The 4 Rules Of All Skin Care and Anti-Aging

Balance:

This should take place during your daily cleansing routine, morning and night. To balance the skin means to cleanse without stripping natural and much needed oils and adjust pH levels.
 By doing this, oil gland production is normalized, natural hydration is maintain and the skin is ready to better accept ingredients from any skin care to follow.

I always recommend milky/cream textured cleansers, even for those with oily skin (like myself!) or those with acne. Foaming cleansers tend to remove too much natural moisture and can stimulate more oil production as a result.

As far as toners go, you have to be careful that you're not actually using an astringent that's hiding behind a label that says "toner".
Astringents are full of alcohol and/or ingredients like tea tree oil or peroxides which suck hydration form the skin leaving it feel tight and parched.

A true toner has a pH of 4.5-5.5 and should contain ingredients that give back to your skin, instead of taking away from it.

My two top picks are Environs Mild Cleansing Lotion and Moisturizing Toner.



Nourish:

A lot of people think the skin gets all the nourishment it needs from the foods we eat.
Unfortunately, while the skin is the largest organ of the body, it's also the last to receive all the nourishment it needs to look, feel and function it's best. The skin is our barrier from water, sunlight, pollution, wind, temperature extremes and so on.
So therefor it really tends to take a beating like nothing else!

Over time the skin naturally loses vitamin A levels and along with sun exposure and other factors, that depletion is sped up. Vitamin A is so important for a number of reasons but to list just a few...it regulates healthy cell function, speeds up cell production and repairs DNA damage.

Of course your skin needs a lot more than just vitamin A. Things like vitamin B, C, E, peptides and antioxidants should not be over looked as they aid in repair, healthy collagen production, normal pigment production, hydration, increasing cell turnover and much more.

This is exactly why I swear by Environs C-Quence Serum. It's a perfect cocktail of everything your skin needs and comes in different concentrations (level 1 to 4) to build the skins tolerance over time.
To me, the serum is sort of like the skins main course and anything else you use could be thought of as an appetizer or desert to really target specific concerns and speed up results.



Protect:

Sunscreen. Need I say more?
To not commit to wearing a high quality SPF every day is doing your skin a major injustice.
UV rays will breakdown collagen (that beautiful protein fiber that keeps the skin plump, firm, youthful and strong) faster than anything else.

It increases inflammation, causes unhealthy pigment production, creates DNA damage which leads to abnormal cell function and even skin cancer and can even denature vitamins in any skin care you have on before your skin can process and make use of it.

So, to not only protect your skin but also your investment into your skin care...daily sunscreen goes a long, long way.



 Stimulate:

As we get older, like all cells in our body our skin becomes "lazy" and doesn't produce cells as quickly as it used to. This can lead to a build up of old, dead cells on the surface and can make the skin look dry, dull, textured and grey-ish.

It also means the skin isn't as quick to produce collagen in fact, after our 20's the skin stops producing it all together! The only way to keep a healthy skin cell and collagen production going is to stimulate the skin to do so.

Acids are a fantastic way to do this at home. They stimulate a higher cell turn over, so the more often you use them, the more often you'll have new skin. Literally! They dissolve dead, excess cells on the surface and refine texture to give you a bright, healthy and dewy glow.
They also work to lighten pigmentation caused by sun damage, dissolve excess oil, kill bacteria and certain acids like Lactic can aid in hydration.

Peptides on the other hand are best for stimulating the collagen producing cells called fibroblasts, but one of the most effective ways to stimulate collagen production is with in-clinic treatments like laser or radio frequency. While there are seemingly endless options when it comes to treatments, they basically all work the same way...by stimulating a healing response from the skin.

The skin heals by producing collagen. Wow! How convenient!

Treatments don't have to be invasive or involve downtime to achieve this effect however.
Lots of treatments like radio frequency for example work by heating the skin deeply to induce neocollagenesis...which is just a big fancy word that means new collagen production.

By heating the skin to about 40 degrees the radio frequency actually causes collagen to breakdown which stimulates the natural repair or healing response of the skin to make brand new collagen!

A nice bonus of most radio frequency technology is it also causes collagen and elastin to shrink under that kind of heat (kind of like a hamburger on the grill).
This means an immediate tightening/lifting of the skin that can often be seen right away!

In-clinic treatments can really be the fastest way to see significant results but if you don't have your home care routine structured and in-check you won't be getting the best results possible.

That's why my rule of thumb is to always address the products one is using at home first. To start  there is laying a much better foundation for great results from anything that can be done in-clinic.

Choosing Products For Your Acne....You're Doing It Wrong!!

Aaaah the skin care isle…bright, colorful and playful packaging, delicious smells, celebrity endorsements and promises of turning your acne around and making your way to perfect, clear skin!

It’s tempting isn’t it? Even as a laser tech and skin health specialist I still even find myself aimlessly wandering down the very same isle.

First off, drug store skin care is just not the way to go in general. It’s inexpensive because it’s cheaply made. If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck and looks like a duck…it must be a squirrel! Oh no wait, I mean it’s a duck, duh! Sorry.

There’s also a stigma when it comes to acne that’s been ingrained in all of us, and most likely from skin care product advertisements. That stigma is that acne skin is dirty skin.

Most of us have struggled with break outs at one time or another. For some it’s short lived and for others, it can go on for years. Therefore, most of us have been in the very same isle wandering aimlessly hoping to stumble upon the solution.

Now, most skin care you see at the drug store that is meant for oily, or acne prone skin tends to be medicated with things like salicylic acid, peroxides, tea tree oil etc and promise to kill off any living thing that is on your face. Wow, intense!

Anyone who has used these kinds of products know firsthand that they leave the skin feeling dry, tight and squeaky clean, but that’s a good thing since we want our skin to be super clean, right?

No, not exactly.

Would you be surprised if I told you that bacteria is not actually the main problem when it comes to acne? Well, then hang on to your squirrels because you’re about to get the shock of your life!

Bacteria is NOT the problem! It’s been proven that those who have acne also have a hypertrophic stratum corneum. Or, an extra thick dead skin cell layer which sits on the surface. These cells stick together and don’t shed off naturally as they do in otherwise healthy skin.

These dead cells lingering around tend to come together with oil and create a clog. Only THEN do the bacteria come into play to feed off the oil.

It’s right about then one finds themselves constantly over cleansing, either too often or with a harsh cleanser, or both!

Well the issue here is that tight, dry squeaky clean feeling those products give you. This is not a good sign as that means you’ve just stripped your skin of all its natural oils and moisture.

Your skin is now exposed to all sorts of environmental damage including bacteria and dehydration. So, what does your skin do to combat this? The oil glands kick into hyper-drive and produce a ton of oil to replace what was lost.

Now you mix in all this extra oil, with those extra dead cells and you’ve really got a problem!

This is why it’s so important to give up those foamy, medicated cleansers and use something gentle. After all, acne is a condition that causes inflammation and damage so the skin could use some extra TLC as opposed to constant punishment.

My recommendations are always a milky cream cleanser, like Environ’s Mild Cleansing Lotion and a pH balancing Toner like the Moisturizing Toner from Environ as well. This ensures the skin is comfortable, hydrated and balanced. Beyond that there are further steps to take like chemical exfoliation and nourishing the skin but that’s best left up to a professional during a consultation to see what your skin needs since everyone is different and not all acne is the same.

3 Reasons to Break Up With Your Facial Scrub

At first you may ask yourself “where has this product been all my life??” since like with most new relationships, it seems exciting and fruitful. In the beginning your scrub may seem to deliver instantly soft, smooth skin and before you know it you’re hooked!

 

You find yourself scrubbing nearly every day and you can’t picture ever wanting to give it up. But unfortunately, we have some bad news…your scrub is actually hiding some nasty secrets from you.

 

1. Inflammation

If you were to look at a facial scrub under a microscope most of them would look like jagged, uneven, rough grains of sand. When rubbed across the skin these grains cause microscopic lesions and damage to the surface of the skin. As a result the skin automatically goes into a state of repair which leads to inflammation. When done on a regular basis you’ll actually find your skin can become quite sensitive and prone to redness and other irritation. That’s because it’s inflamed and constantly in a state of healing.

 

2. Thinning

As we get older our skin, like all the cells in our body, reproduce as a slower rate. This means it takes longer for our skin to make new cells than it did when we were younger. In our 20’s it can renew as often as every 28 days, and in our 30’s, 40’s 50’s and on it can slow down to as little as every 55-75 days or even longer! Now you add in a constant exfoliant like a scrub into the mix and you’re wearing down your skin before it even has time to renew. The result is thinning skin which is more prone to premature aging.

 

3. Bacteria and Oil

Not only do the scrubby beads in these types of product pick up and spread pre-existing bacteria (which is an exceptionally bad idea if you have acne) but it also strips the natural water/oil barrier on the surface of the skin called the “acid mantle”. This barrier keeps the skin protected from environmental elements including bacteria , and it keeps the skin moisturized and clean. When this barrier is removed the skin is prone to more damage and as a response the oil glands kick into hyper-drive to produce much more oil than normal to replace what was stripped away. The result is a vicious circle of stripped vulnerable skin, and excessive oily skin.

Now What?

Of course, we do need to exfoliate so you may be wondering what to do. Chemical exfoliation will be your knight in shining armor to save you from the nightmare that is facial scrubbing. Chemical exfoliation involves the use of gentle enzymes or acids to dissolve dead skin cells, excess oil and to kill bacteria.

It will show your skin so much love that it will in fact speed up how fast your skin renews itself, which will give you a healthy dewy youthful glow. It will thicken your skin over time and help to lift pigmentation, reduce the appearance of pores and smooth your skins texture.

 

So what are you waiting for? Tell your scrub to take a hike and get ready for the best relationship of your life!!

The Miracle of Collagen Creams! ...Not.

We’ve all seen them…beautifully packaged and yummy smelling body or face lotions (that can also come with a serious price tag!) that promise firmer, younger looking skin. The secret ingredient? Collagen of course!

 

Collagen is the sexy protein fiber in the skin that gives it structure, firmness and therefor youthfulness! The younger you are, the more of it you’ll have! Due to natural aging, sun exposure, diet and other factors we lose collagen as we age (about 1-2% each year), so doesn’t it make sense to start applying it on our skin every day to stay looking young forever?

 

Well…no.

 

I have to give it to the skincare companies marketing angles, I mean it works right? We see the word collagen and immediately think “Anti-aging in a bottle! I must have it!”

 

The sad reality is this is just a great way to sell products. Similar to other gimmicky ingredients like activated charcoal, 24 karat gold, Australian clay, Co-Enzyme Q10, Himalayan salt, algae, fish caviar extract, plant stem cells, coconut oil, snail mucus…please, someone stop me. I can’t even.

 

There are simply too many of these ingredients to name but they all serve the very same purpose, to sell sell sell! And unfortunately your skin doesn’t actually benefit much. The size of a collagen molecule is huge when you’re talking about a substances ability to penetrate into the skin, which is meant to keep things out! It would be like trying to get a whole cucumber to fit through a spaghetti strainer, it just ain’t happening.

 

Why don’t we just say, for fun, that collagen could penetrate into the skin. Skin care products don’t contain human collagen; they typically contain bovine (cow) or fish collagen. Okay, so now we have a different species collagen in our skin. What is it going to do? Is it going to magically intertwine with our own collagen to give us more?? Nope! Even if it was human collagen it still doesn’t work that way.

 

Collagen is produced in the skin by cells called fibroblasts. Fibroblasts need nourishment such vitamin A, C and peptides to make lots of healthy collagen and elastin. Peptides are chains of amino acids and are specifically formulated into skin care to stimulate collagen production. Laser and light treatments will also stimulate healthy collagen production as this is your skins way of healing, by producing collagen.

 

Therefore, if you’re going to invest your hard earned money into the health of your skin you should invest in the right products to do so. Don’t go for the hottest trending product. Choose professionals who can sell you medical grade, top of the line skin care proven by science and facts.

 

Oh, and that collagen laced cream you just splurged on? Best possible outcome is it’s going to bring a little more moisture to the surface of your skin, since collagen does hold some water. That’s about it though.