin care at its finest. Expect to see dramatic results with pore size, expression lines, cell turnover, wrinkles and texture. This product is phenomenal. Another A+!

Moor mud please!! Black for Dramatic Beauty! The Beauty Ingredients Snob...part 3!

Karen — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:42:00 GMT

Today we step away from the academic side of the Beauty Ingredients Snob series to talk about straight up beauty. Today is all about beauty, drama and more beauty! Well I suppose that’s not entirely true because I suppose the ingredients in these products play an important role as well. If they didn’t, we wouldn’t get the dramatic results we get with them.

We all know our little black dress is an important a piece of our wardrobe…but there are also beauty products revolving around black that are just as crucial. When we pull out our little black dress…we want to be stunning…this holds true for some of the black beauty and skin care products I’m going to share with you today.

Black tea is amazing for fighting free radicals, anti-aging, and eye puffiness. My favorite anti-oxidant duo is by Juara products. Juara All Things Sweet Black Tea Set contains a moisturizer and eye creme that are brilliant!

Black pepper is a one way ticket to stimulating circulation and is used in many cellulite reduction products. Thalgo Aromaceane Slender is a primo example!

Black orchid and black violet are often scents and notes used in perfumery. Lovely fragrance! For instance check out Calvin Klein Euphoria Eau de Parfum for a great example!

Black currant protects skin and is also hydrating. My favorite black currant product is the aptly named Ole Henriksen Black Currant Complexion Oil.

Black moor mud has so many amazing therapeutic benefits that it would take a whole article (or three) on itself alone to even give it its due justice. Suffice it to say…it works! Just for the sake of letting you know how amazing it is I will sum it up in two words. Repairs Skin! My favorite moor mud product is by Kerstin Florian. You will be simply and categorically sold when you try it. Kerstin Florian Thermal Mineral Moor Mud Mask is by far one of the best mineral masks on the planet. Buy this black product! Wear your black dress! And hit the town tonight!

The Beauty Ingredients Snob! Part One!

Karen — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 22:09:00 GMT

One of the main reasons I consider myself an expert in skincare is because I always want to know the “x” factor. I want to know why products work. And simply put the “x” factor is the active ingredient(s) within the product themselves.

Think of back in the day when women simply lathered a thick coating of cold cream on their face. It does indeed make your face feel softer and more hydrated but could it possibly repair or nourish? Not likely. The only way in my opinion to facilitate a physiological action would be to shrink the molecules of the active ingredients or add a delivery system to get those ingredients to the deeper cells in the skin. This is where collagen production takes place. Additionally, the superficial layers must be exfoliated and again ingredients play a key role in that action as well.

I will be doing a whole series on ingredients over the next few days or however long it takes to convey the importance of these complex pieces of the skincare and beauty regimen puzzle.

Today I’d just like you to take a look at the many verbs in the word “ingredients” below. These verbs are potentially what you can reasonably expect when you choose products with the correct ingredients for your specific indications and needs.

Improves and illuminates
Nourishes
Gives a lift and protects
Repairs, refines, relieves, reveals and resurfaces
Exfoliates, enhances and evens out color
Detoxifies and diminishes
Invigorates and increases circulation
Enhances and encourages
Nurses redness, blemishes and other skin conditions
Tightens and tones
Softens, stimulates and strengthens

Next time…we’re going to take a look at my favorite skincare ingredients!