Molecular Mist

Me and spray toners, we go hand and hand. I have a new favorite, the Molecular Mist by Sircuit Cosmeceuticals, just in time for summer.

This product is powerfully moisture-boosting, using a combination of deeply hydrating and soothing/calming ingredients. They do without the preservatives, colors and fragrance and we love that. Can also be used as a light-weight moisturizer.

Use it after cleansing but also on top of make-up is great too. Check out this past post where I mention other uses for misting toners/sprays:

http://iheartskincare.net/2010/07/19/avene-thermal-spring-water/

You just can’t help saying “ahhhhh” after a couple sprays of Molecular Mist. Check out the website below to read more about the toner and the rest of the line. The list of celebs who enjoy Sircuit is certainly impressive (Leonardo DiCaprio, Natalie Portman and Oprah to name a few).

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Don’t ignore it!

The neck and décolleté (chest area) are often ignored when it comes to an at-home regimen. In fact, I have seen certain spa/skin care facilities only treat the face as well. We expose our neck and décolleté to the same elements we expose our facial skin to so make sure and do the following:

Cleanse. If you have a Clarisonic brush I suggest adding time for your neck and chest. Check out the link below for Clarisonic info:

http://iheartskincare.net/2010/05/29/super-sonic/

Exfoliate and Treat. Treat the skin on your neck and décolleté as you would your face. Pull down each product when you treat.

Sun Protection. Have you ever seen a two-tone face and neck? Yep I bet you have, don’t let this happen to you. Make sure you protect both equally.

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The Art of the Bath

In the spa industry one of the fundamental treatments is the bath. In fact SPA is centered around taking in the healing benefits of water. The history of bathing for medicinal purposes, social gathering and peace of mind has been around since the Greek and the Roman days. These days we take baths to cleanse but the benefits go far beyond rinsing the dirt off such as:

Soothing achy muscles
Clearing out congestion and relieving pressure from a cold
Relaxation
Detoxifying the body
Taking time for yourself

Of course you do not need to visit a spa to take in these tremendous benefits (although that would be lovely too). At home baths are wonderful -I love to add hydrating bath oils or bath salts, put on a facial mask and really benefit from some nice quiet time. Check out this past blog on at home facials, you can do this all in the bath:

http://iheartskincare.net/2010/06/13/facial-101/

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So Smooth!

Ladies, if you are sick of shaving every day it is time to consider Laser hair removal.  I am loving the results and am currently having the treatment on my bikini and underarm area. I have had the array of different machines in the past and the technology has come such a long way! I remember the first time I had a treatment, it took forever and hurt like hell!

My latest treatment was super quick and utterly painless-withOUT numbing! It had been a while for me since you can not get lasered while pregnant and I am looking forward to finishing this process now. Pacific Coast Cosmetic and Laser Center is where I go in Orange County, they have the latest and greatest equipment and my trust. Ask for Cami, she is amazing!

Pacific Coast Cosmetic &
Laser Medical Center, Inc.
James A. Heinrich, M.D., F.A.C.S.
26730 Crown Valley Parkway
Suite 250
Mission Viejo, CA. 92691
Phone: (949) 364-2440

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Champagne taste?

There is an amazing new week day special at the Resort at Pelican Hill Spa. If you are thinking about getting a facial or massage this is the place to go. During the week you can receive treatments starting at $90.00 for 50 minutes; this is an incredible deal considering this is a five star spa with some of the best therapists in the industry. There is a beautiful full service salon and a spa boutique.

I recently went to the spa for a 50 minute massage; we arrived early to use the amenities and made a day of it. Valet is free, you can use the fitness area, trust me I can go on and on! Check out the specials and the website for more details.

Pelican Hill Mid-Week Specials

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To Pick or Not to Pick?

 

Milia on the skin are small white bumps with a white head. When extracted milia look like tiny pebbles of sand and have the same consistency. It is a condition that is also very common in babies and is referred to as Baby Acne-although it is not acne at all.

In adults, milia are not like blackheads where the pore is clogged and can be easily extracted out. Because the skin cells are trapped underneath the skins surface, this can not be “picked” out with the fingers. I always recommend seeing a professional for this procedure for several reasons:

• A needle is required to open the skin before it can be extracted. If not performed correctly this may lead to scarring (that is worse that the milia!)
• The most common area milia are found is the eye area. Not a great area to be using a needle.
• The milia are small making it hard to be precise when extracting your own skin.

Thankfully, it is a simple procedure that takes only a minute. To prevent milia around the eyes do not use heavy products and be sure to treat the eye area delicately. Milia can also result from trauma, a burn or blistering of the skin.

See iCare for more eye care tips!

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I See the Light!

 

I could write all day long about the science behind LED skin therapy. My goal here is to explain the key benefits and why I love and recommend “light” therapy for most every skin type out there. There are many different brands of LED in spa land today; certain brands are far superior to others. Omnilux, by Photo Therapeutics out of the UK is the piece of equipment I will be referring to here. I have seen the results first hand and they have the scientific data to back up their claims.

There are many different colors used in LED therapy but the two most popular and effective are red and blue. Generally speaking, the red light is used for aging concerns and the blue light is used for acne.

Red Light:
Boosts collagen
Minimizes pore size
Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
Skin feels softer, smoother

Blue Light:
Treats Acne
Reduce the acne-causing bacteria in skin
Reducing Inflammation

Advantages to other treatments on the market:
Non-Invasive and safe
No down time
Non-thermal-(skin is not sun sensitive after the treatment, the opposite happens and cells are actually more protected.)
Pain-free
Great as a combination therapy with other treatments
It works!

Be prepared for an extremely bright light! Just relax and pretend you are sitting on a beach somewhere exotic (that’s what I do!) and relax. Visit the Omnilux website for before and after photos and call to find a clinic near you.

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I ♥ NY

 

During my latest trip to the big city I visited one of my favorite beauty apothecaries, Space NK-Soho location. I experienced the Elemental Facial (1 hour 15 minutes) using the Elemental Herbology product line which is exclusive to Space NK in the United States.

My skin felt amazing after the facial, deeply cleansed and hydrated. Leah my therapist, used steam with a gentle peel followed by extractions and my favorite part: an artful facial massage using ice cold stones. Pure bliss!

Leah recommended the Biodynamic Facial Soufflé for me, an intensely hydrating and repairing mask. It is based on naturally derived botanicals, free of fragrance and color and is paraben free. I applied it before my flight home to avoid dehydration (along with 6 water bottles on the flight!)

 

After my treatment we had dinner plans straight after and I was able to have make-up artist Merrell touch up my make-up (more to come on my favorite color products). I loved my experience, especially the skilled and friendly staff. Space NK has the hard to find skin care brands and even a section dedicated to more of a natural concept. I will definitely be back next time I visit. 

http://www.spacenk.com

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