Posts Tagged ‘anti-aging’

Behind Beauty: How To Get Glowing Skin in 5 Easy Steps!

One look that never goes out of style? Glowing Skin! After a long, drying winter, it can be a struggle to restore your natural glow. With these 5 Skincare Secrets from our esthetics team, you’ll soon have healthy glowing skin. Discover the best things to eat for your skin. As well as how to exfoliate, moisturize and nurture yourself. Plus, the best ways to add a touch of tan and our biggest secret to staying a glow…

What To Eat for Glowing Skin?

Carrots, with their abundance of beta carotene (the nutrient that gives them that yellow orange colour) are fantastic for giving your skin a healthy glow. While eating bags can cause your skin to turn orange due to a beta carotene overdoes, adding a handful to your lunch will help to brighten your overall skin tone.  Also rich in Vitamin A, Carrots work to protect against sun damage. They help to keep skin and hair strong and hydrated.

Cold Water Fish, especially Wild Salmon. Filled with Omega-3 fatty acids that work deep within to strengthen your cells. By improving your overall cellular structure, Omega-3s help prevent wrinkles, acne and lock in moisture. They’re also thought to help decrease the risks of disease, help fight inflammation and even increase lifespan. While the science may not be in on all of these claims, swapping grilled wild fish, such as trout, salmon, sardines, herring, or mackerel is a delicious way to shake up your week.

Berries, Green Tea, and anti-oxidant rich foods work to counter the cellular stress from Free Radicals. Adding anti-oxidants to your diet helps to keep your skin, body, and mind healthy.   For more information, check out our post on antioxidants here.

Make Sure To Exfoliate!

Another great way to rejuvenate your skin is to opt for an exfoliating masque. A slightly more intensive treatment, a masque offers additional benefits, such as deep cleansing, improved skin tone, and tighter skin. It’s key to follow the directions laid out as different masques require different lengths of time. Try applying a masque during a long bath once a week. The warmth of the water helps to open the pores allowing for better absorption. I love  choosing a masque with an exfoliating element as it accomplishes 2 things at once!

Exfoliation is very important, especially in the Spring. Winter, dries out your skin, causing an increase of dead skin cells on the surface. By actively removing them, you bring the younger, fresher skin to the surface. An accumulation of dead skin cells can also lead to break outs. Depending on your skin type and sensitivity, you should be exfoliating between 2-3 times a week. Opt for a deep cleansing scrub for oily skin types and a lighter, sugar based one for sensitive types.

When it comes to facial exfoliation, a Clarisonic Mia can revolutionize your routine. With its gentle brushes, it easily removes makeup and leaves skin feeling refreshed.

Celazome Clinical Skin Care Enzyme Exfoliating Masque
Eminence Rosehip & Maize Exfoliating Masque
SpaRitual Look Inside Organic Scrub Masque
Pangea Organics Japanese Matcha Tea with Acai & Goji Berry Mask

Moisturize & Nurture Your Skin

Canadian winters have been known to last through till June. Those spring snows and cold winds can dry out your skin just as badly in April as in December. Make sure to use a moisturizer that suited to the weather in your region. To keep your beauty routine from falling into a rut, choose a body butter with a light spring fragrance instead of the heavy winter spices. A shift in fragrance can help you feel like spring has sprung, even under 3 feet of snow. Skin feeling tired and dull after being cooped up all winter? Add a nutrient rich serum into your routine. Choose a serum that is rich in vitamin C, A, or E.  Serums work deep within the skin to improve the health of growing and newly formed skin cells. It takes around 28 days for a new skin cell to reach the surface. By treating those cells early, when they arrive on the surface they will be brighter and smoother. A skin cell will remain on the surface for about 12 days before sloughing off. This means a skin cell has a life of approximately 40 days. While turnover rate can slow as you age, if you continue to treat your skin through it’s entire life cycle, you can help delay the signs of aging.

VivierSkin C+E Repairing Antioxidant Serum with L-Ascorbic Acid USP & Vitamin E
Laboratoire Dr Renaud Omega-3 Lipid Replenishing Serum – Sérum relipidant Omega-3
Vivescence Nutri-Energy Revitalizing Vitamin Complex Yonka Hydralia – Hydrating Concentrate

Add A Touch of Tan

Spending most of winter indoors can leave yous skin rather pale making it such a challenge to resist that first sunny day… Sun damage is the number one cause of premature aging. Recent research has found that tanning beds can be just as dangerous as direct exposure. The darkening of your skin occurs when your cells are stressed by UVA and UVB rays. In order to keep from getting burned, your cells attempt to darken your skin tone by producing melanin. However, the chemical process involved in producing Melanin damages the cells and creates free radicals. This can accelerate the growth of moles, freckles, and skin cancers. Instead, opt for a touch of glow by adding a self tanner to your routine.

There are a variety of products available to slightly darken skin tone over time without the cellular damage. Looking for less of a commitment? Try the St. Tropez “Wash Off” line. These products are more of a “Body Makeup” then a true self tanner. Perfect for adding just a hint of colour to refresh winter weary skin.

Claim Your JOY!

Ever notice how much a Bride seems to Glow? There’s something magical about being happy.  It transforms wallflower into prom queen and Plain Jane into Princess Grace. Take some time this Spring to recapture your JOY by spring cleaning your life.

Between work, family, and housekeeping- it often feels like there’s no time for YOU. And it’s true. Take a moment to list the priorities in your life. Where do YOU fit? Did you make it ahead of cleaning the oven or fall somewhere below making sure you have ice cubes? Over time, you’re own hobbies tend to take a back seat to getting the kids to soccer practice or the pile of dirty dishes on the counter and YOU keep falling lower and lower on the to-do list. Women especially tend to choose the activities that will “better the household” over those that better themselves. By neglecting to nurture ourselves, we end up struggling to nurture others.

If your kids are active in lessons and classes, try booking something for yourself at the same time. Most community centers offer classes for adults as well as kids. Or, find a nearby coffee shop and dive into a good book or take 20 minutes to journal. High school students looking for a few dollars are eager to pick up an hour or two of after school babysitting, even on a weeknight. Give yourself a permission to hit the mall, gym, museum, or even an early movie with the girls. Try adding a “Me” stop to your errands.  Feel like you never get to that certain store? Plan it into your running around. It may seem like an indulgence to make a special trip to the bookstore, but if it happens to be between the dentist and groceries? Treat yourself a quick peek. Leave the office and have lunch out once in a while. Sometimes, even the smallest break from your routine can lift your spirits.

Almost as important as maximizing what makes you happy, is identifying things that are making you miserable. Is there something that is bringing you down? Be proactive about improving or changing your situation. Can’t stand the chair at work? Ask HR for a new one or buy one yourself. Feel like you haven’t had an adventure in a while? Start planning your next vacation. Sure, it might be 6 months before you can go… but there’s a lot of fun to be had in the dreaming. Hate being single? Ask a friend to set you up on a blind date or try out a new dating service. By seeking solutions, you’ll start to find yourself seeing the situation in a more positive light.

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!

BEHIND BEAUTY: WORK IN YOUR WORK OUT

Being physically active is one of the best things you can do to stay healthy- But who has the time?.  With all the demands of work, children, and housework, how to find the time? This weeks, our experts tackle how just to fit in activity to a busy schedule.

The American Heart Association, as well as numerous other organizations, recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week. While it can seem daunting to try and squeeze yet another task into an already packed schedule, it’s only 20 minutes a day or 30 minutes five times a week.

Now that term “moderate aerobic activity”  crops up a lot when we start to talk about health. What, exactly, is it? Simply, any activity that gets you moving and raises your heart rate is considered moderate aerobic activity. We’re not talking hiking up Mt. Kilimanjaro or 3 hours on a treadmill. It’s simpler than that. It’s walking to the deli to pick up lunch or working in your garden. Simple. Basic. Movement.

First, look at what activities you’re already doing on a regular basis that qualify as moderate aerobic activity and count them towards your minimum. Are you walking to work? Spending 30 minutes cleaning your apartment on Thursday Nights? Dancing with the girls on Saturday? Help your daughter work on her soccer moves? It all counts! Yes, those 10 minutes spent vigorously scrubbing soap scum off the bathtub counts!

Next, look for opportunities in your routine to incorporate more activity. Have an hour for lunch? Take a quick walk around the block. In poor weather, look for nearby amenities such as big-box stores, malls, and supermarkets. These covered areas are great for a 10 – 15 minute walk, wandering through the aisles. When you have the choice, stand instead of sit. I’ve started folding laundry standing instead of in front of the TV, and noticed a difference. At work, Opt to hand deliver a message to a colleague instead of calling them. Try getting off the bus a stop early, and walking the extra five minutes. If you do this at both stops coming and going, that’s 20 minutes already!

If you know you’re going to have a busy week, try banking a few minutes on the weekend. Recent research has shown that it doesn`t matter when you get your weekly allotment, just reaching those 150 minutes makes a difference.

Choose one activity you love and will do regularly and commit to doing it on a regular basis. Most cities publish a guide to their facilities (either a book or online) and they’re a great way to find classes to attend. If you’re near a swimming pool or ice arena, they often have a public swim or skate offered at a discounted rate. Ours has a $2 swim four times a week! How fantastic is that? For less than a latte, I can bank an hour of exercise, and make up the rest by the bus stop trick above! Add into that my weekly 30 minutes of apartment tidying and I’m almost at 200!

If swimming’s not your thing, no worries! The most important part of exercise is choosing an activity you love. If you can’t stand hiking but enjoy yoga, take yoga. Prefer biking? Fantastic, book an hour Sunday morning just for you. Once you’ve chosen an activity you love, commit to it. Make a plan and offer yourself incentives. PVR your favourite program as a reward. The average Canadian spends over 2 hours a day watching television. By removing your least favourite program once a week, and taking a class instead, you’ve banked an hour!

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!

BEHIND BEAUTY: Anti-Oxidants, Free Radicals & Ingredients To Look For When Purchasing An Anti-Aging Cream

While Scientists are still struggling to fully explain aging, there are some very prominent theories out there that explain quite a bit of the process. One of the most prominent is the “Free Radical Theory of Aging”.

This theory focuses on free radicals, highly active chemicals that accumulate within the cells as the by-product of many natural chemical reactions. We acquire them through the natural breaking down of food or through the environment, such as breathing cigarette smoke. Once produced, free radicals cause chain reactions within the cell that often cause damage or cell death. While these reactions regulate a number of necessary processes, too many will sap energy from the cells, causing this damage. This often creates the visible signs of aging, such as wrinkles, fine lines, and a loss of firmness. In fact, a variety of research has linked free radicals to Heart Disease, Cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

To counter some of the damaging effects, you need another compound called an “Anti-oxidant”. These molecules help prevent some of the negative actions of free radicals by minimizing their effect. The antioxidant reacts with the free radical, so that only one reaction takes place instead of a cascade. This means the cells use less energy and there is less damage to the cell. There are several anti-oxidant rich foods available. As well as anti-oxidants in most anti-aging creams.  While the theory is constantly being challenged by science as to whether or not it extends lifespan. It has been shown that consuming an increased number of anti-oxidants does slow the signs of aging and leaves skin looking younger. For more information, check out our eating for your skin article here.

While “Anti-Oxidant” has become the buzz word in recent years, there’s a new kid on the block- Retinol-A.  Derived from Vitamin A, this ingredient boosts rate of collagen production, making skin firmer and increase the amount of collagen produced. Usually requiring a prescription, low concentration Retinol- A derivatives are becoming readily available   One of the most effective ingredients at stimulating collagen and visibly reducing the signs of aging, it also treats discoloration  During the 1970s, a similar product, Retinolic Acid was commonly used. However, clients often found the powerful acid too strong and struggled with damage and irritation  Now, this less potent molecule is giving women the fantastic results they crave.

Another key ingredient to look for is Vitamin C or ascorbic acid polypeptide. It’s pure  ”Skin food” and  keeps cells active. This nutrient fights wrinkles and crow’s feet.  Often used to treat deprivation illnesses, such as scurvy  and protect against sun damage, it’s a powerful antioxidant. It strengthens the cell barrier response, reduces inflammation  promotes collagen production, and can sometimes lessen hyper pigmentation. If you notice your skin is feeling dull, try feeding it some Vitamin C.

Finally, there are the Peptides. Short protein-like molecules that work to promote collagen production, increasing skin firmness. There are many kinds of peptides:

- Milk Peptides: Reduce fine lines and wrinkles
- Palmitoyl Pentapeptide: Promotes absorption into the skin
- Acetyl Hexapeptide: Helps to relax facial muscles
- Octapeptides: Work to relax the small muscles under the skin and to reduce tension.

The best anti-aging products will contain a mixture of peptides to give your skin a full range of results.

In your 20s and 30s, the best thing you can do to prevent aging? Wear sunscreen and have an antioxidant rich diet. As your skin changes in your late 30s, early 40s, it’s important to start incorporating anti-aging products into your routine. When purchasing an anti-aging product, make sure to look for one that is a complete system, containing both a serum and a moisturizer. Serums are highly concentrated skin food that penetrate deeper into the skin to fight wrinkles from the inside out.

Here are some of our Staff’s Favourite Anti-Aging Serums:

Guinot Serum Longue Vie Youth Renewing Serum (30 ml)

Vivescence Structural 3D Toning Boosting Concentrate

Phytomer Youth Performance Wrinkle Radiance Serum

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!

 

Turn Back The Clock with Guinot

Our esthetics team loves tackling your questions. The biggest concern among our clients? Aging. Our solution? Guinot. Filled with vitamins, amino acids, and various active ingredients, it’s a serious contender in the fight against aging. Gentle like a butterfly, busy like a Bee, Guinot delivers visible results.

When Estheticians describe all the steps in their routine, it can seem a little overwhelming. Cleanse, tone, exfoliate, masque, serum, moisturizer, eye cream… The fight against aging is a battle, and if you want dramatic results, you have to take action.

1. Cleansing & Toning

The key to any skincare regimen begins with clean, fresh skin. First, remove any makeup, oil or grime that has accumulated on the skin. Choose an active cleanser, such as Guinot Lait Hydra Fraicheur: Refreshing Cleansing Milk, that will remove impurities without damaging your skin. Follow up with the recommended toner, Guinot Lotion Hydra Fraicheur: Refreshing Toning Lotion, for maximum effect. A lot of our clients wonder at the effectiveness of toner. As our team explains it, cleanser and toner at a lot like shampoo and conditioner. Toner, like conditioner, refreshes the skin, helps restore your natural pH balance, and helps prepare the skin for the rest of the process.

2.  Serum – Food for the skin

Looking for major results? Don’t neglect your serum! A highly active serum is your biggest weapon in the fight against aging. Packed with vitamins, serums are designed to deeply penetrate the skin.  I’m always surprised by how many of our clients skip this stage. It’s like trying to make coffee without adding beans. Guinot Serum Longue Vie Youth Renewing Serum (30 ml) is packed with 56 vitamins, amino acids and active ingredients. When choosing a serum for anti-aging, make sure to select one that contains Vitamin C. An anti-oxidant, this Super Vitamin works to increase collagen and aids skin healing.

3. Lock in the Moisture

Our estheticians can’t stop raving about Guinot Longue Vie Cellulaire: Youth Renewing Skin Cream. A lightly scented silky cream that leaves your skin feeling smooth and refreshed, this moisturizer is in a class all of its own.  Like the serum, the moisturizer also contains 56 active ingredients that work to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. For night-time wrinkle fighting action, opt for the Guinot Crème 888 Vital Antirides: Anti-Wrinkle Rich Night Cream. Wake up with dewy, smooth skin as this cream actively stimulates collagen production. For your eyes, Guinot Longue Vie Yeux: Longue Vie Eye Lifting is amazing. It targets fine lines and crows-feet while also helping with dark circles and light puffiness.

4. Stand Out Products

After over 40 years in beauty care, Guinot has developed a stunning product line. They’ve really listened to the beauty goals of their clients and attempted to solve the issues they heard. Here are 3 truly exceptional stand outs from their extensive line.

Guinot Gommage Grain D’Eclat: Gentle Face Exfoliating Cream

Exfoliation is extremely important, especially when you’re using a serum. Serums work to enhance the newer skin forming below the surface. When you exfoliate the dead surface skin is brushed away, allowing the nourished skin below to rise to the surface.

Guinot Masque Vital Antirides: Anti-Wrinkle Mask

Masking is a fantastic way to feed and hydrate your skin.  Once or twice a week, I love to combine a mask with a warm bath. The steam from the bath helps to dilate the pores, allowing for better absorption.

Guinot Longue Vie Mains: Multi-Action Vital Hand Care (75 ml)

Most product lines focus on anti-aging for the face. Guinot has expanded and they offer anti-aging products for the bust, neck, and body. The stand out, however, is their hand cream. Hot water, weather, and household chemicals often damage hands, causing them to really show signs of aging. This non-greasy hand and nail treatment enhances and nourishes the skin, to bringing out the youthfulness of the skin.

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!

 

Tanda Now Available at Spa Boutique

Tanda has joined the Spa Boutique family!

With a wide array of home-use energy-based devices, Tanda is a leader in beauty innovation.  They offer devices that specialize in four main areas, Acne Treatment and Prevention, Skin Rejuvenation, Teeth Whitening and Hair Removal.

So how does it work? Tanda devices use a combination of light, heat, vibration and radio frequency energy to effect deep changes in your skin. With a Tanda device, you are able to effect areas that lotions and serums struggle to penetrate.

Acne – Blue light, heat and vibration kills bacteria. There are two models, the Zap (portable) and the Clear+; both are used for the targeted treatment of a specific pimple or breakout. The intense blue light has been tested and proven to kill P. acnes bacteria, the primary culprit of acne. However, this treatment will not be effective on cystic acne. If you’re not sure if your acne is cystic or not, the best thing to do is consult a physician before attempting treatment.

Skin Rejuvenation – In order to “boost overall cellular energy” the Tanda Luxe emits specific wavelengths of red light. This helps to increase collagen and elastin production. It also increases microcirculation. The main advantage to the Tanda Luxe is that it directly targets the underlying issues instead of focusing on the surface. There are several recommended products

Teeth Whitening – Of all the Tanda Products, the Tanda Pearl Kit excites me the most. As someone with sensitive teeth, I’m always a little nervous to get them whitened. The pearl uses a special whitening gel that actively reduces colouration in your teeth. It also leaves reduces tartar build up and freshens your breath!

Hair Removal – The Tanda Me Kit uses patented elōs technology (a combination of Intense Pulse light and Radio frequency energy) to target hair follicles. Depending on your needs, the treatment schedule can run from 2-3 times to 5-6 treatments with follow ups for maintenance. If you’re looking to have your legs hair-free for bikini season, it’s a great time to give this nifty device a try!

Tanda offers award winning innovative solutions for everyday beauty challenges.  We’re very excited to be carrying their amazing products!

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!