Posts Tagged ‘sun damage’

Skin Care Secrets

Dry, Itchy, Flaky, Red Skin? Must be Winter.  Whether it’s the Cold or the Wind or the never ending Wet – by the time we get to February, my skin is in desperate need of a little TLC. Fortunately, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to prevent winter damage, and there are several fantastic products to help repair your skin too!

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!

If you’re aiming to prevent the damage, the first good step is to moisturize, moisturize and moisturize! Ironically, washing your hands is one of the quickest ways to dry them out. Try finishing your hand washing routine with your favourite moisturizer.

We like Eminence Vanilla Mint Hand Cream (2oz).  For a fantastic all over body lotion, give Pangea Organics Body Lotion (8.5 fl oz) a try.  Chockfull of organic goodness, it leaves your skin feeling smooth and protected.

If your skin is extremely weather-damaged skin, our estheticians recommend GM Collin Bio Organique Treating Serum: Serum Traitant (30ml).  As the cold can cause all kinds of damage on the skin, they also recommend a visit to your local esthetician who can properly assess the damage.

Men, especially those working outside, experience winter damage and flaking on their hands.  Our team recommends Jack Black Intense Therapy Hand Cream with Vitamins A & E (88 ml). Jack Black tested this hand cream with golfers, carpenters, and chefs. It heals dry, chapped, cracked skin and works to repair tough, calloused skin and cuticles.

Don’t Stop Sunscreen-ing

Even on the greyest of days, sunscreen can make a HUGE difference to the health of your skin. UVA and UVB rays can still cause damage, especially if there’s light reflecting off clouds, snow, or buildings.

When choosing a sunscreen, even in winter, it needs to be at least 15 SPF in order to protect from UVB rays. It’s also important to make sure the product you choose protects from both UVB and UVA rays. If you have fairer skin, or tend to burn easily, choose a sunscreen with a higher SPF.

Try one of our favourite sunscreens:

Laboratoire Dr Renaud Moisturizing Anti-Wrinkle Suncare SPF 15 – Soin hydratant anti-rides FPS 15 (50 ml) Oil Free, this sunscreen is sweat resistant AND protects against sun damage, pre-mature aging, and other photo-induced aging issues.

Eminence Tropical Vanilla Body SPF 32 (5oz) Filled with organic ingredients, this sunscreen is safe for the entire family to use. A combination sunscreen, it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Plus, the hydrating shea butter and lovely vanilla scent are utterly indulgent.

Obagi C System SunGuard SPF 30 (90 ml) This ultra sheer sunscreen is fantastic to layer with the rest of your routine. It protects against both UVA and UVB rays and has the added anti-oxidant benefits of Vitamin C.

Create Kissable Lips

Finally, it’s really important (Especially with Valentine’s Day right around the corner) to keep your lips kissable! Lips are particularity vulnerable to chapping. It’s important to exfoliate and protect your lips to minimize weather damage.  My lips have a tendency to chap and split after about 2 minutes outside.  I’ve grilled our estheticians for the best ways to repair and prevent winter lip damage.

Start with Jane Iredale Sugar & Butter Lip Scrub & Plumper (3 g). This scrub has an exfoliant on one end and a plumper on the other. It’s a great double duty product for a woman on the go. We love pairing it with Jane Iredale Lip Drink SPF 15 (5.2g). A fantastic colourless lip balm, its lemon scent is great for her or him (and perfect for your purse)!

Now, the gentleman in my life, (nameless for his own protection), is horrible at taking care of his lips. Preferring to be chapped over a lip balm as he finds too “Girly”. However, the guys on our staff have all been raving about Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm with Natural Mint & Shea Butter (7 g).  So, I insisted he try it. Sure enough, it soothed and relieved his irritated lips in no time. With it’s masculine packaging, this is a balm he’ll actually use!

Don’t let the fierce elements damage your skin. Take the proper precautions, moisturize, keep using sunscreen, and make sure your lips are protected. Our esthetics team often gets asked how to heal and repair winter damage. As always, the answer is simple, it’s much easier to prevent damage than to repair it.

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!

Discover… Pangea Organics

Spa Boutique is excited to announce the newest addition to our growing organic family, Pangea Organics!  A natural line that believes beauty should be organic, cruelty-free and nutrient dense. Concentrated formulas eliminate filler so  your skin feels only the best botanicals, oils, and nutrients nature has to offer.

With so many award-wining products, it’s hard to know where to start! We recommend checking out the Italian Red Mandarin with Rose Lip Balm. The light rose and citrus scent is a perfect way to gear up for Valentine’s Day! This 2008 Natural Solutions Beauty With A Conscience winner, and Real Simple Magazine Pick is packed with essential oils. This Lip Balm protects and soothes while providing a deep level of hydration. Also available in Pyrenees Lavender with Cardamom and Egyptian Fennel with Grapefruit & Sweet Orange!

The Canadian Pine with White Sage Hand Soap is a fantastic way to begin introducing Pangea Organics into your home. Winner of The Healing Life Styles and Spas Earth Day Award, talk about a soap that is not only antiseptic but hydrating and refreshing too! Available as a Bar Soap or Body Wash, the pine scent leaves your sink or shower naturally fresh. 

Discover Pangea Discovery Kits! With a wide range of skin options, from combination, dry or blemish prone, there’s a start set for everyone.  Each 6 piece Pangea Organics Discovery Kit includes a Facial Cleanser, Facial Toner, Facial Cream, Facial Scrub, Facial Mask and Eye cream in a convenient sample size.  Each product comes in a different scent- a great way to get to know their entire line!

Oily skin? Try the Oily to Blemish-Prone Discovery Kit; hydrating without adding surface oil. The weightless hydration and sebum-control calms surface inflammation. As part of your morning, this kit provides a fantastic foundation for make-up!

Looking to renew dry, damaged skin?  The Normal to Dry Discovery Kit uses nutrients and botanicals to provide superior hydration as well as work some anti-aging magic!

Combination Skin? We’ve got you covered! The Normal to Combination Discovery Kit offers the best of both worlds. With nature’s best anti-aging, purifying and soothing ingredients, this kit replenishes dull, dehydrated or sun damaged skin.

Great news! Pangea Organics are considered safe for pregnancy (even the scented ones!) due to the concentration levels of their essential oils.  Pangea Organics produces their products with as many Vegan ingredients as possible. The products selected for Spa Boutique are Gluten-Free. All Pangea Organics products are cruelty free and have a shelf-life of up to 12 months once opened.

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 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!

 

 

 

What’s in your travel bag? Essential Travel Products

With all of the vacationing going on right now I wanted to showcase some of our best products for your travel bag!

Skincare: Let’s face it, when we travel we usually don’t spend the same amount of time on our skincare as we do when we are at home in a routine.  If we bring all of our full-sized products we probably won’t use them and they will just take up extra valuable suitcase space.  I like to keep it simple with the appropriate products – most importantly hydration and sun protection.  I also like to bring an after sun repair product like a hydrating gel mask or some type of healing, hydrating cream for when you’ve been over-exposed.

Excellent Travel Skincare Options:

 

                    

The GM Collin Travel Kits (assorted skin types) come with 3 travel-sized products

The Jurlique Natural Beauty Care Introductory Sets (assorted skin types) come with 4 travel-sized products

   

Jurlique Arnica Cream heals and restores skin that’s been damaged by the elements. It hydrates, cools, and calms the skin.

The Eminence Organics VitaSkin Calm Skin Arnica Masque heals, calms, and soothes the skin.  Keep it in the refrigerator for the ultimate cooling, soothing treatment.

   

GM Collin Sun High Protection Cream SPF30 is a great broad spectrum mineral sunscreen for the body.

Jurlique Sun Lotion SPF30+ is a beautiful, light, broad spectrum sunscreen with antioxidant protection.

Eminence Organics Sun Defense Minerals SPF30 provide you with a pure mineral dry sunscreen that doesn’t get absorbed into the skin. It’s great for travel because it comes with a built-in brush!

 

Onesta Nourishing Bath Gel is natural and deeply hydrating with green tea, shea butter, and ginseng.  It comes in a perfect for travel 2oz bottle!

Onesta Lavender Hand & Body Lotion will calm, sooth, and hydrate skin with natural extracts of avocado, carrot, linden tree, and lavender essential oil.

Hair Care: Hair care can definitely be heavy so it’s all about travel-sizes! Your hair is most likely going to be a bit more dry and damaged from sun, ocean, and pool exposure so choose hydrating, repairing hair products.

Our favorite travel hair care products:

    

Macadamia (sulphate-free) Shampoo, Conditioner, and healing oil treatment in travel sizes.  Infused with macadamia nut and argan oil, these products are terrific for hydrating and protecting your hair.

Lakme Teknia Sun Care Daily Protection Spray protects and treats your hair from UV exposure, sea salt, and chlorine.

Nail Care: You’ve probably had your manicure and pedicure in preparation for your travel so the only thing you really need to worry about is maintaining and protecting.  I recommend bringing along a top coat and re-applying it every couple of days to really keep your color sealed in.  I’m not going to recommend that you bring your foot cream because I already know it’s one of those things that just won’t get used!

Great top coat:

The Seche Vite Top Coat also comes in a mini size.

I guess the only thing left is a case to put everything into!

Mica Beauty Cases

Bon Voyage!

 

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!