Changes in Life, Changes in Skin

Happy Wedding Day

Close your eyes. Deep breath. You shuffle your feet and feel the dress move around your ankles. Your hair swishes past your ears and you hear the crackle of your bracelet against your wrist. Suddenly the weight on your finger feels so real, so present. Breath. The light scent of your perfume settles in the room. One more breath. Blink and take it all in. You slowly raise your eyes to the shining glass before you. You see the glitter of your shoes, sparkling around light pink paint. And the dress that made you cry all of those months ago, the dress that fits you better than any other piece of cloth ever has, takes your breath away again now. It's perfection. Your eyes find your manicured hands in the mirror, and that ring that sits solitary for just a few minutes more sparkles in the light. A symbol of the journey on which you are about to embark. A representation of his love and commitment to you! You shift your weight again, finally staring at your face. What do you see? A glow. A glow of joy that darkness could not hide, and make-up cannot enhance. It's tangible in the room and it is all coming from your eyes as they mirror your very soul. It's that thing that they will see-every family member, every friend. All of those who love you and celebrate with you on this day. And him, especially him. He will be waiting at the end of that aisle just to catch a glimpse of Your Face. 

The above post was written by my daughter who will celebrate her one year anniversary soon!  She married her best friend, her life long partner.  What a blessing this journey has been.  They will soon welcome a new life into the world as a product of their love.  What joy will abound!  We, my husband and I, are thrilled to become first time grandparents.  

It will be interesting to see where my blog posts go from here!  Skin is still my passion and I will continue to educated myself to bring my clients the best in holistic skin care.  I want all brides to feel the joy that my daughter felt almost a year ago.  We worked hard to keep her skin happy and healthy through a stressful time.  The time leading up to and through her wedding day.  The pictures are astounding, her face was radiant.  We have continued to work on her skin through the hormonal changes that pregnancy has brought.  The best thing about holistic skin care is she didn't have to stop treatments or products.  It is interesting to me that many products can be harmful to a growing fetus, and yet so many people don't know the risks.

If you are getting married soon or planning to have a baby, don't forget the largest organ of your body...SKIN.  Treat it kindly and it will respond favorably. 

Preparing Your Skin for the "Big Day"

“Your skin speaks before you ever say a word!”

The bride is ready to walk down the aisle!

Planning, planning, scheduling and more planning!  You cannot forget the most important thing…your skin.  Photos, venues, flowers, all the minor details, but what will everyone see?  YOU and how beautiful you look.  In the mixt of all the things you need to do schedule to take care of your skin.  Plan and prepare, create that special look, that only you will have.  Prepare the pallet (your skin) for natural beauty.

Start early, get a professional skin analysis and a “plan.”  The correct treatments and products will serve you best in the long run.  Even if you have a tight budget you can make educated choices that will last.  Most over-the-counter products give you a lot of fluff and not real ingredients, which costs more in the long run.

Don’t wait until the last minute and expect great results.  You should not do any skin treatments closer than a week before the wedding or bridal photos.  So much goes into your skin and this is a time of high stress and poor eating.  All of which affect your skin tremendously.

My skin care practice is holistic in nature; I can put together a plan with non-evasive treatments.  Micro current treatments which help with everything from acne to aging.  Skin analysis at no charge that gives you the plan to create the best skin possible.  Facials that are therapeutic and can help you de-stress along with removing dirt, toxins and congestion.  There is more to good skin care then most recognize.

Caitlin was a stunning bride!

Last year my daughter was married.  We planned everything from the flowers to venue and everything in between.  Accordingly, we also planned her skin care regimen, as she is more sensitive than most.  We were able to attack the breakouts from the stress before they became big issues. Her skin was a “beautiful pallet” that required only minimal makeup to make her look radiant.  The photos are stunning!

The happy bride & groom!

So, as you prepare for your very special day remember to start at least 6 months in advance with a professional esthetician which allows time for the creation of a plan that works with your goals and budget.  If you don’t have 6 months, a knowledgeable professional should be able to put together a great protocol designed specific for you.  Put your money where your skin is and enhance your beauty!

Autoimmune Disease and Skin

"Today, I was reminded that this is Lupus Awareness Month.  My niece has Lupus, and today she walked in The Walk to End Lupus to raise money for more research into this debilitating autoimmune disease.  I am very proud of her as she has overcome many obstacles when it comes to her health.  She, at the moment, is not taking any medication for her Lupus symptoms.  Eating correctly, exercising (she enjoys and instructs Yoga) and doing her best to stay ahead of the debilitating effects she suffers from is key to feeling better.

Autoimmune Diseases can be very hard to diagnose and treat.  When I first started studying skin, I didn't realize all of the things we think are common skin conditions are actually autoimmune diseases.  A couple of these are psoriasis and eczema.  The good news is as an esthetician I can suggest things that will help relieve  some of the symptoms that can be annoying.  I also have an incredible skincare line that clears up so much of these symptoms.  I have witnessed first hand the incredible results.

I wish I could make these type of diseases disappear but I can't.  I can, however help overcome some of the hurdles when the skin is compromised.  My prayer is when someone learns they have an autoimmune disease that affects their skin they will seek out professionals that can help them with symptoms."

Wedding Day!!!

"Well here I am, one week before my only daughter gets married! She is my baby, the youngest of two, and her older brother is not yet married either.

 I have so many mixed emotions as I come down to this final week of lists, lists, and more lists!  I don't even know where to start.  I am happy, sad, excited, frantic, calm (sometimes), and overwhelmed, just to name a few!  I know there are so many things I didn't say, didn't do, etc.  No regrets, as I will do my best now to say what I need to when I need to say it.

My husband and I are pleased with her choice.  She waited and prayed a long time for this man. He honors her, adores her and loves her.  What more could parents hope for?  May the blessings flow for a life of good fortune and love.

This is a new chapter in all of our lives.  I look forward to this on many levels.  She will make a stunning, beautiful bride, a wonderful wife and a fantastic mother whenever God blesses them with children.

Of course, skin care always weaves it's way into our everyday routine, and this not-so-everyday occurrence is no different.  The skin being the largest organ filters everything, from the inside out and visa versa.  I have said it before.  So we started preparing her skin early for her wedding day!  With the right skincare regimen, and products her skin will be beautiful and radiant for her big Day! We are ready for the emotional breakouts with Herbal Spot treatment, one of my favorites (and one of hers too)! We've removed all of that pesky hair from her bikini and underarms. And her skin is looking fabulous after facials and other treatments designed especially to give it what it needs. The trick to all of this, as with any other part of planning a wedding, is to have (you guessed it) a plan.  One shouldn't think going to her esthetician the month before her wedding is enough time.  Three to six months with the correct plan mapped out is more appropriate.  An Esthetician should be able to take care of all the skin care needs along with makeup, and the perfect travel products for your skin type and honeymoon destination. (You wouldn't want to take a heavy moisturizer if you were traveling to a tropical setting, so to speak).

An Esthetician can help you move off to the BIG day with confidence, so you can make it beautiful! Here we go!"

Sun Protection

With the warmer weather on the way and the clouds clearing as we approach summer I want to clear up some recent controversy about sunscreens. Lately a lot of research has been published on how certain chemicals in most sunscreens cause cancer but going out without some kind of protection is just as bad. While true on both counts if you know what to look for in your sunscreens then you can have a fun and fruitful day in the sun! After all we still need some UV exposure in order to make Vitamin D and help our bodies function at peak efficiency.

Read your labels! If the product you are using contains Oxybenzone or any Parabens, stay away from it. Research shows that when exposed to sunlight Oxybenzone changes into a form of estrogen which can feed cancer cells. Parabens actually change the DNA of the cell, sometimes causing it to become cancerous. The FDA has stepped in to keep companies from falsely advertising their products with claims like "waterproof" and "all-day protection",  however it is up to the consumer to know what they are putting on their skin.

So where do we go from here? Too much protection or Too much sun? The point is to use the correct protection, correctly. It doesn't last on the skin forever, reapplying is the only way to keep the protection current. Also, don't be fooled into buying something that can do just as much, if not more, harm to your skin. Osmosis Pur Medical Skincare has a Harmonized water that protects from the inside out without any side effects.  If you have questions ask your personal esthetician. Don't have one? I would love to help you with your choices. Please contact me and we can see how to make your days out in this beautiful weather both fun and healthy.

You can find more information at MedicineNet.com or google sunscreens.

The time has changed, are you ready?

Here we are in mid March. We have just sprung forward, so now I am getting up in the dark - again.  And we are still experiencing the most unusual weather patterns we have seen in years.  If your skin is like mine, it still feels dry from the elements and the heat in the house.  It is very important to continue to stay hydrated, use the proper moisturizer and remember to use sun protection.  Did you notice I didn't say sunscreen?   I believe some sunscreens create more damage in the long run.  Be careful of what you put on your skin.  I will talk more about sun protection in April.

Now is a good time to start or prepare to start a spring detox.  There are many good cleansing systems out there, from colon cleansing to just a gentle tea cleansing.  When starting a cleanse don't be surprised if your skin seems to breakout more or feel differently, however your skin should response positively by the end and look radiant and beautiful.

I hope March doesn't go out like a lion because it came in like a lamb!

March!? Really?

Wow, can you believe it is March 2014?  I am having a hard time wrapping my head around that one!

I have just spent 4 days in continuing education, learning more about skin, the oncology client and how to better serve my clients with compromised health issues.  (you know I am a geek when it comes to learning about skin!)  The skin never stops amazing me!

As I write this I am freaking out just a little, my daughter will be married in two MONTHS!  Yikes.  I have so much to do and yet so much is already completed!  We are really excited for her and her new husband and what the future holds for them.

I am really excited about the Dermafiles I have added to my menu.  I am working on creating a video to demonstrate this awesome service, it will be posted on my website and FB when it is completed.  I prefer Dermafile because it is, in my opinion, a much safer alternative to microdermabrasion.  It exfoliates without causing damage and allows me to get closer to the nose and delicate eye areas.  I complete every treatment by feeding the skin with a nice healing mask, allowing the rejuvenation to take place.  When performed in a series of at least 6 sessions incredible results follow.  The reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and the smoothing out of ones complexion and more. Try it I think you will like it, but hurry this treatment can't be performed May thru September.  Of course I have other rejuvenating treatments for summer months!

It looks like March came in like a lamb.....