A few years back I took a trip to Paris with my mother. I had everything in my makeup bag that contained sunblock. My moisturizer and foundation both contained diluted sunblock in the formula and I was sure I was protected. I learned on that trip the importance of wearing an actual sunscreen that is not diluted   All the walking around that we did on that trip, left my nose red as a tomato. I have the hyperpigmentation on my nose to show for my mistake. From that trip on, I am a big advocate of having a bottle of actual sunscreen always in my skin care routine and I do not walk out of my house without putting some on.

Most people who argue against staying out of the sun are worried about their Vitamin D production. UVB rays are the contributors of the synthesis of Vitamin D. Now, UVB are the burning rays. They are shorter than UVA rays and not as deep. However, they are stronger and cause more damage. While UVA rays are the cancer causing rays that alter DNA and cause cells to die, UVB rays can damage the eyes, which is why a quality pair of sunglasses is important. If you are worried about your Vitamin D, remember you can get the same result from food and vitamins instead of relying on the sun.

While I am on the subject of UVA and UVB rays, did you also know UVA rays are the primary cause of aging? UV rays can penetrate windows and they pass through clouds. Sun protection should not only be for the summer time and beach days. You should be protecting yourself and wearing sunscreen every single day of the year. The snow, sun and water increase the need for protection due to reflection of the sun rays. Majority of the sun damage acquired in a person’s life happens every single day. When we walk to our car, sit next to a window and drive our car we are subject to sun damage and should be protecting ourselves. Remind yourself the sun emits harmful and damaging rays year round and not just during the summer months.

Sunblock will defend you against radiation, cell death, tissue breakdown and aging. Full or Broad spectrum sunscreen will protect you from both UVA and UVB sun rays. There is two types of sunscreen. We have the chemical sunscreen and the physical sunscreen. The Chemical sunscreen is made up of organic compounds. It chemically absorbs the sun rays. If you look at the list of ingredients on the bottle, the way to tell the sunscreen is chemical is to see any or all of the following: octinoxate, octisalate, or oxybenzone. A physical sunscreen is made of inorganic compounds. It will physically reflect the sun rays. Look for titanium dioxide and zinc oxide on the list of ingredients if you want to protect yourself with a physical sunscreen.  A good analogy I heard once to describe the two are: chemical sunblock is like standing behind a screen door and a physical sunscreen is similar to standing behind a wooden door. While you already looking at the back of the bottle, make sure to check for the expiration date. If you are using your sunblock daily as recommended you should never have the bottle expire, but better be safe then sorry.

In addition to wearing sunblock, you should be protecting yourself by wearing long sleeves, pants and wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses. A good rule of thumb to follow is: when your shadow is shorter than you are find a shade. This usually takes place between 10 am and 2 pm. One last thing I would like to remind everyone is that your lips are in danger as much as the rest of your skin wrapped body parts are. So please remember to wear a lip-gloss or chap-stick which has SPF in it.

Make sunscreen your best friend and it will serve you well! Farewell for now.

The significance of sunblock is one of the most important topics for an esthetician. We are taught from day one in the classroom of it’s great powers to save us the hassle in the future. The media and practically everyone I know constantly stress the danger of skin cancer as the result of sun damage. That is understandable, since skin cancer is the scariest result. Personally, I have been on the end of a skin biopsy and, let me tell you, it is not pleasant in the least. Since that moment on the table, I have become more outspoken about sunscreen and the importance of it on a daily basis.  Due to the fact there is such a big focus on melanoma dangers and most people are already familiar with the statistics, I wanted to focus this article on the causes of sun damage not as widely focused on. 

First and foremost, what is sun damage? According to the definition given in Milady’s Standard Esthetics, sun damage is defined as “UV damage to the epidermis and dermis”. Besides skin cancer, sun damage’s also a cause of aging, collagen and ellastin deterioration, hyperpigmentation, capillary damage and free – radical damage. Let me define and talk about these in detail below.

The sun has the greatest impact on our skin’s aging. In fact, 80 – 85% of aging is caused by the sun’s rays. UVA rays are the primary cause of aging. As much as a “healthy glow” can be popular in our day and age, think ahead about your skin’s health in the future.

Collagen and ellastin are what makes up the shape of your face. Collagen is a thick fiber that provides the strength of our skin. There is no way to put back collagen in to our system. In fact, all those products that contain collagen in them, the molecules are way too large to penetrate and replace. All the skin care products can help one do is to help fix it once it’s damaged. Retinol is usually used to stimulate collagen and to remodel it. Ellastin is what gives the skin it’s snap back like a rubber band qualities. Once the rubber band is stretched, the only thing that can help is surgery. 

Hyperpigmenation is brown or dark pigmentation. It is commonly known as age spots. It is a discolorations caused from melanin production due to the sun. What is commonly not recognized is freckles are caused from sun damage and are hyperpigmentation. 

Capillary damage or as more commonly spoken of as broken capillaries are the tiny red blood vessels people usually have around the corner of their nose or on their cheeks. Once a capillary is broken, the only thing that can save the little guy at that point is a photofacial. No at home products or procedures can help. 

Free – radicals are a lonely and unstable atoms or molecules that are looking for a mate in life. They steal electrons from other molecules and in this process they damage the body. They create inflammation and damage DNA. When the sun rays make contact with our skin, a reaction with oxygen takes place and free-radicals are made. 

As you can see sun damage causes more then just skin cancer alone. All of these examples of damage can be prevented by regular use of sunblock. Using sunscreen on a regular basis will save you from having to fight the damage that has been made and is cheaper in the long run since all of the damage caused is not easily repaired. Save yourself the trouble and cover up.

 

Since my teen years and to present, I have had to struggle with acne. It wasn’t until about 6 month ago was I finally able to find a way to control it and now (knock on wood) will have just occasional small breakouts. Those are annoying, but are nothing like what I had to deal with before.

I have tried almost every blemish control face regiment out on the market. Every time it would follow the same pattern. At first it would work great, then, a few months would pass by and the regiment would cease to work and I would have to venture out and find a new one.

Although over the years I have practiced many techniques to try and control the breakout, I found that for me there is no one magic regiment. To control my acne on a daily basis, I must practice a delicate balance of skin regiment, diet, exercise and just some quick “avoid bringing dirt to your face as much as possible” routines.

In the next weeks, I would like to share with you some of the practices that I have adopted. When added all together they help me keep my face clear of blemishes. At first it may seem like a lot. However, remember you might need to adapt only a small portion of these routines. If you do feel like all is needed, I would recommend adding the practices one at a time until they all become a habit.

The first tip I would like to share is DRINKING WATER. This sounds so simple, but in practice might seem impossible. I make a conscious effort to drink at least 6 glasses of water a day. Sounds easy, right? Well, if you are anything like me, you will find this to be more difficult in practice. I will literally forget to drink water. In fact, if I am not consciously trying to drink more water on a daily basis, I will definitely not drink enough. Instead of pouring myself a glass, I will reach for tea/coffee or a soda instead, thinking I still have plenty of time to get my full water intake for the day. Then the day runs out and I am gulping 5 glasses of water at once before bed. What I have found to help me get my full intake is keeping track. At first, I would just jot down on a piece a paper a line every time I would drink a glass. Now, after using LooseIt app to keep track of my calories, which helps me eat a more balanced diet, I have adopted the habit of also tracking my water intake with this app. It’s fast and easy, and it is with me everywhere I go, since I rarely go anywhere without my phone.

There are many benefits of drinking water. Since we are talking about fighting acne, the water helps me flash out all the harmful toxins and impurities out of my body. It hydrates my body AND my skin. After resuming the proper intake of water, I am always amazed when I notice the glow come back to my skin. So Cheers!!!!

How do you keep track of your daily water input on a daily basis? How many glasses of water to you try to drink on a daily basis? Leave a comment below and let me know. Farewell for now. J

This year holds a lot in store for me. I have made a lot of New Year resolutions. Some I have shared with you and others have been made as a consequence to reach my big goals this year.

One of my goals is to spend less and save more. In order to achieve this goal, I have decided to be less high maintenance. Now, don’t get crazy thinking I will penny pinch on my skin care routine or my style. However, what is the first thing to go when a girl is to save money? That’s right, nail salon visits and eyebrow visits. That said, I am not prepared to let my eyebrows blow around crazily in the wind or my nails to look as a construction worker nails. (If I was a construction worker this would be excusable, but I’m not, and thus I see no reason why I shouldn’t take the time).

Later on, I will share with you how I learned to manage my eyebrows on my own. But today I wanted to share with you my new found nail care routine. This routine has been years in the making. I have very unmanageable cuticles. They are incredibly thick, overgrown and dry if not taken care of regularly.  I have always struggled with snagging and tearing, which can be very painful. For years I have battled this issue and the best way I found (until now) is to make a visit to a nail technician at least once a week and get a manicure. Even though a regular manicure is very affordable now a days, coming in at least once a week can become very expensive. This is why, on my mission to fattening up my savings account, I have said my sad good-bye to a nail salon for at least a year. I really do miss the experience I must admit. Pampering is my favorite pass time, but a girl got to do what a girl got to do.

The best thing about this routine, I find, is the simplicity and quickness of it. I feel great after, as if I just left a nail salon without breaking the bank. It takes me about 15 minutes to do (not counting the nail polish step) and only requires 3-4 nail care supplies. Since I have to have a quick manicure at least once or twice a week, to manage my unruly cuticles, quickness and simplicity is a must.

How I obtain beautiful and professionally done looking nails at home:

Step 1 (optional): Trim your nails with a pair of nail clippers or nail scissors. The choice of the nail supply in this step is really up to you. Use what you are comfortable with and what you feel will give you the clean even cut you desire. Even if you cut rugged, don’t panic because there is a way to fix this with the next step.

Step 2: Use a nail buffer sanding block to shape your nail tips and even out the top of the nail. Make sure to only buff in one direction – not back and forth. Back and forth will cause your nails to peel and chip once they start growing out. If you start your first buff of the nail tip from left to right, keep going left to right, left to right, left to right, and so on. Don’t switch and start buffing right to left.

Step 3: Switch to a four sided nail buffer. The two important sides are:

1)      Has step 1 – Even Out and step 2 – smooth

2)      Has step 3 – Buff and step 4 – Shine

I usually count to 10 for each buffer step and each finger. It works for me but find the time amount that gives you the best result. I use the Revlon Shape ‘N Buff buffer, but there are others out there you can find that will work just as well.

Step 4: This step is my little miracle in a tube to manage my cuticles. This little guy is what saved my nails from looking hideous and cut my nail routine time down so drastically. It is the Sally Hansen Problem Cuticle Remover (Aloe Formula). On the box it reads “Eliminates thick, overgrown cuticles.” When I first picked it up at the store, I will be honest, I wasn’t very hopeful. I have purchased cuticle removers before and aside from making a big mess, it never pulled through. I was so pleasantly surprised after the first time and I swear by it now. All I do is follow the directions on the back of the tube. Apply the cream feeling formula around your cuticles, massage in and leave on for 5 minutes. Push back your cuticles lightly and rinse off. Viola!

The results I find are amazing. I couldn’t be happier and I am almost considering never going to a nail salon again. Almost!! I still like the experience of feeling like a royal princess and the chit chatter.

If you wish, follow up by a base coat, a nail color of your choice and finish up with a top coat. Let it dry. Between my at home manicures, I sometimes use cuticle oils or creams before bed designed to moisturize the cuticle in order to prevent dryness. Those are safe to apply even if you have had fun with a nail polish.

This is what works best for me and I finally figured it out after about 10 years of searching. I’m in 7^th heaven about my nail routine now. I am reaching my goals and looking great while doing it. If you choose to try it out, make sure to leave a comment below and let me know what you thought of it.

What is your weekly or monthly nail care routine? Leave a comment below and let me know. I’m dying to know. Farewell for now.

 

Have you ever pondered if you’re over washing your face? Due to the contradictory advice on the market, I have had concerns about my personal routine. I am a planner; I plan ahead for practically everything I can and amongst my plans is my skincare. When I am 50 I would like to look 40; in fact, I prefer to look 30. I am very concerned with picking out the right skin care and routine for myself NOW. Personally, I have a combination type skin, also known as oily in my T-zone and dry otherwise. Because of my experience and skin type, I feel extremely safe talking about this topic. Before I press on, please keep in mind the most important thing to remember here is what works for me will not necessarily work for you; especially if your skin is dry. I encourage everyone to try not washing as often or more often and see how it works out.

I have read that just using water in the morning to splash your face will successfully remove all the remainders of your nightly moisturizing routine. If you do decide to wash your face once a day, I would recommend washing at night. As you think about my suggestion, keep the following three things in mind before you dismiss the thought. First, we are surrounded by pollution as we travel from location to location. Second, dust is constantly looking for a cozy new home on our faces. Third, we touch our face regularly and most often our hands haven’t been sanitized beforehand. In addition to these three things, another thing to consider is removing the makeup you applied in the morning.

Now, I have given a try to only washing my face at night. While it might work for some, I encourage you to try it out if you think this will work for you; it was a complete and utter disaster for me. I believe in moisturizer and anti-aging products to fight my combination skin as well as the three things I mentioned above. For me, I felt like my skin was two to three times as oily when I washed my face with only water in the morning followed by adding my sunscreen and moisturizer. The dirt and oil built up during the night on my skin was too much for plain water to handle. This caused my pores to clog and lead to a lot of acne. And for all I’ve described after trying this little experiment, I went back to washing my face twice a day and wrote this off in my failure book.

On the other hand, I do believe there is such think as overdoing it. I recommend washing your face twice a day; which is the ideal number in my books. If you have oily skin, you may want to add a third wash somewhere in the afternoon to protect your pores from clogging. Since I am often not around my home during the day, I trained myself to love beauty blotters. Beauty blotters work great because they absorb all the excess oil in my T-zone without smearing my makeup.

When washing your face stay away from SOAP. By soap, I’m referring to hand soap and body soaps. Soap should not touch anything above your neck. It is extremely irritating; your face skin is sensitive and needs its own routine. If you have normal/dry skin find yourself a good a creamy cleanser your face reacts positively too. A clear cleanser is recommended for combination or oily skin. After washing your face, you should feel clean and crisp, but not tight. Tight is what your skin feels like if you use soap. If your skin feels tight you are using a cleanser that is probably too harsh for you. If your face turns red after using the cleanser, don’t scrub as hard or you may need to consider the possibility you are allergic to an ingredient in the cleanser. Instead of scrubbing your face as if you are scrubbing a pot, massage your face in circular motions starting at the chin and working your way up. This will prevent you from pulling your skin down. Gravity is already doing the majority of the work and personally I don’t want to help her out.

In summary, both washing too much OR too little can cause your face to become irritated and may lead to blemishes. Try what works for you and stick with your chosen routine as long as it works. 

How often do you wash your face? Leave a comment and let me know. Farewell for now.

 

There are numerous make-up brushes out on the market. I recommend investing in your brushes and getting the most out of them. In order to get the most for your money, brushes need to be maintained. Most high-quality brushes allow you to wash the brushes and, in turn, they will stick around with you for years. One of the most common reasons a brush is destroyed is due to the fact it’s not being washed often enough. Letting brushes accumulate product for too long will permanently damage the bristles. Washing them will break down the oils and pigments that accumulate in the hairs. Brushes should be cleaned at least once a month. If you are suffering from acne, I recommend to wash it more frequently; once a week at the minimum. 

While being washed the bristles need to be facing down. This action prevents the water from going up the shaft of the brush. Once the brushes are clean once again, lay them out to dry. Laying them out is important because you don’t want to let water sip down into the base of the brush. This will rot your brushes and you will end up with a destroyed brush; which is what we are trying to avoid. 

 

Along with the large array of brushes out there are a hefty number of brush cleaners. There is some top notch options out there, but they are not necessary for your personal use. For my personal use, baby shampoo works like a charm. However, if you ever use your brushes on another person, clean them with an alcohol based cleaner first. Make sure that alcohol is the first or second ingredient on the list.

 

Do you use a commercial brush cleaner or are you also using baby shampoo? What is your favorite brush set? Leave a comment below and let me know. Farewell for now.

 

 

There are two small things that a girl can do that will make a big difference in her appearance and, consequently, her self-esteem. Believe it or not, those things don’t include foundation, blush or eye color. The two small things are using mascara and properly shaping your eyebrows. To get me started on my first beauty tip, I figured where better to start than that little magic wand called mascara.

Why should mascara be used?

Mascara has two wonderful effects when it’s used correctly. First, it’ll make your eyes look bigger. Secondly, it will really bring out your eye color.

There is an insane amount of options on the market to choose from. Not mentioning all the different brands, there is an option of lengthening, thickening, defining, waterproof or non-clumping mascaras. You should considerer what effect you prefer before you settle on just any mascara. The choice is different depending on your natural lashes.

How to apply mascara?

Start off by aligning the mascara brush with the base of your lashes. Then begin wiggling the wand at the base and continue wiggling as you move the wand to the end of your lashes.

Wiggling is an important concept. It gives lashes the illusion of length and thickness. It also separates the lashes while saving you from clumps. A fun trick I use to give an illusion of extended and fuller lashes, without resorting to false lashes, is layering my mascaras. I start off by using defining mascara first and then I follow it up by using a lengthening one.

If you get dots on the top lid or under the eyes from a spillover of mascara, just use a cotton swab to clean it up. Press the top of the swab on the dot and swirl. Fight the urge to glide or pull on the swab like you are trying to wipe the dots off.  If you do, it’ll smudge the dots and make it worse.

How to avoid clumps in your lashes?

There is always the classic lash comb. Personally, I prefer to live without a lash comb. While my hand is semi-steady with a mascara wand, for some odd reason I am always afraid to scratch my eye with a lash comb with a wrong move.

When mascara is brand new or if my wand is a little messy, I first wipe the brush with a tissue. This allows me to control how much mascara I get on my eyelashes.

If you don’t feel comfortable with a tissue, try using spoolies. Spoolies is just another way to say a clean mascara wand. You may find clean disposable ones in the store or just recycle a wand from old mascara. Keep your spoolies clean by maintaining it the same way you clean your make-up brushes.

Should mascara be worn on the bottom lashes?

I truly believe that you can’t get away with only wearing mascara on the top lashes if you have on eye shadow and/or eyeliner. This is especially true if you have light colored eyelashes. My rule: if I wear eyeliner on the bottom, I will always wear mascara on the bottom lashes as well. Usually I will not wear mascara on my bottom lashes when my allergies are acting up. During those days I also don’t wear any eye shadow or eyeliner on the bottom.

What should you NOT do with mascara?

You do NOT want to pump your mascara. Pumping the mascara lets in the air and the bacteria.  Unfortunately, you’ll end up placing yourself at risk of having an eye infection because it’ll contaminate your product and will make it dry out quickly. In order to keep your eyes safe and to get the most of your mascara simply swirl the want inside the barrel and viola!

Also keep in mind: mascara has an expiration time of 2-3 month. If you buy one and loose it after opening, then find it 6 month later, NO, IT’S NOT A BRAND NEW MASCARA. Think – can of tuna. Once you open a can of tuna, it will go bad quicker than if you left it unopened and waited for the expiration date that is printed on the lid to roll around. Smell mascara when you first open it. Then smell it periodically. You will notice the change of smell. A funky smell will tell you THROW ME OUT. To keep up with my analogy, an opened can of tuna would begin to smell funny after a few days. Would you still eat it? The level of bacteria that is collected in the barrel and on the wand is just not safe.

I have come across arguments against the 2-3 month rule. One of the arguments put forward is the fact that women use lip glosses for longer than a 2-3 month period. Lip glosses come in a tube with a wand as well and apparently most people don’t throw them out for years until they are done. Well,

• Your eyes are soooooo much more sensitive than your mouth. Have you ever noticed how much faster a cut on your lip or a burned tongue heal than when you have bacteria or something wrong with your eye?
• I make sure to throw out my lip gloss (even if it’s not used up) after 6 month to a year from opening. If you smell it and feel the consistency of the formula, you will notice the change of smell and feel. At the moment there really is a can of tuna in my pantry, along with a can of Progresso soup. Both were purchased at the same time, but each has its own expiration date that is months apart. Due to the fact each can consists of a different chemical composition to make them last, it makes sense they will expire at different times. Similarly, mascara and lip gloss have a different composition and thus a different shelf life.

What is the right color?

My vote is that black mascara works for all. That said, if you are on the paler side and/or have blonde hair, then don’t cake on the black mascara too much or you will look gaudy. One solution is brown/black for blonde girls. It looks totally amazing and natural for a day look. There are also options of colored mascaras. My favorite is purple. It brings out my eye color very well. Do not be afraid to try colored mascaras, they add a nice twist to the everyday routine and make people notice your eyes. J

 For the past few days, I have been trying out brown mascara. Now I am pale (with a red undertone) and a dirty blonde hair; I must confess at first I absolutely hated brown mascara. It is way too light for me to use with a full eye look. However, it does lengthen and separates the eyelashes, so by itself (especially if I only do top lashes) with an added bright lip color it looks very natural and put together. Overall, I think I will keep it for a changed up every day natural (no makeup) look. But after 3 month it goes in the trash without regrets.

What are your mascara tips and techniques? Leave a comment and let me know. Farewell for now. <3