masks

Masks!

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Masks. I think this is probably the skin care product that people love to do the most. It’s something fun to do on a girl’s night or even when we just want to have a glass of wine and unwind. At the same time, we put a lot of expectations into a mask. We want them to smooth out our wrinkles and clear up our acne. I wish they could do those things! What they should NOT do is make our skin look and feel dehydrated or make us breakout. What they can do is improve the skin and be a great addition to your regular skin care routine.

Here are some tips to get the most out of your mask, whatever you decide to use.

  • Make sure your skin is clean and makeup free. Don’t forget toner.
  • You can still apply your serums under a creamy mask. The mask will actually push and lock the serums into the skin. It’s a great addition!
  • Be relaxed. Your skin will benefit the most when you are relaxing. So yes, you can do laundry or cook dinner or whatever while wearing a mask but if you can, try to sit and do nothing. Read a book, watch tv, catch up with a friend, etc.
  • Sheet masks can usually be used twice, at least the ones I use and recommend.
  • Once a week is enough for masks.

So let’s talk about the masks that I love…

LM Hyaluronic Shea Mask– Oh my gosh, this is such a great mask! It’s silky and creamy and you can immediately feel your skin drinking in the hydration. And what is so great about this one is that you can use it all over. I use it on my clients hands for a hand treatment during a facial. Deep conditioning cream mask binds moisture to prevent water loss, dryness, and roughness while improving elasticity. Nourishing and rejuvenating blend of soothing oils, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter provides intensive, long-lasting hydration for dry, damaged, or mature skin.

Great for the face, neck, chest, hands and feet!

LM Icy Revitalizing Mask– This is a clay mask but not your typical clay mask that makes your skin feel tight and dry when you remove it. You can also add a little of this O2 Calming Gel to the mask to make it feel even better on the skin. Refreshing, stimulating clay mask features 3 exotic clays and 8 botanical extracts to unclog pores and rebalance oily skin. Soothes irritation, inflammation, and redness, leaving skin moisturized and velvety soft. Ideal for acne-prone or sensitive skin.

Travel Size

 

LM Moisture Infusion Mask– If you’re feeling dry, this is the mask for you. If you want a pick-me-up, this is the mask for you. This serum-infused mask soothes and hydrates dry, sensitive, and stressed skin, brightens dull complexions, and minimizes the appearance of expression lines. Features 3 anti-aging peptides, the most stable form of Vitamin C (MAP ), 7 botanical extracts, and marine collagen to promote collagen synthesis for smooth, radiant skin. Ideal after microdermabrasion procedures. Contains 4 masks and each one can usually be used at least twice!

LM Bio-Cell Mask– When I was first introduced to this mask, I was told that it’s great for fine lines and wrinkles and will make you look younger. The cynic that I am didn’t believe it so I had to experiment for myself. I used it 3 different people and only put it on half the face and couldn’t believe the results. It really did soften the imperfections that come with aging! I love this mask for a date night or any special night. But of course you can also use it just for you! Serum-saturated, marine collagen mask incorporates peptide technology in an advanced microencapsulation delivery system for unparalleled results. Features 2 potent peptides, freeze-dried marine collagen, powerful antioxidants, Vitamin C (MAP), and 8 botanical extracts to hydrate, brighten, and improve the appearance of sagging facial contours.
Contains 4 masks and each one can usually be used at least twice!

LM TGF Eye Firming Mask– Sometimes our eyes just need a lift and these eye masks will do that for you. This cooling eye mask dramatically minimizes the appearance of expression lines, dark circles, and puffiness around the eyes. Features 3 potent peptides, red and green algae extracts, and hyaluronic acid in a sophisticated micro-delivery system to smooth, brighten, and firm the eye areas while stimulating collagen synthesis. And guess what? You can use these around your mouth too!
Contains 4 eye masks.

Start Shopping!

www.PureSkinOC.com

Do You Have Dry, Winter Skin

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I’m getting so many questions about how to fight dry, winter skin. I even got a call from my sister the other night and she lives in Utah. It just seems to be super dry this season so I wanted to give you all some suggestions to help your skin.

Exfoliate– Sometimes when our skin is dry or even sensitive (which is often caused by dryness), we skip exfoliation. This is important because it helps slough off the dead skin and allows your products to penetrate deeper and more efficiently therefore properly hydrating the skin. I gave myself a chemical peel on Monday night and unfortunately the next day it was windy and very dry. That meant my skin was very dry and it even got flaky. So last night I took my sponge and gently exfoliated. My skin feels and looks so much better today.

Konjac Sponge for dry skin. Click on picture to see all sponges.

 

Moisturizer– While I don’t think this is a life changing product, it is important and which one we choose does matter. As the seasons change, sometimes we have to change our moisturizer. We often need something a little heavier in the winter to really protect our skin. I have a couple of favorites and I will post them on my blog. The one I use now feels amazing on my skin and gives me a glow even when I’m feeling dry. I’m a little obsessed with it and love putting it on everyday. The other thing to know about moisturizers is that you can’t rely on them to hydrate your skin. Serums will do that or even the grapeseed oil I recommend.

My current obsession!

Grapeseed Oil– Use it every night. And if you want, you can also use it during the day as long as you are wearing sunscreen. Just apply a very small amount after serums and before moisturizer.

You might also have to change up your skin care routine. What you use and how often you use each product. Skin has different needs in the summer than it does in the winter. Adding a different serum can make a difference too. One that is just for making the skin feel better.

 

Chapped Lips– While licking your lips may feel good, it is only a temporary solution and may actually make them more chapped. The more you lick, the drier they get because the saliva attracts moisture from deep within the skin and then evaporates into dry air. Another thing to consider is that saliva has digestive enzymes and those can breakdown the skin. Use a lip balm because lip balm heals and chapstick protects.

Chapped Hands– If you find your hands are constantly in water then wear gloves. If you live in an environment that warrants wearing real gloves, wear them as often as possible. This will save your hands from the weather. You can also exfoliate your hands. Like your face, dead skin builds up and doesn’t allow product to penetrate. A nice hand treatment would be a hydrating mask  and then apply some grapeseed oil on it and put on gloves or socks. Whatever works that is cotton. This is will force the oil deeper into your skin. You can do this overnight if you want. In fact, you can use the hydrating mask with gloves or socks and keep that on overnight. Both will work great and will also work for the feet!

Great for exfoliating the hands and feet!
Great for the face, neck, chest, hands and feet!

Humidifier– Perfect to leave on at night so your skin stays hydrated. Even more needed if you have a heater on at night. When there is no moisture, the air will take it from within your skin, dehydrating you more. Bonus- this creates less static electricity!

I’ve mentioned this before but it bears repeating. When you apply your products, you should be applying them to damp skin (not dripping wet). Right after your toner, apply your serums and follow up with your moisturizer and sunscreen. When your skin is damp, it allows your moisturizer to lock in that hydration. Super important to not feeling dry. Your moisturizer and sunscreen will also go on smoother.

www.PSBLounge.com

Dermatologist for Acne?

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I don’t always post from other blogs but lately I have been hearing so many people talk about their experiences with a Dermatologist for acne. This post was written so well I didn’t think it was necessary to write my own.

Updated 8-31-17  I originally posted this 3 years ago and I still hear the same things from clients. Learning HOW to take care of your skin and using the right products for YOUR skin is what is best. No matter what.

WHY I REGRET GOING TO DERMATOLOGISTS FOR ACNE

It seemed so obvious at the time. My whole family is oily and acne prone. My siblings were both on Accutane. Dermatologists are seen as the first stop for acne problems. It was covered by insurance. After the Proactiv failure, it seemed like the next logical step.

What actually happened was a series of disappointing appointments. In each five to ten minute session, after hours in the waiting room, I was asked what skin care I was using (Blackhead Eliminating Scrub, nothing else), given a few expensive prescriptions, and sent to the pharmacist. When I told them I was getting cystic acne, they didn’t believe me because it was never present at the time of the appointments. I was never asked about my diet. I was never asked about my usual sun exposure, just vaguely told that the medications could make me more sun sensitive. I never had a proper skin analysis. I was never told what my skin type was (combination dry, not oily). I wasn’t asked how often I washed my pillowcase (not enough). I wasn’t asked whether I picked (I do).

At this point, I don’t even remember all of the different expensive medications they gave me over the years. I remember Benzoyl Peroxide, Differen, Tazorac, Retin-A, Cetaphil, and some sort of liquid blotter in a bottle. I know there were more. My skin only got worse when using any of them. I saw no decrease in acne and a sharp increase in redness, peeling, and shininess. I was mocked incessantly about how shiny my face was by the other students in elementary school. They were right- my giant forehead (fivehead) reflected like a mirror and was even more prominent than usual, something I was very self conscious about. .

The shine was a combination of raw skin and product buildup. The top layer of my forehead skin had peeled off early on and never seemed to grow back. I kept using the products, constantly hearing, “It has to get worse before it gets better.” Except it never got better. It got worse and worse and worse. My horrible tendency to pick at the flaking skin did not help at all, and I now have plenty of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This wasn’t at all helped by the 30 minutes of sun exposure at prime sun hours during recess every school day and full days on weekends. I was told to “avoid excess sun exposure,” which in my 11 year old brain meant “don’t lay out in the sun” which I didn’t do anyway. They did not make it clear to me that any sun exposure on my glow in the dark complexion was both counterproductive to my acne and would make every inflammation problem I was having far worse. Eventually I stopped using all of the prescriptions and just let them sit in a drawer untouched.

Don’t get me wrong- there are plenty of cases where dermatologists have helped dramatically. There are many that I’m sure do thorough consultations, many who truly help acne and rosacea cases. Accutane was very effective treating the deep cystic acne of my siblings. I have personally told many clients to see a dermatologist for suspicious spots, at least two of which have been diagnosed as skin cancer (basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma). Dermatologists help with diseases and cancer. They are indispensable.

However, as a nurse practitioner puts it, “Their product toolboxes are too small.” Beautification of skin is the entirety of what an Esthetician does. Appointments are generally an hour or more. A good Esthetician will ask in depth questions about a client’s routines, lifestyle, history and issues. Skin care routines will be recommended, adjusted, perfected. Treatments are done not only to beautify the skin but to calm the mind and body. The stress cycle will be explained and discussed. Exfoliation, extractions, and hydrating masks can be done to speed up the improvement of a new skin care routine.

Lauri Shea, LE

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Beware of DIY Treatments

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I have blogged about DIY masks and scrubs and warned about the damage they can do to the skin. Now, my amazing skin care line, Skin Script, has written something about it too. I love that they support Estheticians as much as they do! There really is a difference in what you can do at home vs what we can do in the treatment room. Although I do recommend home masks and scrubs from time to time, they in now way replace a good facial or a professional product.

Here is what Skin Script had to say…

The DIY (do-it-yourself) craze has taken the internet by storm, thanks to popular blogs and websites such as Pinterest. With many at homemade concoctions for everything from nail polish remover to peel-away face masks, we decided to compare these at home treatments to professional treatments:

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1) Quality Ingredients: DIY home recipes call for easily accessible ingredients that can be found around your home or at a grocery store. For example, fruit acids (such those found in lemons) can actually burn your skin if used incorrectly. Table sugar, salt and even oatmeal can scratch the skin due to sharp edges, causing skin irritation and redness. Professional ingredients are pH balanced and modified so your skin cells will accept the ingredients. Skin Script products are “chirally correct” meaning they are accepted by the skin without irritation and will penetrate further than a DIY avocado/mayonnaise mask would.

2) Tools: Extractions with straight pins, “steaming” your face with a pot of boiling water, or using kitty litter as an at-home microdermabrasion treatment (yikes!) can cause serious harm to your skin. Your Esthetician is trained to use tools (such as extractors, steamers and modalities) in a safe, sanitary and effective way.

3) Experience: Attempting to correct skin issues such as acne, pigmentation, rosacea or wrinkles with at home “kitchen ingredients” is not as effective as the combination of an appropriate homecare regimen and regular treatments with a licensed Esthetician. Your Esthetician is trained to properly recommend treatments and homecare to help you achieve your skin care goals.

www.PSBLounge.com

Product Review- Hyaluronic Shea Mask

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We love masks, right? It makes us feel like we are takin care of our skin and doing something healthy and nourishing. Whether it’s winter or summer, this is a great hydrating mask. It feels so luxurious on the skin. Sometimes I even put it on my elbows, hands and feet to soften and hydrate those areas too.

hyaluronic-shea-mask

Deep conditioning cream mask binds moisture to prevent water loss, dryness, and roughness while improving elasticity. Nourishing and rejuvenating blend of soothing oils, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter provides intensive, long-lasting hydration for dry, damaged, or mature skin.

Please enjoy 10% off Hyaluronic Shea Mask starting today January, 31st until Monday, February 6th.

Shop Now! www.PSBLounge.com