Should You Stimulate Your Skin?

By Rachel Lamont

Medical Esthetician and Owner of The Natural Art of Skin Care

As an Esthetician, people always ask me about skin stimulants, and I find there is little knowledge and understanding of the proper use of skin stimulants out there. Usually, an Eminence trained Esthetician will know how to choose a proper stimulate for you, because the Eminence line has so much to choose from and the Esthetician's that work with the Eminence line are trained to use them correctly and always end up falling in love with them!

The question of skin stimulation is a great one because when you properly, stimulants are a strong  home regime or in-house treatment, and can be very beneficial for you.

So what are stimulants? Stimulants is a general term used for an umbrella of products and ingredients that increase circulation in the skin, similar to if we were talking about masques and cleansers. Stimulants can be added to any step of your skin care regime, depending on which one you use, what you want to work on and your desired outcome.

So why use a stimulant; what is good about using one? In the right situation, they can help flush a devitalized skin type and bring life back into the skin! For an acne client, this is a way we can flush the area as well, creating more oxygen and blood flow to the congestion area. Using hot and cold presses can also be used to kill bad bacteria that may be living in the skin, while still maintaining your skin's own natural oils, bacteria and acid mantel; this is called your skin's natural flora. 

Contrary to popular belief, just bleaching acne, drying it out with over washing, and even using too much tea tree oil is not the only way to deal with breakouts! But remember, if you are stimulating your skin, you are always stimulating a purge, and this means that you and your qualified Esthetician will have to ensure you have proper extractions to help assist the purge through your skin and then up and out of your skin also. I suggest booking a facial and make sure you are ready for extractions!

On the subject of extractions, stimulants also make extractions easier. This is because they warm up the skin and therefore heat and soften the oils and dirt in your skin that is causing the congestion; congestion plugs are made up of oil and dirt. This is why heat is a great idea at this point! We have a saying in my industry; "If you bring up the pink and the blood flow in the skin, create some pink in the skin at the same time and they will flush and calm down at the same time." It also enables all the nutrients in the blood - as well as oxygen! - to flow to the target areas and assist with healing. But it's not all about acne! Stimulants are also great for flushing cellulite body tissues too! This is one of my personal favourites and I do it on myself on a regular basis.

So what kind of stimulating ingredients are out there? The organic Eminence line has a lot of them! Some of my personal favourites are listed below:

1. The Hungarian Mud Treatment for acne-prone skin types (face or body), and contains cinnamon, paprika and a detoxifying mud.
2. The Stimulating Lime Treatment for anti-aging (face and body) for rejuvenation and cellulite! This product contains large quantities of vitamin C.
3. The Cinnamon Paprika Body Lotion (Hot) for cellulite treatments.
4. The Eight Greens Masque (Hot) for hormonal acne and aging skin - this is my personal favourite!
5. In-house products like a paprika treatment with a slow heat and lots of vitamin C, or a Herbal Cellulite Treatment and the Blueberry Detoxifying Peel, to name a few.

I love stimulants! I personally use them when my skin feels dull and I want it to produce a healthy glow! I am also a weekly user of some of the body products for cellulite prone areas that I mentioned above. Visit us at the spa and feel free to ask questions about the products that we carry or can order in for you. Let us help you pick a stimulant that you will love and can add to your skin care regime today.

The Right Moisturizer For You

By Rachel Lamont

Medical Esthetician & Owner of The Natural Art Of Skin Care

 

Cleansers and moisturizers are the most important skin products, so finding a suitable one for your individual skin type is very important.  A skin moisturizer works by nourishing the skin, hydrating it, protecting it and feeding it; this very important organ!  Sometimes finding the perfect moisturizer is a bit of a trial and error game.  Working with a professional helps because they know their products best and can also take a look at your skin and ask some individual questions about skin history, daily routine and allergies, just to name a few.

Chemical FREE

This is a big one for me; Very important! This is maybe the most important thing I will say to you; You always want to choose chemical free skin, hair and nail products.  Just like you want to eat real food.  The skin is the largest organ and anything we put on it will adsorb into the body to a certain degree; approximately 30% of what we put on our skin will absorb directly into our bloodstream!  The synthetic chemicals that are commonly found in cosmetics and skin care products are not healthy for the skin.  Some cause hormonal disruptions, thyroid problems, various cancers, eye sensitivities, skin sensitivities and rashes, pigmentation, signs of aging, liver toxicity,  pore clogging, and more.  I always tell my clientele to avoid artificial fillers, talc, chemical SPFs, parabens & phthalates, and products free of artificial dyes and synthetic oils, like petroleum.

Note Important Nourishing Key Ingredients

• The key beneficial ingredients that make up a good moisturizer are as follows:
• Naturally sourced oils (I have listed a few of my most commonly used), such as;
• Coconut oils, which are great for everyone.  It has natural anti-bacterials for lesioned skin, acne, sunburns, sensitive, aging, as well as fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin K and minerals such as iron;
• Jojoba oil, as it is the only oil that closely resembles human sebum.  Therefore, another great oil for sensitive, dehydrated, dry, healing and acne skin;
• Argan Oil, as it is high in vitamin E;
• Rosehip oil, for high levels of vitamin C;
• Sea buckthorn for hydration, elasticity, skin regeneration and an oil that acts as an anti-inflammatory;
• Evening primrose, because it is great for aging skin;
• And Calendula Oil, as it is anti-inflammatory, hydrating and healing. 

The list can literally go on forever!  The point is this; Natural oils are great for the skin and the skin loves them and grows healthy, hydrated and glows when applied in a daily routine suitable for your skin type. 

Essential Oils

These are some of most favourite ingredients to play around with and some of the most potent ones available.  These are some of my favourites, but certainly not the only ones I use. Remember, these oils are very powerful medicine from mother nature so it is important to always dilute them down to prevent concentrated chemical burns; these will appear like a rash, sensitivity, pigmentation or lesion to the skin. 

• Myrrh - Anti-inflammatory and healing
• Chamomile - Calming and soothing
• Frankincense
• Mandarin Orange - Vitamin C
• Carrot Seed - Vitamin A
• Rosemary - Stimulating and regenerative
• Geranium - Anti-aging
• Clove Oil - Great for mouth lesions
• Tea tree - Anti-bacterial

Natural fruits, Vegetable, Herbs, Spices & Natural vitamins 

Naturally Derived Acids - Some moisturizers that also contain natural acids help to remove dead skin cells and aid the skin to turn over, exposing younger and more youthful skin underneath. This will help rid the skin of old dull skin cells and help with the appearance of lines and wrinkles, pigmentation, and scarring. 

Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) - Alpha Hydroxy Acids are a group of natural acids found in foods that are water soluble. Alpha Hydroxy Acids include Glycolic Acid (derived from cane sugar), Citric Acid (found in citrus fruits), Lactic Acid (from in sour milk), Malic Acid (found in apples), Tartaric Acid (found in grapes), plus others.  Used topically to moisturize and remove dead skin cells, these acids are great for treating acne and improving the appearance of acne scars. They are also useful for improving the appearance of photo-aged skin, and firming and smoothing skin.

Bata Hydroxy (BHA) -  Bata Hydroxides are a lipid soluble oil, that can also break through oil, so it makes it a great acid for acne and deep peels. Salicylic Acid is an example of one.  Salicylic acid has no humectant properties, and in fact, it will likely causes the skin to become dryer.  If these oils are over used however, it is common for them to cause rashes.

Retinol (Vitamin A) - Retinol is a fat-soluble vitamin that has several important functions in the body. It helps cells reproduce normally, a process called “Cellular Turnover.”  This is a key ingredient for anti-aging and scar correction, and also important for normalizing the skin.  Vitamin A helps keep skin and mucous membranes that line the nose, sinuses, and mouth healthy. It also plays a role in healthy immune system function, growing new skin cells, and wound healing - which is great for after peels! Vitamin A comes from two sources; One group, called Retinoids, comes from animal sources and includes Retinol. The other group, called Carotenoids, comes from plants and includes Beta-Carotene. The body converts Beta-Carotene to Vitamin A. Major Carotenoids, including Lycopene, Lutein and Zeaxantuin, have important biological properties, including antioxidant and photo-protective activities.  I advise using them at night when the skin is rejuvenating. 

Natural SPF

A natural SPF is imperative for healthy skin.  It helps prevent collagen loss and protect the skin on a daily basis, especially the sensitive and new skin that will be developing after a good acid peel!  To use acids and not follow with a daily SPF is not a wise decision.  The new skin that is being produced by peeling is photo-sensitive and therefore exposure to the sun can cause it to become damaged, kill any new collagen it has built and sunburn the skin; All reversing the effects of your peel! If you are trying to prevent or reverse scarring and all the signs of aging, then I advise you to have proper sun protection so you can prevent your skin from suffering from over-exposure.   So, I always recommend a daily SPF for every day use, however, don’t wear sunscreens at night.  Some artificial and synthetically derived sunscreen ingredients are linked to carcinogenic effects in the body.  Chemical-free options are always my preference. 

 

Make it skin type appropriate

The skin on your face is thinner and more sensitive than other areas, so it’s a good idea to use a different moisturizer on your face than you do on your body. Of course, choose one that’s right for your skin type. If you know you have sensitive skin, it’s always a good idea to look for a moisturizer with sensitive ingredients like chamomile, calendula, natural oils or rose.  For Acne prone skin, you don’t necessary need a low oil moisturizer.  That is not always the solution; Sometimes acne prone skin needs to be hydrated to be balanced and normalize.  If you have oily skin, go with a light, oil-free moisturizer. If you have dry skin, get something richer. And if you have combination skin, go with a lighter moisturizer for your whole face and add oils on top on the dryer areas.   Keep in mind that you may need a lighter lotion in the summer, and a richer one with added oils over the top in the winter.

 

When should you use Moisturize?

Once you find the right product for your individual skin type and needs, when should you use them?  You should moisturize every day; this simple practice will go a long way toward preserving the look and health of your skin.  Always make sure you have clean hands and face before applying moisturizer.  Wash your skin with your skin-appropriate cleanser and exfoliate fn needed.  I like to tone my skin and add a serum under my moisturizer.  Scoop out the cream of choice with a clean applicator, and personally, I like to add water to all my moisturizers to dilute them down as I find they will absorb better.  Wait 10-15 minutes before applying any makeup.

I hope this helps answer some of the questions you may have about moisturizers!  If you have any other questions, book an appointment with an Esthetician at The Natural Art Of Skin Care today and we can help advise you further and specifically for your skin-type!

Anti-Aging Treatments

By Rachel Lamont

What is aging?

The easiest way to describe aging is as a natural breakdown of the elements of our body tissue. Our tissues are always breaking down and rebuilding, but with age we get more breakdown than rebuild: like taking one step forward but two steps back sometimes. In the skin, this translates to a loss of firmness creating fine lines and wrinkles, dermal thinning, build-up of dead skin cells, less oil production and so on. The skin is not functioning optimally anymore.

How to keep you skin and body from aging? Well that is a big question...There are many treatments and products that address different aspects of aging like dryness, fine lines and wrinkles due to loss of firmness, cell turnover etc. But for true anti-aging results there is no one approach: it is an accumulation of healthy choices and the continuous use of products made with natural, good for the skin ingredients.

What are Peels?

Peels safely remove the outer most top layers of the epidermis that has become old and damaged by time: dull, wrinkled, scarred, pigmented, or is otherwise no longer serving its purpose.  To reveal healthier skin underneath, we remove the old skin cells and grow healthier new ones in their place.  We do this in the natural world of skin care by using exfoliants and natural peel agents. As well as creating a good environment for healing and growing the new skin cells.  Here at The Natural Art of Skin Care we can help make this process understandable and achievable. Step-by-step! We have a variety of natural peel agents to best suit your skin:

Glycolic Acid - derived from Sugar Cane and is a AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid).  It is an acid that is used to remove lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, and scaring.  One of the most widely used in the skin care industry.

Lactic Acid - comes from sour milk and is an AHA  - naturally exfoliates without interrupting the skin's natural moisturizing factor.  Derived from sour milk, yogurt or beer, it is also an AHA used for its potent acidic properties to gently exfoliate and clarify the skin without the worry of dehydrating the skin.  Great for work on pigmentation too.

Salicylic - Derived from willow Bark and is a BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid).  In this case it helps to break through oil and clogs and remove skin cells to reveal brighter newer looking skin. It is commonly used in acne peels as it has the ability to somewhat "reset" the sebaceous glands.

Natural Enzymes - papain from papaya, protease from pumpkin, bromelain from pineapples, malic from apples, etc. These are mild and great for sensitive skin types.

Sometimes we even use enzymes to "pre-peel" in house since they only digest dead skin cells, whilst leaving everything else intact. Used for pigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation and sensitive skin.

Important notes if you are considering a peel:

In-house peels are stronger than anything you can buy at a drug store. They require training and skill to use, and all peels should be overseen by an experienced medical esthetician.  Peels give great results, but need to be taken seriously. There is no safe level of sun exposure whilst getting a course of peels.  Please use extreme caution and wear sunscreen, physical sun protection, and don't plan to be out doors for long periods of time.  

Talk to your skin care professional to help better determine where peels will fit into your schedule.

Time to feed the skin 

In any good relationship - you cannot take without giving back.  This goes for skin care too; especially when you are peeling and taking away. If you take time to peel you must take time to feed your skin too...This is why skin care is so important to your overall goals of staying young or reversing the clock to more youthful skin.  The ingredients within the products that you spend your hard earned dollars on should feed your skin with natural, healthy vitamins and nutrition-rich ingredients to continue the anti-aging process for luminous, youthful skin. That's why at The Natural Art of Skin Care we only sell products with all natural, good for the skin, healing ingredients from popular organic lines such as Eminence and DerMed that yield fantastic results for clients with all skin types. 

Goodbye Dry!

By Shyla Rood, Esthetician

We have all felt it at one point or another, that flakey, dry, itchy feeling that plagues every Calgarian as soon as the weather takes a turn for the worst. When I moved from Kelowna to Calgary in 2008, I thought I was going to need a nightly soak in a tub full of moisturizer; I had never been so dry in my life! Thank goodness I went to esthetic school and I was not the only one that was dealing with cracked, dry skin. Have no fear a cure is here!

A Quick Skin Lesson

Skin is the largest organ in the human body; it interfaces with the environment and is the first line of defence from external factors.  The skin plays a key role in protecting the body against pathogens and trans-epidermal water loss, it also regulates body temperature, sensation and the production of vitamin D foliates. When skin becomes dry and irritated the level of protection is lowered causing sensitivity, cracking and sometimes infection.

Why we get dry

• Lack of hydration - are you drinking enough water?
• Low humidity - Calgary's climate or office air
• Artificially Fragranced Soaps/body washes and other products -fragrance is just an irritant and a carcinogenic, it does not help your skin!

How to say  "Goodbye" to dry skin

Exfoliation: feeding your skin is important but you want to make sure you're feeding the healthy skin that needs to be fed and not wasting product on dead skin cells. Lactic Acid is a great way to gently exfoliate the skin without scratching and irritating it, try the Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant by Eminence.

Shorter Showers/Chemical Laden Soaps: Long or frequent showers remove protective oils that the skin naturally produces. When the oils are lost, water from the skin also escapes. Using harsh soap can exacerbate the effect. Soap cleansers are alkaline, which are damaging to the skin, they can aggravate dryness and leave your skin feeling tight and even, eventually, lead to a rash.

Moisturize: Don't skip this step! Protecting your skin for the elements is very important. Finding the right moisturizer for you depends on your skin type, my personal favourite for the winter is the Firm Skin Acai Moisturizer due to the hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a complex sugar, known as glycosaminoglycan, and is found throughout the body. It is particularly prevalent in connective tissue, the synovial fluid around joints, the eyes, the heart, the intervertebral spinal disks and the skin. It transports nutrients to cells and removes toxins, it acts as a cushioning agent, it lubricates joints and, importantly for the skin care industry, it facilitates water retention in body tissue. In fact, hyaluronic acid can absorb more than one thousand times its weight in water!

Humidifiers: A quick and simple way to help your whole family beat the dry skin blues is an in home humidifier. There are point-of-use humidifiers, which are commonly used to humidify a single room, and whole-house or furnace humidifiers, which connect to a home's HVAC system to provide humidity to the entire house. A relative humidity of 30% to 50% is recommended for most homes. Humidifiers are not only useful for skin ailments but also help prevent nose bleeds, asthma symptoms and scratchy throats. When looking into a humidifier please make sure you check out all of the options, there are many different types and depending on your family's health concerns steam vs. cool-mist can make all the difference.

The best way to treat and prevent dry skin and breakouts is to have an esthetician by your side to help take you through the change of seasons. The Natural Art of Skin Care offers complimentary Professional Skin Care Analysis appointments that will provide you with the knowledge to get you started on your personal journey to glowing, healthy skin.

Beauty From The Inside Out

By Rachel Lamont - Medical Esthetician

Here at The Natural Art of Skin Care we have put a large effort in supplying high quality skin and body care to all of our clients. Topical skin care is an obvious asset in the fight against skin conditions, and we pride ourselves on providing an array of great tools in that fight. But, there comes a time when we have to talk about the inside environment that can contribute to your skin condition. Over the years, I have seen the beautiful, good, bad and VERY BAD when it comes to the skin's condition. If you have seen me for a skin care consultation you know by now that I ask many questions about skin care, lifestyle, family history, stress and DIET.  This last topic, diet, is extremely important to me.

You cannot have healthy looking skin without a healthy diet.  This is especially true as we age.  When you are young you may be able to hold off the damage you are causing by not eating right, but sooner or later it will catch up with you. We all know this to be true when it comes to our body's overall appearance, but most of us forget that it is also true for the appearance of our skin. Trust me, I've seen it!  Your body uses the food you eat to make everything that is you, including your skin, down to the last cell.  If you eat unhealthy food, then your skin will be unhealthy too. Bottom Line! 

It is my pleasure to introduce to you one of my secret weapons I use against skin problems, Holistic Nutritionist Maire-Claude Beautlieu.

Marie-Claude, owner of Gutsy Nutrition, is a holistic nutritionist who provides a Holistic & Integrative approach to health, offering science-based guidance on holistic nutrition, by bringing together her expertise in Immunology, Medical Laboratory, and Nutrition.

Marie-Claude can work with you to uncover the root cause of your signs and symptoms. She can guide you on how to reduce inflammation and replenish the nutrients necessary for proper healing, regained health, vitality & beauty from within. She has been a great asset to my clients in regards to helping figure out the internal components of skin problems, while I address the external concerns, healing and calming the skin with treatments and topical aids.

I feel so lucky to have Marie-Claude join our team as a consultant 1 day a week.  She will also be helping us with some of our new seminars coming up, to assist in educating us all on how to use food as a weapon against skin problems. I am very happy and proud to have this all come together for us.

Skin is just a mirror to the inside world.  By looking at someone's skin, it is possible to tell things about their lifestyle; including if they eat well or not.  A good diet consists of a colourful variety of whole foods.  Make sure you get your clean proteins, good healthy fats and all your vitamins and antioxidants, clean water and avoid sugar. I am going to give you a sneak peek into what good skin health from the inside out is all about but you'll have to participate in the seminars to learn more.  There is too much knowledge to share and this article would go on forever.

Skin Nutrition - a Sneak Peak

Proteins

Protein is full of amino acids that create collagen in your body.  Collagen is a substance that makes your skin firm, plump, strong and over all youthful. To build collagen you need a few key ingredients - protein is one of them.  Always make sure your source is a clean protein.  If it is animal source then you would want it free of hormones and antibiotics. Grass fed is ideal, and also must be steroid free and so on.  Foods like wild salmon, free range chicken, organic eggs, and bison are all good choices.  If your protein is vegetarian, make sure it is not genetically modified (GMO) or sprayed with any pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals.  Great vegetarian sources are nuts, seeds, and beans. Even your vegetables have protein in them like broccoli and avocados. I love Vega One Complete Shakes too.

Good Fats and Oils

Good fats are also very important for healthy skin.  The "good fats" are the essential fatty acids (usually abbreviated EFA). Omega 3 being very important! We usually have an abundance of Omega 6 in our diets, and to balance that, it is important to seek out Omega 3 whenever you can. EFA's play a number of different roles in healthy skin.  Good fats transfer oxygen throughout our body and into the skin, they help block foreign bodies and bacteria, they are also responsible for making the skin soft and supple and retaining water to prevent dehydration. They combat inflammation in the skin, which would other wise damage skin cells, collagen and elastin.  Great sources of fats are olive oils, avocados, nuts, coconut oil, and fatty fish like wild salmon and tuna.  It is best if you don't fry or process your oils, as they can become carcinogens.

Vitamins, Antioxidants and Minerals

There is a rainbow of many different, colourful yummy sources of Vitamins and Minerals. Antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamins A, B, C, and E, flavonoids, enzymes, zinc; the list could go on forever. These are very important because they help build and heal the skin.  They are also responsible in fighting against unstable molecules known as free radicals.  Free radicals harm and break down skin cells and cause inflammation, thus causing signs of aging; kind of like rust on a car.  One of the best ways to get more antioxidants is to eat a wide variety of raw fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds of all different shapes,  sizes and colours.

Water

I find when talking to clients that many of you are not consuming enough water daily.  Everyone is running through their day too fast, and not taking time to drink some H2O. The human body is made up of between 55 and 75 percent water depending on size and composition, and is therefore essential to our wellbeing.  Water is also a key component in detoxifying the skin, and obviously, a major factor in how hydrated your skin looks.

The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake for men is roughly 3 litres (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The average for women is 2.2 litres (about 9 cups) a day.

Sugar

I hate to say this but sugar is not good for the skin.  Sugar causes acidity and inflammation in the skin, which simply put, breaks down the skin's integrity.  It can be a contributor to some skin conditions like acne and rosacea, both which are characterized by the inflammation response surrounding the lesions.  There is also a condition called "glycation".  In the skin glycation attacks the collagen and elastin tissue. When those proteins hook up with renegade sugars, they become discoloured, weak, and less supple; this shows up on the skin's surface as wrinkles, sagginess, and a loss of radiance, which are all the signs of aging skin.  Sources of sugar to avoid are: ANYTHING made with flour, table sugar, candy and soda, sugary cereals and bars.

Cleanses and Detoxifying The Body

Often I get clients that come into the spa with certain skin care concerns, and it is very apparent that it is just time for a cleanse.  I have done many different cleanses over the years to help out with my own health issues, and every time I do my skin looks healthier too.  In Chinese medicine the skin is considered the 3rd lung. In western medicine, we know that the skin is a way the body detoxes itself. Sometimes with this fresh start, we help the body get rid of the problems, while re-balancing and re-attuning ourselves to the nourishment we need.

At the end of the day our skin is a telltale sign of our inner health; usually letting us know about the stress in our lives, toxic buildup, and nutritional behaviour.

Remember your skin is the most important suit you will ever own - take care of it.  And your body is the more important vehicle you will ever drive -keep it clean.