SPRING CLEANING YOUR SKIN
Credits: Photography Justin Brimacombe Stylist Emilia Pelech Makeup Shannon Hoover and model Lilian Leopold at Liz Bell Agency Hair Chris Deagle at Moods Hair Salon
Winter is finally gone, and it's time to show some skin!! The question is- Is your skin ready to be shown? Winter is notorious for drying and wrinkling skin, and most likely your skin is needing a spring cleaning. As stated in March's Issue (see our archives section), flawless skin is a MUST this season. There are 3 main things you can do that to get your skin spring ready and looking soft, supple and healthy this season: Cleanse, Moisturize and occasionally use a Facial Mask to rejuvenate that skin!
FOR YOUR FACE: Cleansing for your face and body are two different things. While your body needs a good exfoliator to get smooth, satiny skin, body exfoliators are often too rough to be used on the face. Most body exfoliators contain apricot pits or nutshells which can cause microscopic tears on more sensitive facial skin. Try using a cleanser or moisturizer with alpha and beta hydroxy acid instead (they act like an exfoliator by gently abrading and removing dead skin cells). There are 4 different types of exfoliators
1)Mechanical exfoliators-contain rougher particles like nut shells and is best for insensitive and non problematic skin.
Our Top Pick: St Ives Apricot Facial Scrub ($4.99 www.stives.com). Cheap, effective a favorite of many.
2) Micro-dermabrasion-have small crystalline particles like aluminum oxide or very fine milled salt, best for helping uneven skin textures, discolorations, large pores or thick skinned persons
Our Top Pick: Shu Uemura's White Recovery Ex Gentle Brightening Massage Gel ($40.00 www.shuuemura.com) have microbeads that give a gentle yet effective exfoliation to brighten your skin. Olay's Regenerist Microdermabrasion and Peel System is a close second ($27.00 www.olay.com) and reasonably priced.
3)Enzymatic Exfoliators-contains enzymes that dissolve dead skin cells on contact, best for dry, thin skin, and persons with acne and visible capillaries, since it is very delicate in nature. Do not use if you are allergic to the enzyme.
Our Top Pick:Lancome Exfoliance Clarte Clarifying Exfoliating Gel ($24.00 www.lancome.com) uses pineapple and papaya extracts to remove impurities.
4)Chemical Peels-these are the exfoliators that contain Beta Hydroxy and Alpha Hydroxy acid, which are more ideal for the facial area. The ingredients you looking for are Salicylic, glycolic or lactic acid. Most home chemical peels are of this nature, which are ideal for making oily, tired looking skin looking fresh again. Great for uneven skin tones, discolorations and even helping diminish fine lines. Do not use if you are using facial product with retinol, skin diseased or wanting to tan since this can react with the acid.
Our Top Pick:
Clinique's Clarifying Lotions ($11.00 www.clinique.com). Gentle, great for controlling oil and clarifying skin, comes in several formulations depending on your skin type.
Here are some tips on facial exfoliating:
-you don't have to exfoliate every day:
For normal or dry skin, once or twice a week is fine For oily skin 3 or 4 times a week is all you need the more sensitive your skin is, the less you should do
-if you have alot of acne it's best not to exfoliate, since it's notorious for spreading acne causing bacteria -only use a pea sized drop for your entire face this should be enough
-apply onto damp skin and message in a gentle circular motion
-exfoliators with rounded beads are much gentler on all skin types
Moisturizing is your next step, however make sure it has adequate SPF protection, since you'll be out in the sun a lot more. That means the SPF should be at the very least 15, but ideally 25. Did you know that 90% of skin aging is from exposure to UVA and UVB rays. There are 3 main types of formulas for moisturizers-gel, lotion and creme. Gel is the lightest formulation, followed by lotion and then cream. If your skin is normal or normal with an oily T zone (forehead, nose and chin), you can use a gel formula. If your skin is normal or moderately dry, you should use a lotion formulation, since this will provide more moisture. For older or drier skin, cream formulations would be best since they are heavier and provide the most moisture.
Our top pick is Olay's Regenerist UV Defense Regenerating Lotion, with an SPF15 and suitability for normal to slightly dry or oily skin, it's great for any age range. For $18.99 (www.olay.com) it proves that there are still good deals out there! Aveeno's Ultra Calming Moisturizing Creme is always rated highly as well ($16.99 www.aveeno.com), and is so gentle it can be used on even the most sensitive skin. L'Occitaine Ultra Moisturizing Fluid SPF 20 ($30.00 www.usa.loccitaine.com) is infused with the highest quality Shea Butter, leaving your skin nourished and healthy. If this is not enough SPF protection, Neutrogena's Health Defense Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30 or 45 ($14.69 www.neutrogena.com) should do the trick.
The final step of your facial spring cleaning is to do a facial mask once a week to help that transition from winter to spring. Masks act to draw out impurites, soak up oils,tighten pores and minimize wrinkles-perfect for regenerating winter damaged skin. Our top picks are L'Occitane Honey Comfort Mask ($34.00 www.loccitane.com), gentle and nourishing, it's a soothing sensation for your skin, Caudalie Moisturizing Cream Mask ($40.00 www.caudalie-usa.com), refreshing and known for it's anti aging properties you'll discover a whole new range of skin care with this product. Shu Uemura has just introduced a new Depsea Moisture Replenishing Mask ($55.00 www.shuuemura.com) which helps to soothe dryness instantly. After one treatment you will notice a softer, smoother skin and more radiant complexion.
FOR BODY:
With body exfoliators, the key is to be GENTLE and properly moisturize after. Most companies provide exfoliating kits that exfoliate and treat the skin afterwards. Our favorite exfoliator was Fresh's Brown Sugar Body Polish ($62.50 www.fresh.com), it leaves your skin silky smooth and smells great. Afterwards you can use their Sugar Acai Body Age Delay Body Creme ($25.00). Another favorite was Origins Paradise Found Balinese Body Glow ($25.00 www.origins.com), which has a exotic tropical smell of fresh cut pineapple and orange, that when used with their Paradise Found Balinese Body Cream ($26.00), you'll feel like you've just taken a little holiday. My personal favorite is Philosophy's Amazing Grace Hot Salt Tub and Shower Scrub ($25.00 www.philosophy.com) which works beautifully with their popular Pure Grace Body Lotion ($34.00), a true delight for your senses!! It has such a feminin, gentle scent, it will have people asking you what you use. Still too much? Then try Clinique's Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliator ($19.50 www.clinique.com), and moisturize with their Deep Comfort Body Butter ($23.50).
To exfoliate your body:
Gently brush your dry skin with an exfoliating glove/brush, or loofah, starting from the soles of your feet and work your way up. Then climb into the shower, moisturize your skin and apply the exfoliating cleaners to your glove/brush/loofah and scrub in gentle, circular motions. For milder exfoliation, you can use a wash cloth, for rougher areas (like on your heels) you can use an exfoliating stone or stick. Rinse off, then pat yourself dry and apply the accompanying lotion (which tends to have alpha or beta hydroxy acids that continue the exfoliation process by furthur abrading and removing dead skin cells). Now your spring cleaning is done and you'll have radiant skin to prove it!!
Image on right:
CLOTHES: Choker and Chain - Stylist's own
BROWS: Urban Decay's Brow Box in Honey ($29.00)
LIPS: NARS Lipstick in Tamango ($24.00), Chanel's Glossimer in Moonlight ($25.00)
EYES: MAC Cream Color Base in Pearl ($16.50), MAC Paint Pot in Blackground ($16.50), Diorshow Blackout Mascara in Black ($23.00)
CHEEKS:Giorgio Armani's Sheer Cream Blush #2 ($42.00)
Credits: Photography Justin Brimacombe Stylist Emilia Pelech Makeup Shannon Hoover and model Lilian Leopold at Liz Bell Agency Hair Chris Deagle at Moods Hair Salon
Winter is finally gone, and it's time to show some skin!! The question is- Is your skin ready to be shown? Winter is notorious for drying and wrinkling skin, and most likely your skin is needing a spring cleaning. As stated in March's Issue (see our archives section), flawless skin is a MUST this season. There are 3 main things you can do that to get your skin spring ready and looking soft, supple and healthy this season: Cleanse, Moisturize and occasionally use a Facial Mask to rejuvenate that skin!
FOR YOUR FACE: Cleansing for your face and body are two different things. While your body needs a good exfoliator to get smooth, satiny skin, body exfoliators are often too rough to be used on the face. Most body exfoliators contain apricot pits or nutshells which can cause microscopic tears on more sensitive facial skin. Try using a cleanser or moisturizer with alpha and beta hydroxy acid instead (they act like an exfoliator by gently abrading and removing dead skin cells). There are 4 different types of exfoliators
1)Mechanical exfoliators-contain rougher particles like nut shells and is best for insensitive and non problematic skin.
Our Top Pick: St Ives Apricot Facial Scrub ($4.99 www.stives.com). Cheap, effective a favorite of many.
2) Micro-dermabrasion-have small crystalline particles like aluminum oxide or very fine milled salt, best for helping uneven skin textures, discolorations, large pores or thick skinned persons
Our Top Pick: Shu Uemura's White Recovery Ex Gentle Brightening Massage Gel ($40.00 www.shuuemura.com) have microbeads that give a gentle yet effective exfoliation to brighten your skin. Olay's Regenerist Microdermabrasion and Peel System is a close second ($27.00 www.olay.com) and reasonably priced.
3)Enzymatic Exfoliators-contains enzymes that dissolve dead skin cells on contact, best for dry, thin skin, and persons with acne and visible capillaries, since it is very delicate in nature. Do not use if you are allergic to the enzyme.
Our Top Pick:Lancome Exfoliance Clarte Clarifying Exfoliating Gel ($24.00 www.lancome.com) uses pineapple and papaya extracts to remove impurities.
4)Chemical Peels-these are the exfoliators that contain Beta Hydroxy and Alpha Hydroxy acid, which are more ideal for the facial area. The ingredients you looking for are Salicylic, glycolic or lactic acid. Most home chemical peels are of this nature, which are ideal for making oily, tired looking skin looking fresh again. Great for uneven skin tones, discolorations and even helping diminish fine lines. Do not use if you are using facial product with retinol, skin diseased or wanting to tan since this can react with the acid.
Our Top Pick:
Clinique's Clarifying Lotions ($11.00 www.clinique.com). Gentle, great for controlling oil and clarifying skin, comes in several formulations depending on your skin type.
Here are some tips on facial exfoliating:
-you don't have to exfoliate every day:
For normal or dry skin, once or twice a week is fine For oily skin 3 or 4 times a week is all you need the more sensitive your skin is, the less you should do
-if you have alot of acne it's best not to exfoliate, since it's notorious for spreading acne causing bacteria -only use a pea sized drop for your entire face this should be enough
-apply onto damp skin and message in a gentle circular motion
-exfoliators with rounded beads are much gentler on all skin types
Moisturizing is your next step, however make sure it has adequate SPF protection, since you'll be out in the sun a lot more. That means the SPF should be at the very least 15, but ideally 25. Did you know that 90% of skin aging is from exposure to UVA and UVB rays. There are 3 main types of formulas for moisturizers-gel, lotion and creme. Gel is the lightest formulation, followed by lotion and then cream. If your skin is normal or normal with an oily T zone (forehead, nose and chin), you can use a gel formula. If your skin is normal or moderately dry, you should use a lotion formulation, since this will provide more moisture. For older or drier skin, cream formulations would be best since they are heavier and provide the most moisture.
Our top pick is Olay's Regenerist UV Defense Regenerating Lotion, with an SPF15 and suitability for normal to slightly dry or oily skin, it's great for any age range. For $18.99 (www.olay.com) it proves that there are still good deals out there! Aveeno's Ultra Calming Moisturizing Creme is always rated highly as well ($16.99 www.aveeno.com), and is so gentle it can be used on even the most sensitive skin. L'Occitaine Ultra Moisturizing Fluid SPF 20 ($30.00 www.usa.loccitaine.com) is infused with the highest quality Shea Butter, leaving your skin nourished and healthy. If this is not enough SPF protection, Neutrogena's Health Defense Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30 or 45 ($14.69 www.neutrogena.com) should do the trick.
The final step of your facial spring cleaning is to do a facial mask once a week to help that transition from winter to spring. Masks act to draw out impurites, soak up oils,tighten pores and minimize wrinkles-perfect for regenerating winter damaged skin. Our top picks are L'Occitane Honey Comfort Mask ($34.00 www.loccitane.com), gentle and nourishing, it's a soothing sensation for your skin, Caudalie Moisturizing Cream Mask ($40.00 www.caudalie-usa.com), refreshing and known for it's anti aging properties you'll discover a whole new range of skin care with this product. Shu Uemura has just introduced a new Depsea Moisture Replenishing Mask ($55.00 www.shuuemura.com) which helps to soothe dryness instantly. After one treatment you will notice a softer, smoother skin and more radiant complexion.
FOR BODY:
With body exfoliators, the key is to be GENTLE and properly moisturize after. Most companies provide exfoliating kits that exfoliate and treat the skin afterwards. Our favorite exfoliator was Fresh's Brown Sugar Body Polish ($62.50 www.fresh.com), it leaves your skin silky smooth and smells great. Afterwards you can use their Sugar Acai Body Age Delay Body Creme ($25.00). Another favorite was Origins Paradise Found Balinese Body Glow ($25.00 www.origins.com), which has a exotic tropical smell of fresh cut pineapple and orange, that when used with their Paradise Found Balinese Body Cream ($26.00), you'll feel like you've just taken a little holiday. My personal favorite is Philosophy's Amazing Grace Hot Salt Tub and Shower Scrub ($25.00 www.philosophy.com) which works beautifully with their popular Pure Grace Body Lotion ($34.00), a true delight for your senses!! It has such a feminin, gentle scent, it will have people asking you what you use. Still too much? Then try Clinique's Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliator ($19.50 www.clinique.com), and moisturize with their Deep Comfort Body Butter ($23.50).
To exfoliate your body:
Gently brush your dry skin with an exfoliating glove/brush, or loofah, starting from the soles of your feet and work your way up. Then climb into the shower, moisturize your skin and apply the exfoliating cleaners to your glove/brush/loofah and scrub in gentle, circular motions. For milder exfoliation, you can use a wash cloth, for rougher areas (like on your heels) you can use an exfoliating stone or stick. Rinse off, then pat yourself dry and apply the accompanying lotion (which tends to have alpha or beta hydroxy acids that continue the exfoliation process by furthur abrading and removing dead skin cells). Now your spring cleaning is done and you'll have radiant skin to prove it!!
Image on right:
CLOTHES: Choker and Chain - Stylist's own
BROWS: Urban Decay's Brow Box in Honey ($29.00)
LIPS: NARS Lipstick in Tamango ($24.00), Chanel's Glossimer in Moonlight ($25.00)
EYES: MAC Cream Color Base in Pearl ($16.50), MAC Paint Pot in Blackground ($16.50), Diorshow Blackout Mascara in Black ($23.00)
CHEEKS:Giorgio Armani's Sheer Cream Blush #2 ($42.00)
