-
Bath Time, A Chance to Relax
I absolutely love taking baths. I get a chance to relax and read a good book or listen to some relaxing music. I don’t get the opportunity to take very many baths because of the many excuses I have, but I would really love to make more time for me and a bath. When I do get a chance to soak I like to make the most out of it. I like to incorporate soothing ingredients for my skin and aromatherapy for my mind. We have a dimmer light in…
-
Beauty Sleep
When I was a little girl I hated bed time. I thought if I was sleeping I was going to miss out on all the fun stuff. As I transitioned into my teenage years this relationship with sleep continued; I was a “night owl” never going to bed before midnight. I didn’t realize the value of beauty sleep. I am now an adult (even if I don’t act like one) and I have a much healthier relationship with sleep. Sometimes I get excited just thinking about getting into bed, snuggling…
-
Coffee
Ahhh … coffee. The world runs on coffee. We drink it (sometimes too much), but can we put it on our skin? And if we do, what will happen? I always want to know if there have been any formal studies on skin care ingredients. I search these studies out and then try to determine if they have any meaning. Topical application of coffee extract has been studied, not a lot, but what has been done shows promise. Where Does Coffee Come From? The extract comes from coffee berries which…
-
Retinoids
I think we may have found the fountain of youth, at least as far as our skin’s appearance goes. The vitamin A family, or retinoids, just may become your best friend like it is mine. It goes by many names including retinal, retinol, retinaldyhyde, retinyl palmitate, and retinoic acid. Our body has the ability to turn any of these forms into the others but retinoic acid is the active form and the one proven to fight lines and wrinkles and stimulate collagen. Retinoids have been studied and used for greater…
-
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid (also known as hyaluronan or hyaluronate) is a large sugar molecule that is found naturally in our bodies. It is a key component of connective tissue and provides cushioning and lubrication for our joints and eyes. The largest quantities are found in our skin. It has an incredible ability to retain moisture and can bind over 1,000 times its weight in water! As we age our bodies slowly produce less and less hyaluronic acid which translates to dehydrated, dull, lackluster skin. I want youthful bouncy skin. So, can I…
-
Green Tea
One of my favorite things to do every day is drink green tea. I love it, especially with jasmine. I’ve been drinking it for years and I don’t think I could go a day without it. I wanted to know more about it: it’s origins, its benefits, and most importantly, can I put it on my face? Green tea is a popular beverage especially in Asian countries, although for one reason or another, it’s not as popular as black tea. Green tea, black tea, and oolong tea all come from…
-
Vitamin C
You’ve probably heard of Vitamin C. It’s a vitamin that we have been told will improve our immune system and help us feel better when we get a cold. It’s also an antioxidant. When applied topically it can help heal acne, increase the barrier function of skin, regulate synthesis of collagen, protect from UV radiation, and prevent age spots. All of this means healthier, firmer, younger looking skin. Who doesn’t want that?! Finding the right Vitamin C is a challenge. This is a finicky vitamin and it does not like…
-
Ultraviolet
Ageing is inevitable but we can do something every day to help keep our skin looking and feeling youthful. The number one cause of early skin ageing and skin cancer is the ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun. It breaks down our skin’s connective tissues, damages DNA and contributes to wrinkles and sagging. There are two types of UV light that we think about with regards to our skin, UVA and UVB. UVA rays cause the ageing effects (wrinkles and sagging) we see in our skin and can damage the…
-
Sun Worship
What is the number one thing you can do avoid premature ageing? Wear sunscreen!! You have probably heard it a million times but a million and one can’t hurt! We must accept that ageing is unavoidable due to intrinsic factors, internal ageing that is biologically occurring naturally throughout one’s lifetime, but we are not powerless to slow the ravages of time. The greatest cause of the visible signs of ageing is environmental or extrinsic ageing, ageing based on the external environment, and it is avoidable!! Intrinsic ageing is thought to…
-
Dirty Dirty!
If you want to keep your skin looking healthy and fresh the most important thing you can do is to keep it clean. Our skin is exposed to make-up, dirt, sweat, excess oil, and pollutants throughout the day. These things can contribute to breakouts, redness and irritation. They can also accentuate fine lines and wrinkles and make us look and feel older than we are. How often should you wash your face? Well that is up for debate but the best answer I could find is to at…