I recently read a post on Pintrest that I highly agree with. It talks about the benefits of using an oil cleanser to wash for acne. Sound counter intuitive?? Well, actually it is spot on if you consider the following.
Acne occurs because an over productivity of the sebaceous glands. The pores then become clogged and infected with bacteria due to the clogging of the pores. It is common practice to wash with an acid based cleanser to kill the bacteria and force the skin to stay exfoliated. So while you are treating the direct problem this method alone does not help the skin long term. The skin has now become overly dry so now the sebaceous gland wants to produce even more oil to keep the skin moisturized and hence a vicious cycle starts to occur. Oil attracts oil. When using an oil cleanser you are helping to drawn out oil from the pores, maintaining the hydration of the skin and balancing out the pH of the skin.
An oil cleanser is made up of safflower oil, olive oil, almond oil, and I have even heard of Castro oil being used. I use oil cleansers to help soften the skin tissue before extractions. Especially if I have a client with thicker and/or a keratinized skin texture.
How to use:
I recommend cleansing with an oil cleanser only once a day, preferably at night. Use a mild acid based cleanser for the morning.
1.)Apply about a tablespoon of cleanser to hands and work the cleanser into the skin with circular motions for about 1 minute
2.) Rinse your face thoroughly with hot water. (a wash cloth can be used lightly)
3.) If some residue remains use a mild cleanser to quickly wash away taking care not to over stimulate the skin.
4.) Rinse with cool water.
5.) Pat dry
6.) Apply eye cream and moisturizer once skin has dried completely.
You will start seeing improvements within a week.
Comments and questions are always welcomed!
Keene Cosmetics- Smart Skin Care
Friday, October 25, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Fall skin
Ah, Fall time! It's my favorite season after all. I was raised in New England so Fall was always a time of outdoor hiking, football, daily changing colors of foliage, and a time to start settling into a cozy lifestyle. It really doesn't matter where you live because it's the perfect time of the year to renew the damage of the summer's activities and sun exposure. Skin always seems to be the most well behaved in the fall, as well. The humidity has subsided and it's not too dry yet. It's a great time to restore the skin through chemical peels, exfoliation, and start your yearly Retin-A regimen. Continue using your Vitamin C products and other anti-oxidanats that will partner well with the exfoliation services. The sun is less intense and the skin can breath! Book an appointment today to with your Esthetician and revel in the glow.
Friday, June 28, 2013
What is BB Cream?
Over the last few years BB cream has gain popularity in the US due to it's overwhelming success in other countries in Asia and Europe.
BB cream, also known as beauty balm, is a moisturizing, lightweight foundation that have other protective qualities. Many contain SPF, antioxidants, and some include the skin lightener agent Arbutin. Arbutin is derived from licorice root and is said to be a safer alternative to hydroquinone to even out skin tone. Silicon based ingredients offer a temporary primer-like feel that smooths the texture and pores of the skin.
It's truly touted as an all in one product!
Now available in Department stores and drug stores averaging about $35 a tube.
BB Cream is definitely a product worth trying!
Love to hear your feedback!
Keene Cosmetics-Smart Skin Care
BB cream, also known as beauty balm, is a moisturizing, lightweight foundation that have other protective qualities. Many contain SPF, antioxidants, and some include the skin lightener agent Arbutin. Arbutin is derived from licorice root and is said to be a safer alternative to hydroquinone to even out skin tone. Silicon based ingredients offer a temporary primer-like feel that smooths the texture and pores of the skin.
It's truly touted as an all in one product!
Now available in Department stores and drug stores averaging about $35 a tube.
BB Cream is definitely a product worth trying!
Love to hear your feedback!
Keene Cosmetics-Smart Skin Care
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Pregnancy & Skin Care
Pregnancy, in regards to skin care, is something one only thinks about once they become pregnant. I wanted to devote this week to all you ladies out there that have begun your baby journey and those that are considering pregnancy.
Skin care during this time becomes a bit more confusing. What is safe to use..why is my skin behaving this way?..and what can I do to the ever changing skin that I am experiencing? There is much debate whether chemical peels are safe during pregnancy. As a precaution all physician would recommend that you fore go any peels during this time. I tend to agree. However, a great alternative to the classic peels are enzymes, which are made from fruit sources. Vitamin C is a perfect exfoliator to use during pregnancy. It comes in varying strengths from your facialist and I recommend Vitamin C serums for at home use, as well. Look for no more than 10% for home use within a serum or cream form. Some with sensitive skin may find 10% too harsh so it's safe to say that a 5% formulation would be best for all skin types. When it comes to Vitamin C more is not necessary better. The delivery system is key to how it will respond to the skin. If the serum is more "watery" it means that the strength will be delivered faster but may cause irritation. Serums that have more slip will slowly work into the skin and will gently deliver the product without irritation. The benefits of Vitamin C are far reaching. Firstly, it's an antioxidant so it helps combat free radicals from further damaging healthy skin cells. Secondly, it has repairitive qualities that minimize pigmentation and accelerates healing of blemishes. And lastly, Vitamin C is a nourishing ingredient that helps restore the moisture balance in your skin. In other words, if you have oily skin or dry skin it will regulate the oils so the skin is at a more natural state. You will see these benefits only after a few weeks of consistent use.
Steam, extractions, dermaplaning, microdermabrasion are all safe during pregnancy, as well. Products to avoid would be Retin-A, Chemical peels(glycolic, Salycilic, Jessner..etc), Benzoyl peroxide, and any other harsh chemical that could penetrate your bloodstream. Always advise with your doctor before any treatments in question.
Be prepared for the unexpected and I urge you to be patient with the changes that are happening. I too have been pregnant and although it's a beautiful event in your life; your body and skin will be changing. Enjoy this gift!
Keene Cosmetics
Smart Skin Care
Skin care during this time becomes a bit more confusing. What is safe to use..why is my skin behaving this way?..and what can I do to the ever changing skin that I am experiencing? There is much debate whether chemical peels are safe during pregnancy. As a precaution all physician would recommend that you fore go any peels during this time. I tend to agree. However, a great alternative to the classic peels are enzymes, which are made from fruit sources. Vitamin C is a perfect exfoliator to use during pregnancy. It comes in varying strengths from your facialist and I recommend Vitamin C serums for at home use, as well. Look for no more than 10% for home use within a serum or cream form. Some with sensitive skin may find 10% too harsh so it's safe to say that a 5% formulation would be best for all skin types. When it comes to Vitamin C more is not necessary better. The delivery system is key to how it will respond to the skin. If the serum is more "watery" it means that the strength will be delivered faster but may cause irritation. Serums that have more slip will slowly work into the skin and will gently deliver the product without irritation. The benefits of Vitamin C are far reaching. Firstly, it's an antioxidant so it helps combat free radicals from further damaging healthy skin cells. Secondly, it has repairitive qualities that minimize pigmentation and accelerates healing of blemishes. And lastly, Vitamin C is a nourishing ingredient that helps restore the moisture balance in your skin. In other words, if you have oily skin or dry skin it will regulate the oils so the skin is at a more natural state. You will see these benefits only after a few weeks of consistent use.
Steam, extractions, dermaplaning, microdermabrasion are all safe during pregnancy, as well. Products to avoid would be Retin-A, Chemical peels(glycolic, Salycilic, Jessner..etc), Benzoyl peroxide, and any other harsh chemical that could penetrate your bloodstream. Always advise with your doctor before any treatments in question.
Be prepared for the unexpected and I urge you to be patient with the changes that are happening. I too have been pregnant and although it's a beautiful event in your life; your body and skin will be changing. Enjoy this gift!
Keene Cosmetics
Smart Skin Care
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Teen Skin
I get asked all the time about teen skin and how to handle the flair ups. Teens are up against a few factors that cause these breakouts. Firstly, hormones will cause the skin to do some wacky things. Even moms in their thirties deal with these issues! In my opinion consistency and simplicity is the key in any long term skin care regimen. With that said, establishing good hygiene habits is also critical to great results. Teens are coming from a place of ease when hormones strike. They once could go weeks without washing their face only to wake on the eve of their thirteenth birthday with a raging pimple. What happened?? Hormones will increase the activity of the sebaceous gland and can cause overnight breakouts due to clogged pores. As parents, we need to encourage nightly washing from an early age. A mild cleanser that wicks away dirt is appropriate. As they get older have them use a cleanser with a mild acid such as glycolic or salicylic. Always avoid the eye area when using an acid in the cleanser. I try to avoid recommending toners because of the high alcohol content. These tend to dry the skin. The skin then registers that it's too dry and starts to produce more oil. Hence a vicious cycle begins. Witch Hazel is a calming alternative toner if you feel the need to use one. If a blemish does occur use a low dosage of benzoyl peroxide. Use sparingly and only on the site of the blemish. No more then 3 days in a row. Benzoyl peroxide will dry the site but can also cause burns on the healthy skin tissue if used improperly. Also, be a proponent of sunscreen! A broad spectrum sunscreen that will protect and lightly moisturize the skin is key! Many formulation are non clogging and will assure protection for hours. If breakouts persist I always recommend visiting a dermatologist to talk about options. A word to the wise however, think long and hard before putting your child on strong medication such as Accutane. These types of drugs can have long terms, negative effects. In the meantime take advantage of your facialist to assist your child with monthly facials and education about proper use of products. Sometimes hearing information from a professional source can go a long way in improving the daily habits of your teen.
Keene Cosmetics-Smart Skin Care
Keene Cosmetics-Smart Skin Care
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Skin Lightening with Hyrdroquinone
I am continuing the series on skin lightening by talking about one of the most popular lightening products on the market, hydroquinone.
Hydroquinone is a topical cream that helps reverse the signs of sun damage and melasma through interrupting the receptors in the skin that causes the melanocytes to discolor. Hydroquinone inhibits tyrosinase which is responsible for the melanin darkening.
Hydroquinone can be found in smaller doses blended with moisturizers at department stores. These by law cannot be any more than 2% in strength. However, the most effective strength is 4% through prescription only. You can purchase 4% strength at medspas and physician offices.
I would be remiss to not talk about some controversy that has surrounded hydroquinone in the past decade. Some studies have claimed that there is a carcinogen connection to the use of hydroquinone. In studies lab rats were given high doses (up to 10%) of the ingredient orally and topically. Of course the application is only topical in humans and the FDA has only approved up to 4% here in the United States. Countries in Africa and Asia are known to regularly use up to 10% topical formulations.
As with anything you will want to ask your professional provider if you are a good candidate for the product.
Check back next week for more information about skin care, product trends and everything beauty.
Hydroquinone is a topical cream that helps reverse the signs of sun damage and melasma through interrupting the receptors in the skin that causes the melanocytes to discolor. Hydroquinone inhibits tyrosinase which is responsible for the melanin darkening.
Hydroquinone can be found in smaller doses blended with moisturizers at department stores. These by law cannot be any more than 2% in strength. However, the most effective strength is 4% through prescription only. You can purchase 4% strength at medspas and physician offices.
I would be remiss to not talk about some controversy that has surrounded hydroquinone in the past decade. Some studies have claimed that there is a carcinogen connection to the use of hydroquinone. In studies lab rats were given high doses (up to 10%) of the ingredient orally and topically. Of course the application is only topical in humans and the FDA has only approved up to 4% here in the United States. Countries in Africa and Asia are known to regularly use up to 10% topical formulations.
As with anything you will want to ask your professional provider if you are a good candidate for the product.
Check back next week for more information about skin care, product trends and everything beauty.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Dark spots be gone!
One of the main concerns for the modern girl is; How do I deal with the dark pigmentation on my skin?
It ages us and can be a lengthy process to overturn.
There are three main reasons people have dark spots and pigmentation on their skin:
1) Sun damage 2) Hormonal shifts 3) External/Internal blemish on the skin.
Let me explain.
Sun damage is caused by over exposure to the UVA/UVB rays of the sun. It can occur over time or quickly if too much exposure has occurred such as boating, skiing, tanning beds, or beaching it!
The suns rays penetrate the dermal layer where damage develops overtime. The melanocytes have a protective switch that causes us to tan but also causes sun damage. i.e pigmentation.
As we age the depth of the damage increases and more of the dark spots become obvious.
Hormonal shifts due to birth control, pregnancy, menopause, and medications cause an internal change in the melanocytes and how they relate to the skin. The latter is usual due to the hypersensitivity to sun that causes the skin to be more prone to the external effects of sun exposure. Introduction of higher estrogen can increase the sensitivity to the sun, as well.
External/Internal damage is usually seen in darker skin types when a blemish is present. The skins' response is to protect the skin by pigmenting the area of the blemish. This can take many months to fade after the fact. Picking at the blemish will only cause more damage to the surface tissue. It can be a frustrating by-product of having a breakout.
The Fix:
Fortunately there is an arsenal of remedies to this pesky problem. Through professional services and high grade products these issues can be addressed.
Laser services provide quick relief with minimal to substantial downtime. Look for ablative(skin removal) or non-ablative(non skin removal). Ablative will incur significant downtime and non ablative may produce redness and some peeling but far easier to bounce back from. Intense pulse Light (IPL) is under the laser guise but uses scattered light to breakup pigmentation at about 550 nanometers. This is a fantastic way to target surface pigmentation in a short period of time.
Chemical peels are available in varying strength and target varying depths dependent on the formulation. I recommend lactic and mandelic or for a stronger effect use TCA or Jessner.
Hydroquinone products are a skin lightening topical agent that fades the pigmentation over time. I recommend HQ in a 2-4% strength. This product usually coincides with laser or chemical peel services.
Retin-A is a great way to lighten skin and get the benefits of skin tightening and removal of fine lines. Available in .025, .05. &.1%
Now is the time to reverse the sun damage from years past with these tried and true techniques. the intensity of the sun is at it's weakest during the winter months.
Thank you for reading and as always would love to hear feedback and answer any of your skin care questions.
Keene Cosmetics-Smart Skin Care
It ages us and can be a lengthy process to overturn.
There are three main reasons people have dark spots and pigmentation on their skin:
1) Sun damage 2) Hormonal shifts 3) External/Internal blemish on the skin.
Let me explain.
Sun damage is caused by over exposure to the UVA/UVB rays of the sun. It can occur over time or quickly if too much exposure has occurred such as boating, skiing, tanning beds, or beaching it!
The suns rays penetrate the dermal layer where damage develops overtime. The melanocytes have a protective switch that causes us to tan but also causes sun damage. i.e pigmentation.
As we age the depth of the damage increases and more of the dark spots become obvious.
Hormonal shifts due to birth control, pregnancy, menopause, and medications cause an internal change in the melanocytes and how they relate to the skin. The latter is usual due to the hypersensitivity to sun that causes the skin to be more prone to the external effects of sun exposure. Introduction of higher estrogen can increase the sensitivity to the sun, as well.
External/Internal damage is usually seen in darker skin types when a blemish is present. The skins' response is to protect the skin by pigmenting the area of the blemish. This can take many months to fade after the fact. Picking at the blemish will only cause more damage to the surface tissue. It can be a frustrating by-product of having a breakout.
The Fix:
Fortunately there is an arsenal of remedies to this pesky problem. Through professional services and high grade products these issues can be addressed.
Laser services provide quick relief with minimal to substantial downtime. Look for ablative(skin removal) or non-ablative(non skin removal). Ablative will incur significant downtime and non ablative may produce redness and some peeling but far easier to bounce back from. Intense pulse Light (IPL) is under the laser guise but uses scattered light to breakup pigmentation at about 550 nanometers. This is a fantastic way to target surface pigmentation in a short period of time.
Chemical peels are available in varying strength and target varying depths dependent on the formulation. I recommend lactic and mandelic or for a stronger effect use TCA or Jessner.
Hydroquinone products are a skin lightening topical agent that fades the pigmentation over time. I recommend HQ in a 2-4% strength. This product usually coincides with laser or chemical peel services.
Retin-A is a great way to lighten skin and get the benefits of skin tightening and removal of fine lines. Available in .025, .05. &.1%
Now is the time to reverse the sun damage from years past with these tried and true techniques. the intensity of the sun is at it's weakest during the winter months.
Thank you for reading and as always would love to hear feedback and answer any of your skin care questions.
Keene Cosmetics-Smart Skin Care
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