Question #7-
Amy Marie said...What is the best way to keep from getting hang nails and dry cuticles? Especially in the winter? I have the worst nails right now and I am wondering if there is a secret I am missing out on Thanks! Amy

Amy thanks for the question. Lots of people deal with dry skin and nails during this time. Try some of these tips!

First take a look at your diet...
Try taking fish oil capsules which are essential fatty acids which help improve your moisture content for skin and nails...a vitamin E supplement will help too
drink extra amounts of water to help get rid of toxins and hydrate yourself

Next look at things your do or don't do daily...
don't expose your hands to hot water or for a long amount of time
try not using harsh soaps that strip your skins natural oils. Look for a soap with vitamin E in it or extra moisturizers that won't dry out your hands
rub olive (jojoba,almond etc) oil on them
Bag Balm or any sort of hang cream (like burts bees) or cuticle oil that contain lanolin
Also try sleeping with these creams or vaseline on them
Don't use any nail products with formaldehyde or toluene in them and don't over use nail polish remover esp around the cuticles.

Last if your skin nails or cuticles have serve dryness itchenss or redness I would recommend seeing a dermatologist for a perscription!

Question #6 Cristin said...My face is already wrinkled. What is the best way to get rid of lines around your eyes and smile line that doesn't include super expensive treatments?

Cristin love the question I get asked it all the time!!

Wear sunscreen! I know it sounds so simple but really sunscreen is the cheapest most effective anti-aging treatment out there! Interesting enough you can get sun damage through things like your car window. So make sure to wear that sunscreen EVERYDAY not just lake days and please for my sanity DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT GO TANNING (DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED I MIGHT GET AN ULCER JUST TALKING ABOUT TANNING BEDS!)

As for correcting what you already started...get some luscious eye cream yum! I posted earlier about some wonderful eye creams. If you are faithful in using them I promise you'll see that skin tighten right up. Ask Santa for some what a cute stocking stuffer!

Cristin you also mentioned laugh lines...well embrace those its a sign of a happy life you have lived!! If after you have embraced them and they still haven't gone away there are a couple options. 1. find a product with peptides in them 2. use a great moisturizer (olive oil works great) 3. look at your diet...drink more water, green tea, Vitamins, or make a homemade anti oxidant blueberry mask 4. if you are willing to spend a little more get a glycolic peel, microdermabrasion, laser tightening or in 10 years heck just get some good old juvederm in there!!

As far as making them go away completely you kind of have to fork out some money for things like on #4. But you can definitely help to reduce the signs of them and from creating more to come.

Liquid Minerals

Question Time
#5 Luna W said...

I've heard great things about mineral makeup but I cannot use it to even my skin. I have extreme depigmentation in spots around my face and only the thickest cream foundations can make these undetentable. Is there an alternative to mineral foundations for me? ex not sheer powder?

Luna thanks for the great question!

Jane Iredale is a mineral makeup line that has met a lot of my clients needs. Reason being it has formulated a mineral makeup that is in a LIQUID form! Yes I did just say that! They have over 18 different liquid minerals to match many different skin tones.

Now I know a lot of people might be a little skeptical about a liquid mineral but be excited really its amazing! Basically there are tiny balls of mineral floating in anti aging things like hylaronic acid( which is found naturally in your body). HA levels decrease with aging, as the levels decrease it retards your skins ability to retain moisture therefore leading to wrinkles and such. We like HA yes we do! This product is awesome; skin care and makeup in one! Go check it out here

Luna I hope this helps! This has been the only product I have used that covers very well while still having awesome benefits for your skin.

Winner

And the Winner is....

#8- Kerry- Yaaa! What a fun giveaway.So my question is... What can i do to even out my skin tone and get rid of those hideous dark spots?

Kerry email me camillalynn@gmail.com to claim your prize! Also let me know what skin type you have so I can send you the correct kit (i.e normal dry combination or oily) Thanks and Congrats!!

Thanks to all of you who entered...stay tuned your awesome questions will be answered and there will be another giveaway soon!!!

GIVEAWAY

Hey everyone I'm doing a CHRISTMAS giveaway....



Sanitas is one of my favorite skin care lines!!! Go check them our here Sanitas

To enter just leave a comment asking any skin care question you or a friend may have...can be anything from nails,makeup,waxing,laser hair removal,eyebrows,skin... you get the picture!! ALL ENTRIES MUST BE IN BY SATURDAY DEC 12 at 12:00am

Thanks and good luck to all!!

Question Time

Question #4 What kind/brand of lotion do you suggest for dry skin? What kinds moisturize best and keep your skin hydrated? - Brittney
Britt great question especially during this winter season a lot of people suffer from dry itchy skin.

Depending on how dry your skin is here are a couple of great moisturizers-
Eucerin Cream
Cetaphil Cream
Aveeno daily lotion ( Aveeno has a bunch of great lotions that are made with natural ingredients like oatmeal to help with dry skin.)

If you suffer from extreme dryness try using a moisturizing oil like this one form aveeno. Some people might freak out by the whole oil thing but really it works great for trapping the moisture. Look for these ingredients- grapeseed oil avocado oil or almond oil
Olive oil is also a great home remedy for dry skin (similar to our bodies own oils)

Tips to help with dry skin
*avoid hot hot showers turn the temp down
*take shorter showers
*apply lotions right after shower for best affect
*use the heavy creams at night
*don't use harsh soaps in the shower- recommended olay or dove
*if you get dry scabs from extreme dryness use Vaseline (not on face) at night if they get itchy red or infected see a doctor.

Here are some fun home made skin care products that are great for adding moisture!

Honey Moisturizer
3 tsp honey
4 tsp milk
mix together apply to face rinse with warm water after 10 mins

Honey and Egg Facial
1 egg yolk
1 tsp honey
1 tsp almond oil
mix together until smooth. Let stand for 15 mins rinse with warm water

Yogurt Mask
apply some natural plain yogurt to the face let set for 20 mins rinse with warm water

and at last my favorite-

Chocolate Mask
*use is for people with normal skin types that don't break out or have excessive oil
1/3 cocoa
3 tbsp heavy cream
2 tsp cottage cheese
1/4 cup honey
3 tsp oatmeal powder
mix all ingredients together relax for 10 minutes was with warm water.

* if your skin starts to burn after putting one of these on take off immediately you might be having an allergic reaction

Makeup

Questions #3 So what's the best kind of makeup to use.....Are powder foundations better? (ex: Bare Minerals)


Thanks Libby for the great question! This is actually a very commonly asked question at our medical spa. Makeup is such a big part of us girls these days and thank heaven for it!

I personally LOVE mineral makeup!! I have seen clients switch to this makeup and watched their skin transform.(I have used bare minerals (my sister works at the one in the Fashion Show mall in Vegas go see her shes Fab and can do youre makeup like no one else!) and jane iredale loved them both!) Have you tried other kinds and liked them? Great tell me about them!

Mineral makeup is manufactured with minerals which are sterilized and pulverized into a very fine powder which is then mixed with a variety of natural inorganic colorings.

BENEFITS

*non-comedogenic- meaning the ingredients don't clog your pores- skin can breathe
*made of natural ingredients- ideal for sensitive, acne, dry, oily and rosacea skin
*ingredients are inorganic meaning bacteria can't live in the makeup and infect our skin
*no preservatives oils or fragrances
*usually contain UVB and UVA sun protection
* most have zinc, magnesium and anti-inflammatories- great for acne prone skin
*light, glow look instead of think cakey makeup look


Watch out for these ingredients in makeup

Lanolin- Most common ingredient in cosmetics so watch out for it. This is basically sheep skin oil extracted from wool. The fatty acids in lanolin, like fatty acids in our own oil, tend to aggravate some acne in the skin. examples- etoxylated lanolins and acetylated lanolins

Isopropyl Myristate- used to be known as one of the worse offenders is this a penetrating oil, lots of controversial articles on this stuff- me I'd stay away from it

D & C Pigments- red dyes, coal tar derivatives, definitely is gonna clog your pores

Fragrances- yikes stay away! no one wants perfume rubbed all over their face

Girls take control and don't feel afraid to look at ingredients or ask them about questions!

** Do Not I repeat DO Not forget to frequnetly wash your brushes! Although mineral makeup doesn't harbor bacteria brushes can and do! So wash them please! Don't spend the time/money and then ruin your face/makeup by using dirty makeup brushes mmmmk thats all for now!

Half Off Pumpkin Facials

If any of you are needing a 60 minute relzing rejuevnating facial and you live in Utah you don't want to pass this up!! The medical spa that I work for is having a special half off our signature pumpkin facial ($30.00)!! Email me if you want to make an appointment!!!

Benefits of our pumpkin enzyme facial
*Improves skin tone and texture
*Stimulates collagen production
*Helps lighten age spots
*Contains Vits ACEDK- helps firm, heal, protect, stabilize and soothe skin

?

Questions Questions Questions

Does anybody have any skin care questions? Can be anything from nail care to laser hair to makeup

I'm working on a post right now about homemade masks that I think you will thoroughly enjoy but for now lets answer so questions!

Love your Skin

Do you know what the largest organ in your body is?
Your Skin!



I love my skin because...
it keeps me warm
its soft and smooth
keeps my insides safe
it shows my cute freckles on my nose
its fair and pink and looks good in green

What else do I love about my skin you may ask??
I love my scarred skin
I love the millions of moles
I love the blackheads that won't go away on my nose
I love the wrinkles forming around my laugh lines

Take a second look in the mirror and marvel at this amazing creation
What Do You Love About Your Skin? Share with us!

*photo taken from ehow.com

Those fancy pants eye creams

Question #2: Are eye creams worth their price? If so how do I know which ones are good?

Some eye creams are really worth their price if you are faithful to them and know how to use them properly. People come back to our spa wanting to return their eye cream only later we find out they didn't even know how to use them. For example one of our eye creams you HAVE to use morning and night to get any results! Here are some ingredients that will help you determine if the expensive eye creams are worth it or not?

Reasons we all buy those expensive things-
Fine lines
Wrinkles
Dark circles
Bags
Puffiness

Here are a few key ingredients to look for in an eye cream that actually work

Argireline- very expensive stuff but works wonders (they use it as an alternative to people who aren’t ready for botox injections but want correction fast) This specific ingredient relaxes facial tension which contributes to facial wrinkles. The formal name of it is acetyl hexapeptide-3 (which means it is a PEPTIDE love peptides!!) Peptides are small fragments of proteins, which communicate with the skin cells to behave in specific ways like telling them to thicken or plump up our skin! Topical peptides that we use on our face are synthetic and are made to enter the skin cells and remain intact.

Hylaronic acid- is a fabulous natural moisturizer that is already produced naturally in our bodies. It is also aids in helping to prevent the loss of collagen and elastin in our skin, which is what makes our skin firm and tight! (Can I get some more of that produced around the bottom area! JK)

Alpha Hydroxy Acids- have you all heard of chemical peels? Well this is the main ingredient in a lot of chemical peels. Now we can all see why it would be important to have in an eye cream. AHA’s help to lighten skin and tighten wrinkles.

Some other awesome ingredients used are antioxidants like Acai Berry and Resveratrol. They help our skin get rid of our nasty dead skin, which help to revitalize the skin around our eyes. The antioxidants also work in conjunction with the hylaronic acid to help create new cells.

Haloxyl- not a ton of research has been done on this product but there is against saying that it’s currently the best ingredient you can have in your eye cream to treat dark circles.

GREAT eye creams I have tried are from Obagi, Sanitas, Lancome, and Dermalogica

*I used a lot of information from eyecreams.com
**Pictures from obagi.com
***Be careful when using product around the eyes, your skin is thinner and more fragile causing it to easily become irritated and red

ABC's of Ingrown Hairs

#1: What are ingrown hairs and how do I get rid of them?!!

Ingrown hair happen when dead skin builds up and basically bury our hair. If we do not exfoliate the dead skin off of us then it results in the ugly painful things known as ingrown hairs.

I recommend using a loofah sponge in the shower and scrubbing the skin to exfoliate(to get rid of dead skin). You can also use an over the counter body scrub (I like neutrogena's called body clear) it has 2% salicylic acid in it to help eat away at the dead skin. You can also just use plain old table salt to exfoliate the area just use it with warm water...in a circular motion.


You want to keep the area clean or else they can get infected and need a doctor to remove them. Not Fun!

If you have exfoliated the dog out of and still hasn't come out after weeks of exfoliating than you will probably need to extract it out. I don't recommend you doing this at home, I would probably see a dermatologist at this point. But if you get brave make sure to steam the area with a warm towel so the skin is softer(easier) to remove. If you poke at the hair with a needle a few times and it doesn't easily come wait a few more days. We don't want you scarring your skin. Once you get the hair to the surface use sterile(clean with isopropy alcohol and boil in water) tweezers to pull the hair out. Clean the area with benzoyl peroxide.

If you do have an ingrown hair be patient and remember to exfoliate always not just when you have an ingrown! Exfoliating does wonders to your skin.

If your guy gets bad ingrown hairs on his neck from shaving get him this product now! http://www.anthony.com/store/catalog/shave/ (its fabulous for men since it was designed by a man, great holiday gift too!)

** note too harsh or too much exfoliating can cause irritation and damage to the skin and capillaries. Use caution when using products with salicylic acid and exfoliating

I'm back

Hi guys I'm back!!! Yes I have been extrememly busy planning a wedding and working full time but the wedding stress is over I work part time and Im ready to start blogging again. I am going to be posting on her more frequently to answer all of your questions! I will be posting pictures on how to get the perfect eyebrows and posting videos on how to properly pick your zits without causing them to get worse! Here is question number 1 a question I hear all the time...

Yep its offical

As many of you know I have been doing esthetican stuff on the side while I try and finish school in a business degree. I am almost done (just this semester and one more!!) so now I am going to be working at a medical spa in Highland, Utah. It is a brand new spa that will be opening in about a week from Tuesday (Feb-3). I'm very excited to be a part of the opening team! The website is up so go check it out!!! aplinewellnessclinic.com. Check out the website because we have a lot of opening specials and Valentine Day specials (especially if you cant find any more ties or tools that your husbands could possibly want!!). Even if you think your husband or boyfriend is so MANLY he wouldnt possibly enjoy a facial or a massage think again. Some of my most loyal clients have ended up being men ( they get addicted :) If you want to be one of the first to get in and experience this brand new medical spa shoot me an email and we can go from there. This is where you will be finding me Tuesday- Saturday for awhile. Leave a comment or send me an email if you have any questions about any of the services or any comments on this blog!!

Antioxidants!!!

It's pomegranate SEASON!!!

Several recent studies have shown pomegranate's ability to improve wound healing, resulting in faster repair of skin cuts and scrapes. It also appears to play a positive role in the repair of skin damaged due to exccesive SUN exposure and AGING. Extracts of pomegranate are thought to exert their positive effects on skin aging by extending the life of fibroblasts, the cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin.

Collagen and elastin are the components that give strength and support to the skin. When collagen and elastin fibers break down, the skin develops laxity, resulting in the appearance of wrinkles and jowls. Fortunately, pomegranate's skin benefits may help to retard this process.

One recent study showed that pomegranate seed oil stimulated the production of collagen, resulting in a mild thickening of the epidermis and dermis of the skin. It also appeared to prevent the breakdown of collagen fibers which are the harbingers of skin aging. This suggests that pomegranate oil may boost the ability of skin to repair itself by regenerating the supporting collagen structure of the skin.

Other studies have shown that pomegranate seed extract applied to the skin may reduce the formation of some forms of skin cancer, suggesting that its antioxidant capabilities may be responsible for some of pomegranate's skin benefits.

Although you can buy creams that have pomegranate extract in them, they tend to be rather expensive. A cheaper alternative would be to use a blender to make a thick paste from the seeds of the pomegranate which could be applied to the face. This would allow you to get pomegranate's skin benefits at a high concentration without purchasing an overpriced cream that probably has very small levels of the active ingredient. You can also use a cotton ball to apply pomegranate juice to your face after cleansing.

Pomegranates. In addition to thickening your epidermis (outer layer or skin) and helping to produce more collagen and elastin (what keeps your skin firm and springy), they contain antioxidants that seem to accelerate wound healing. They are also-

• Low in Saturated (BAD) Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium
• High in Vitamin C and Potassium
• Pomegranates are low in sodium and calories ( about 20 calories per ounce)
• They are also a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin B.
  

OH AND SPEAKING OF POMEGRANATES ... Break open the apple-sized fruit, and find hundreds of juicy seeds inside, plus a slew of nutrients that have antioxidant, anti carcinogenic, anti- inflammatory and even antimicrobial properties:

These fruits help you fight cancer. Pomegranate juice dropped systolic blood pressure in hypertensive people. It decreased blood sugar levels in animals.

Easiest WAY to EAT a POMEGRANTE (and I mean Easiest)...

http://emptyage.honan.net/mth/2007/10/how-to-eat-a-po.html

How to pick pomegranates- they are generally chosen for size; the larger the Fruit, the sweeter it will be. In choosing one, pick one that has a glossy sheen to the skin and also seems heavy for its size, as it will have more juice. The fruits are ripe when they have developed a distinctive color and make a metallic sound when tapped.

its here...

Ok so it's finally here!!! I'm dedicating this blog to helping you better skin, less hair, and great deals! I'll be posting tips for skin care, dates when i'll be doing waxing parties, and other fun things like great new products. So add this blog address to your friends list and keep checking for more details like monthly specials and skin tips. I know a lot of you have being making appointments through my sister in law Brittney( and I have grately appreciated her doing this) but through this blog and emailing I plan on making it easier on her and myself by doing on the appointments through me now. I hope it works out and you will enjoy reading this blog. Let me know if you have an suggestions on what you would like to read about or need tips on! I'm excited to start this blog and hope you are too!! xoxo- Camilla your esthetican