Posts Tagged ‘age spots’

How to Brighten Skin & Lighten Pigmentation: Guinot Newhite Collection

Whether caused by hormones, UV exposure, or inflammation, dark spots and uneven skin tone can be very tricky to clear up.  This is a long process which requires vigilance and dedication.  To effectively brighten skin tone and lighten hyperpigmentation it is necessary to use a two step approach: prevention & correction.  While the correction stage may end once results are achieved, the prevention stage will have to continue permanently if you wish to maintain bright and clear skin.

As this skin condition is becoming more and more of an issue, skin care companies are searching out the best ingredients and methods of correction and creating product lines specifically targeting the issue.  While Guinot Paris had a couple of brightening products in the past, they found it necessary to create a new, full, brightening line using the most effective technologies available.  The new line is called Newhite and it includes 7 brand-new products.

 

Guinot Newhite Products

Guinot Newhite Perfect Brightening Cleansing Milk - gently cleanses skin with a fresh, cream-gel texture

Guinot Newhite Perfect Brightening Cleansing Oil - removes all makeup including long-wear and water-proof • rinses clean with no residue once it comes in contact with water • instant brightening effect

Guinot Newhite Perfect Brightening Lotion – stimulates & refreshes skin • finishing touch to makeup removal

Guinot Newhite Instant Brightening Mask – intensive treatment mask for lightening & evening skin tone

Guinot Newhite Vitamin C Brightening Serum – potent Vitamin C serum which works intensely on lightening pigmentation spots • Vitamin C is also a strong antioxidant and helps to stimulate collagen

Guinot Newhite Brightening Day Cream SPF 30 – brightens skin and protects against harmful UV damage

Guinot Newhite Brightening Night Cream – brightens skin during the night with no SPF

Guinot Newhite Brightening Skin Care Program Kit – comes with Vitamin C Serum, Instant Brightening Mask, Brightening Day Cream, and Brightening Night Cream

To further protect your skin during and after your treatment, use a mineral makeup powder for full-spectrum UV protection every single day of the year.

If you have any questions about the Guinot Newhite line or skin pigmentation issues, feel free to contact one of our estheticians!

As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

 

 

 

How to Brighten your Skin & Lighten Spots Naturally: Eminence Organics VitaSkin Bright Skin

Eminence is one of those lines that has so many different multifunctional products, something for every skin type and condition.  If your main skin care goal is clearing up those pesky dark spots (aka age spots, sun spots, or hyperpigmentation) then you would have gone for Eminence products that contain the plant stone crop.  In fact, Eminence has a whole Stone Crop Collection which is great for hydrating and healing the skin as well as brightening and lightening areas of excess pigmentation.  While the Stone Crop Collection was (and still is) a top seller, hyperpigmentation has become more and more of a concern to consumers.  Eminence decided to take skin brightening to the next level and created a whole new collection called VitaSkin Bright Skin.

Bright Skin products still utilize the power of the stone crop, but also contain active melanin suppressors and skin brighteners like licorice root, bearberry extract, Gigawhite, and a natural complex which acts like hydroquinone, but without any side effects.  There are 3 products in the new Bright Skin Collection; Bright Skin Cleanser, Bright Skin Masque, and Bright Skin Moisturizer with a broad spectrum SPF30.

Even if dark spots aren’t your main concern, the Bright Skin products are great for overall radiance, moisture, and even tone.  Bright skin products can easily be integrated into your existing skin care routine.  For best results, exfoliate your skin regularly with Rosehip & Maize Exfoliating Masque (sensitive, irritated, rosacea, & acne skin), Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant (all skin types) or Pear & Poppyseed Microderm Polisher (all skin types except sensitive and acne).  For an extra brightening boost, apply Stone Crop Serum to cleansed skin before you apply your Bright Skin Moisturizer.  If you have any questions about hyperpigmentation, Eminence, or any other skin care subject, our estheticians are always available to help!

As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

 

Don’t neglect the largest organ of all! Tips for anti-aging and healthy skin for the body

 

Yes, the skin is the largest organ of the body.  It protects us from outside aggressors and is subject to repeated attack and exposure to the elements.  Most of us are pretty good about caring for the skin on our face (even if it’s just applying a protective moisturizer or sunscreen), but truthfully most of us just don’t pay the same amount of attention to the skin on the rest of our body.  Why? Here are a few possibilities:

•The skin on the face shows signs of fatigue, stress, hormonal imbalance, improper diet, illness, age, etc., but the skin on the body doesn’t show these signs as readily or at least until much later on

•It can be hard to find time

•We just don’t think about it

•It’s cheaper and easier just to forget about it

So what happens is suddenly one day we start to notice that the skin on our body isn’t quite as firm as it used to be, it begins to sag, perhaps we notice lines and wrinkles, we begin to see those dreaded age spots, and we realize that the scar we got that one time when we fell down on a tree branch when hiking – it’s pretty ugly!  We think ‘Oh no! Why didn’t I take care of my body?’.

It doesn’t matter what age you are, if you’re not caring for the skin on your body, it’s time to start! Here’s how:

1. SUN PROTECTION

This is number one and in all caps for a reason.  UV exposure is the number one cause of skin damage, disease, and aging, period.  Use of an SPF every single day of the year on exposed skin is absolutely essential.  UV exposure (daylight exposure) activates an enzyme in our skin that breaks down our collagen and elastin fibers as well as promotes melanin synthesis leading to color irregularities.  What does almost every single one of my clients say about sun protection? Here is the most common conversation we have about it:

Me: Do you use SPF daily?

Client: Yes.

Me: What kind?

Client: I have SPF in my moisturizer/foundation/sunscreen lotion.

Me: Do you re-apply every 2 hours since it gets absorbed/worn off? Is your makeup a pure mineral powder with Zinc & Titanium Dioxide?

Client: No.

Me: Then you are really only protected for the first couple of hours of each day.

Client: I didn’t think about that!

Tip: Apply broad spectrum sunscreen every day of the year to exposed skin on face and body (think neck, decolletage, arms, hands) and re-apply every 2 hours.  Apply pure mineral sunscreen powder to exposed skin daily (re-apply as necessary after washing, swimming, sweating etc.).  Stay in the shade as much as possible and if you must tan, do it sunless (self tan products).

My favorite sun protection products for the body are:

                                      

 

Jane Iredale Powder Me SPF Dry Sunscreen   Eminence Organics Tropical Vanilla Body SPF32

2. Antioxidant Protection & Hydration

Free radical damage is another factor that leads to skin aging and disease.  We are all exposed to free radicals everyday (some people more than others, depending on environment and lifestyle).  Antioxidants neutralize free radicals before they can cause cellular damage.  As we all know, certain foods we eat contain antioxidants (fruits, vegetables, etc.) which build up our immunity and protect our bodies from disease.  Since the skin is the last organ to receive it’s share of antioxidants from food, it’s extremely beneficial to apply antioxidants to the skin topically as well.

Dryness and dehydration of the skin aren’t pretty and they also lead to quicker skin aging. Also, skin is more susceptible to outside attack when it is lacking the moisture (lipid) barrier.  Keeping the skin moisturized is key in maintaining skin health and protection.

Tip: Choose a moisturizer that contains ingredients with high antioxidant properties.  Use a soap/detergent/sulphate-free body wash to avoid stripping the skin of it’s natural hydration.

My favorite antioxidant moisturizer and body cleanser is:

                        

Spa Binge Organics Natural Vanilla       Zona Moroccan Rose Bagnogel

Cocoa Body Shea Rich Cream                     Gentle Body Wash

3. Exfoliation

Exfoliation removes dead, dull cells from the surface of our skin which immediately softens and brightens the skin.  It also speeds up our skin’s natural cell turnover rate which slows down greatly as we age.  A slow cell turnover rate makes your skin look dull and tired with uneven texture and tone.  You may find that wounds don’t heal as fast and scars don’t fade as quickly as before (if ever).  Keeping your skin exfoliated will also allow your products to penetrate easier and therefore work better at treating and protecting your skin.

My favorite body exfoliation products are:

                 

 

Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Scrub     Aromatherapy Associates Dry Body Brush

Remember that whatever we apply to our skin gets absorbed into our body so try to avoid products with artificial fragrance, color, and chemicals.

We would love to hear your thoughts on the topic of this blog! Feel free to leave your comments or questions below.  As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

 

 

Achieving an Even Skin Tone: how to prevent and treat hyperpigmentation

In the past, anti-aging skincare was all about combating wrinkles, texture issues, and sagging skin.  Nowadays, evening out skin tone (reducing dark spots) plays a huge role in achieving a more youthful looking skin.

The problem is that most of us didn’t realize the damage that was happening to our skin (by not using a daily SPF product) until it was too late.  Now we are all scrambling to find the best answer to lighten pigmentation spots without wasting our money on the latest ‘miracle in a jar’.  Is it really possible to lighten dark spots on your skin with a cream or a masque that we see on TV commercials and in magazine ads? Probably not.  Let’s face it, getting rid of dark spots on the skin takes a lot of time and effort and one simple product is just not going to do the job.  What we need is a skincare system designed for our skin’s needs and we need to use it properly and diligently.

Obagi Medical is a leader in complete skin rejuvenation using specific top-quality ingredients to prevent and correct all types of skin conditions including skin with hyper/hypo-pigmentation.  Obagi is most well-know for their Nu-Derm system  which effectively treats all signs of aging and evens out skin tone using products that contain proven pigmentation lighteners like arbutin or hydroquinone.  Another excellent system is the Obagi-C RX System which also has products which contain arbutin and hydroquinone, but the Obagi-C system also contains premium grade Vitamin C in the L-Ascorbic Acid form.  This form of Vitamin C penetrates deep into the skin to stimulate collagen synthesis as well as acts an an powerful antioxidant which protects your skin from harmful free radical damage.

Here is a brief breakdown of each Obagi System for lightening skin pigmentation:

The Obagi Nu-Derm FX System (with arbutin) is suitable for anyone with no to mild pigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles, loss of elasticity, texture issues, and/or adult acne.

The Obagi Nu-Derm System (with hydroquinone) is suited for anyone with mild to stubborn pigmentation (including melasma), fine lines, wrinkles, loss of elasticity, texture issues, and/or adult acne.

The Obagi C-FX System (with arbutin) is made for anyone with no to mild pigmentation, minimal signs of aging, and mild texture issues.

The Obagi-C RX System (with hydroquinone) is excellent for anyone with mild to moderate pigmentation, minimal signs of aging, and mild texture issues.

Each system comes in a starter set with full sized products and it is highly recommended to use all of the products in the set for best results.  Additionally, a prescription retinol (Vitamin A) may be added to the regime to greatly boost results.  The daily use of an SPF product is mandatory and if it is not properly used you should not expect to achieve good results.  A daily SPF is not only necessary during treatment, but continuously after treatment as well to prevent recurring pigmentation damage as well as skin aging.

Watch to learn more about each system>>

 

We would love to hear your thoughts on the topic of this blog!  Feel free to post your comments or questions below.  As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

 

How to brighten dull, tired skin with Guinot

As we age our skin’s natural exfoliation process slows down more and more.  So over time our skin looks duller, dryer, and scars and sun damage tend to hang around a lot longer than they used to.  The key to fresher, brighter skin is to increase exfoliation and to use products with highly concentrated, quality ingredients.  The Guinot Newlight line is designed to brighten skin 2 ways: by inhibiting the production of melanin (which is responsible for dark spots) and by brightening the skin with ingredients like Vitamin C.  I’ve put together an excellent skin brightening routine using Guinot products which I know you will love!

The first step in skin care is always a proper cleanse.  You want your skin to start off perfectly cleansed so that all further treatment products you use will be able to penetrate without being blocked.  Guinot has a wide selection of cleansers for all skin types. Choose the correct one for your skin type.

 

 

Next comes the toner to finish the cleansing process.  Sweep Guinot Newlight Lightening Starter Lotion over your cleansed skin using a cotton pad.  This toning lotion contains fruit acids (AHA) to gently exfoliate as well as Vitamin C and Guinot’s secret formulation Clariskin® to brighten.

At lease 2 times per week exfoliate the skin using one or both of the following exfoliators.  The Guinot Gommage Biologique is an enzyme exfoliator which means there is no abrasion; the dead skin cells are gently dissolved with Alpha Hydroxy Acid.  The Guinot Gommage Grain D’Eclat is a physical exfoliator; the dead skin cells are gently polished or scrubbed off using jojoba beads.  I recommend using both types alternatively for best results.

 

Guinot Gommage Biologique: Biological Peeling Radiance Gel This gel exfoliator is great for all skin types including sensitive.  A pea-sized amount of gel is applied to dry skin and massaged all over until the consistency changes and becomes a slick liquid.  Once the consistency has changed it is time to rinse off with water.

Guinot Gommage Grain D’Eclat: Gentle Exfoliating Cream  This cream exfoliator is for all skin types especially normal-oily.  A small amount is gently massaged over wet skin paying particular attention to areas of congestion or roughness.

Since serums and masks have the highest concentration of active ingredients, their use is essential in reaching your skin care goals.  Apply the Guinot Newlight Masque Blancheur: Brightening Mask 2 times per week, leave on for about 10 minutes, then rinse with water.  Apply the Guinot Serum Blancheur: Deep Action Lightening Serum to clean skin every morning and evening before you apply your moisturizer.

 

Moisturize, protect, and further brighten your skin with Guinot Creme Blancheur: Brightening Cream.  Apply a pearl-sized amount every morning and evening on top of your serum.  Follow with your favorite Guinot eye treatment product and sun protection (during the day) and start looking forward to brighter, fresher skin in no time!

As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!