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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Puff Baggy

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The occurrence of dark under eye circles is a genetic trait, which is made worse by stress and/ or lack of sleep. If you find yourself developing this, then your best bet would be to either lighten up a bit, or doze off some more.

As this is a genetic condition, there is no topical skin care that can diminish the appearance of these under eye circles. Nadas.

Any topical skin care that is promising you this is feeding you pure lies, save your moolah.

Puffy eyes

Puffy eyes however, may be topically treated, depending on the cause. Typically it is just a temporary inflammatory state, around the eye area. Your best bet? Get off of Facebook, and get some sleep.

Getting in enough rest will solve more than half of your problems.

Anti-inflammatory ingredients such as:

-       Chamomile
-       Cucumber
-       Echinacea
-       Rose water
-       Liquorice
-       Green Tea or
-       Vitamin C

for example, in a cooling gel based masque, or similar fluid-like moisturizer, nothing too thick in consistency, can help bring down the puffiness in the eye area.

In addition to eyes being tired, puffy eyes may also be as a result of a bigger body malfunction issue, like thyroid problems or fluid retention, or it may be as a result of lifestyle choices, like smoking or improper nutrition. If you have persistent puffy eyes and are bothered by it, be sure to consult your doctor to find the root cause, in the event it may be as a result of something more than needing sleep.

In any case, topical skin care ingredients are only a temporary fix for puffy eyes.

Darkened areas around the eye

However, if you have just a darkened portion around a certain area of your eye, for example one that is evident on one eye and not the other, it is possible that this may be treated as there could be another reason for it’s presence other than plain old genetics.

For example, I have a darkening (hyper-pigmentation) on the left outer corner of my eye. I know that it’s there, but I just figured that’s my lot in life.

I have allergic reactions to certain conditions (like the cold, poor me. I was definitely not cut out to live in arctic conditions…) as well as certain substances (like certain eyeshadows and eyeliners) that cause my left eye in particular to tear up, but who doesn’t have allergies these days.

In the past I’ve been known to constantly wipe the tears away from my left eye – with tissue, the wool blazer on my arm, my winter gloves, my shoulder… which I never paid any mind, until a fellow skin therapist brought to my attention that this constant wiping action with any and everything, irritates the skin surrounding my outer eye.

It would only follow, worse that my skin complexion is darker in tone, that this irritation causes increased sensitivity/ inflammation, which leads to the hyper-pigmentation that I now see. Duh. Silly me.

So what’s my cure? Well, as I can’t really help the cold climate or the fact that I’m genetically disposed to certain allergies, I can:

1. Firstly, quit rubbing my eye with harsh stuff.

2. Use an eye-cream daily, which contains:

a. Sunscreen, (min SPF 15) to prevent any further darkening in this eye area as well as

b. Brightening ingredients, like  Vitamin C to help alleviate the skin discolouration that I presently experience in this particular area.

3. Carefully remove eye makeup at night with a specially formulated eye-makeup remover, or a cleanser that has been specifically formulated for use in the eye area as well.

Thanks for the question AK!

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b FiercelyFabulous

Photo Credits: m_bartosch / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Steppin’ on up!

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.

~|~

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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What is your skin cancer risk?

Noone is immune to skin cancer. However some factors make some people more prone to skin cancer than others. Calculate your sun safety using the following guide:

Do you:

1. Have Blonde hair?

2. Have Light coloured eyes?

3. Freckle easily?

4. Burn before tan?

5. Have many moles in areas not normally exposed to the sun?

6. Experience/d blistering sunburns?

7. Live in a tropical climate?

8. Family history of skin cancer?

9. Work outdoors during the spring and/ or summer?

10. Spend a lot of recreation time outdoors?

Assign a value of 1 to each “YES” answer and then check the guide below.
 

Results:

7-10 – High Risk

4-6 – Medium Risk

1-3 – Low Risk

Of course, this is not a complete or absolute risk, as there are many other risk factors including age and gender.

Wear a broad spectrum sunscreen daily, one that protects against both UVA and UVB rays – a minimum SPF 15 on the face.

Always be aware of any new abnormal looking growths on skin particularly those parts that are exposed to the sun. Those who have a lifetime of sun exposure should be particularly vigilant. Make note of any unusual lesion(s) and/ or mole(s) and speak with your doctor/ dermatologist about it/ them.

Early detection is key.

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Relationships | Foul Romance

Joe was sharing an experience that he had the other day. He was going deep sea diving but before he even hit the water he could not help but think that all the fish had died in the ocean. 

“Should I say something?” he asked.

I mean I know what I’d do. Speak up and ship on the hell out of that piece.

But, I understand that this is a sensitive issue. That’s like having to answer your girl’s question “Does this make me look fat”. Your answer should be that either it does or doesn’t, but nothing more. Nothing about the fact that with her ‘natural’ curves she shouldn’t be wearing that, or nothing about horizontal stripes. Nothing that descriptive.

Or for example, answering your man when he asks if he’s the best that you’ve had. Tricky? Indeed. But at least whether you answer it truthfully or not you don’t have to smell it. Ew. 

The way I see it, if you choose to keep your reaction to yourself, your libido surely will speak. For some of us this is more obvious than others, isn’t it Jr.?

So I say if it’s a fling; you are never going to see this individual again and you don’t want to say anything, reach for the phone explain “Damn” you forgot something and bounce. Otherwise, keep it missionary and get it over with quickly. I wouldn’t take the time to figure out if it’s just a bad day, because as far as one night stands go you gotta bring it or you get left behind. No hard feelings. No long talking. Anything that frowses or limps on Hit-it-and-Quit-it night needs no explanation. 

But if you are in a long term relationship or are are having ‘something’ with the individual, unless you want to live through that hell for the rest of your time together, it may be best to say something. 

Now ladies and gentlemen I’m no doctor, so I can’t diagnose this, but my layman point of view would be that seeing some sort of person who specializes in that area would be a good idea, especially if it’s a condition that’s persistent.

I have absolutely nothing to back this up, but from what I’ve learnt in life, everything is correlated. Assuming that it’s not an STD, it’s possibly harmless. If it’s something that just ‘popped’ up maybe it’s :

- Diet related.
Garlic and onions maybe? I’ve also read that asparagus can bring on the funk as well. A diet rich in fruit acids like pineapple is thought to keep the smell pleasant, but as far as if this is scientifically proven I have no idea. 

- That time of the month.
Lets just say not only the personality gets thick during PMS.

Then too, if you are getting it in with your girl regularly unprotected, (*side eye* but no judgements), remember that your spunk is living matter and, like any other protein, it stinks when it starts decaying. So… it could be your fault guys.

I’ve also read that it can be possibly linked to smoking or having multiple partners. Apparently the privates no likey too much mixing and mingling between the proteins. That thought alone can bring on the frowz.

I’d say that maybe it’s a latex allergy but if it funks before you even get it in, I’d second guess that. 

Some other common things you can ensure, well common to me I guess, are:

- Wear clean undies daily. 
- Wash genitalia daily. Even if, for whatever reason, you don’t shower daily at least clean up the privates.

Ladies some particular no-nos:

– Extended wearing of thong underwear.
Two different types of bacteria going on down there, don’t want to mix them up. 

- Mystery fabric.
It just can’t breathe in lycra and other fabric that’s difficult to pronounce. Polyester underwear with spandex leggings is not a good idea. Nothing can breathe in that.

- Excessive douching.
Dries out area and removes good bacteria, or so I’ve read.

But in general, getting checked by a doctor is your best bet, even if it’s just to rule out that it’s not an STD in hiding. I mean Valentine’s Day is coming up and all, lets keep it fresh. 

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Skin condition | "Acne"

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Acne is a skin condition/ disorder that is normally associated with teenagers, but it can affect people at almost any age. It can be a phase as well as it can also be a lifelong battle.

The word ‘acne’ usually refers to the condition acne vulgaris, which is the most common form of acne. It is an hereditary disorder, and requires dedicated treatment for many years. Although it is not infectious, contagious or life threatening, it is not uncommon for the presence of acne to severely affect one’s social life, self-esteem and self-perception.

Causes

Acne does not occur because of a lack of cleanliness. Yes it is important to keep the skin clean, but acne is caused by:

- Heridity and

- Hormones

As acne is a genetic disorder, if parents suffer from acne then chances are that their children will also. 

- Stress can also be a factor in the cause of acne. 

Heredity

Acne, as a hereditary condition, is also referred to as retention hyperkeratosis. Here, dead skin cells do not shed off the skin’s surface as regularly and as frequently as they would on a normal skin type.

As discussed earlier, skin type is hereditary.

The tendency to have excess sebum production (as is the case with Oily skin) is one skin type that is inherited. The oilier the skin, the greater the tendency for severe acne. With very oily skin, all areas of the skin (not only the T-Zone – forehead, nose, chin) are oily and the scalp may be oily as well. The presence of enlarged pores also facilitate the formation of acne. 

For more on oily skin see post Skin Type | Oily Skin

Retention hyperkeratosis will be discussed further in a later post. 

Hormones

Hormones are also key in the formation of acne. Androgens, or male hormones, stimulate the skin’s oil glands and cause an increase in its oil (sebum) production. These hormones also cause increased inflammation in pores or the skin’s follicles. 

Hormones play a huge part in acne in both tweens/ teenagers (around puberty)  and in adults, females more so than males.

Most hormonal acne is minimal and may be treated. The biggest issue with hormonal acne in teenagers is their lack of discipline with treating their skin. 

Stress

Of course, stress is also a factor in acne.

It is not uncommon to experience a breakout when one is going through any of life’s many traumas – an exam that you didn’t study for, marriage, divorce, loss of employment etc. This is because stress usually causes hormonal imbalance; it is the production of the adrenaline hormone, which is used by humans to cope with stressful events like danger and emergencies, from the adrenal gland which is partly responsible for this imbalance.

The stimulation of the adrenal gland also causes an increase in the production of androgen. In women, the majority of androgen, the male hormone which increases the oil production, is produced by the adrenal gland. This may explain why women have a greater tendency than men to break out under stress.  

Grades of Acne

There are different grades of acne, from the occasional pimples to the acne that is disfiguring or that which causes redness, pustules and even permanent scarring. The severity of the acne is referred to by dermatologists in varying ‘grades’ from grades 1 – 4, Grade 1 being the least worrisome and grade 4 being the most.

Grades 1 – 2

Grades 1 -2 are comprised mostly of open and closed comedones.

- Open comedones - commonly known as blackheads. 

- Closed comedones - appear as small bumps just under the skin and are sometimes called whiteheads. 

Both of these types of comedones are non-inflammatory lesions i.e. skin is not red or irritated, and is perhaps why, although technically considered to be acne, grades 1 and 2 aren’t usually considered as such by the average person.

In Grade 2 acne:

- Papules, a type of raised lesion that is usually characterized by red bumps or 

- pustules, an infected papule, one that is filled with pus, a whitish fluid that is a mixture of dead white blood cells (from fighting against the infection), bacteria, blood and skin cells that have been destroyed by the infection

are also present. These terms will be covered in depth in a later post. 

These grades of acne can benefit from the extraction of open and closed comedones by an esthetician.

Grades 3 -4

In grades 3 – 4 acne, in addition to all of the above, skin is inflamed and red. This is what people typically think of when they refer to ‘acne’.

Grade 4 acne is the worst type of acne vulgaris. This type of acne will also comprise of deep nodules and cysts, as well as scarring may be present along with severe inflammation. 

Although follow up, deep-cleansing treatments can be done by an esthetician, these grades of acne must first be treated by a dermatologist, as oral and/ or topical medication and other more aggressive treatments may be needed to get this condition under control. 

Acne Management

Acne that is hereditary cannot be changed just by visiting the esthetician at your neighborhood Spa. A dermatologist or endocrinologist (a doctor who deals with hormones) may be able to manipulate hormones, but a permanent and complete change may not be successful. 

Still, it is possible to control and manage acne to the point where there are no visible and inflamed lesions, although the occasional lesion may pop up from time to time. Regardless of the grade of acne that is present on the skin, regular visits to your esthetician for deep-cleansing facials, coupled with proper skin care management at home are required to keep acne flares under control. 

There are other factors that both you and your esthetician can control to keep problem skin under wraps. These too will be discussed at a further point. 

Works Consulted:
D’Angelo, J. & Dean, P.  Milady’s Standard Comprehensive Training for Estheticians. Thomson Learning, Inc.
Class notes  

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Q/A : Oil on 'Oily'

It’s great to find something that works – a relationship, a pair of jeans, and yes even a facial cleanser.

…

 ” I have sensitive, combination skin, with oily patches and terribly dry, flaky patches. I usually use foaming washes or scrubs, which have sometimes helped but largely… not so much. I live in the Caribbean and flew North over Christmas time, and my face dried out so badly I was like a snake shedding skin. Then I tried a “Cleansing Milk”. Not to sound like a cheezy ad, but it was like a miracle; No more flaking, my skin was soft and smooth, and no breakouts. I’m currently back home and I’ve kept using it. It’s been a week and my skin still looks great.

My question is, how does this make sense??? everything that I’ve been told about skin care suggests that I should avoid an oil based cleanser, yet this contains nothing BUT oil and it is making my skin thrive. How does that work?”

…

Oil on ‘oily’ skin? I know right, totally doesn’t follow logic. Maybe then:

1. Combination Dry

Your skin is combination yes, but combination dry, rather than combination oily, which would explain why your skin would benefit more from products that are formulated for dry skin types rather than products that are formulated for oily ones.

Alternatively:

2. Dry & Dehydrated

It is possible that your skin isn’t oily at all, and really is more of a dry skin type (sensitive skins usually are) that is also dehydrated, a skin condition that is very prevalent in tropical climates.

Dehydrated skin lacks water, and as the skin cannot produce water to hydrate itself on its own, (it will require that you either use hydrating moisturizers and/ or increase your water intake), the skin will produce more of what it can produce – oil. The over production of oil in this way can give the impression that your skin is combination oily when really is isn’t, because you see oil, but it’s not all over your face – only in certain areas, so you don’t think that your skin is outright ‘oily’, so ‘combination’ is the next best guess.

Dry skin types lack oil, which may explain why your skin is absolutely thriving with a milk cleanser rather than a foamy cleanser, which is normally very stripping for dry skin types. 

Of course being in a temperate country for the winter only makes a naturally dry skin type more dry and irritated, which is what probably prompted you to use a lipid based cleansing solution, like the milk cleansing solution in the first place. These ‘milk’ solutions, especially when ‘ (artificially) fragrance/ parfum free’, are usually specifically formulated for sensitive skins as well, and don’t contain harsh cleansing agents that would further irritate skin, resulting red/ dry/ flakey/ tight skin.

So although the product is largely oil/ lipid based, it is possible to see a dramatic improvement after switching to this product because it addresses at least 2 of the 3 possible challenges your skin faces:
- Combination (normal to dry) &
- sensitive

Many cleansing milks contain ‘natural extracts. Though some of these may seem like oils, it is not uncommon for certain extracts to have hydrating properties that will deal with your skin’s 3rd possible underlying condition – dehydration, which will result in your skin itself producing less oil, and seeming to be more balanced. 

Alternatively, as you did think that your skin was more on the oily side, you may have been using a moisturizer that contains less oil, and therefore more water or another hydrating ingredient, which will work with your milk cleanser to address this dehydration, which results in your skin producing less oil.

Less oil production by the skin = less breakouts, as the ideal conditions (excess sebum/ oil) for this type of bacterial activity no longer exists. This type of moisturizer will still work with the milk cleanser because your skin doesn’t seem to be chronically dry so this balance of oil and water products can work quite well.

So… boom, bang, boom.

You have a product that works perfectly for your skin type and conditions

Scrubs (with spherical micro-beads) do well at helping to exfoliate the excess flakiness on dry skin, maybe 2-3 times a week.

However, it must be followed up with a moisturizer that would replace the oil that is lost/ hardly present. So maybe you can do the scrubs at nighttime, and follow with a rich, thick, cream moisturizer, to allow your skin to rebalance itself while you sleep. That way when you follow with your normal cleansing routine the next morning, you wouldn’t have the excess oil that the thicker cream would have left on your face still lingering during the day.

Thanks for asking. Keep the questions coming.

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Anti-Aging Tip #2

Use Antioxidants Orally and Topically.

Antioxidants prevent and repair the damage done by free radical action on the skin. They are the body’s defense against ruin, and may be ingested or applied topically. 

Vitamin E and C  help protect the skin in this way and are utilized in many topical skin care formulations. A particular form of Vitamin C has a melanin-surpressant and is helpful in treating hyper-pigmentation (darkening of skin due to exposure to sunlight) 

Betacarotene, which is converted into Vitamin A in the liver, is also another well-known antioxidant.

Minerals such as Zinc and copper also help prevent reactions from starting.

Japanese green tea extract has been receiving much ado lately, though it is believed that white tea packs the most antioxidant punch. 

Antioxidants found in skin care also include grapeseed extract and maritime bark extract which contain proanthocyanidins (I can’t pronouce it either but I can spell it!), which are known to be powerful antioxidants. Sunscreen also contains antioxidants which prevent damage to the skin from the sunlight. 

Antioxidants are photosensitive (sensitive to light) so ensure that skin care products that contain antioxidant ingredients are properly packaged to maintain the integrity of the ingredients especially in the cases of specialty serums and what-not. If you can see that a product is darkening in a jar, this is a sign of a good product gone bad; the antioxidants that may have been present in these products are no longer effective.

For more info on the power of antioxidants in your diet see  Anti-Agers

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Eat up!

Supernova

Related GC post Anti-Aging Tip #1

Lady in Bold

Red is usually the go-to lip colour where a sexy look is concerned but it is not the easiest color to wear.

Red lip colour is a high maintenance colour. It’s very noticeable when it starts bleeding, a special concern for those of us with lip lines or fine lines that radiate outward from the lips, usually as a result of aging or premature aging caused by smoking, or when it starts to wear throughout the day/night.

Red, like other richly pigmented lipcolours but moreso, highlights any imperfections on the face, so to successfully wear bold red lipstick your foundation and concealer application needs to be on point as any wrinkles, blemishes, dark spots or hyper-pigmented (darkened areas) on your face will be on full blast. 

For minimalista ‘bold’ lip colour glam consider:

- Layering red lipstick over lip balm to create a softer look, with just a hint of colour or
- Choosing a bold but translucent lip gloss instead.

Some tips for successfully wearing red lip colour are below. The same steps would aid in extending the wear of other bold lip colours; fuschia, plum, cherry et. al.

For bold lip colour glam:

1. Select the right red

Finding a tone of red  that compliments your skin tone can be difficult for some skin tones. 

Typically, these work best for the following skin undertones:

-  Warm Yellow skin undertones - Brown reds. Brown undertones in lip colour often bring out the yellow-ness in teeth though so pick your peony. If you are particularly conscious of yellow teeth consider wearing Red’s cousin; a plum or berry based lip colour. 

- Warm Red undertones – Blue reds

- Warm red/ orange undertones – wear similar red/ orange reds

- Cool blue undertones – berry and plummy reds

The same guide can be used when selecting plums, pinks & cherries 

2. Exfoliate & Moisturize lips

Red, dry, flakey lips is not the business. 

Read more about exfoliating lips here

3. Apply foundation to lips

You can use the same shade of foundation that you normally use for your face. This attempts to even lip tone and provide the best possible palette for even application.

Limit application to lip area. In the event that foundation gets on upper and lower lip area, blend well.

4. Layer lips with loose powder

Dust lips with loose powder using either a powder puff or powder brush. This sets the foundation on lips, much like it would on the face, and helps colour last longer.

5. Line lips with lip liner

- Starting at the right corner of  the top lip, move toward the middle of the lip with lip liner, in the exact or similar shade to your desired lipstick colour, using short controlled strokes.
- Move to the left corner of the top lip and repeat.
- Repeat entire process on the bottom lip.

Lip liner applied in this way helps prevent bleeding of lip color, especially where lip lines (fine lines around lips, usually as a result of aging or premature aging caused by smoking) are present.

TiP: Placing the pinky finger (of the hand holding the lip liner) on the chin area while you apply the lip liner on step 5. and 6. can help stabilize and ease application.

6. Fill in entire lip with lip liner

- Starting again at the right corner of your top lip, using the same short, control strokes, fill entire lip from corner moving toward the middle of the lip.
- Move to the left corner of the top lip.
- Repeat entire process on the bottom lip. 

7. Apply lipstick

Using a lipstick brush, apply lipstick with lip brush in the same manner that the lip was filled in with the lip liner.

TiP: For added dimension add a dab of lip gloss on the middle of tip and bottom lip and and blend.

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Pucker up!

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Supernova

Related GC Post:
Frump to Fab in 10 steps
5 simple ways to look 10 years older | BMP Tip 1
Smooches!
Q/A: Cracked! 

Double Dipping

Yes. It’s as nasty as it sounds, but can you always identify it?

Like when that chick at the party grabs a chip and dips it in the salsa, bites half the chip off and dips the same damn slobbery chip back in the salsa. Now no-one else can savour the salsa dip; done gone and ruined it for errryone.

Or the hot rod at the bar who goes in for a handful of nuts, eats them all, licks the yummy seasoned salt off his fingers and then goes back in for more. Are you really expected to eat from those nuts? Maybe. But if you take some time to think about what just happened you probably wouldn’t.

Double dipping can happen in the Spa as well, or at someone who offers spa services.

Lets talk about that good ole wax pot. Now I love me some waxing; Gets all the hair removed in one whack, don’t have to deal with it for a good couple weeks.

So you’ve made your appointment to wax the little fuzzies off your upper lip. No-one even knows that you have hair up there but the fact that YOU can see it is good enough reason for you to get them removed. I’n mad at ya’.

You walk into your spa, greet the receptionist, link up with your esthetician, riiippp…, pay for your service, tip your girl/guy who did an excellent job, and then you are off to catch up with your hot lunch date; 15 minutes flat you are out of there. 

Only that in about a week or so, you notice some irritation or bumps on your lip.

Hmmmmmmm….

What you didn’t know was that just before you arrived, the Spa performed another waxing service – a brazilian bikini wax, in the same treatment room you had your lip wax done. Same pot of hot wax, same pallet stick. 

Are you getting that picture?

All the bacteria that was present around that frowsy genital (we don’t really have any idea now do we) now in contact with your upper lip, and backstroking the the wax pot with the peewbs. Fantastic.

Suppose the individual had an STI, or worse? Suppose it was that time of the month?

Spas don’t always discriminate. We are in a recession, money is money. But even if the person was clean as a whistle and in great health, is that really acceptable practice?

Disgusting.

Waxing sticks are disposable. They are wooden, porous and cannot be disinfected.

Good practice dictates that Spas do not double dip in soft-wax services. That means, if a spa chooses to use the same wax pot for different services, it MUST discard the waxing stick after each, single dip. ie it should follow the following procedure:

- Dip the clean wax stick into the wax,
- Wipe it on the area to be waxed
- Throw the used stick in the garbage
- Remove wax and hair from the skin with fabric or paper sheets.
- Repeat steps as often as required to complete entire area.
- Remove any wax residue from skin using suitable product
- Disinfect area with a suitable product, to reduce any bacterial action and soothe irritation or keep potential irritation at bay.

A lot of wax sticks?
Sure. But that’s why the service isn’t free.

Expensive?
Well, it will certainly add some to a Spas operating expense. Alternatively, just one  wax stick can be used per client and the entire pot of wax can be changed after each client.  The wax stick option doesn’t seem so expensive now does it?.

It’s a minimal expense in the grand scheme of health.

You get what you pay for; It’s what differentiates the good spas from the excellent ones.

You can’t protect yourself from EVERY bacteria on the planet, so that’s more reason to keep  your health and nutrition in check. The body is constantly fighting against bacteria, which is probably the reason why more people aren’t seriously affected by popular unhygienic practices such as soft-wax double dipping.

Don’t be a statistic. For all that is sanitary in this world, take a look around and take the necessary precautions regarding your health.

Just eww.

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Supernova

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Related GC post:
HAIs: Infections anyone?