Belated New Year’s Resolutions? No, this is a New You Resolution!

I do not really believe in New Year’s resolutions. I tried it so many times when I was younger and it never lasted longer than about mid-February. It was only when I revisited the whole concept during last December that I realized what I did wrong all those years. I was too ambitious and wanted to either change the world, or myself, in one huge blow!

Slowly can also get you there…

I have written down some of my personal thoughts about this here, but this is a more beauty and health-specific list that I hope you will strive to get right too:

Always, always wear sun block:
I am talking huge numbers: SPF 50, at least. Yes, I know that most beauticians will gasp and clutch their hearts in shock! The norm is that the higher the number, the higher quantities of chemicals it contains. Rest easy, those jumping hearts! Read more here about taking care in the sun. I have the Perfect Sun Block SPF 50+ for you:

Essel DNA Epinew SPF 50+ Spray-on Face and Body Sun Screen

Essel DNA-Epinew Sunscreen Protection Spray SPF50+ : R 380/150ml SPF 50+ Spray-on face and body sunscreen with added Vitamin A,C and E. UVA and UVB protection with Anti-Oxidants, Water resistant.

Clean your skin every night.
Please do not skip this, no matter how tired and sleepy you are. It only takes about 5 minutes, but you will see the benefits of this quickly.  Store everything you need in a pretty container in your bathroom, so that it is easy to get hold of when you clean your skin at night. Follow the steps here to get a beautiful clean and well-cared-for skin before you go to bed.

Vitaderm Pre-Cleanse R255/150ml

Vitaderm Pre-Cleanse

Vitaderm Pre-Cleanse is a completely water-soluble oil-gel suitable for all skin types.  It can be used as a make-up remover prior to normal cleansing or it can take the place of one’s cleanser. For oily and acne skin, it is best to use a gel cleanser afterwards to cleanse the skin. Vitaderm Pre-Cleanse is popular with men as a shaving product.

Every woman needs an eye cream
Every women 25 years of age and older must use an eye cream every morning and night.  The younger ladies can look at a cream that hydrates and moisturize to keep the skin around your eyes supple and comfortable. You can start looking at an anti-ageing cream in your thirties or younger, if you have very dry skin.

The popular Vitaderm Eye Lift Gel with roll-on ball. R395/20ml

Vitaderm Eye Lift Gel

This eye gel helps boost hydration and brightens the delicate area around the eyes. The Eyeseryl®  protein peptide content assists in reducing dark  circles and puffiness,  whereas the AcquaCell® 

extract softens the appearance of fine lines and  wrinkles.  The Pullulan starch content helps firm  the skin, whist the hyaluronic acid content further boosts hydration. Witch hazel and aloe vera extract helps to soothe and decongests the area

Do not over-exfoliate
Yes, one should exfoliates regularly, but please no more than once a week for oily skins and once every 2-3 weeks for all other skin types ( more gasping and clutching!)

The more you exfoliate and stress your skin, the more oil it will excrete-it is a simple as that!  The more oil you see on your skin, the more you exfoliate, the more oil you will see- a vicious circle…

I have experienced this first hand in my teens, as I always struggled with oily and acne skin.  Stop that scrubbing and I promise you your skin will start to behave and settle. Your exfoliator is NOT the product to use to get you oiliness and acne under control.

Be gentle with your skin.

Drink that water.
Water consumption is so important, please drink at least 1.5.to 2 liters every day.  We need water to: Regulate our body temperature
Cushioning and lubricating our joints
Protect tissues and organs
Moisturise our nose, eyes, mouth
Carry oxygen and nutrients to cells
Aid in digestion
Protect central nervous system, brain and spinal cord
Help to dissolve nutrients, minerals and to make them accessible to the body
Clear out waste via perspiration, urination and bowel movements
Reduce the burden on liver and kidneys by eliminating waste

Drink-up! Your body needs it.

Get enough sleep

In years gone past, our many-times-over-great-grannies got at least 10 hours sleep per night. They got up with the dawn and went to sleep when the first stars showed. That is how we should treat our bodies today as well. Get at least 7-8 hours sleep. Your body needs to heal and to rest. Too little sleep leads to depression, anxiety, hyperactivity and other mood disorders. 

Sleep, what a wonderful thing!

Have a wonderful time taking care of yourselves!

Preparing your skin for the colder seasons

With autumn here and winter not far off, it is time to look at salon treatments and home care routine that will see your skin through this dry, windy and cold seasons. 

 I have to admit, that this is my favourite time of year. Usually by beginning of January I've had enough of summer and the oppressing heat, and can hardly wait for the colder weather to arrive.  To top it all off, we had a much drier summer this year than last, and that did not help to make it more bearable.

Autumn is the ideal time of year to start a skin regime that will get rid of all the dry, sun-exposed summer skin and to add radiance and help with skin cell renewal. 

Environmentally it is a more gentler time of year to use Alpha and Beta Hydroxy acids as well as Vitamin A to help restructure and revitalise your skin.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids are incredibly effective in addressing all these aspects. I have blogged about this before so please read the following post for more on that:
http://agbeautysalon.blogspot.com/2014/12/get-your-glow-back-looking-at.html

Although Vitamin A/Retinol is not a new ingredient in the beauty industry it has a proven, successful track record as a must-have in your fight against ageing. Retinol is more effective than Retin-A which is far more irritating to the skin than Retinol, which is why Retinol has become the preferred option. With regular use, the skin appears revitalised, hydrated and more even-toned. 

Caution: A recent letter of concern was published by the American Food and Drug Association regarding the use of Retinyl Palmitate in day-time use products. Of particular concern, they feel, is the use of this ingredient within sunscreen products.

Tests indicate that it may very well increase the incidence of skin cancer. Therefore, please only use Vitamin A products at night and it is essential that you use a SPF 25 on higher during the day, everyday...

Vitaderm Skin Perfection Retinol Capsules
Autumn is the perfect time to introduce active skin care items that might be photo-sensitizing, and therefore contra-indicated for use during the summer months.  The ingredient that produces the most striking results is Retinol.

Vitaderm Skin Perfection Capsules

In the past, however, so few people have been able to tolerate the side effects of retinoids like Retin-A cream.  Fortunately, a break though in ingredient technology allows us to incorporate retinol as an encapsulated ingredient, within a liposomal delivery system.  This ‘cushions’ the ingredient to prevent it from causing sensitivity that is normally associated with topical vitamin A therapy.  In addition, this liposome delivery system increases the depth to which the retinol can penetrate, increasing its effectiveness drastically.  What can you expect to see from incorporating Retinol into your skin care program, you may ask?  Typically, we see a drastic improvement in the smoothness of the skin within about 2-3 weeks.  Fine lines begin to diminish by week 3, especially around the eye area.    Retinol should only be used at night.

Vitaderm Ceramide Treatment Cream

For dry skin, the best products with which to complement Retinol Capsules, are the low aromatic items like Vitaderm Lipid Complex and Ceramide Treatment Cream.   For moderately dry skin that is particularly sensitive, we suggest using the Vitaderm Desensitising Cream in combination with the Retinol Capsules.

The ideal way to incorporate these capsules is to use half of the jar during Autumn, and the balance during Spring.  During the coldest winter months there are other options to consider in order to protect the skin against harsh environmental factors.

Enjoy observing the dramatic transformation in your skin, brought about by our Skin Perfection Retinol Capsules, but don’t forget the sunscreen every day and for 10 days after having stopped the Retinol capsules.

Vitaderm’s Hydroxy Acid Serum contains alpha-and beta-hydroxy acids in combination 
to actively smooth the skin’s surface and improve clarity.

 It restores radiance to all skin types and assists in reducing fine lines and wrinkles.  It is also ideal for use on oily/acne-prone skin types.  

The product assists the skin in healing more rapidly.

Vitaderm Hydroxy Acid Serum

Prevent and Treat Ingrown Hairs, Razor Rash and Razor Burn in as little as 48 Hours.

Skin Doctors Ingrow Go, the convenient and results-driven solution that will free you of painful ingrown hair and razor burn and razor rash! You will get excellent results and it can be used by men and women of all ages.

Ingrown hair is a skin condition where the hair grows inward or sideways in the hair follicle instead of straight upwards.

It is usually a result of shaving and waxing, but wearing clothes that fit to tightly and rub against the hair can also cause this.  Dead skin cells that do not shed can also contribute to this problem.  The dead skin blocks the hair follicle’s natural opening and force the hair to grow in a different direction.  Anything which causes the hair to be broken off unevenly with a sharp tip can cause ingrown hairs.

Ingrown hair shows as red bumps on the surface of the skin and can be itchy and irritating. It can become infected and then will become larges, swollen and painful.  Sometimes one can actually see the hair that is causing the problem. 

Ingrown hair most commonly appears in areas where the skin is shaved or waxed but it can appear anywhere. It is not a serious condition, but can be irritating, embarrassing and painful.

Eliminate it!

Skin Doctors Ingrow Go cleans and purifies the affected area, thus reducing the redness and swelling and minimizes the possibility of infection. It deeply exfoliates the skin, removing the dead skin cells and unclogging the hair follicle so that the hair can easily grow correctly.

Primary benefits

Help ingrown hair to pop-up in as little as 48 hours

Smooth bump free skin

Excellent for razor bumps men get on the face and neck after shaving

Prevention against ingrown hair and burns and rashes associated with shaving.

Assists with scaring in the area

Treat it!

Apply onto a damp cotton pad and then directly to the affected area, morning and night, until the skin clears-usually 1-2 days.

Prevent it!

Apply for 4-5 days prior to waxing or hair removal, and twice per week thereafter. Not to be used on the day of a wax or exfoliation. Use it every second day after shaving to prevent this painful condition.

Always apply a min of SPF 30 if the area is going to have sun exposure and moisturise.

Ingredients:

Isopropyl Alcohol:       antibacterial agent to help clear out infected pores

Propylene Glycol:       to deliver moisture through the skin

Acetylsalicylic acid:    anti-inflammatory to reduce the swelling associated with ingrown hairs

Glycolic acid:              a mild exfoliant that removes dry skin cells and reduce redness

Skin Doctors Ingrow Go R 450 125ml (price correct as at 1 March 2015)

Contact us at agb111@mweb.co.za or Cell 082 398 9817

Visit our website at: www.agbeautysalon.co.za

Get your glow back- looking at exfoliating and gentle peeling systems

Get your glow back- looking at exfoliating and gentle peeling systems

Basics on skin cells

Our skin has five different layers and each layer has a specific purpose and lifetime. New skin cells are created in the lower or first skin layer and thereafter all the cells move upwards through the different layers while changing shape and eventually die and fall off.  This whole process is call desquamation.

This journey from birth to death usually takes 28-32 days.  As we grow older, this process slows down and it can then take up to about 45 days.  As the dead skin cells take longer and longer to shed, the skin starts to look dull and lifeless.  This is then when a good exfoliating product is a lifesaver.

New age exfoliators

Until about 10 years ago the most popular exfoliating products on the market were granular-based. These granules were usually obtained from apricot pips or walnut shells, which were finely ground and then added to a cream or gel base.  The formulators for the beauty products then started to use different kinds of plastic beads as well as finer granules obtained from various plant-based materials.

Due to newer technology, the latest offering from the beauty industry is fruit enzymes in gel and cream bases. These products are much gentler on the skin and my preferred products. The ingredients that are used in these formulations are for example, pineapple enzymes or bromelain, papaya enzymes or papain and tomato enzymes.  These enzymes only need gentle friction or heat to activate it so it is a good idea to use it while relaxing in the bath tub.

What does it do?

A good exfoliator gently removes dead skin cells to reveal a smoother and more refined complexion. It should stimulate cellular activity while enhancing firmness, radiance and younger looking skin. The granular formulations tend to be a bit harsh on the skin, especially in the hands of client with oily/acne skin, as they tend to overdo the process a bit.

One should never exfoliate more than once a week in the case of oily/acne skins, and once every two weeks for all other skin types. This is probably not the advise that you have read or heard all your life, but trust me this is the way to go. If you exfoliate too much, you irritate the skin and overstimulate the oil glands in your skin and it then just produce more oil. You exfoliate again and the vicious cycle begins…….

More punch..Fruit Acids please

If your skin still looks dull and lifeless, even if you are following a good skin care routine, it is time to look at the role that different fruit acids can play in getting that glowing, youthful looking skin.

Fruit acids are classified in two different categories; Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Beta Hydroxy Acids.

Alpha Hydroxy acids (AHA’s) that are normally used in cosmetics and cosmeceutical products are glycolic acid (derived from sugarcane or grapes), lactic acid (derived from milk), malic acid (derived from apples or beries), citric acid(derived from citrus fruit or from fermented sugar solutions),  as well as a myriad combinations with other substances. 

There is only one Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA), namely salicylic acid and its related substances, esters and salts, salicylate, sodium salicylate. All these fruit acids may be used alone or in combinations in beauty products, depending on what the formulation will be used for. 

In fruit acid exfoliators these ingredients will act as follows:

Decrease the cohesion between surface skin cells-dissolve the”glue” that hold the cells together.

Increase superficial skin exfoliation

Increase cell turnover (the skin cells will move quicker between the layers)

Stimulate collagen production-exceptionally good for anti-ageing results.

Be a bit careful

Fruit acid exfoliators give better and quicker results as those mentioned earlier, but come with a couple of cautionary notes:

Please follow your beautician’s instructions on how to incorporate this into your daily skin care routine.

Please do not overuse as it can cause skin sensitivity.

Please do not use it if you skin is sun burnt or show any other sings of damage.

Please use a SPF 30+ everyday, no matter what the weather looks like.

Please stop using it if you experience any adverse effects

In spite of the caution, it is highly effective ingredients that will deliver on its promise.

The following exfoliators are available from the Beautique:

Vitaderm Skin Polishing Cream R 250/60ml

Active ingredients-Extracts of peppermint, lavender and sandalwood, apricot seed powder.

 This product is suitable for all skin types except ultra-sensitive. It stimulates circulation and revitalise the complexion.

Vitaderm Enzymatic Gel Exfoliator R263/60ml

Active ingredients-Papaya and pineapple enzymes, citrus fruit extract.

This product is suitable for all skin types except ultra-sensitive. It revitalise a dull complexion by gently and effectively remove dead skin cells, enhancing the skin’s radiance.

Vitaderm AHA Active Gel R405/50ml

Active ingredients- lactic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid.

This AHA Active gel is rich in fruit acids which work actively to smooth the skin’s surface and flush excess pigment. It restores radiance to all skin types and assists in reducing fine lines and wrinkles. In the case of oily/acne-prone skin types, the gel encourages fewer breakouts by replenishing the acid mantle of the epidermis. By restoring the natural acidity, the skin is able to protect and heal itself more effectively.

Skin Doctors Gamma Hydroxy R870/ 50ml

Active ingredients-

A powerful one-step resurfacing cream that can be used everyday. The continual renewing action of powerful poly0hydroxy acids, works 24 hours a day like a time-released peel, continually shedding the epidermal layer. Skin Doctors Gamma Hydroxy can be used to achieve instantly glowing skin with long term results on the appearance of wrinkles, freckles, age-spots and even acne scarring.

TheraVine Grapeseed Exfoliator R265/50ml

Active ingredients-Crushed Grape Seeds, Walnut shell beads, Neroli, Sweet orange

A gentle cream containing crushed Pinotage grape seeds, which sloughs off dead skin cells and makes skin look younger.

TheraVine Pinotage Exfoliating Enzyme R286/50ml

Active ingredients-Grape seed extract, pineapple and papaya extract, Sweet Orange.

A highly effective deep cleansing serum based gel which effectively exfoliates the skin.

Please feel free to look at our website: www.agbeautysalon.co.za for more information on these and other products.