Search results matching tags 'Exfoliation', 'clarifying', and 'discoloration'

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!

More Big Bucks Beauty Savings with iS Clinical and Kinerase!

Karen — Thu, 13 May 2010 20:53:00 GMT

More great deals! The other day I wrote about great inexpensive products that are comparable to expensive ones. Then once I got started on it I realized how many I wanted to share with you and knew it would take more than one article. So today I’m excited about sharing a few more!

SkinCeuticals Advanced Brightening System is an amazing regimen for correcting and lightening up sun-damaged skin. It’s a five product regimen that not only corrects but also protects. It costs $295 but is a $392 value. If you can spend three hundred dollars you’ll absolutely love this system. However, if you can’t there are definitely some great alternatives for less.

Check out:

Kinerase Photofacial Sun Damage Reversal Kit $100 ($143 value!)

And/or

iS Clinical Hyperpigmentation Travel Kit $130 ($195 value)

Both kits are exceptional systems for treating sun damage, aging, texture and skin tone!

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 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!

PCA SKIN pHaze 9 Purifying Mask is Phenomenal!

Karen — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:38:00 GMT

I’m leaving tonight for Utah and I wanted to look especially good for my trip so I pondered what treatment to give myself. I came to the conclusion that my best options for quick beauty would be a mask. I wanted a mask that would brighten up my dull skin, tighten up my pores and firm up my sagging skin.

I chose PCA SKIN pHaze 9 Purifying Mask. And what a good choice I made! It’s formulated with the most incredible exotic ingredients. Algae from the Red Sea, red clay from France and wine extracts just to name a few! It has the best anti-oxidants and is a great choice for any type of skin. My face is completely refreshed, revitalized, detoxified and smooth and bright. From the moment I removed it with my wash cloth I couldn’t believe the immediate result I had just achieved.

PCA offers so many incredible products. I’ve always loved PCA SKIN brand! I used it professionally years ago but had kind of forgotten about it over the last year or so. Then when I was pondering which mask to use this morning it hit me that I had the PCA Skin pHaze 9 Purifying Mask in my drawer and realized how lucky I was to get to use it. It was a brand new tube that I must have forgotten I had purchased a while ago.

Don’t wait until you’re going on a trip to try out this mask! Try it sooner rather than later and you’ll be really glad you did! You will look like you just stepped out of a day spa. That’s truly the only way to describe it!

MD Skincare Offers More Than Tax Credits and Refunds on This April 15th...They offer gorgeous skin!

Karen — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:54:00 GMT

I think one of the best ways for making a regimen more effective is to swap out a couple of steps. Choosing a wiser more effective product to replace a mediocre one is not only a no-brainer, but can kill two (or more) birds with one stone.

One of the best things to swap out in my opinion is the toner (or balancing and prepping the skin for following regimen products) step. I replace the mundane cotton ball and toner with a mighty pair of pads! They not only tackle this particular (balancing and prepping) step but they do much more! They’re pre-soaked (convenient), they exfoliate (chemically), the textured pads themselves exfoliate (mechanically), they minimize pore size, instantly firm up the skin by stimulating collagen production, brighten and even out skin tone, clear up blemishes and calm redness…And that’s just the first pad in this quick two-pad process. The second pad neutralizes the action and this step is one of the reasons MD Skincare’s Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel is so effective, professional and multi-tasking.

Almost any professional treatment that significantly changes molecular makeup or cellular processes has a second step that either neutralizes or stops the action. Think of a permanent wave…after the hairdresser has changed the structure of the hair, he or she needs to stop the action and restore the cuticle shaft to its original state in order to keep damage at a minimum as well as finish off the process with a beautiful outcome.

My face feels clean, toned, and looks younger, hydrated and refreshed all within the two minutes I take by swapping out this one step of my regimen.

You can’t go wrong with any of the many MD Skincare products as they’re all incredible, but I have to say you will definitely go right with swapping out your toner step for MD Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel!

Superior Serums! Revale’Skin and Obagi…Hand’s down!

Karen — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:47:00 GMT

For Anti-Aging the super serum would have to be REVALESKIN Intense Recovery Treatment. Pricey but well worth it. You’re going to get your money’s worth and you’ll likely feel it’s the best purchase you’ve ever made when it comes to beauty!

It’s 5 star rated and contains the most potent concentration of ingredients for treating anti-aging issues. Revale'Skin, known for its high percentage of the super-antioxidant CoffeeBerry and other natural antioxidants which enhance skin restoration and protect against future attacks from free-radicals.

Benefits along with minimizing lines and wrinkles include reducing redness; stimulate collagen production and health, and evens out skin tone.
Vitamin C has always been a favorite serum of choice and for the ultimate in vitamin C topical therapy you’ve got to check out Obagi Professional C Serum 20% Strength!

Obagi Professional C Serum 20% Strength is another 5 star rated product with amazing benefits due to its superior delivery system resulting in greater penetration to all layers of the skin with a low side effect potential.

• Boosts and maintains normal cellular turnover
• Builds collagen
• Lightens and brightens the skin
• Reduces inflammation
• Decreases trans-epidermal water loss

If I were to only be allowed to use or choose one serum (ever) I would choose this one. Hand’s down! To me, vitamin C topical skin therapy is the ultimate multitasker with proven results when the brand uses the optimal delivery system and a strong potency. This one does indeed! In fact, all Obagi products are superior when it comes to delivery and potency.

Next week we’ll take a look at targeted treatments and serums for oily and congested skin, hyper-pigmented skin, rosacea and redness, and dehydrated skin.

Look Day Spa Gorgeous in Three Minutes with Z. Bigatti!

Karen — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:14:00 GMT

I think I can speak for most women when I say for the most part we like sex to last longer than three minutes; however, when it comes to beauty treatments three minutes is a dream come true! There aren’t many you can apply and remove in three minutes. Most treatments such as masks and peels take around 15 minutes before you can remove them.

Readers I give you the ultimate in three minute rejuvenation! I got the scoop at a Z. Bigatti training for professionals that I recently had the pleasure of attending.

Before this training I had already loved a few Z Bigatti products that I had tried in the past some of which I still wouldn’t be without. Namely, Z Bigatti Re-Storation Treatment! However, it’s a tad pricey so I tend to be very frugal with my supply. Even my best of friends are unaware of my stash! That’s my “for very special events only” cream! Hands off!

Well, it turns out this amazing upscale line has a few other little sleepers that I was completely unaware of. You must try two Z. Bigatti treatments that will give you an incredible, radiant glow in 180 seconds!

Z. Bigatti Re-Storation Dew-Hydrating Facial Mask is a five star rated three to five minute mask that is packed with mega hydration along with antioxidants and other nourishing anti-aging ingredients that will leave your stressed out skin youthful, revitalized, firm and dewy soft!

Z. Bigatti Re-Storation Impact Fruit Enzyme Facial Mask is an incredible three minute peel type mask that exfoliates, clarifies, minimizes pore size and improves your skin’s texture. Those little enzymes pack quite a punch leaving your face radiant, silky, smooth and repaired for the clearest complexion that I know of with a home treatment.

Keep in mind that Z. Bigatti is not a cheap brand and you’re gonna have to dig a little deeper when you become an uber Z. Bigatti fan like me. But…you’ll definitely get what you paid for and save that little precious commodity that we refer to as precious time.

Say Farewell to Discoloration with Nia24 SkinCeuticals Decleor and More!

Karen — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:33:00 GMT

Yesterday was my niece’s 30th birthday so I sent her a little birthday picture text message. Of course I had to comment on the big 3-0 but also couldn’t resist mischievously attaching a little picture of her when she was a baby donning nothing but a little t-shirt with the words “all natural!”

She called back immediately with a “Thanks Aunt! That’s pretty funny!” However, as much as she appreciated the little birthday wish she quickly realized she was talking to Aunt Karen who is not only her wonderful Aunt…but more importantly her wonderful Aunt who knows all about and has beaucoup beauty products! LOL However, I have to say the segue’ was rather ingenious. She very wisely took her new milestone of a birthday and worked that right into her newly found fine lines and dark spots. Her main concern being the latter of the two.

Of course, I told her I would help with her concerns; but couldn’t help but ponder the fact that she mainly wanted the dark spots to go away. I say that because so many people don’t realize that’s virtually the number one concern in terms of anti-aging around the globe. More women are more concerned with discoloration and hyper pigmentation than wrinkles. I happen to be in the minority with the focus of my concern on wrinkles over any of my hyper pigmentation but the facts are that’s not how most women feel. Additionally, I’ve had many men complain about discoloration as well. More men ask me about what they can do about dark circles under their eyes and the spots on the backs of their hands than women do.

Anyway Julie says that the “melasma (she got during her pregnancy 6yrs ago) seems to be creeping back.” I told her that first and foremost sun prevention with a high SPF broad spectrum sunscreen/sun block is key. Additionally she should wear a hat or visor in the sun. However, a visor isn’t enough for many women and girls because the part in the hair can get severely burned and how often do we remember to put sunscreen on our part?

I decided that for Julie a hydroquinone product wouldn’t be ideal even though it’s very effective for hyperpigmentation. But for my little natural (half Italian-half Vegetarian…her self description when she was 6yrs old to a passenger seated near us on a plane) niece, potential toxicity wouldn’t be an option. So I thought of all my favorite skin brightening regimens and specialized discoloration products that were more organic in nature or more of a natural alternative to hydroquinone yet still are extremely effective.

Below are my picks for the best skin whitening regimens and products I’ve used or researched and highly recommend (additionally to the best of my knowledge they contain no hydroquinone).

Best Regimen:
SkinCeuticals Skin Brightening System

Best Moisturizer with lightening properties:
Nia24 Intensive Recovery Complex

Best for Dark Skin Tones:
RX for Brown Skin Absolute Radiance Intensive Exfoliating Serum

Best Whitening Night Cream:
Decleor Aroma White Night Cream

Best Brightening Cleanser:
Sothys W Foaming Cleansing Creme

Best for Dark Scar Marks:
ScarGuard Lightener

Best Travel Kit for Hyperpigmentation:
IS Clinical Hyperpigmentation Travel Kit

Best Brand for their Whitening Line:
Euoko