Good News For Skin On A Budget: At Home Microdermabrasion
We live in a fast paced society, and you can see it on our faces. Literally. Our skin is suffering from our lack of time. Not all of us have the time for a day at the spa, not to mention the money for it. A great do it yourself method to attain beautiful skin, is through an at home microdermabrasion kit. This will save you time and money by allowing you the flexibility to give yourself a luxurious facial in the comfort of your own home.
A routine of simply cleansing and moisturizing our faces at morning and a night isn’t enough. Exfoliation is a vital part of your cleansing routine, especially in the summer time when sweat and excess oils cause the skin to build up on your face. The oils and humidity in your environment makes the skin stay damp on your face, and keeps it from sloughing off naturally. The skin on your body naturally exfoliates itself by having your clothes rub against it all day, but your skin, is constantly moisturized, smothered in makeup, and completely mistreated. In order to boost the appearance of dull, stressed skin the extra step of exfoliation is a must, and you can get it from a self microdermabrasion system. Incorporate it into your routine, once a week for drier skin types, and more frequent for oilier skin.
Microdermabrasion is a great tool to keep your skin at its utmost vibrancy and clarity. It helps to rid your pores of nasty build up, as well as decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Using microdermabrasion regularly can aid you in turning over newer, younger looking skin faster.
Personal Results from Microdermabrasion
If you want to know what to expect, first consider your skin type. The first piece of knowledge that you should take into account is this; if you have very sensitive skin, red, or rash like, etc, consult your dermatologist before trying any at home microdermabrasion kits. Other than that, microdermabrasion is for everyone, all skin types.
On oilier skin, the excess oil keeps your skin cells from turning over, or sloughing off. If you have large pores, blackheads, or whiteheads you will notice and overall more refined texture to the skin. It will decrease some of the blackheads that stretch out your pores, leaving you with smaller pores throughout. Now, it’s going to take more than one treatment to see optimum results, but you’ll definitely notice the difference in the feel of your skin after just one treatment.
Dry skin can be flaky, and show wrinkles and fine lines a lot faster. One of the first things that may lead you to want to try microdermabrasion is the fact that your skin has an overall dull look to it. So the before and after effects of microdermabrasion for this particular skin type is going be brighter, more youthful looking skin immediately, this is because it will slough off the dead skin that is hiding the pretty, nice skin. Then over time, with the use of microdermabrasion you will notice a decline in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Another nice microdermabrasion bonus that you may notice is that your skin will feel softer and more supple, something that dry skin usually misses out on.
What To Look For In Your Microdermabrasion Kit
There are so many kits out on the market today each one promising to be better than the one before it. When searching for the perfect results with your microdermabrasion kit, search for active ingredients, easy to use methods, and the most effective beads.
Most kits come with at least an exfoliating product and some type of cream protectant. These are your key features. Microdermabrasion is not your ordinary exfoliation, the crystals exfoliate deeper into skin, and help to pull away impurities. The active ingredient to look for is Aluminum Oxide Crystals. These are the same crystals that can be found at your local salon. When doing a comparison, some kits offer more premium quality or spa grade crystals while others are diluted with regular exfoliation beads. You’ll also want to make sure that the beads are small and round, this will help insure that it whisks away imperfect without stripping the skin. A great way to check for this is to read online reviews or buy from a department store where you can have an associate demonstrate the product.
The skin protectant should replenish the skin, it should help rebuild the skins defenses and help add back some of the nutrients that a deep exfoliation can remove. Look for one with an SPF since you will need to take extra precaution when unveiling your new skin.
Your kit should last you several treatments, and should be used about once a week. Some kits come with buffing brushes or cooling mists or green tea calming serums, these things are great, but unnecessary. Look for quality when picking out a microdermabrasion kit, not quantity.
Revolutionary microdermabrasion kits allow you the flexibility to take care of your skin in the privacy of your own home, with results very similar to that of a salon. Try one today and feel the difference!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
But Why do I NEED a moisturizer?
But Why do I NEED a moisturizer?
It’s easy to see that moisturizer feels good on the skin. After a thorough cleansing and/or exfoliation, moisturizer relieves that tight faced feeling. But why do you NEED a moisturizer, is this comfort measure really necessary? The answer is; absolutely.
All skin types and all age groups need moisturizer. This is not confined primarily to the aging or drier skins. Oilier skin types stand to benefit from a moisturizer as well.
The Science Behind Moisturizer
Your face is made up of many layers and cells. One important component is the sebaceous glands. These are your oil producers. A drier persons sebaceous glands doesn’t produce enough oil to keep the skin conditioned and comfortable. In this case, placing a synthetic oil onto the skin, IE a moisturizer will help soften the skin and Ph balance the area in order to allow it to peak at its utmost performance.
It’s a bit trickier to explain to someone with oily skin why they need to moisturize their skin daily. You see, they have an overactive sebaceous gland. So you would immediately think, why on Earth would I want to add more oil to an all ready oily surface? Well, the answer is simple. It confuses your glands. Much like a vaccine will trick your body into building up defenses from a particular illness, a moisturizer will trick the skin. The sebaceous glands will continue to produce until they feel that the skin is adequately protected. A moisturizer places a synthetic barrier there that tricks the glands into thinking they have a sufficient amount of oil so they will cease to produce. Over time, you will pleasantly note that because of this process, your sebaceous glands will usually stop over producing oil, or at least decrease the sebum production to an extent.
So that leaves the combination skin types. You’d think that they’re in the perfect group, with just enough oil to go around. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Combination skins have the tendency to over produce in some areas and under produce in others. A Moisturizer is a vital part of the skin care routine for these people as well.
Choosing The Best Moisturizer For Your Skin Type
Now that you’ve realized the importance of this skin care step, finding the one that is perfect for your face and individual needs is crucial. First you need to understand your skin type. Are you oily less that a few hours after you wash your face (oily)? Does your skin feel tight most of the time (dry)? Are you oily in some areas and comfortable in others (Combination)?
Address your immediate needs first. Comfort. If you’re shiny most of the time, make sure to get an oil free moisturizer. But do you need an oil controlling one? Sometimes these can be too drying for skin and are best for extremely oily skin. If you’re Dry, make sure to get one with a richer, creamy texture to nourish the skin.
A daily moisturizer will help maintain balance in the skin and in turn help you put your best face forward every morning.
It’s easy to see that moisturizer feels good on the skin. After a thorough cleansing and/or exfoliation, moisturizer relieves that tight faced feeling. But why do you NEED a moisturizer, is this comfort measure really necessary? The answer is; absolutely.
All skin types and all age groups need moisturizer. This is not confined primarily to the aging or drier skins. Oilier skin types stand to benefit from a moisturizer as well.
The Science Behind Moisturizer
Your face is made up of many layers and cells. One important component is the sebaceous glands. These are your oil producers. A drier persons sebaceous glands doesn’t produce enough oil to keep the skin conditioned and comfortable. In this case, placing a synthetic oil onto the skin, IE a moisturizer will help soften the skin and Ph balance the area in order to allow it to peak at its utmost performance.
It’s a bit trickier to explain to someone with oily skin why they need to moisturize their skin daily. You see, they have an overactive sebaceous gland. So you would immediately think, why on Earth would I want to add more oil to an all ready oily surface? Well, the answer is simple. It confuses your glands. Much like a vaccine will trick your body into building up defenses from a particular illness, a moisturizer will trick the skin. The sebaceous glands will continue to produce until they feel that the skin is adequately protected. A moisturizer places a synthetic barrier there that tricks the glands into thinking they have a sufficient amount of oil so they will cease to produce. Over time, you will pleasantly note that because of this process, your sebaceous glands will usually stop over producing oil, or at least decrease the sebum production to an extent.
So that leaves the combination skin types. You’d think that they’re in the perfect group, with just enough oil to go around. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Combination skins have the tendency to over produce in some areas and under produce in others. A Moisturizer is a vital part of the skin care routine for these people as well.
Choosing The Best Moisturizer For Your Skin Type
Now that you’ve realized the importance of this skin care step, finding the one that is perfect for your face and individual needs is crucial. First you need to understand your skin type. Are you oily less that a few hours after you wash your face (oily)? Does your skin feel tight most of the time (dry)? Are you oily in some areas and comfortable in others (Combination)?
Address your immediate needs first. Comfort. If you’re shiny most of the time, make sure to get an oil free moisturizer. But do you need an oil controlling one? Sometimes these can be too drying for skin and are best for extremely oily skin. If you’re Dry, make sure to get one with a richer, creamy texture to nourish the skin.
A daily moisturizer will help maintain balance in the skin and in turn help you put your best face forward every morning.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Which Foundation Should I Use?
This is the mother of all questions. Which foundation should YOU use? Well. You can hate me for this answer later, but it's all a matter of personal preference. But here's a little background info to find out which foundation would best suit you.
First you need to find out your skin type. When you get out of the shower does your face feel tight? Then you probably have a drier skin type. Is your makeup having a hard time staying put by midday? Then you’re most likely oilier. In between? Just shiny in the T-zone? Then you’re combination. It’s important to know your skin so you can pick the right foundation.
A drier skin type needs a little more moisture throughout the day. A nice cream or liquid foundation is perfect for you because it glides onto the skin effortlessly and won’t look caked if you have dry patches. Look for a liquid with a dewy finish or one that has mica in it. This will make your skin look revitalized and not dry and tight. You may want to avoid a powder foundation or a matte finish unless you slather on the moisturizer first, otherwise you may end up looking drier, not to mention that it may accentuate any fine lines or wrinkles.
As for combination skin, lucky you! You can wear anything! A nice tinted moisturizer is nice for combination skin because it’s light and it combines the two steps of moisturizing and foundation into one quick, easy application. This will give you a very light coverage, and will just basically even out the skin tone.
Onto the Oily skin. Most of us Houstonians fall into this category especially during the summer. The high levels of humidity leave our skin damp and grimy feeling anyway, so it’s more likely that even if we aren’t oily at other times of the year, the summer heat will make you feel and look oily. A nice foundation for oily skin is a matte powder. A powder foundation is a thicker powder specifically formulated to give more coverage than a regular pressed powder, usually the powder is triple-milled so it’s a lot finer than others. This will give a medium to full coverage if you use a puff or sponge, or use a brush a get a sheer coverage. This is great because it will lessen the appearance of the oil. If you decide on this foundation be careful not to use it as a touch up throughout the day, because it gives such a great coverage, too much is a bad thing. It’s best to get a lighter powder to dust on to avoid a “too made up” look.
Some great alternatives for all skin types are mousse foundation, and airbrush foundation or a mineral foundation. Mousse foundation is a light frothy mixture that glides onto the skin leaving an even tone. Some have a silicone base in it to help with texture issues like acne scars. An airbrush foundation leaves an even lighter finish on the skin. It smoothes out the surface of the skin with a light, almost effortless application. A great idea for summer is to try one of the new mineral foundations that are out on the market. This will give you variable coverage and a nice clean feeling to the skin. It’s made up of fine minerals, so it’s not actually a powder, it just looks like one in the container. It doesn’t leave a heavy powdery finish to the skin and it boasts that it’s so good for your skin that you could actually sleep in it.
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Now, this isn’t an end all for foundation advice, these are just few alternatives to show some skin this season! Just make sure that which ever foundation you end up with has an SPF in it and that you begin with a moisturizer that is right for your skin type. A flawless finish always begins with the right foundation.
First you need to find out your skin type. When you get out of the shower does your face feel tight? Then you probably have a drier skin type. Is your makeup having a hard time staying put by midday? Then you’re most likely oilier. In between? Just shiny in the T-zone? Then you’re combination. It’s important to know your skin so you can pick the right foundation.
A drier skin type needs a little more moisture throughout the day. A nice cream or liquid foundation is perfect for you because it glides onto the skin effortlessly and won’t look caked if you have dry patches. Look for a liquid with a dewy finish or one that has mica in it. This will make your skin look revitalized and not dry and tight. You may want to avoid a powder foundation or a matte finish unless you slather on the moisturizer first, otherwise you may end up looking drier, not to mention that it may accentuate any fine lines or wrinkles.
As for combination skin, lucky you! You can wear anything! A nice tinted moisturizer is nice for combination skin because it’s light and it combines the two steps of moisturizing and foundation into one quick, easy application. This will give you a very light coverage, and will just basically even out the skin tone.
Onto the Oily skin. Most of us Houstonians fall into this category especially during the summer. The high levels of humidity leave our skin damp and grimy feeling anyway, so it’s more likely that even if we aren’t oily at other times of the year, the summer heat will make you feel and look oily. A nice foundation for oily skin is a matte powder. A powder foundation is a thicker powder specifically formulated to give more coverage than a regular pressed powder, usually the powder is triple-milled so it’s a lot finer than others. This will give a medium to full coverage if you use a puff or sponge, or use a brush a get a sheer coverage. This is great because it will lessen the appearance of the oil. If you decide on this foundation be careful not to use it as a touch up throughout the day, because it gives such a great coverage, too much is a bad thing. It’s best to get a lighter powder to dust on to avoid a “too made up” look.
Some great alternatives for all skin types are mousse foundation, and airbrush foundation or a mineral foundation. Mousse foundation is a light frothy mixture that glides onto the skin leaving an even tone. Some have a silicone base in it to help with texture issues like acne scars. An airbrush foundation leaves an even lighter finish on the skin. It smoothes out the surface of the skin with a light, almost effortless application. A great idea for summer is to try one of the new mineral foundations that are out on the market. This will give you variable coverage and a nice clean feeling to the skin. It’s made up of fine minerals, so it’s not actually a powder, it just looks like one in the container. It doesn’t leave a heavy powdery finish to the skin and it boasts that it’s so good for your skin that you could actually sleep in it.
.
Now, this isn’t an end all for foundation advice, these are just few alternatives to show some skin this season! Just make sure that which ever foundation you end up with has an SPF in it and that you begin with a moisturizer that is right for your skin type. A flawless finish always begins with the right foundation.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
What is Airbrush Makeup?
Airbrush makeup is a growing trend in the cosmetic industry. It's a process where the artist uses an airbrush gun to apply a steady stream of microsized particals of foundation on your face; giving you the appearance of flawless coverage. The airbrush gun never actually touches your face, the foundation is essentially "blown" gently onto the skin by way of a compressor unit. This process leaves your face feeling lighter than if you had just worn a powder. Airbrush makeup can be applied to the eyes and cheeks as well, though some artists still prefer the control of traditional eyeshadows on the skin. Airbrush makeup is bragged to be very long wearing and usually shine free. Cost wise, airbrush tends to be more expensive because of the cost of supplies to the artist.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Concealor
Alot of people are confused about concealors. Do they go on before foundation? After? I have heard this question a million times, so I thought it would be the best thing to address today---BUT, you're probably not going to like this answer.
The first real rule is that creams go before powders- therefore, concealor should go before a powder foundation. But when it comes to liquid foundations it's all PERSONAL PREFERENCE. Cheap cop out, right? I personally like to put concealor on AFTER my liquid or cream foundation for two reasons...
1. I feel like I blend all of my concealor off if I rub my foundation on top of it.
2. I try to get as much coverage out of my foundation first so that I can use a lot less concealor. I feel like it makes my foundation look more natural.
The best advice I can give you about concealor is to get one with a peachy or pinker tone to go under the eye area. The peachy tone will work to neutralize the blue/purple tone that dark undereye circles cast (this works on hyperpigmentation spots too!) And use a small fluffy brush to blend it out under the eye (think 217 brush from MAC) this way you won't get a big cakey mess under there. I like to use a good synthetic flat brush to lay it on pimples and dark spots so you can get a fuller coverage there.
The first real rule is that creams go before powders- therefore, concealor should go before a powder foundation. But when it comes to liquid foundations it's all PERSONAL PREFERENCE. Cheap cop out, right? I personally like to put concealor on AFTER my liquid or cream foundation for two reasons...
1. I feel like I blend all of my concealor off if I rub my foundation on top of it.
2. I try to get as much coverage out of my foundation first so that I can use a lot less concealor. I feel like it makes my foundation look more natural.
The best advice I can give you about concealor is to get one with a peachy or pinker tone to go under the eye area. The peachy tone will work to neutralize the blue/purple tone that dark undereye circles cast (this works on hyperpigmentation spots too!) And use a small fluffy brush to blend it out under the eye (think 217 brush from MAC) this way you won't get a big cakey mess under there. I like to use a good synthetic flat brush to lay it on pimples and dark spots so you can get a fuller coverage there.
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