A New Way To Luminous Skin
Recently skinspot brought on two new skin care lines Lira Clinical and Epionce, which means that I am dabbling in oodles of new skin care education. Woot! Basically my former approach to radiant skin has been through two major modalities: exfoliation and nourishment, with an emphasis on exfoliation. I am still advocating for exfoliation and nourishment; however, after recent training I am beginning to believe the emphasis needs to weigh heavy on nourishment. Here’s why… chronic inflammation (i.e. when you are constantly dry, red, or peeling) puts in the skin in a constant state of stress. Consistently stressed skin leads to fine lines, acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, and a few other thrilling skin conditions that I am sure I am missing. This is not news to me, but the emphasis that both Lira and Epionce put on repairing the skin’s barrier over all other modalities was a bit of a light bulb moment. Basically if your first line of defense is down, healthy skin is a pipe dream. While creating and maintaining a healthy skin barrier is the most important goal, stimulating new, healthy skin via exfoliation is crucial. However, over exfoliation can take one’s barrier down in a heart beat, so what is a radiant-skin-seeking-being to do? Honestly…. Peel then Heal. Figuring out which modalities are the most efficient for your skin type and condition can take a minute, but once you discover this magical formula you have officially received your ticket to luminous-skin-ville. In my humble opinion the two new lines that skinspot is now carrying compliment each other oh, so well. Lets meet the contenders….
Lira Clinical
Miss Lira’s speciality is that all of the products in the line contain stem cells. What the heck are stem cells?!! Stem cells aid in repairing the skin and regenerating new and healthy skin. So if you get a chemical peel, a sun burn or perhaps picked too long and hard at an acne lesion, you want stem cells in your daily skin care arsenal to expedite the skin’s recovery. Another speciality of lady Lira is exfoliation via lactic acid, retinol, peptides, enzymes and salicylic acid. As a brief overview here is what do these ingredients do….
Lactic Acid- Derived from milk. This is one of the more gentle AHA’s out there and It exfoliates the skin while hydrating and brightening the skin. Lactic allows for new healthy, skin to shine forth without being overly stripping.
Retinol- Derived from Vitamin A and the gold standard in anti-aging ingredients. Honestly, I have a deep love affair with retinol- if used correctly. Retinol essentially teaches your dead skin cells to behave, which helps to alleviate acne, pigmentation and create overall glowing skin. As if glowing skin isn’t enough, retinol also promotes collagen and elastin stimulation, which equals tighter skin and less fine lines. Be still my heart.
Peptides- Peptides are the building blocks of protein and are all the rage as of late. Peptides are winning hearts due to their ability to aid in skin regeneration like an AHA (aka retinol), without the irritation that AHA’s can cause. Peptides while they are superb at creating new healthy skin, they also expedite the healing process, so your skin gets to repair with more efficiency. Peptides also have a reputation of producing a Botox like effect on the skin. They are NOT Botox, but they help in moving the muscles less that produce those pesky fine lines.
Enzymes- Derived from papaya, pineapple and pumpkin. Enzymes work like pacman on the skin. They come in and gobble up any dead skin hanging around without irritation, which allows smooth skin to make itself known and it allows for any topical treatment product to penetrate with greater efficiency. Win!
Salicylic Acid- Sali is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) derived from the leaves of wintergreen and sweet birch bark that helps to dissolve the oil and dead skin cells in the pore , which aids in keeping sir pore free and clear. Stunning Sali also helps control oil production and is mildly antibacterial. Sali is a great friend to have when trying to achieve clear skin.
While Lira does a stellar job on exfoliation all of their products are formulated with oodles of antioxidants and several skin healing minerals and botanicals. This review on the product truly is just scratching the surface of what Lira has going on.
Now lets meet Contender Number 2: Epionce
Oh Epionce, you continue to surprise and amaze moi. As a former glycolic acid junkie (i.e. I loved to feel the burn) Epionce’s approach to radiant skin via non stripping ingredients and formulations has truly provoked me to reevaluate how I care for skin. Epionce nourishes the heck right out of your skin and protects it like only the best suit of armor could. This line works wonders on acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and highly sensitive skin. Epionce’s star players in their skin care are any of the renewal skin care lotions or creams. These products repair via antioxidants and the perfect combination of ceramides to ensure your barrier remains firmly intact. These products are no ordinary moisturizers and good Lord do they make your skin look radiant. Epionce’s Lytic cleanser and Lytic toner have my heart. They are great for acne prone skin and they do not strip the skin, so your visage is not feelin’ parched after your cleanse. And, to boot, the cleanser and toner make your skin feel so cool and fresh. What more could one want in this world?
These are top 6 (yes, 6) products that I am currently using and adoring:
- Epionce’s Lytic Gel Cleanser- clear skin cleanser
- Epionce’s Purifying Toner- great for keeping skin clear
- Lira’s Pro Lite TX- great for pigmentation
- Epionce’s Renewal Facial Lotion- protecting & nourishing
- Lira’s Pro Retinol TX- great for pigmentation, acne, fine lines, overall amaze-balls skin
- Lira’s Bio BB Tint- SPF, makeup, & treatment all-in-one
Three Things
I just discovered Hilary’s veggie burgers and they are too good to not give a shout out to. They are GMO free, Dairy free, Gluten Free, Corn Free, Yeast Free and they are simply delish. Nailed it. They are sold throughout the U.S.of A, so check their website or your grocery store to see if you can get your mitts on these fellas.
Please forgive the photo. I wasn’t planning on blogging about these gems, but they are just that good.
The fella in this photo is the adzuki bean burger smothered in ketchup & dijion mustard
Another food I am loving is avocado toast. I don’t why it took me so long to try this duo, but I am so tickled that I did.
Ezekiel toast, 1/2 of an avocado, 2t hemp hearts, a bit of garlic salt & red pepper flakes. So. Dang. Good.
And my final thought for the day, is my love affair with Medicine Mama’s Sweet Bee Magic Bee Balm. I am fairly certain that I have mentioned this product before on my site, but it really deserves another shout out. I swear by this product. I use it to remove make-up, on cuts, it is my lip balm and my go to product for any sort of dry skin issue. It is also my secret weapon in getting my skin to look extra glow-y. After I have put on my tinted SPF and my under eye concealer I dab the balm around my orbital bone (the circular area around your eyes).
Exhibit A
Exibit B
good lord that is a photo.
This balm is safe for those battling blemishes as the olive oil in it matches your skin’s on sebum (oil) and the propolis and honey are anti-microbial. However, I wouldn’t slather your skin in this balm if you are not exfoliating appropriately and you are acne prone- this product could be too much oil if the right about of exfoliation is not occurring. This wonder balm can be purchased from their site and some Whole Foods carry it- it is generally near the bandaids.
It looks like this, but I think their packaging has changed a wee bit.
While we are on the topic of acne, if you are battling it, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am all too familiar with sir acne, as I wrestled with him a few times in my years, and I know a thing or two about ridding skin of him.
Here is a recent testimonial I got from one of my clients. I am not sharing this with you to toot my horn, but to offer a resource to any body out there struggling with not-so-clear-skin.
I cannot begin to describe how wonderful Kelli is at Skinspot. My acne was pretty bad when I first visited Kelli, but from my very first facial, I was able to see obvious results from each visit. I can’t reiterate enough, how methodical and progressive each visit is. Kelli is knowledgeable, honest, and gives great practical advice. Above that, though, she is so kind, personable, and understanding about having skin insecurities.
I used to wake up each morning and look in the mirror, desperately searching for any improvement in my acne. Those days seem far away now, as I don’t have to wear make-up constantly and deal with the pain and embarrassment that comes with acne. I was the person who tried every type of facial and every face wash known to mankind, but to no avail. I was never rid of my acne until I saw Kelli, and so to anyone who is looking to clear up their skin or who just wants to know how to take care of themselves, I highly recommend Kelli at Skinspot. She’s a fantastic esthetician , but also such a great gal in general. – Maia R.
If you do not live in my neck of the woods, fear not, we can go through a strategy session to determine the best course of action to get you to clear skin. Honestly, home care is where the results are at, so if you are using the right products for your skin condition & type you will reach your clear skin goal.
To learn more about what I do go to skinspot’s website.
And with that, I am out. Happy Weekend!
get to know your bathroom
ever wonder what is lurking in your everyday beauty products?
- could your chap stick actually be drying your lips out?
- could lipstick being contributing to your lip zits?
- could your gritty exfoliant be contributing to your acne?
- could your sensitive skin cleanser actually be making your skin more sensitive?
- could your sunscreen be aging your skin rather than helping to prevent just the opposite?
- could your oil-free, non-comedogenic moisturizer be a contributor to your acne?
- could your natural products be not so natural?
- could your make-up contain carcinogens or be part of your all too consistant breakouts?
- could you be paying for advertising rather than the miracle anti-aging properties of the product?
The cosmetic industry is not regulated by the FDA (even if it were, I am not sure it would be a whole lot better), so the cosmetic industry is a marketing paradise. A lot big name companies spend oodles on advertising their products and little on the actual ingredients in the product. Ever wonder why that acne cleanser you purchased from Walgreen’s never quite got after your acne, but made your skin nice and dry? More times than not you are not getting exactly what you think you are getting with skin care.
Because this is a fairly large topic, I will give you a list of ingredients to be on the prowl for. I have covered this before in another post about what to look for in your make-up, but a refresher can never hurt.
these ingredients could be contributing to your breakouts:
- lanolin- sheep’s sebum. enough said. this is in oodles of chap sticks and a key player in lip zits.
- isoproply myristate- this is in oodles of lipsticks and lovely contributor to lip zits. he is also found in many hand lotions, but is known to cause cracks in the skin hmmm.
- petroleum- yep, this is the same stuff that fuels your cars and it is also in many chap sticks/balms intended to hydrate, but actually dries your lips out. hmmm
- mineral oil- derivative of petroleum. this is the main ingredient in a sensitive skin cleanser recommended by many dermatologists. however, this lovely fella actually aggravates acne via suffocating the skin. delightful.
- petrolatum- derivative of petroleum. offers the same benefits of mineral oil.
- apricot kernels- cause micro tears in the skin, which allows for nutrients to escape and bacteria to get in. these guys also promote the spreading of bacteria. if you have an orange tub of these, stop using this on your visage immediately. Use them on your hands and feet if you need to use this product up.
A carcinogen that is in oodles of make-up
- talc- found in powders because of its moisture wicking properties. However, it is closely related to asbestos…
my favorite make-up lines:
- Bare Minerals- the big name in mineral make-up. I like it for the ingredients in it, but I don’t love the thick coverage.
- Jane Iredale- a sophisticated mineral line that is a little bit more pricey, but the make-up quality closely matches more traditional make-up
- Color Science- a great mineral make-up line. their main focus in on sun protection and correcting via using different colors (i.e green cancels out red).
- MAC- has a few good products, but be careful because not all of their products are on “safe list”
- Image Skin Care- has a new line of foundations out that offer amazing coverage and the ingredient declaration is superb. However, I have never tried them, so I cannot fully endorse.
my favorite skin care lines are:
- Image skin care- I love this line through and through. I use to cherry pick between different skin care lines to complete my regime. After I discovered Image skin care, I only use their products and my skin has never looked better. They do not put any ingredients in the product if it does not need to be there. Their products work and they are priced extremely well. These are the only products I use and sell in my skin care practice. Shameless plug: if you are interested in ordering, please do contact skinspot. You will get a customized routine and specific instructions on how to use to ensure you get the best results out of your products.
- Glytone- I use to use their Mild Gel Wash and I loved it. This product line is formulated very well and priced just as well.
- IS Clinical- I use to use their serums. I adore their Super serum Advance +. However, this line is a little spend-y.
If you are interested in getting a more in-depth consult, contact skinspot. Get to know what you are really putting on your visage!
Happy Weekend!
how to extract sir zit
welcome to skin tip friday!
in case you missed it the first time around, here it is again…
If you spend hours analyzing and digging at your skin, then you, my friend are a picker. Most pickers pick in hopes of doing something to help speed up the healing process or to find some way to control a lesion. I’ve been there and I totally understand the motivation. I understand the urge to pick, but oftentimes picking makes acne worse. Most people when picking, squeeze the pimple, which can actually cause the bacteria to spread to nearby follicles. When bacteria spreads this equals more pimples- exactly what we pickers do not want. Furthermore, most picking causes a scar, which makes it look like the acne is there for far longer than it actually is. With that said, people will still pick. It’s human nature. I know better and I still cannot control the urge to get in there. So if you must pick at least pick in a way that warrants the best possible outcome. Have I used the word pick enough?
Here’s how to pick (there’s that word again):
1. Cleanse your skin in the shower for 1-2 minutes- preferably with a salicylic acid based cleanser. Salicylic acid helps to loosen the debris in the pore, so you can get at it. Salicylic is also antibacterial, so you’re lessening the chance of any bacteria getting into the pore you’re about to open.
2. If you’re feeling extra skin savvy, while in the shower use an exfoliating mask. If you have lots of white heads and several lesions, then do not use a mask with grains or beads. A manual exfoliant can spread bacteria on skin with several acne lesions. However, if you have a few blackheads or 1-3 lesions, then a manual scrub would work. I am a big fan of masks containing alpha hydroxy acids. A few of my favorites: Cellex-C betaplex clear complexion mask. Warning: this mask is not for sensitive skin.
Image’s total resurfacing mask. Again, this mask is not sensitive skin. If you have more sensitive skin, go for a mask with enzymes, they are gentle exfoliants. A few great masks containing enzymes are:Image’s hydrating enzyme mask and June Jacob’s papaya purifying mask. Leave this mask on while in the shower for 10-15 minutes. The steam from the shower helps to soften the pores, so they are more pliable. The more pliable your pores are the less likely you are to rupture a follicle while picking, which means bacteria will not travel to the next follicle over.
3. After getting out of the shower, prepare to extract (aka pick) by wiping down the area of attack with witch hazel. Witch hazel kills the bacteria on your skin without striping it.
4. Clean your hands very well then wrap your finger tips in tissue to prevent your nails from digging in to your skin and cause scarring as well as preventing any bacteria in your nails from entering the lesion. Instead of squeezing the lesion, come on either side of the lesion and stretch the skin out then apply pressure. Note: cystic nodules are NOT extractable, so don’t even try! Only go after white heads and black heads.
5. After you’re done extracting, cleanse the skin with witch hazel again, to ensure you’ve cleaned up any existing bacteria on the skin.
6. Apply an antibacterial, clay-based mask to soak up any existing oil and bacteria. A great mask is Astara’s blue flame mask. Leave this mask on for 10 min or over night if you’re extracting at night. Note: you may only want to apply the mask to only the extracted lesion because it could be too drying for the rest of your skin. If you don’t want to walk around with a glob of clay on face, apply an antibacterial ointment containing sulfur, tea tree or benzoyl peroxide. A few good recommendations for this are: Image’s medicated acne lotion. And Good old Persa Gel. Note: both of these products contain benzoyl peroxide, which means they can bleach your linens, so use white linens when using these products.
7. Try not to put any additional products on your newly extracted lesion and keep your paws off of it until it heals!
how to avoid post workout blemishes
Howdy and welcome to skin tip friday!
With all the gym inspired resolutions rolling around, there a few sweat induced blemishes appearing on the most unlikely of victims. If you have a noticed a spike in acne and you have logged more hours in a sweaty state, you are victim to the dubious post workout blemishes. However, fear not, with a few simple tips you can eradicate those pesky, red jerks.
Tip 1. wash your face prior to working out. Yes, this really matters! And, yes, it still applies if you workout first thing in the morning. Here’s why, you generate a lot of oil at night and oftentimes indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air, so even if you wash your face prior to slumber you are still due for a scrub first thing in the AM. If you are an after work gym attendee, then you have the days’ oil, pollution, dead skin cells, hair & skin creams, and any make-up you are wearing. All of this is a breeding ground for bacteria. A quick formula: Oil & dead skin cells=bacteria=acne. In the sweating process your pores open and let in all the day’s or night’s goop in and then you mix a little body heat in there and you are just begging for acne, so start with a clean slate and win the battle against acne. WIN!! If actually applying a cleanser to your face feels just too daunting then, at the very least, use a make-up remover wipe or just water. Something is better than nothing.
Me pre-cleanse this AM. I swear to Pete I practice what I preach.
tired
tip 2- rinse post workout. soap and water would be ideal, but if you cleanse prior to the workout, a simple splash of water will suffice until you are able to get a proper cleanse in. Oftentimes, after a workout I run errands and do not want to shower at the gym , so I just splash water on my mug and call it a day until I get home. If you are extremely acne prone then swiping the face with some witch hazel is a good solution after rinsing. The best solution would be a quick cleanse, but a little water & witch hazel love will go along way, just make sure to cleanse with a legit cleanser at some point in the near future. If you are prone to body blemishes, then I highly recommend rinsing the body.
sweaty/ scary beast.
tip 3- take off your sweaty clothes! At the very least, take off the tight, sweaty clothes ASAP. Nothing good comes with wearing sweaty gear for longer than necessary. Everybody will thank you.
on a different note:
If you are battling acne from any circumstance, please feel free to contact me. Acne is my passion. I battled acne for way too long before I figured out the perfect formula to win the acne war, so I would love to help anyone figure out their perfect formula.
This just in…
I am still plugging away at my new year’s resolutions.
today, despite my first inclination to put on ma jeans, I slapped on a dress.
please ignore the socks and slippers
And with that, I am off to give some facials!
Happy Friday!
ingredients to avoid if you have a bun in the oven
Hello and welcome to skin tip Friday!!! Today’s skin tip is actually one of my older posts, but there is a good chance that a few readers missed this post because it got transferred over with a slew of other posts from my other blog. Does that make sense? Hope so. Anyway, if you missed it, here is the post on ingredients that you want to steer clear from if you are expecting a wee little one.
pregnant?
Ingredients to avoid if have a bun in the oven
The 4 major ingredients to stay away from include:
- salicylic acid (usually less than 2% is ok)
- glycolic acid (some doctors are ok with this ingredient, some are not- usually mild percentages are acceptable)
- retinoids (usually there’s no negotiating this one)
- benzoyl Peroxide
The other problem women run into when they have a bun in the oven, is pigmentation. This is dubbed as pregnancy mask, which manifests as brownish spots on the forehead, above the lip, cheeks, or all of the above.
Note: you don’t have to be pregnant to experience this delightful condition. It’s hormonally related, so often any flux in hormones can create it. It happens most often after a woman has gone on or off birth control, then goes out in the sun. The jury is still out as to why this happens, but it is linked to a surge in estrogen.
The usual treatment for this condition is a combination of AHA’s ( glycolic acid), hydroquinone, and retinol, and of course sunscreen (because the sun or any light brings it out). However, if you’re pregnant you can only use one of those ingredients and that is sunscreen.
Hydroquinone is a big no-no to use while pregnant, as is retinol, glycolic acid is possible based on your doctor’s insight.
So what does a gal do if she’s expecting and experiencing breakouts and pigmentation?
There are a few ingredients to work with:
- lactic acid- brightening, exfoliating, so it helps with pigmentation and acne
- licorice root- helps to stop the pigmentation from reaching the surface of the skin
- azelaic acid- (mild percentage) anti-bacterial, lightening and brightening. Great for acne and pigmentation.
- willow bark- this is what a natural version of salicylic is derived from. good for acne
- enzymes- bromelain (pineapple) papain (papaya)- these guys work like little pac-men to come in and eat the dead skin cells. great for brightening the complexion and helping to prevent acne.
- mushroom extract & arbutin- helps to stop pigmentation from reaching the surface.
- vitamin c- brightening, mildly exfoliating, and further protects the skin.
some products that contain these ingredients:
- Is clinical cleanser
- Is clinical white lightening serum
- Is clinical active serum- last I checked the entire IS clinical line is deemed safe for expecting mamas, but I would be nervous to use the Youth Complex by them during pregnancy. Before you buy check with your doctor.
other products:
- Image’s lightening serum -great for irritation, acne, and pigmentation)
- Image’s hydrating serum - great hydrator and gives your skin a good dose of vitamin c
- Image’s enzyme mask- use 1-2 times a week to help with pigmentation and acne
Here’s to a healthy and blemish-free pregnancy!
Dry skin
dry skin got you down?
- First and foremost, exfoliate. If your skin is covered in dead skin cells, you can slather all the moisturizer on you want, but only a small percentage will reach your thirsty skin. Best exfoliants are glycolic acid and lactic acid. Both of these exfoliants hydrate as they exfoliate- two for one! Hooray! If you have more durable skin, aim for the glycolic acid. If you’re skin tends to err on the sensitive side, go for lactic. My favorite cleanser that contains glycolic acid, Glytone’s mild gel wash. If you really want to shake things up, go for Image’s ageless cleanser. My favorite lactic cleanser still remains, PCA’s facial wash.
- After you have exfoliated, your skin is ready to absorb some hydrating goodness. Keep in mind there is a difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin. Dry skin is lacking oil and, often times, water too. Dehydrated skin is just lacking water. Dehydrated skin can be oily, but still be flaky and tight. In the winter most people are both dry and dehydrated, so to combat dehydration go for a serum containing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, sodium hyaluronate (plant derived hyaluronic acid), or B5. I’m a big fan of Image’s total pure hyaluronic acid. This product can be added to your cream of choice to up the moisture ante or used as a serum underneath another product. If you’re struggling with acne or acne prone, skip doing a serum and cream and go for a hydrating lotion. My all time favorite is Image’s Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum. This serum is loaded with goodness. It has has oodles of Vitamin C to brighten and protect your complexion. If you’re on a budget and desperate for a good hydrator, I’m a big fan of all ofCereVe’s moisturizers. These can usually be purchased at any drugstore.
- If you’re truly dry (meaning lacking oil) then you need a cream with emollients. There are oodles of emollients out there. Some of my favorite are Vitamin E (topherol), avocado oil, carrot oil, olive oil, and shea butter. Shea butter and olive oil can be used on acne prone skin with out inducing a breakout. Two of my favorite emollient laden products are: Image’s hydrating repair cream and Sweet Blessed Bee Magic Cream. I seriously put the Sweet Blessed cream everywhere. I use it as eye makeup remover, chapstick, hand cream and face cream. I love this product!!
How to extract sir zit
how to extract sir zit
1. Cleanse your skin in the shower for 1-2 minutes- preferably with a salicylic acid based cleanser. Salicylic acid helps to loosen the debris in the pore, so you can get at it. Salicylic is also antibacterial, so you’re lessening the chance of any bacteria getting into the pore you’re about to open.
2. If you’re feeling extra skin savvy, while in the shower use an exfoliating mask. If you have lots of white heads and several lesions, then do not use a mask with grains or beads. A manual exfoliant can spread bacteria on skin with several acne lesions. However, if you have a few blackheads or 1-3 lesions, then a manual scrub would work. I am a big fan of masks containing alpha hydroxy acids. A few of my favorites: Cellex-C betaplex clear complexion mask. Warning: this mask is not for sensitive skin.
Image’s total resurfacing mask. Again, this mask is not sensitive skin. If you have more sensitive skin, go for a mask with enzymes, they are gentle exfoliants. A few great masks containing enzymes are:Image’s hydrating enzyme mask and June Jacob’s papaya purifying mask. Leave this mask on while in the shower for 10-15 minutes. The steam from the shower helps to soften the pores, so they are more pliable. The more pliable your pores are the less likely you are to rupture a follicle while picking, which means bacteria will not travel to the next follicle over.
3. After getting out of the shower, prepare to extract (aka pick) by wiping down the area of attack with witch hazel. Witch hazel kills the bacteria on your skin without striping it.
4. Clean your hands very well then wrap your finger tips in tissue to prevent your nails from digging in to your skin and cause scarring as well as preventing any bacteria in your nails from entering the lesion. Instead of squeezing the lesion, come on either side of the lesion and stretch the skin out then apply pressure. Note: cystic nodules are NOT extractable, so don’t even try! Only go after white heads and black heads.
5. After you’re done extracting, cleanse the skin with witch hazel again, to ensure you’ve cleaned up any existing bacteria on the skin.
6. Apply an antibacterial, clay-based mask to soak up any existing oil and bacteria. A great mask is Astara’s blue flame mask. Leave this mask on for 10 min or over night if you’re extracting at night. Note: you may only want to apply the mask to only the extracted lesion because it could be too drying for the rest of your skin. If you don’t want to walk around with a glob of clay on face, apply an antibacterial ointment containing sulfur, tea tree or benzoyl peroxide. A few good recommendations for this are: Image’s medicated acne lotion. And Good old Persa Gel. Note: both of these products contain benzoyl peroxide, which means they can bleach your linens, so use white linens when using these products.
7. Try not to put any additional products on your newly extracted lesion and keep your paws off of it until it heals!
get glowing skin-part 2
Gimme Dat Glow Part Duex
My all time favorite ingredient for giving ‘dat glow, drum roll please, are: Retinoids (also known as Retin-A, tretinoin). Retinoids are vitamin A. Another version of a Retinoid is Retinol, which is derived from Vitamin A and tends to be less aggressive and is used in over the counter versions of retinol products (i.e. this version is probably the one used in Loreal’s latest and greatest anti-aging cream). If you can tolerate a retinoid or retinol, meaning you’re not pregnant, breast feeding, have rosacea, or extremely sensitive skin, you should be on some form of a retinoid/ retinol. period. Why are retinoids so fantastic? So glad you asked. Retinoids essentially teach your skin cells to behave and they stimulate new collagen and elastin- meaning less wrinkles and skin sagging. Retinol and Retinoids are beneficial for dry, acneic, hyperpigmented, and aging skin because they get rid of the old and crusty skin on the surface and bring, healthy, new skin to the top for all of the world to see. Woo hoo! Retinol/ retinoids are very effective, but they can be over used. Many people begin a retinol/retinoid regime and there skin ends up peeling profusely and looking like raw meat. Nobody wins in this scenario because generally one stops using the product and now you would like to go into hiding for a good amount of time. To avoid this scenario, portion control is 50% of the battle- meaning only a pea size and introduce the product slowly (possibly only two nights a week). The other half of the battle: the product formulation. If the product is paired with an emollient (i.e. shea butter) or a hydrator (i.e. glycerin or hyaluronic acid), then the irritation factor is cut down significantly. My two favorite retinoid/ retinol products: atralin- this one is rx only and great for oily/acneic skin, but it is very pricey. A great over the counter retinol: Image’s Total Retinol A Cream. 
pregnant?
Ingredients to avoid if have a bun in the oven
The 4 major ingredients to stay away from include:
- salicylic acid (usually less than 2% is ok)
- glycolic acid (some doctors are ok with this ingredient, some are not- usually mild percentages are acceptable)
- retinoids (usually there’s no negotiating this one)
- benzoyl Peroxide
The other problem women run into when they have a bun in the oven, is pigmentation. This has been dubbed as pregnancy mask, which manifests as brownish spots on the forehead, above the lip, cheeks, or all of the above.
Note: you don’t have to be pregnant to experience this delightful condition. It’s hormonally related, so often any flux in hormones can create it. It happens most often after a woman has gone on or off birth control, then goes out in the sun. The jury is still out as to why this happens, but it has been linked to a surge in estrogen.
The usual treatment for this condition is a combination of AHA’s ( glycolic acid), hydroquinone, and retinol, and of course sunscreen (because the sun or any light brings it out). However, if you’re pregnant you can only use one of those ingredients and that is sunscreen.
Hydroquinone is a big no-no to use while pregnant, as is retinol, glycolic acid is possible based on your doctor’s insight.
So what does a gal do if she’s expecting and experiencing breakouts and pigmentation?
There are a few ingredients to work with:
- lactic acid- brightening, exfoliating, so it helps with pigmentation and acne
- licorice root- helps to stop the pigmentation from reaching the surface of the skin
- azelaic acid- (mild percentage) anti-bacterial, lightening and brightening. Great for acne and pigmentation.
- willow bark- this is what salicylic is derived from, but a milder version. good for acne
- enzymes- bromelain (pineapple) papain (papaya)- these guys work like little pac men to come in and eat the dead skin cells. great for brightening the complexion and helping to prevent acne.
- mushroom extract & arbutin- helps to stop pigmentation from reaching the surface.
- vitamin c- brightening, mildly exfoliating, and further protects the skin.
some products that contain these ingredients:
- Is clinical cleanser
- Is clinical white lightening serum
- Is clinical active serum- last I checked the entire IS clinical line is deemed safe for expecting mamas, but I would be nervous to use the Youth Complex by them during pregnancy. Before you buy check with your doctor.
other products:
- Image’s lightening serum -great for irritation, acne, and pigmentation)
- Image’s hydrating serum - great hydrator and gives your skin a good dose of vitamin c
- Image’s enzyme mask- use 1-2 times a week to help with pigmentation and acne
Here’s to a healthy and blemish-free pregnancy!
