Skincare Blog

1) Wash your makeup off at night. As women, we love to get dolled up and feel special! We spend a lot of time and effort on our makeup and sometimes it feels like a chore to wash it off at the end of the day. It may seem time consuming, but it is essential for healthy skin! Imagine the eight plus hours of oils collecting on your face on top of left over makeup – yuck! First, you should find a makeup remover that works for you (preferably oil free). From there, simply take a cotton ball, dab it with the product of your choice and gently begin to remove your makeup. After the removal step, you may want to consider cleansing and moisturizing your face with a natural skin care products, leaving it refreshed and hydrated. 2) Clean your makeup brushes. This may shock you, but when good makeup brushes go bad it can lead to a build up of skin oil, bacteria and irritation. Wash your makeup brushes monthly with lukewarm water and a liquid soap. Make sure you rinse them well, squeeze out the excess water and lay the brushes out flat to dry for at least 24 hours. There are even antibacterial sprays that can be applied weekly for those who feel that basic monthly cleaning is not enough. 3) Keep your hands off of your face! We all know that it is impossible to keep your hands perfectly germ-free all day long. While remembering to not touch your face may be easy in thought, it can be hard in practice. Touching your face with your fingers can introduce pore-clogging oil and transfer dirt to the skin. If you do feel the need to touch your face, wash your hands thoroughly before doing so to lessen the chance of breakouts.

Easter is just around the corner, and while thoughts of sugar-coated marshmallow treats and chocolate eggs and bunnies may be hopping through your mind, be sure to remain mindful of how much sugar you are consuming and the effects that it can have not only on your waistline, but also your skin. While we are younger we enjoy bright, youthful skin that is firm and full. When we start to reach our 30s, the ravages of a lifetime of sugar consumption (amongst other factors) begin to slowly creep in and reveal themselves in the forms of premature aging, wrinkles, loss of suppleness and discoloration/hyperpigmentation. But how does this happen? The sugar molecules in your system attach themselves to proteins and fats during a process called glycation; the end product of glycation is something called AGEs (Advanced Glycation End). In turn, AGEs cause protein fibers in the skin to become stiff and malformed. The proteins in your body that are most negatively affected are (unfortunately) collagen and elastin – those building blocks that make your skin look supple, plump and healthy. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent glycation from occurring, and those include a healthy diet rich in antioxidants, regular exercise, adequate water intake and a well thought out skincare routine. When choosing beauty products, look for natural or organic ingredients for skin care whenever possible; non-natural products may contain ingredients that could possibly do more harm than good, and may also contain harsh chemicals, sulfates, parabens, fragrances or chemical preservatives. The best natural anti-aging skincare products to fight glycation should be high in antioxidants. Consider products that contain ingredients such as blueberries, vitamin e, vitamin a, CO-Q10 and hyaluronic acid. With these power ingredients at hand, you can go ahead enjoy a piece of candy or two with minimal guilt!