5 Things NOT To Do To Your Skin this Summer.

5 of the worst things you can do to your skin during Summer.

1. Aggressive Facials

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By aggressive I mean any treatments that involve advanced exfoliation techniques, or includes terms such as chemical peels or microdermabrasion.

Also any facial procedures involving invasive techniques – cosmetic surgeries, nips, lifts, tucks – anything that pierces the face, should also be put off until the fall or winter, unless you would be recuperating in some retreat, indoors and far, far away from the hustle of life in the fast lane where the rest of us will be. If you would be at such a retreat, gwaan on along with your treatment and please do us all a favour and, like a good friend, not mention how ‘ super awesome’ it was.

Exposure to UV rays already increases skin’s sensitivity. No need to make this sensitivity worse by dousing your face in glycolic acid. This combination can result in your worse nightmare, including, but not limited to blisters, darkening of skin areas and disfigurement.

2. Skipping moisturizer

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Typically most skin types are more oily during the summer months. Those of us with naturally oily/ acne prone skin tend to forgo moisturizer altogether, thinking that this excess oil means that the skin moisturizes itself on it’s own. Increased oil production is usually a sign of dehydration, therefore it is important to replenish water levels in skin by increasing the amount of water you drink yes, but it’s said that only something like 10% of the water we drink actually make it to the skin. This is not something that you can quote me on, but considering that most of us barely pass the 2-glass mark daily for water, anything less than 115% absorption of this water we drink is cause for concern.

Therefore, applying a water-based, oil free moisturizer can help replenish the water levels in the skin. These types of moisturizers usually are labeled as such, may be referred to as a ‘gel’ or ‘fluid’ moisturizer and usually list ‘Water’ as the first ingredient.

Stay clear of anything that is labeled a ‘cream’, passes the ‘Dairy Queen’ test (you can turn the opened jar upside down and the contents not fall out), or contains mineral oil (or any such oil) in it’s ingredient listing.

3. Showering less

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“So many fun things to do, so little time!”

No papi. Not so fast.

It’s summer. It’s warm, and it’s humid. Bacteria are in love. They breed, and they multiply, which inevitably results in an odour. YOUR odour, aka B.O.

Hygiene in general needs to be thrown into high gear, and on autopilot. Automatic. Noone wants to out more fires than necessary at the BBQ lime.

Let’s remember the Summer watchwords – Shower & Shave.

4. Not exfoliating

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Closely related to #3, exfoliation of the body helps to remove excess oil buildup that may occur during the day. It helps skin to breathe, look instantly refreshed and ‘glow’, as manually exfoliating the body increases blood circulation.

You can cop one of those kazillion commercial body scrubs on the market and and get it on in the shower. However, I find most of them oily, and hardly worth their cost as most contain very little exfoliating ingredients.

Alternatives?

Dry brush your skin using a dry body brush before you shower, brushing in strokes that lead toward your heart (the direction in which your blood flows). I’ve read that dry brushing, among many other benefits such as shedding dead skin cells, rejuvenating the nervous system and assisting in lymphatic cleansing to name a few, also assists with decreasing the appearance of cellulite… could be as good a reason as any to try it I’d say. Hey, I’ve done more for the promise of far less.

I find dry brushing more effective than brushing your skin in the shower (wet brushing I presume, though this term makes me feel like I need handcuffs), as  the bristles of the brushes, shown to the left, get softer in the shower.

I prefer my massage-pressure firm though, so if you are more of a light-pressure person, perhaps an in-shower brush-exfoliation may work. I do this twice a day – morning and evening.

For good measure, once a week I also do a body scrub, using a combination of cornmeal, honey and, for some slip, a bit of whatever body wash I’m using at the time.  Sometimes I just use ground coffee beans and body wash. Whatever is convenient. For more on body exfoliation see Smooth Criminal.

5. Not using sunscreen

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To my melanin-challenged folks, we aren’t all skin-kissed, bronze goddesses, I get that. But that is no reason to opt to play Cancer Roulette. Besides, sun-burns aren’t sexy, no matter what reality TV says. If wanting a tan is your reason to ride the sun-wave buck nekked, get a sun-less tan. There are tons on the market. I’m familiar with the brand Fake Bake – it’s fairly easy to use, it’s sold where I work, doesn’t leave you looking like like you belong on the Jersey Shore cast, and so this particular brand comes to mind, but there are many other brands. Try that route.

For those of us who are doing backstrokes in the melanin pond, don’t believe the hype that “Black Don’t Crack”. Not only can it crack, it can get mad spotty and unslightly – dark spots, light spots, uneven skin tone – you name it. Skin damage is not known to discriminate.

Be responsible with your skin, and, for wrinkles sake, use sunscreen.

Party on!

b FiercelyFabulous

image credit

Spring Clean Your Sunscreen.

To be brutally honest, yes, I am aware that this post maybe a tad late – about a month or two. If I knew exactly how late it was, I probably would have uploaded it on time. BUT, to my defense, I was actually waiting for Spring to arrive; A concept that worked a lot better penned in my journal than executed. I was sitting idly by, all freezing, awaiting Spring. Seeing that I am now sitting, idly by, all …misty… , with umm… *mist* beading down my calves, awaiting Spring, I figured that, perhaps, it would be a good idea to discuss it now.

People watch me funny when I say that it’s hot outside. I can only imagine that is because, of course, being a child of the Caribbean, I should be accustomed to the sun. But, dare I say, there is a difference between the Caribbean sun and the sun a country where the mere presence of it indicates a change of season.

For starters, there is no sea breeze. There is no sight of beachy paradise, and there is, on average, 14+ hours of it, everyday. My grandmother used to tell me that “Too much of a good thing is good for nothing”, and I do believe that that phrase can be applied here.

I will preface this by saying that that, I am in no way complaining about Summer. I love Summer in TO, at least the concept of it. My Prince gets a [welcomed, no doubt] break from the Velvet Hammer, and gets an all-expenses-paid vacay with his dad and grandparents, who he, quite politically, loves equally. “No favourites” he maintains. With any luck, I too will posses said tact one day.

There’s lots for a girl to love about summer in TO too. She gets to eat on patios with people whom she’s never met, and probably will never see again in life, so any fear of being judged because of any preferences regarding, eating with fingers, enjoying the taste of well-seasoned bones, or that fact that she may find people-watching, for hours on end while sipping herbal tea, entertaining. She can eat, or be otherwise entertained for free, go out on weekends, [or week-nights] and not have to be back before 6pm. Hell, she doesn’t have to be back, period. Why? Because apparently these are just some of the many options available to single folk. Or so I’ve heard. How novel.

So ya. Summer does have it’s perks.

But, right now it is rass hot, Period. When the weather man said this morning “a high of 32, but feels like 42″ he wasn’t lyin’. Then, you blink and it is too rass cold for that strapless-frock-and-thong-sandal that you decided to don because it is actually above zero today.  HOLLA! Made sense, at the time sure. I mean, 32 degrees? How often does that happen? Just the thought transports one into a state of orgasmic euphoria. Must be, because some of the things that I see Grown people wear because it’s ‘Summer’ blows my mind. Three words when considering your kit:

1. Size
   
2. Disposition
   
3. Age

The phrase “You’re as young as you feel” is misleading, don’t believe the hype. Please dress responsibly. Just because you feel like a 10 year old girl doesn’t mean you should dress like it, regardless of your gender or sexual orientation.  There’s enough fodder in that thought for another post - probably why I can sit on a patio all afternoon and “sip herbal tea”.

But back to the sunscreen. In all of our spring cleaning efforts – too warm or too small clothing, too dark or too long hair, too much extra weight, too flabby muscle, too much idiot or stupid people, do remember to renew your sunscreen.

If you purchased the sunscreen that you are currently using this time last year, REPLACE IT.

Chemical sunscreens, sunscreens that list active ingredients such as Homosalate, Oxybenzene, Octisalate, Avobenzene, Octocrylene or anything of the sort, are considered drugs, and as such, have an expiry date – usually 12-18 months after opening.

Indeed, exposing such products to summer heat, for example when stashed in beach bags, or in cars, can cause a chemical breakdown of the product, which may result in a shortening of its shelf life; In other words, the product spoils faster. Applying expired sunscreen to your skin can result in anything from increased skin sensitivity/ breakouts to sun burn.

For further explanation on the difference between a physical and a chemical sunscreen, see previous post, Sun and Skin type.

It is said that ‘one shot glass’ (1 oz.) of sunscreen is needed for a full body application. However, well, my body and your body doesn’t necessarily equate to the same ‘body’, so If you think that your body is a “little bigger than average”, then apply a little more. If you think your body is “more bigger”, well then apply more still. That’s all.

Regarding the face, a quarter sized amount of sunscreen should suffice. And yes, your foundation or loose powder may contain sunscreen, great for you. However, it’s not nearly enough in terms of real time protection from UV rays, especially during summer, so… gets to squirting.

Think sunscreen isn’t for you? See some common myths regarding sunscreen are discussed in the post Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap.

b Freakin’Fabulous

Photo: Africa / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Body Concious | Rocking Ruffles

S2011| Emilio Pucci

Ruffles, much like the graphic prints of the season, add detail to a garment, but more than that, they also add volume.

They are dramatic, and bring attention to the area. With this in mind you can use ruffles to your advantage, by incorporating them in areas that you may find, well, lacking.

The size of the ruffles that you don should coincide with how much drama you wish to attract to that specific area.

How to Make Ruffles Work for You

Generally speaking, the placement of the ruffles will depend on your body shape – Pear, Inverted Triangle, Apple, Hourglass or Athletic – As ruffles, along with other embellishment trends like as feathers for example, work at attracting attention to an area, which, as a result, then removes the focus from other areas that you’d prefer not to play up as much.

The basic rules that apply when working the ruffles, feathers or embellishment trends on the above body shapes are as follows:

1. PEAR

Shoulders, chest and waist proportionally smaller than hips and thighs.

S2011 | Valentino

Focus ruffles in your top half, and keep lower half simple.

Ruffles located along interesting necklines like boat, and cold shoulder styles, draw attention away from lower half.

2. INVERTED TRIANGLE

Proportionately larger top half. Wider shoulders, little or no hips, slim legs

S2011 | Giorgio Armani

Balance broad shoulders with ruffled volume on lower half. Create the illusion of a waist by adding a belt.

3. APPLE

Proportionately larger waistline. Smaller shoulders, chest and hips. Slim legs.

S2011 | Alberta Ferretti

Whereas adding a belt a tied waistband will draw attention and add weight to the midsection,  ruched fabric in the the midsection area works at both camouflaging and minimizing waist.

Intricate necklines, and asymmetrical hems will also help divert attention away from midsection

Horizontal ruffles placed off center gives the illusion of an elongated torso. Alternatively, ruffle detail may be placed along V-neckline and/ or along hemline (either at knee or floor grazing, not in-between).

4. HOURGLASS

Proportionately smaller waist, chest and hips are wider and somewhat balance each other.

S2011 | Prada

This body shape naturally has volume in the desired places. Add ruffles in areas that do not put the flow in imbalance, like at the hem of a knee length pencil skirt ala Prada.

5. ATHLETIC

No areas are particularly wider, or narrower than the rest. Negligible difference between chest, waist and hip measurements.

S2011 | Jill Sanders

A blank canvas – add ruffles wherever there is desire to add more volume

• Up top to enhance cleavage
• Around waist to make a statement or
• Around hips to add curves.

ADDITIONAL TIPS

1. A smart way to wear ruffles is to wear small ones horizontally on a sheath dress silhouette – considered to be  universally flattering. This way, like stripes, the ruffles elongate rather than widen.
2. Ruffles, like feathers or jeweled embellishments, are noisy beings.  So that you do not start answering yourself, at least not in public, keep accessories minimal and  makeup natural.

b Freakin’Fabulous

Foot Fetish | 10 Steps to a Spa Pedicure

The Beyotch of all Pedicures.

The Spa Pedicure is one of the ultimate luxuries to pamper your digits. At a reputable nail salon, i.e one that takes the necessary precautions against the spread of diseases/ infections in a nail salon, this indulgence can run anywhere upwards of $75 a service, with a Spa Mani/ Pedi combo running at least an easy minimum $100.

In a bid to differentiate themselves from a fellow competitor, it is not uncommon for nail salons to present creative names for these services.

“The Ultimate Pedicure”

“The Signature Pedicure”

“Hot Lava Pedicure”

As a nail salon owner, the point here is to differentiate yourself. Get creative.

These types of pedicures are primarily found in middle to high end salons because of the sheer time it takes to get all of the goodies done - anywhere between 50 – 120 minutes. Usually, the longer the time taken, the more expensive the service.

So what is a Spa Pedicure anyways?

Typically, what differentiates a Spa pedicure from a Classic pedicure is pampering time. Therefore, Spa pedicures will probably include a scrub, a (perhaps extended) foot massage, as well as extra care to smoothing hardened soles of the feet. Uber high-end salons may also include a foot mask, paraffin treatments etc. These are inexpensive add-ons for the Spa, so the charge  largely comes for the use of the  therapist’s time. Additionally, there is also an additional cost for callus removal in a pedicure . Why? because any of these above processes can add up to 15 minutes each.

It is important to remember that Spa services , as opposed to other beauty services like Hair  services for example, are charged per minute rather than per service. Arrive late for your Spa service and you have only the remaining time in your reserved slot to get your service done, if they will grant you the the service at all, never mind, *swipe*, your credit card will be charged either way.

Why?

If the colouring service on your new hair colour/ cut/ style ‘do takes longer than anticipated, the stylist cannot exactly leave you mid service and tell you hard luck can s/he? Not so much. This is why there is normally a cancellation policy (usually 24-48 hours) for spa services. Time is money baby!

Can you achieve a similar service at home?

With the knowledge,  an hour, some patience, and the right tools, you sure can!

Here are 10 steps to an at-home Spa Pedicure, complete with tips to getting it right, polish optional.

Remember, practice makes you better.

YOU WILL NEED:

- Pedicure bowl with lukewarm water (warmer if you can tolerate it)
- Small to medium sized bowl with clean, lukewarm water (warmer if you can tolerate it)
- Orange stick and/ or nail pusher
- Nail Clipper,  made especially for clipping toes
- Nail File (180 grit)
- Foot soak/ Pedicure soak/ Mineral Salts/ Epson salts etc. (your choice)
- Hydrating Foot lotion
- Cuticle Oil
- Nail Buffer (white)
- Foot File
– 2 Hand Towels
- Nail polish remover and cotton balls (if necessary)

OPTIONAL ITEMS
- Cuticle nipper
- Foot Mask
- Callus softener
- Intensive Heel balm
- Base Coat, Top Coat, Nail polish

Time Required: 60 – 120 mins

1. Soak Feet

In pedicure bowl, mix foot soak in a generous amount of lukewarm water as per foot soak instructions. Place feet in bowl for up to 10 minutes.

2. Remove any existing polish from nails on both feet. (If necessary.)

3. Cut and File Nails

- Remove right foot from pedicure bath. Cut nails using nail clipper.
Note: cutting nails too short can damage the nail. Avoid cutting nails with too sharp of a  downward curve at the edge / sides of the nail, where the nail meets the side of your finger, as this may result in ingrown/ hangnails. Ouch.

- Using a nail file, file nails so that there are no sharp edges left by nail clipper, so that nail edge is smooth.

4. Clean the edges of the nail plate

- Using orange stick or nail pusher, GENTLY clean bottom of the nail bed, where it connects to the finger.

- GENTLY push back the cuticle using orange stick/ nail pusher.
Dead skin cells of the cuticle collect here, as well as residue from hand lotion, environmental dirt, etc. It is important not to scrape the nail bed in this area too roughly, as grave, possibly permanent, damage may be done to the nail bed.

- OPTIONAL – Cuticles may be clipped at this stage, but it is important to clip ONLY the dead, and not the living, tissue. If you are unsure of what is dead and what is living tissue, skip this stage altogether, as clipping live tissue can result in cuts, bleeding and damage to the cuticle.

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5. Buff nails and clean under free edge

- Using a white nail buffer, GENTLY buff nails (no more than 10 strokes per nail).
Buffing to smooth the nail bed. Overzealous buffing however, will result in thinning and possible damage to the nail plate, which is a common occurrence in professional manicures.  The amount of buffing that ought to be done will depend on the condition of the nail. It is important to  note that, depending on the depth of the ridges of the nail, it may not be possible to smoothen out all ridges, without removing the entire nail bed.

- Using orange stick, clean under free edge (the area at the top of the nail where gook collects when you use your nails to scratch… something) of any residual nail that may have collected here during the filing/ buffing stage.

6. Apply cuticle oil to cuticles

- Critical step to well manicured nails.

7. Apply callus softener and wrap foot

- Optional, if applicable, apply callus softener to any calluses/ hardened areas on soles of feet, and wrap foot in a towel.

Repeat steps 3 – 7 on left foot.

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8. Smooth calluses

- Starting with right foot, remove towel and smooth calluses/ hardened areas on soles of feet  with a back and forth motion using foot file. Repeat on left foot. And please, never use a razor blade.

9. Apply and remove scrub

- Starting with right foot, apply foot scrub for 2-3 minutes. Rinse with clean water from small bowl into the pedicure bowl. Repeat on left foot.

OPTIONAL – Apply foot mask
To right foot, avoiding the tips of the toes, and wrap in a towel. Repeat on left foot and let both feet stand for 5-10 minutes.

Rinse mask from right foot using clean water from bowl. Repeat on left foot.

10. Massage feet

- Massage hydrating foot lotion to right foot, including legs. Pay special attention to heels. Repeat on left foot.

- If necessary, apply heel balm to cracked heels, on right and left foot.

- Apply cuticle oil to cuticles.
*TIP – Cuticle oil is quite possibly any nail technician’s secret weapon as the application will make nails in any condition, look healthier. Guaranteed.

POLISH APPLICATION PREP (OPTIONAL)

For nail polish application, remove any traces of lotion from nails using a cotton ball with nail polish remover. Apply polish in the following order:

- Start with one coat for base coat to all nails.
- Follow with a coat, or two, of nail polish (one coat a time).
- End  with  Top coat application.

Finish with application of cuticle oil to cuticles, as in step above.

It’s easy to have a foot fetish with kissable feet!

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Not quite at this level? You can still have kissable feel with an at-home Classic pedicure. **Coming soon.**

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b Freakin’Fabulous

For more info. on how to protect yourself against infectious diseases in nail salons, click here.

Photo: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

2010 | Fall Favorites

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The 60s

Louis Vuitton

One of my fav things that happened this season, is the re-emergence of clothing designed for the average person, i.e. people with some sort of manner of three dimensional shape, rather than the 2D, if-you-turn-sideways-you-will-disappear ones.

Perhaps this was wildly influenced by Mad Men (wikked show), but whatever it was – Thank you and Amen. Everyone with curves, let me hear you roar for this is hourglass season. Slightly longer hems (below the knees), full circle  and curve-hugging silhouettes run the route. I wasn’t ever really good at history, science was more my thing, but I believe this is decidedly an early 60s trend, (not to be confused with the mod 60s)… could very well be late 50s. Either way….

1. Full skirts

(below-the-knee circle skirts) ala Betty Draper [Mad Men]

2. ‘Granny’ skirts

usually mid-calf, pleated or gathered with a flowing easy hemline, that falls rather than sticks out like those cotton candy skirts, much like Peggy Olsen [Mad Men]

Of course the #1 thing with pulling these two types of skirts off is to have a close fitting blouse. The last thing a curvy girl needs to be be voluminous on the top AND the bottom. You’d be 3D alright, but more cylinder than hourglass.

3. Sheath skirts and dresses.

Definitely Joan Holloway [Mad Men]. The ultimate in sophisticated femininity.

*Snap*

For those of us *cough* who find it difficult to get the sheath dress to fit just quite right, you can always try a wrap dress that looks like a sheath one.

or try a high-waisted pencil skirt. This also works this trend quite nicely.

For the more daring the peg-top skirt (full at the waist with pleats or darts, then it tapers narrowly down to the hem) is a good look. If you have a lot of ‘assets’ this may be a tricky look to pull off, largely because it never fits right. I’d say stick with the pencil.

Accessorize. Accessorize.

A costume is not complete without the fandangles.

If you are going to choose such statement looks, accessorize like you mean it.  This way you don’t look like you’re stuck in a time warp. Can’t carry a 60s vixen look with 90s contemporary trimmings. Come on now.

1. Kitten heels

The anti-FMP.

Was never really a fan but… I guess I understand their purpose. Shoes then were more functional and less glamour, as women actually walked very long distances to and from work with them, hence the lower heels like these Pradas:

My problem is that I walk horridly in them. Go figure. Throw me 6″ stilettos and I’m on easy street. Kitten heels and I will twist my ankle. Automatic. For some reason my brain mistakes them for flats.

Functionally fab, Givenchy and all.

2. Wide-waist cinching belts.

Every curvy girl ought to know that this is her longest standing bff by now.

3. “Sexy” Hair

i.e. confused.

“I’m neat, but I’m messy. I’m styled, but not really. I’m slick, but I’m pouffy.

It’s that way purposefully.

Don’t judge me.”

4. Red lips

Fire engine red specifically. Not everyone’s cup of coffee. Roger that.

You can update this look and make it yours by opting for any of the season’s various berries.

Cherry, plum, grape, blue… choose a bold berry that works for you. Just remember the darker the berry… the more stern the look. This is a high maintenance look so eat and drink with caution. For tips on applying/ wearing bold lip colour see post Lady in Bold.

Okay. So it may be obvious that the that’s my top look pick for the season. However other trends worthy of mentioning include:

The 70s

This look also combines high-waisted, wide-legged trousers and ‘blousey’ shirts with neckties. The Power struggle between masculine and feminine continues. Works well for a day/ office/ working-girl look.

Above, from left: Gianfranco Ferre, Akris, Salvatore Ferragamo, Balmain.

At nights? Lots and lots of shimmer and shine. Gold, lame, bold looks.

Leather

It’s Fall after all… leather can hardly be considered a trend as it’s always present in this season.

Head to toe leather? Definite overkill.Works best when you mix it in with other trends like…

Lace

A definite shoo-in for “Holiday Season” swag.

Before you reach for your grandmother’s lace, take a small time out. If you are thinking of the 90s all-over, stretch lace… wrong still. This lace has been updated, and normally it’s the ONLY layer. Yep, that’s what I said.

Ya girl Eva ‘Marcille’ at the Z100 Jingle Ball 2010 hits this one home in this number… with cut out shoes.

So… naturally this automatically eliminates some of us from rocking this trend, or at least it should…. Know your limits with respect to size…. and body tone.

For the more conservative, try pieces with sheer panels rather than a full sheer number. This can work too.

Cut outs

This was pretty big in Spring 2010, so I guess it wasn’t ready to leave. If you live in a country that has a pseudo winter go right ahead. I can hardly imagine this in my -30 degree weather. But more than clothing cut outs have extended itself to accessories, as well as shoes. Kinda reminds me of an updated colour block, but so long as you don’t wear a mustard and purple combo, you should be alright.

See the discussion of the cut out trend for Spring 2010 somewhere in this post Spring/ Summer Getups 2010.

Velvet

I’ve seen this one floating around, and I try not to pay too much attention to it.

Velvet is definitely one of those fabrics that you either love or despise. You either get it or don’t. It can be pretty masculine and/or overwhelming when worn, so ensure that your pieces are classic,  and well tailored, a la Halle Berry here in her September 2010 VOGUE spread.

And remember, velvet not velour.

In case you were wondering, a tracksuit doesn’t qualify as a ‘classic’ piece. Jenny left the block at least a decade ago.

The last trend worthy of mentioning…

Military

This comes back pretty frequently, perhaps because it never really leaves. Being a classic stiletto girl myself, I’ve never really paid this trend much attention BUT, I’m REALLY feeling it this year. Probably because they’re now military inspired rather than straight from the training camp. Less 18th century, more 20th century. More understated and functional, less… lashing-y. This goes for both male and female style.

Never got into the camouflage print, and I’m still not feeling it, sorry. Army green is the big colour for the military trend, but there’s also the navy option, which I’d opt for. A navy military jacket. Yum.

Another take on the military trend is the ‘Aviator’ inspiration, my fav largely because sleek, slim cuts work best for me than say… a cargo pant. Army green can have a tendency to make some of us look sallow. In this case we can go straight for the darker brown hues that are typically associated with the aviator trend – shearling lined, sleek leather jackets et al., much like the feature photo above. THESE ‘military’ takes I can do.

Talking about shearling, how about these fur babies?

Toundra Fur Boots | Louboutin

Sick.

But I digress.

Military boots. My word, military boots. It’s all about the laces. Male or female (high or low heeled) military boots are definitely the way to go. And after all, we aren’t REALLY going into combat are we guys? Right. No we aint. So less Caterpillar-esq and more…

All Saints Military-esq.

They look pretty fly on females too…

Not quite sure what Ms. Keri baby is promoting here, but…. the boots look nice.

Ladies if laces aren’t your thing, properly placed metal (less punk rock studs more biatch in charge) will suffice fabulously. Like these Alexander McQueens here.

Kick. Ass.

‘Must be a power thang.

b Freakin’Fabulous

Winter Prep

Season’s change, yet it all stays the same. Well, you have the same skin at any rate.

Still, a change in climate is one of the biggest stressors to your skin, so it helps if you prep it to deal with the extreme shift in temperature that it will have to face head on. No double pun intended.

One of the best things that you can do to prep your skin for winter is:

1. SWITCH YOUR MOISTURIZER

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Or in some cases, USE one. And yes, everyone has to use one. Oily skin and all, we’ve covered this here.

One of the many challenges with the harsh winter climate is the immense dehydration in skin that can occur.

Dry Skin Types

In addition to the fact that this skin type is prone to dehydration, it also naturally lacks oil, a situation that can become more chronic during the winter months, which can result in excessively tight, uncomfortably flakey skin. To effectively deal with this, Switch your lightweight moisturizer to a thicker, heavier one. Perhaps opting for a cream consistency rather than a lotion or fluid. Bring on the overnight serums, complexes or other nutrient/ hydration boosters to counteract the harsh, sometimes stripping effects of the winter wind chill.

Oily Skin Types

Oily skinners argue that they already produce so much oil that a moisturizer is the last thing they need. Well, for sure oil is probably the last thing you need, but everyone needs water. Even oily skin can be dehydrated. Seek out and find yourself a humectant moisturizer – a fluid like (read ‘watery’, easy flowing consistency), one with water, or even better, ingredients such as Hyaluronic acid or Sodium PCA as one of it’s first/ first few ingredients.

If you are oil prone, stay away from any product that contains any sort of oils/ oil based substance in it – Olive oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, or worse, mineral oil.

Sensitized Skin Conditions

Whether your skin is dry, oily, normal or in between, silicones are your best friend if you experience sensitivity on your skin. They are non-irritating, and are fantastically capable of protecting against water evaporation from the skin, while at the same time allowing the skin to breathe – a property that petroleum, and mineral oil products are unable to claim, as they are considered highly comedogenic (blocks/ clogs pores). Cyclomethicone and Dimethicone are common silicone ingredients… generally any ingredient that ends in ‘cone’ is an ingredient to look for.

Other calming ingredients that help are oatmeal, lavender, cucumber and chamomile, anti-inflammatory ingredients such as lavender and chamomile also help.

2. EXFOLIATE

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Regardless of your skin type, exfoliation is an excellent way of ridding your skin of dead skin cells to reveal fresh, new, skin cells that are more … well… alive and have a greater fluid content.

Therefore the process of exfoliation results in two things:

1. Ridding your skin of excess, dead skin cells
2. Hydrating skin

Now, let me say here that rather than the amateur-league, morning cleansing scrub (especially if your skin is sensitized)  opt for chemical exfoliation  - AHA/ BHA (lactic acid/  salicylic acid based), or enzymatic exfoliants, rather than manual exfoliation by micro-scrubbing beads – So teenager. [For the difference between chemical and manual exfoliation, see post Smooth Criminal]

Let’s get into Grown ‘n Sexy proper tings.

For my non-temperate country dealers, exfoliation is also a step that you’d want to up the ante, starting now  so that you can prep your skin for the holiday season. Be it swanky shindigs, corporate appearances, family gatherings or ish you only attend for the free food – You don’t want to wait for the week before an event to start a professional exfoliation for obvious reasons.

1. God forbid, you have an adverse reaction to the procedure.

This mess would be neither sexy, nor desirable.

Whether it is microdermabrasion, chemical peels or enzymatic peels… no-one wants to show up with welts on their skin to the biggest shindig of the year.

2. It takes 28 days on average for your skin to regenerate itself – longer if you are over the age of 25. [See Anti-aging Tip #5]

Stats don’t lie. I see the average age of you peeps who read GC and I know we’re all well over 25 *cough* so take heed. You would want to take on the process of skin rejuvenation – either by professional exfoliation skin treatments and/ or change in diet/ lifestyle well before a month prior. Just like your nutrition, or lack thereof, with the reasoning that you did ish all whole year about your skin’s health, you will need three months minimum prep for your skin to even start to see some sort of change that you can write to home about.

So, let’s get to it. Exfoliate.

b Freakin’Fabulous

Cavities, Fat and Wrinkles

We are all more than familiar with the addictive power of sugar. Despite the fact that increased sugar consumption has been associated with increased blood sugar levels, which can result in the storage of excess fat, studies have shown that the average American consumes about 150 pounds of sugar, per year. Talk about sweet nothings! (more…)

Battle of the Acids

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In an effort to keep the fountain of youth flowing, alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) have taken up permanent residence in almost any talk that mentions exfoliation.

AHAs are naturally occurring acids derived from plant sources, which are often used as exfoliants in skin care.

Types of AHAs

There are many AHAs, for example:

- Tartaric acid (grapes),

- Citric acid (citrus fruits),

- Malic acid (apples), and

- Mandelic acid (bitter almonds).

However, Lactic acid (derived from milk) and Glycolic acid (derived from sugar cane) seem to be the most popular.

These acids are used in professional treatments, both by skin therapists as well as medical practitioners, but they are also popping up in over the counter skin care remedies as well, in lower strengths of course, usually less than 10% acid.

Part of this may be attributed to the fact that AHAs appear to be replacing Retin-A (commonly referred to as retinol), which was commonly used in skin care formulations in the past. I can only imagine that the reason for this is that AHAs are less harsh and irritating on the skin than Retin-A is (remember that!).

How does this exfoliation occur?

AHAs contain molecules small enough to penetrate the outer superficial layers of the skin (the layers that you see), into the skin’s lower, the dermis or ‘true skin’, where all the action happens (that which you don’t see).

This is done by breaking down a ‘cement’ of sorts that bind dead skin cells together, hereby assisting cell turnover, i.e. the time that it takes for new, fresh, hydrated skin cells to make it’s way to the surface, replacing any lingering old, dead skin cells that contribute to giving skin it’s dull, lackluster, sallow appearance.  Sounds similar to what happens in Hollywood.

Lactic vs. Glycolic Acid

So what’s the difference, if any, and which is ‘better’?

No one is necessarily ‘better’ but, because of the differences, one may be better suited to certain skin conditions than the other.

Both lactic acid and glycolic acid function similarly in their ability to ‘exfoliate’ the surface layers of the skin, in order to reveal softer, smoother skin, as well as reduce the appearance of wrinkles, decreased blemishes and lightened age spots.

However, in addition to exfoliating, lactic acid has also been found to

-       Brighten and

-       Hydrate the skin.

Because of this, the use of lactic acid over glycolic acid can prove beneficial and less irritating on certain skins, for example those who are genetically prone to  skin sensitivity (usually found in those plagued with asthma, eczema or allergies like hay fever) or have skin that is easily sensitized. See the difference between sensitive and sensitized skin here

Skins that are prone to darkening (or hyper-pigmentation) like Asian or darker skins, may also be better off using lactic acid as opposed to glycolic acid in skin care treatment. Why? Lactic acid gives that additional brightening oomph, which would be beneficial as irritation on these particular types of skins often lead to darkening of the skin. Not cool. 

b FreakinFabulous

Photo: luigi diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

POSSIBLY RELATED GC POSTS
Sensitive vs. Sensitized Skin
Anti-Aging Tip #5 – Use chemical exfoliating agents regularly
Fact Sheet : Chemical Peels
Exfoliating vs. Peeling
Fact Sheet: Microdermabrasion
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Natural Sexy vs. Science Sexy

Spy vs. Spy

The ‘Natural’ bandwagon is hugantic. It may not be the most sophisticated or fun at times, but damn, the hype that surrounds it is hella huge. Marketers have caught on to this trend, and are milking it for all it’s worth *squirt *squirt Yummy.

On the other hand, although science has helped us greatly, the term ‘synthetic’ has taken quite a hit at the expense of all things ‘natural’. People love to give the natural vs. synthetic ultimatum, but is it at all necessary? Can’t we all just get along?

Is‘Natural’ necessarily always good, and is ‘Science’ necessarily always bad?

Yes? No? Maybe so?

Science & skin care

With respect to skin care, rather than just assessing the situation stereotypically, perhaps taking a deeper look at the ingredients in the skin care products may be a more productive argument.

Natural Skin Care Ingredients

Natural is great. There is this feeling of wild abandon that accompanies the thought of ‘au naturel’. “Clean”. “Simple”.  ”Fresh”. “Good for you”.

However, as with everything else in life, ‘good’ things usually do not last forever. Under the right conditions, natural things are known to rot, decay, or otherwise disintegrate in quality. For example, with respect to plants, fruits, veges – typical sources for most natural skin care ingredients – there is only a small window that’s considered ‘prime for picking’, so one must take this into consideration, especially when a cleanser or moisturizer will typically sit on your shelf for at least 6 months, or longer depending on the product in question.

Things to consider for natural products:

~ Using natural ingredients directly

Of course there is the argument that you can just pick something off the tree and slap it on your face.

If you live in such a place where you can do this I truly envy you, for that used to be me. Womp. For the rest of us, we can hardly eat fruits and vegetables these days without being shot up with pesticides, so want to put that on your face too?

Remember, ‘natural’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘organic’. ‘Organic’ is the one where certain pesticides (not all) are required to be absent. No such is the case with ‘natural’, don’t believe the hype.

~ Nature differs from batch to batch.

This means that you can buy one batch of product that not only has a different colour from your previous batch, but the strength of the particular active ingredient can be different also.

This is not a leather bag we are talking about, where the value and character of the product is heightened by the fact that there is a huge ‘imperfection’ (their term not mine), for which you are expected to pay the not-so-little extra for. It’s not that kind of party with skin care; we don’t go out of our way to look for imperfections in products, but rather we try to minimize them.

In some products this lack of apparent quality control is not a deal breaker. If a product doesn’t contain any ingredients that are considered ‘active’ (read ‘results’) by the FDA, then it really doesn’t matter if you use a product or water.

However, in that expensive serum that derives it’s antioxidant function from those ‘berries’, it might be a problem if the super star ingredient, the Vitamin C say from the berries, is as effective as the ones in the serum that doesn’t contain Vitamin C. Yeah… might wanna check that.

~ Stability of natural substances outside of their environment

Talking about Vitamin C, it’s known to be a powerful antioxidant – it protects the skin from sun damage and helps slow down the physical signs of aging…  yadda yadda yadda, but it’s not very stable once exposed to air, a couple minutes max.

All that freshly squeezed orange juice you just made? Most of the good stuff (Dr. C) just poofed* vanished before you’ve finished mixing the ingredients together. I used to be called “Juice Mixer” in university (Chem. Eng.) by all the other engineers so, trust me, not that I’d like to recall the name calling but, I’d know

With this understanding, Vitamin C in it’s natural form is not going to do much for your skin sitting in a jar for a couple months. It’s usually also quite acidic in nature wherever it’s found (oranges, lemons etc.) so putting that right there on your face is its going to do an excellent job of stripping your skin’s protective barrier, dehydrating your skin and leaving it more susceptible to  harmful bacteria.

Fantastic? No.

So then, on to the next one. 

Synthetic skin care ingredients

The word chemical is not a synonym for dangerous.

According to the Oxford dictionary, a chemical (noun) is a substance that has been prepared, or purified, (usually) artificially.

You can concoct something that is dangerous or, you can prepare something that is effective, yet harmless.

Of course, there are dangerous chemical substances, but there are also dangerous natural ones. Cyanide anyone? One sugar or two?

So, for example, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, is a very stable form of Vitamin C – one that is stable enough to be used in skin care products. The skin’s enzymes then work to break down this ingredient into ascorbic acid, naturally found in most fruits like citrus and berries, which has been found to inhibit the formation of melanin (pigment) as well as assist collagen formation. 

Doesn’t make sense to pay the extra for active ingredients that aren’t… active, does it?

However this form of stable Vitamin C doesn’t just morph into a stable by it’s lonesome, it is the end product of research and development i.e. it is born out of a laboratory, and such is considered to be ‘synthetic’.

Why use synthetic ingredients?

So sure, it’s not for everybody, but if the proverbial horse has already bolted out the gate, the skin situation has long surpassed ‘preventative’ and you are actually looking to treat clear and present skin damage, i.e. if you are looking for results, you are going to need to look a little further than mother nature to help you in your mission to ‘age gracefully’. 

So perhaps the best bet is to take the best of what nature has to offer, and combine it with the best of what science brings. It’s a win-win situation.

The products last longer, there is less wastage, the ingredients remain active and are therefore more effective, and you get the value for your money. Everyone’s happy.

Food for thought:

It’s like that chick who is so blatantly hot, so much is on display even Stevie Wonder can see it, vs. the librarian chick. Everyone knows the immediate benefits of the blatant hottie. You can milk it almost immediately and get a great high albeit one that is, more likely than not, short lived.

Now enter the librarian. Sure, there’s a good chance that you may not live on the same planet, but there is an even greater chance that you may get longer lasting, stable, surprisingly flexible benefits, that comes with intelligence.

Moral of the story? Never underestimate the librarian.

b FreakinFabulous

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POSSIBLY RELATED GC POSTS

Natural vs. Organic
Skin Care | “Skin Vitamins” aka Antioxidants
Ingredient Spotlight: Hyaluronic Acid
Skin Therapy | Saving Face
The ‘it’ kids on the block – Powerful Peptides
HELP! My skin is schizo

Steppin’ on up!

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The term “anti-aging” is quite possibly one of the best marketing ideas this century, because , of course, it is virtually impossible to get physically get younger with time, whether or not it refers to the skin.

What we can do however is prevent the acceleration of the skin’s aging.

One of the best ways to prevent this acceleration is to do something. Even if you have the most basic of skin care routines – cleansing and moisturizing with pH balanced products i.e. a routine that doesn’t involve using soap-and-water followed by nothing, or worse, body lotion… on your face.

So if you are using a drug store skin care line religiously, twice a day – in the morning and before bedtime, you are already ahead of the pack.

However, if you’ve had this routine for some time and want to up the results of your skin care routine, here are a few options that you can look at.

1. Add an exfoliant and a mask.
Incorporate an exfoliant to assist in ridding dead skin cells, (enzyme or lactic acid based preferably, rather than a scrub type exfoliant) paired with an hydrating mask, to nourish skin/ replenish any water content that has been lost in the process. 

If you must go with a scrub, avoid the ones with apricot and walnut shells, and look for ones with microbeads – tiny spherical substances, are much gentler on your face as the perfectly round and smooth surfaces prevent any micro tearing/ ripping action on the skin, which can lead to skin damage, sensitivity and of course, ugh, pigmentation.

2. Try a professional skin care line.

Another way to boost the results of your skin care is to try a professional skin care line. Your skin therapist, if you have one, can recommend the right one, along with the right type of cleanser/ toner/ moisturizer combo.

Professional skin care lines typically have more active ingredients in their ingredient list, either that or they use a higher percentage of these active ingredients, so, though they are typically a bit more expensive depending on the brand, you get more bang for your buck. Of course there is a point where you are just paying for the brand – we no likey those.

3. Get a professional skin treatment at least once a month.

Your skin therapist may recommend a customized program to start, in order that you both work to get your skin where you want to be, after which a treatment every 4 to 8 weeks ought to suffice.

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Regardless of which route you choose to go, you ought to look at the product’s ingredient list to make sure it doesn’t contain skin sensitizing ingredients, for example:

- Mineral oil/ petrolatum or lanolin.

These ingredients have been shown to form an impervious layer that prevents oxygen, water, or anything else really from moving across it’s layer. Great concept for freezing food, but not so good when it comes to skin that needs to breathe, in order to prevent the development of “Dr. Zit”.

Choose other ingredients like shea butter, or jojoba oil for example that can provide the same benefits, while allowing your skin to breathe.

The following ingredients are well known to increase skin’s sensitivity, especially with regard to the sun:

- Fragrance / parfum
First or last ingredient, just avoid it.

- Denatured alcohol
E.g. rubbing alcohol, typical found in over the counter toners/ astringents, that are targeted to oily or acneic skin. Witch Hazel, as an ingredient, is a much better alternative.

- D&C colour (artificial colour).
Typically indicated by a primary colour name. Must your skin care really be electric blue?

So yeah pass on that Coconut Sorbet facial sunscreen lotion that’s on clearance rack; It’s there for a reason.

Thanks for the question AK!

b FiercelyFabulous.

Photo Credits: Tina Phillips / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Sensitive vs. Sensitized
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