Skin Myth: The use of all oils should be avoided if you have oily or blemish prone skin.

While it is true, there are some oils that should be avoided if you have oily or blemish prone skin, adding skin-loving essential and carrier oils to your daily skin care regimen can be a very good thing. Here is why.

How oils work? Because oil is an emollient, it fills in the gaps between the cells of the skin. Oil-based products replace essential lipids in the outer dermal layer replacing moisture and creating younger, healthier looking skin. The chemical composition of the skin absorbs oils more easily than water-based moisturizers. Even if your skin is oily or blemish prone, additional hydration facilitates healing and will boost your skin’s glow and vitality.

Oils to Avoid.  Avoid using these oils on your face because they may congest the skin: Lanolin, Cocoa Butter, Mineral Oil, and Petroleum.

So oil can benefit oily skin? Yes, the right oils used on oily skin can be. Natural health advocate and creator of her own all-natural herbal skin care line, Annmarie Gianni uses Grapeseed Oil as the base oil in her Facial Oil for oily, blemish-prone skin. She explains that Grapeseed Oil is actually slightly astringent and a very fine oil, which absorbs quickly and delivers your skin’s own natural oils deeper, allowing them to penetrate better into your skin.

My favorite oil-based skin care product?

Annmarie’s Herbal Facial Oil for Oily and Acne Prone Skin

This oil blend has some slightly astringent, pore refining qualities and can also be used as a light moisturizer. With acne clearing and anti-inflammatory herbs like Neem, White Willow, Milk Thistle, Licorice Root, I adore the feel and the smell of this bona fide all-botanical blend.

Benefits:
•Helps Control Acne Breakouts
•Prevents Pores From Clogging
•Opens Clogged Pores
•Balances Natural Skin Oils

They suggest to apply to clean skin. Dab a bit on nose, chin, cheeks and forehead and blend well. If you are interested in this product or any other from Annmarie’s skin care line, for this week only (June 6-11th) you can receive 10% off using the coupon code: mythbuster10. Just go to: http://www.annmariegianni.com/.

Are you blocking the UVA?

While we have all heard of the benefits from using a daily sunscreen (anti-aging, avoiding skin damage and cancer), it is good to note that not all sunscreens are created equal. Many sunscreens are good at blocking the long UVB rays, however most do very little to block the damaging short UVA rays.

Ingredients that absorb UVA/UVB rays, such as avobenzone and octyl methoxycinnamate, are known as absorbers or chemical based sunscreens. In contrast, physical blockers of UV radiation have ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

In a recent post from SkinTour.com “Are You Blocking UVA, Too?” Dr. Brandith Irwin explains,

“Remember that SPF refers only to UVB protection and doesn’t help you on UVA. And buying a sunscreen that says “broad spectrum” or “UVA Protection” won’t necessarily protect you much. Some of those have only a tiny amount of zinc or titanium for UVA blocking.”

To read her entire article including a list of affordable UVA sunscreens for the body and face, go to: http://www.skintour.com/tips/Are-You-Blocking-UVA-Too-.html.

Hi all! Feeling pretty psyched right now, just got word from SkinMedica that I can give away two of my favorite items from their line – no kidding!

If you are looking for a great retinoid product, the SkinMedica Tri-Retinol Complex is a highly recommended “non-perscription” retinoid that delivers anti-aging benefits without irritating your skin.

And, if you have always wanted to try the SkinMedica TNS Essential Serum, but were frightened by the price tag ($271 – yikes!), we are giving away one of those too. This product contains two chambers, one filled with proteins, antioxidants, and amino acids, and the other with the TNS Corrective Complex. It works over time to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation while improving elasticity.

This contest runs through Friday April 22, 2011, so be sure to enter!

For the past several years the buzz word for not only your health but for the health of your skin has been antioxidants. As far a marketing goes, this one word holds more power than almost any other, promising to defend against aging and environmental stressors, and not only halting but reversing the damage due to these factors.

Here is my assessment of claims vs. hype when it comes to antioxidants and skin care:

1. The reason we know about antioxidants is marketing.

The sources of antioxidants are abundant, from blueberries, acai, sea buckthorn, pomegranate and goji, I can almost guarantee the next antioxidant wonder fruit will be a multi-syllabic extremely rare berry which was miraculously discovered and preserved in the entrails of a prehistoric woolly mammoth that was chipped out a Siberian glacier.

2. Loads of big claims, maybe not so much good science to back it up.

Kidding aside, the trend follows that the higher the concentration or potency, and the rarity and exotic location of origin add to an antioxidants value and benefits. While I absolutely believe that antioxidants like Vitamin C and A are of value, there is a need to question their efficacy as well. Asking if these antioxidants can actually penetrate into the skin cells to do what they say they can do. Due to poor formulations, oxidation and absorption issues, many skin care products with antioxidants may do nothing but just sit on the surface. Maybe no harm done, but no good accomplished either. Marketing hype wins, consumer gets zero.

As an example, the antioxidant Vitamin C can both protect skin from the sun and neutralize free radicals. It effectively promotes collagen production and tones and tightens the skin to help repair the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It has also been proven to reduce skin discoloration due to sun damage, aging, and acne scarring. Vitamin C is very unstable and can easily oxidize, making the compound ineffective, so it’s important to pay attention to expiration dates and that it is being stored in air and light-free containers. According to the SkinCeuticals site, 15% is the optimum potency of  deliverable Vitamin C to receive the desired benefits from its use.

3. “Just because a food has antioxidants doesn’t mean we should eat it (or slather it on our skin!).” – Kevin @ RenegadeHealth

The presence of antioxidants isn’t the only factor in deciding what to place on our skin. I always look for specific active ingredients before purchasing a product. The first on the list are the ingredients in the highest percentage, just because an antioxidant is listed, doesn’t mean there is enough for it to anything. Depending upon the specific skin care product, if I want one with an particular antioxidant benefit, I will want to make sure it has the proper potency. Liposomes or chirally correct formulations (like L-Ascorbic Acid or D-Beta Carotene) are used to assist the active ingredients ability to be delivered deeper into the skin and be recognized and utilized by the skin’s receptor cells.

Conclusion of is it good or good hype? A little of both. The next time you go skin care shopping, consider these 3 points (along with the price tag of course) when you hear or read the word antioxidant listed as a selling point. Please share your thoughts!

For the treatment of acne and aging, retinols are often recommended and considered a highly valued skin repair treatment.  A cousin of Vitamin A, the main benefits of retinoids are that they stimulate collagen production and increase the cell turnover rate which decreases with age, combating both wrinkles and congested skin. Retinoids have also been scientifically proven to help to repair sun damage by normalizing damaged keratinocytes (skin cells). With such claims you might think that everyone would be slathering it on without abandon, however as we all well know, every good thing has a few drawbacks, particularly if you have sensitive skin.

Side Effects of Prescription Strength (Rx) Retin-A:

• Increased skin cell turnover can be irritating and cause flaking and redness. The key is, easy does it! A little goes a long way, and you want to build up using it gradually, even every other day at first.  If you are experiencing flaking or severe irritation, take a few days off, or consult with your Dermatologist.  Another option is to try a lower concentration or a OTC retinol cream that can offer you a similar result – my personal favorite is the Tri-Retinol Complex from SkinMedica. You will also want to use a good moisturizer while using Retin A.
• Increased sun sensitivity. While using retinoids, your skin will become more sensitive to sunlight, so you will want to use a very effective sunscreen, wear a hat, and keep out of the sun to protect your skin.
• Do not use if pregnant, the use of topical retinoids can cause birth defects.
• There is some controversy of the long term side effects Retin-A.

To help clear up some of the confusion and avoid as many negative side effects as possible, Dr. Brandith Irwin, a renowned Dermatologist and contributor for SkinTour wrote up an excellent reference article about the various retinol prescription and non-prescription options, and what will work best for your specific age and skin type.

Vitamin-A creams have been and are still the gold standard for repair of sun-damaged and aging skin. They also help to prevent precancerous lesions and skin cancer. There’s nothing better available in a cream form. Everyone who can tolerate them should be using one!

Still needing more information?  There is a lot more to say on this topic, and here is another post to learn more about Retinoids:  All About Retinoids: Considering Retin-A.

As an expression of love, flowers are given in abundance. Did you know that in addition to essential oils that are extracted from flower petals, flower essences can be acquiesced from fresh floral blossoms and used in a variety of beneficial ways for the skin as well as the spirit?

Read the rest of this entry »

Mid-length is the last word for Spring, or is it? Read the rest of this entry »

Hot off the press curlies! The new edition of Lorraine Massey’s “Curly Girl” is here.

Massey’s book was my true inspiration for leaving brushes, sulfate-shampoos, and blow dryers by the way side – forever!

After reading the original Curly Girl book in 2007, I took a leap of faith and put its practices into my daily hair care regimen. And with much praise to Lorraine, my hair and my sanity has been restored! This month, to my delight I discovered that a new edition came out of the Curly Girl classic. Along with a demonstration DVD, this book includes several helpful new tips & tricks for every specific curl type. Read the rest of this entry »

You may ask me,  “Jen, do you ever try a product you don’t love?”

“Uh, yeah.”

I have a big box filled to the brim with various creams, lotions and potions that come my way. I don’t have much patience for a crappy product. I am human just like everyone else, sometimes I’ll get wowed by the marketing, sometimes I get wowed by the packaging or the philosophy behind the product (example: Eminence). However, if I put it on my skin, and it causes a reaction, triggers a break out, and doesn’t feel fantastic – I’m done, good-bye and onto the next new product that captures my attention.

So in 2010 Boske, a fairly new company on the skin care circuit approached me with their all-star product, Molecular Repair. I was having some fairly tough skin issues over the summer, so I made a first attempt and after a few uses,  pushed it to the back of the bathroom cupboard for a future trial. Read the rest of this entry »

From what I gather, and this comes from the spot-on daily weather reports from my Facebook friends and family from across the country, it seems like we have all been hit pretty hard this season with bitterly, cold weather. With these single-digit temps, our skin suffers along with us, and exposed skin and extremities (feet, hands, knees and elbows) take the brunt of the lack of warmth and humidity, as well as spending too much time in dry, heated homes and offices.

One day at my favorite local Dave’s Health store, a representative from MiraCell was demonstrating their skin care products. My dry, cracked knuckles were instantly soothed, and experienced none of the stinging, burning or reactiveness that can often result from lotions and creams with fragrance, alcohol, petroleum, or what MiraCell would call “skin addicting” ingredients. Read the rest of this entry »