What is Retinol?

Retinol is Vitamin A which works by producing new layers of collagen in the skin. It does this by increasing the hyaluronic acid in your skin.  They are wrinkle reducers and can create smooth skin. 

The best way to fight a wrinkle is for your skin to produce collagen which is what retinoid creams do.  I'm not a dermatologist, but I have been an esthetician for over ten years which has given me the opportunity to see my clients age for a decade.  I've noticed younger and younger women being prescribed Retinol and Retinoids to stop wrinkles before it happens and I don't love it. Not to mention more and more over the counter creams, serums and cosmetics have retin-A in them. It's overkill. 

I'm not totally against using a retinoid or retinol, but truly believe there is a certain client these creams are for.  They're great for someone with mature skin and for anyone treating acne without the help of LED light therapy. Acne is a big subject, I'm not going to get into it now but I know Retinols can help smooth out the skin during a breakout. 

I'll tell you why I'm not a huge fan of retinoids. In all my years of being an esthetician, I have seen so many women come in with what I call "porkchop face syndrome" (aka Retin-A junkie) One particular client comes to mind,  a 30year old female that I did laser hair removal for.  She did several body parts at different times so I got to see her for about two years. From the day I met her, she had this glossy shine to her skin. She always looked like she just rubbed a pork chop all over her face. She was really really shiny and was red on her cheeks and across her nose. Because of her laser appointments, I did a thorough consultation and found out she was on prescription Retin A.  

Over the course of treatments, we got to know each other and so finally I asked her why she was using Retin A (she had no blemishes or pigmentation and no wrinkles, it was just lots of shine which Retinol marketers will call "dewy") She said "My dermatologist prescribed it to me for acne two years ago."  I thought to myself, if you were using it for acne, and your acne is gone, why are you still using it? Her skin looked raw! She said "I don't know, my dermatologist keeps refilling it for me" 

I recommended she stop the Retin-A for one month and if the acne came roaring back then she should use it again. I also recommended hyaluronic acid and an enzyme exfoliation once a week at home. I had an accident after that and didn't work for a month so it was almost two months later when I saw her again.  This time, she looked amazing! Normal, plump, smooth, gorgeous skin.  I'm not saying never use retinols, but they are chemicals and should be used with some common sense.  Weaving a retinol into your skincare routine isn't a terrible idea but being on it 365 days a year for years? I've seen what 30 years of using Retin A looks like (I'll leave that story for another day) it wasn't cute. 

We all produce our own collagen-it's a protein found in all of our connective tissue. It breaks down as we age but using a chemically produced Vitamin A, like a retinol, isn't the only solution to rebuilding our own collagen. There are natural ways to do it and I'll tell you how in the near future.

To be continued .....In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, please click on this blog title and leave your comment below. 

Simple tricks to drink more water, faster.

We all know drinking water helps our skin look great, that's not news. Drinking water is also essential to our overall health.   I don't know about you, but even though I love water, there are times when the last thing I want is a glass of tasteless water so these simple tricks help me, and now you, get your daily 8 glasses.

#1 Drink it through a straw.  Especially when you really are in no mood for water, drinking it though a straw will help you chug it quicker. 

#2 Add fruit to it!  Kind of like a virgin Sangria, you can add a bunch of berries and diced fruit to a pitcher, let it sit for at least an hour then drink from that. 

#3 Essential oils. I carry around lemon essential oil in my bag so if I buy a bottle of water when I'm out and about, I add a couple of drops to it and it's so much easier to drink. Lemon isn't the only kind of oil you have to use, you can try grapefruit, lavander, chamomile, lemongrass, etc. Just make sure you are using a high-grade, edible essential oil. I only recommend Young Living, you can sign up to become a member and buy all your essentials oils at wholesale pricing here.  Here is my member number, you'll need it to sign up: 1398185

#4 Extracts. Same as the lemon oil, I sometimes add peppermint extract to a glass of water with a couple of cucumber slices. It's super refreshing in the summer or when I'm feeling dehydrated. 

#5 Tea. Winter is a harder time to drink water so a nice warm cup of tea is a nice change from cold water in the winter months. 

Also, if you feel thirsty, it's too late, you're already dehydrated so chug chug chug your water.  

If you have any of your own tips about water, just click on this post title and leave your comment below. 

What does LED light do?

LED light for skin rejuvenation

I LOVE LED

First, let's get the technical definition out of the way, LED (Light emitting diode) phototherapy is the application of light energy to tissue to obtain therapeutic benefits.  

In other words, different wavelengths of light can be used to treat acne (blue light) and renew collagen and elastin leaving you with soft, smooth, younger looking skin (red light).  LED light also reduces inflammation so it's safe to use after cosmetic injectables, extractions, waxing, microneedling and microcurrent. 

If you choose LED light therapy to treat acne, a 30 minute treatment, 2-3 x a week for 4-6 weeks is recommended for best results. For rejuvenation, 2-3 x a week for 12 weeks will get you the best results, BUT even adding it onto your monthly facial will make a difference. 

LED can be added on to any facial I offer or booked as a stand alone treatment. 

Why do I love it?

It's non toxic, non invasive, there's no redness and it makes my skin G-L-O-W!

Here's what a client had to say:

To schedule your LED Light treatment or skincare treatment, click below.

How to get rid of dark circles under your eyes

Aside from acne, dark circles has got to be one of the top things that women want gone from their faces. I wish there was a magic wand for this, for a lot of things actually, but there just isn't. 

Dark circles can be caused by a few things, genetics, not enough sleep or in extreme cases, kidney disease.  Trust me, if you have kidney problems, dark circles aren't going to be your first symptom of it. 

Aside from some really great concealer, the ONLY thing that I have personally come across, that actually works, is...drum roll please......

Green Juice!  

I struggle with recommending Green Juices only because they are "cold" in nature and shouldn't be had by anyone with these symptoms: post nasal drip or phlegm, feeling cold all the time, lethargic, or bloats easily.  This is just the acupuncturist in me, not wanting anyone with those symptoms to go on a green juice cleanse because it'll make those symptoms worse. 

But, if you don't have any of that going on, the facialist in me recommends, having warm water with the juice of half a lemon as soon as you wake up, followed by the green juice. Wait a couple hours to have breakfast or just skip it, have well balanced meals for the rest of the day.  The dark circles should clear up in a couple of days.  I recommend it to all my brides and pretty much everyone. 

Here's my fave "Banish the Dark Circles" Green Juice recipe:

Romaine Lettuce 

Spinach

Kale

Cucumber

1 green apple

Ginger 

Drink it the moment you make it or store in a glass jar (be sure to fill it all the way up to the  lid of it will get oxygen in it, making it no good)

By all means, if you try this, let me know how it goes! 

Clay masks

I had a new client come in for a facial a couple weeks ago.  A pretty blonde girl, about 26 years old, really sweet and fun to talk to.  First, I did a short consultation to find out why she was here.  She wanted an exfoliation and I was happy to oblige.

Whenever I work on a client, I start observing their skin from the moment I pick them up for their appointment.  I checked her skin out as I walked her to my treatment room and not much was popping out at me, then again, she's only 26.  

 As my hands glided along her face during the cleanse, it felt like I was giving a brick a facial!  I gently asked her about her skincare regimen.  She admitted she was a big fan of Sephora and liked to try out different skincare products. I knew I had to keep digging because no 26 year old should have skin that feels as dry as the Arizona desert.  

After prodding a little further, I got my answer. Clay masks, done every 3 days.  

I love clay masks, and yes it's so much fun to walk into a place like Sephora and just go crazy buying every thing the magazines tell you to buy, but beware, they will dry your skin out if you don't use them properly, as they did with my clay happy client.  They are touted as "detoxifiers" by beauty editors everywhere.  They're actually really good at pulling the oil (and dirt) out of your skin so if you don't have oily skin on your entire face, it's best to use the clay on the parts that are oily or have black heads (like your T-zone). If you happen to be going through an acne phase, and have random blemishes all over you can use it on your entire face.  Or, if you just have one zit, you can put it on that one zit. 

I'm not saying don't ever use clay, I actually do use it on my T-zone, just not every 3 days.  It's more like once every two weeks. I tend to love clay more for men, they naturally have larger pores than women and they usually generate more sebum so if you're looking for a Christmas gift for your guy, a clay mask is a nice gift!

As for my client, I recommended she purchase Dr. Alkaitis' Nourishing Oil to replenish and repair the hydration and after two weeks, I got this text from her "OMG thank you for the oil, I'm obsessed with it and my skin already looks so much better."  :) 

What does toner do?

Toners serve a purpose and most people don't bother to use them.  Toners act as a second and final step in your cleanse.  They remove any excess dirt, sebum or makeup that your cleanser may have left behind. More importantly, they keep your skin pH balanced.    

Cleansers naturally throw off the pH balance of your skin and toners help bring it back immediately.  If you have oily/acneic skin, an astringent toner would be best suited for you.  If you have normal/dry skin, a hydrating toner would be best.  I love the toner by Dr. Alkaitis!  If you have really sensitive skin or rosacea, rose water is for you.  

Do you use a toner you really like? Or did you have idea what toners were for before reading this? Let me know in the comments below.  

The best time of day to apply moisturizer

The best time to apply moisturizer is right after a shower or after you've just washed your face when your skin is still moist. 

Always blot your face dry with a towel and never rub it like you would the rest of your body.  Gently work your moisturizer into your face and allow it to seep into your skin. The moisture from the water helps maintain the moisture in the facial cream as well as body lotions.  

Like this post? Share it on Facebook or with a friend. As always leave your comments or questions below. I love skincare questions!