Top 10 Skin Myths

Ok, guys.  I’m talking to you today.  You want healthy skin and you want a better shave, right?  Here’s the key- improve your skin routine, and you’ll improve your shaving results. Here’s the other key -improve your shaving routine and you’ll improve your skin results.  They both go hand in hand.

Odds are, you are neglecting one or the other, skin routine or shaving routine, or both and that’s where your difficulties lie. If you’ll address your skin condition (i.e. oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, blemish-prone skin) your shaving will be easier and less painful.  If you address your shaving techniques (i.e. what blade you use, what cream you use, what aftershave treatment you use) your skin will be smoother, softer, and healthier than ever.

Let’s start with addressing your skin condition.  Everyone, men and women alike, need to treat their skin with a basic regimen that includes a botanical based cleanser that contains an exfolliant, and a moisturizer that contains a broad spectrum sunscreen (minimum 15 spf).  Use formulas specifically for your skin condition.

If you have sensitive skin, which means you have to repair your skin’s lipid barrier, you will have to address that condition first, and then move on to treat oiliness, dryness, or blemishes.  Once the barrier is healed, your skin will be less sensitive.  You will then be able to use the appropriate skin care products that will help you manage your other concerns.

Your sensitive skin can be caused by many things, but primarily it will be caused from your shaving techniques - the wrong beard prep, the wrong blade, or the wrong after shave product, or all of the above.  You know you have sensitive skin when it tends to turn pink or red, or stings or burns when you apply products to it.

The good news is you can repair your sensitivity!  Try using botanical based products that contain some over the counter strength medicines, which are gentle but effective.  The gentle cleanser can also be used as your shaving cream.

Changing your shaving techniques will do wonders to improving your skin conditions.  The first thing I’m going to recommend is you go back to shaving the way your grandfather did.  I’m happy to report wet shaving techniques are making a big comeback because they are healthier, cheaper and greener!

Start with lots of heat and steam - shave right out of the shower, when your skin and beard have been softened and the pores are opened.  Then, get rid of your  lightweight, multiple blade razor, and that big aerosol can of chemically laden shaving cream.  They are costing way too much, and they are wrecking your skin.

Your shaving razor needs to be heavy enough so you won’t have to apply too much pressure to get the close shave that you want.  When you apply too much pressure, you are removing the top layer of your skin in addition to the beard, thus, the razor burn and ingrown hairs.  Those double, triple, and even quadruple blades - YIKES!  They are wreaking havoc on your skin.  You are damaging your skin every time you use them.

It’s time, men, to go back to the double edge, adjustable safety razor, that has some weight to it.  The replacement blades are recyclable and cheap, but better yet, they will not damage your skin. Replace the blade, at minimum, weekly.

Find yourself a botanical based cleanser, that you can lather up with a nice badger hair shaving brush.  This brush will last your entire life!  Here’s an excellent website to learn more about wet shaving and how to get started.

After shaving, it’s time to really pamper your skin.  Don’t ever use products containing alcohol after shaving, no need to feel the pain after shaving to feel all manly.  A good natural skin soother is an alum block - a clear crystal that you smooth all over the skin after shaving to soothe the skin.  Follow up with a natural fragrance if you like.

For your own free skin care consultation visit my blog page.

There’s help and hope at the Skin Care Blog!

{ 2 comments }

I’m always excited to discover new websites that give you FREE information from the experts, so I’m happy to pass this along.  Drs. Katie Rodan and Kathy Fields from Rodan + Fields Dermatologists have a new tool that helps us with our skin concerns, and gives us their recommendations as to what products would help us and what routine to use.  And it’s FREE.   I’ve never seen anything that gives you so much useful information, AND includes a complete routine for morning and nighttime skin care routines.  I love it!

Check out the Skin Solution Tool here What a great way to avoid a trip to the dermatologist, now you can have a professional dermatolgists recommendation about your skin care online, did I say it was all FREE?

I am so impressed with this company that I have partnered with the doctors to help them promote their dermatolgical line of superior skin care products.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  My consultation services are always free.

{ 2 comments }

Want to fall in love with your skin again?  It’s all about exfoliation.

Dead skin is the enemy to healthy skin. It clogs our pores, combines with sebum and dirt to cause pimples, breakouts, or worse - acne.

It forms in layers upon layers on top of the skin, blocking any healthy moisturizers, toners, or medications we use to improve our skin - which leads to dry, flaky, and ultimately cracked and or bleeding skin.

It gives our skin a dull, sallow appearance.  So, we put makeup on to try to look better, and the makeup looks ashy, streaky, and just, well, bad.  And the makeup doesn’t last, about half a day, max.

For men, when shaving, dead skin causes the razor to skip and not glide smoothly, leaving you a not so close shave which can cause painful razor stubble and ingrown hairs.

Dead skin makes oily skin oilier, dry skin drier, and acne-prone skin have more acne.  It’s something we can’t ignore, for it will only get worse.

Years ago we were told to use an exfoliating mask twice per week, and enjoy the “luxury” of a facial. Today, the skin care experts tell us, exfoliation is no longer a luxury for healthy, beautiful skin, it is a necessity.  A daily necessity.  So much so, that exfoliation ingredients are being added to all new formulations for cleansers now, and designed to be used twice per day.  If your facial cleanser doesn’t have any physical or chemical exfoliants, then you need to switch. TODAY.

Microdermabrasion is a fairly new type of at-home product that is a more advanced form of exfoliation using tiny tiny granules to exfoliate skin, which can be used 1-2 times per week, and can be easily done at home.  In my opinion it is the new “miracle product” for skin. It will revitalize dull skin, reduce large pores, erase fine lines and wrinkles, acne scars, reduce mild pigment irregularities (hyperpigmentation), stretch marks and age spots.  Yes, it IS that good.

As a skin care product, microdermabrasion is going to cost you a little more than most exfoliants, but you’re not using it every day, and it is much less cost than a trip to a dermatologist for DERMABRASION treatments which are much more painful, costly, and involve stronger chemicals.  Also, you will find after microdermabrasion that you use LESS moisturizer, and less makeup, and your makeup will last longer, so enjoy some savings there as well.

With all my clients, regardless of their skin concern, I recommend starting with a microdermabrasion product.  Once we have the layers of dead skin cleared away, we know that the skin products we use to treat the skin will be much more effective.

Also, microdermabrasion is not just for the face.  You can also find products designed especially for the skin on and around the lips, and also the skin on the rest of your body.  Imagine being able to remove all the dead skin layers on places like your feet, heels, and elbows!  Imagine a nice close shave under arms and on the legs. One treatment per week of microdermabrasion, and then you’ll be able to maintain smooth, soft body skin with a simple botanical moisturizing lotion.

There’s help and hope at the Skin Care Blog!   For you own personal skin care consultation, click here

<a href=”http://technorati.com/claim/j2jmvgwuk3″ rel=”me”>Technorati Profile</a>

{ 3 comments }

Lots of us have blemish-prone skin.  Or, as dermatologists call it - ACNE.  Derms are reporting as much as 70% of their patients now are seeking help with their persistent blemishes.  Many patients are seeking both blemish and anti-aging help at the same time!  Say, what?

Blemished skin can profoundly affect our social and professional lives. It can cause us to withdraw from others, avoid relationships, and hold back on seeking that next job promotion.  Our entire self esteem can be completely wrapped around our inability to control the way our skin looks.  Adult suffers are taking this problem very seriously.

For most blemish sufferers, however, the news in good.  Even though there is no cure for acne, we CAN safely control and manage the breakouts.  And you DO want to manage and control them - otherwise you’ll experience post-acne complications such as discoloration of the skin (brown spots from previous blemishes) and worst  of all - scarring.

Treatments for acne have significantly evolved over the years.  We’ve tried all sorts of remedies that failed.  But with more and more people demanding blemish control, we finally have some proven solutions that work.  No more spot treatments (they didn’t work), no more sun lamps or heavy alcohol toners (they just dried our skin out), and no more blaming the person who’s suffering with bad skin (it’s their SKIN that’s the problem, not the person).

Smart science tells us that if we treat our entire face, consistently every morning and every night, with the right formulations, we can manage most blemish-prone skin problems.  The formulations must contain only non-comedogenic ingredients.  A blemish is simply a clogged pore, so we can’t use ingredients that clog the pores on our skin.  Products must first - calm the skin’s irritations (botanicals like chamomile and aloe are the best), secondly - unclog the pores and eliminate the plug of oil and bacteria, and third - gently exfoliate the skin to remove dead skin that can clog the pores.

Sometimes all you need is a routine of twice per day using purely botanically-based skin care products to get the desired results.  But, if you’re still breaking out, you should try using botanically-based products that also contain over the counter strength medicines such as sulfur, benzoyl peroxide, and alpha hydroxy acids.  If, after several weeks on this regimen, you still don’t have your blemishes under control, it is recommended that you see a dermatologist immediately for prescription strength medicated skin care products to get your acne under control.  The important thing is -don’t wait! The condition will only worsen and now you’ll be dealing with the complications as well.

In most cases, you may only need to use the medicated products for a short while, until your skin is cleared, and then you can gradually change your regimen back to purely botanical.  If you find your skin flaring up again, you can go back on the medicated products as needed.

If you’re one of the millions struggling with blemish prone skin, just know, you’re not alone.  Many others are going through the same struggles as you.  There is hope!  I encourage you to act today, seek advice from a skin care professional.  Ask them for their recommendations for a twice daily skin care regimen that treats the entire skin, is botanically based, with non-comedogenic ingredients, contains over the counter medications (if needed), gently exfoliates, calms the skin, unclogs pores and fights bacteria.

And, of course, no matter what your skin concern, always- always- always wear your sunscreen!

For your own personal skin care consultation, you can go here for help.

{ 2 comments }

Wow, great news on how diet effects skin health and aging!  -Debra

Banishing those signs of aging may be easier than you think; sneaking in some skin-friendly foods and supplements may be all you need to get started on a skin rejuvenation plan and achieve those youthful looks. Dr. Nicholas Perricone, M.D., an antiaging pioneer, unveils the secrets to healthier skin in his book, The Perricone Prescription. This face and body rejuvenation plan includes the Three-Day Nutritional Facelift, a diet full of antioxidant-rich foods, green tea and supplements that support a healthy lifestyle.

Nutritionists and antiaging beauty experts agree that eating natural, unprocessed foods and making sure your diet contains enough healthy fats are essential for achieving youthful skin. Consider sticking with these nine food rules for your own skin:

#1: Skip the high-sugar snacks. Eating too much sugar may cause wrinkles and cause unnecessary damage to the cells responsible for collagen. Frederic Brandt, MD, a dermatologist and author of 10 Minutes 10 Years explains that sugar causes skin cells to become especially vulnerable to protein breakdown, making it less resilient, dry, and prone to developing wrinkles(Source: Prevention.com). If you have to cater to that sweet tooth, a piece of fruit is your skin-friendly choice.

#2: Eat your greens. Dark, leafy green vegetables are rich in antioxidants and Vitamin A, an essential vitamin for a clear complexion and even skin tone.

#3: Load up on healthy fats. Avocados, salmon and cashews are valuable sources of healthy fats that can improve the texture and tone of the skin, and make it less vulnerable to damage. If you’re not getting enough healthy fat in your diet, consider an Omega 3 or Omega 6 supplement.

#4: Snack on almonds. Almonds are a valuable source of Vitamin E, another essential vitamin that can restore damaged skin tissue and keep your skin glowing. Vitamin E supplements are another option for excessively dry or inflamed skin.

#5: Go berry-picking. Blueberries, strawberries and other fresh berries are rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals. Eating antioxidant-rich foods can prevent free radical damage so skin stays strong, youthful-looking and resilient, even with toxins in the environment.

#6: Reach for the whole wheat loaf. Whole wheat contains selenium, a mineral that can keep skin cells healthy and ward off skin damage.

#7: Cut back on caffeine. Too much caffeine can deplete vitamins and minerals from your system, and also leave you dehydrated.  Dehydration can lead to a duller complexion and flaky skin, so skip the espresso and soda when possible.  Green tea may be a healthier alternative, according to Dr. Perricone, and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

#8: Add some color to the salad plate. A daily salad full of colorful vegetables means you’ll enjoy a medley of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant-rich foods that can help keep skin problems at bay.

#9: Skip or limit the alcoholic drinks. Alcohol dehydrates the body and makes you more vulnerable to developing wrinkles, red patches on the skin, and a dull complexion.

from www.locateadoc.com

For you own personal skin care consultation, click here

{ 1 comment }

No one really cares about skin care, right?  That is, unless they are suffering from PROBLEM skin.  But, how many of us are really suffering?  A lot!  Today, there are more people with serious skin concerns than ever before.

Acne is no longer just for teenagers -adult acne (blemishes and breakouts) is occurring at increased rates every year.  Blemish-prone skin will take all our confidence away, and cause us to retreat as far away from other people as possible.

Sun damage, anyone?  The baby boomer generation is starting to see the very visible effects of sun damage - brown spots, discoloration, and dullness to the skin like they have never seen before.  You’re only 40, but your skin looks like you’re 70.

Lines and wrinkles, …oh my!  The beauty magazines tell us scientists have discovered we are losing collagen at the rate of 1% per year, starting at age 20! What are we going to do to rebuild it?

Sensitive skin?  With so many toxins in our environment hitting our skin everyday, our natural skin barriers are being destroyed, and red, irritated, burning skin is more common. People are having trouble finding something gentle enough to use on a daily basis.

The good news is dermatologists, scientists, and the skin care industry as a whole have been working over time, developing new and advanced treatments that really do help people.  Staying on top of the new technology and new treatments can be a little daunting.  The purpose of this blog will be to publish news about what’s new in skin care treatments, address some of the most common skin care concerns and offer tips as to how to get better results, in less time, for less money.  There’s help and hope at the Skin Care Blog!   For you own personal skin care consultation, click here

{ 1 comment }