Beauty and Wellness Journal

Let's be honest here, we all know that cosmetic and skin care products do expire. Many of us have heard about the "rule of 6 months" (cosmetic products need to be replaced every 6 months or so). But how many of us actually DO throw away that "barely used" and "super expensive" lip gloss or concealer? Majority of women are convinced that it is a waste of money to throw away a "perfectly good" product. In reality, that product should have been replaced a long time ago. Let me ask you this, would you take a to-go order in a...

Educating people about proper skin care is one of my main responsibilities as an Esthetician. Surprisingly many people are unaware of their skin's basic needs. In this post I will describe a typical daily skin care routine, and explain the purpose of each step.It is usually recommended that your daily routine looks the following way:Morning:Step 1- Cleanse your face using an appropriate cleanser.Step 2- Use a toner (or a freshener, which is pretty much the same thing but contains less or no alcohol at all).Step 3- Apply Serums (optional)Step 4- Apply a moisturizer with an SPF30 or greater. (or, if...

In today's market, there are so many new procedures and products designed to make us look younger. In the addition to the common skin care procedures we have discussed in yesterday's post, there is also one that I found to be particularly interesting. It is called Dermaplaning. Many people confuse it with dermabrasion - a medical procedure in which the skin is abraded down to the dermis using a whisklike device. Unlike dermabrasion, which is usually associated with many complications, dermaplaning is a simple and safe shaving of the epidermis. Although many people have never heard of it, dermaplaning has...

Whether you want to address a specific skin concern or just looking for relaxation a spa appointment is always a good idea. Too often, however, we feel too intimidated by those fancy words on a spa menu and instead of taking advantage of new procedures we stick with the same old facials or waxing. Spa is a billion dollar industry in the US alone with so many different treatments available already and new ones coming out on the market all the time. As a licensed esthetician I know how hard it can be to try something new, especially if you are a "spa newbie"....

There seems to be a lot of confusion when it comes to skin conditions. Many believe that this term refers to the diseases. This however not always is the case. The word "condition" means - "the state of something, especially with regard to its appearance, quality, or working order". When we talk about skin conditions we refer to the state of the skin, which is not always a disease. Aging is a condition, so is dehydrated skin. These two, however, are usually confused with skin types, which is incorrect. From my previous post you can learn that skin type is...