Skin Care Articles

 Nourishment for your Five Senses at Essential Skin Care
By Karen Sparks, Licensed Esthetician
April 2010

How often do you relax? Really relax? Vegetating in front of the TV doesn't count, neither does sleeping. Relaxation is something you do, not something that just happens when you're not busy. It's a gift you give yourself, but it's also a necessity of life. We all know what happens when you get wound too tight. Stress leads to everything from bad hair and skin to heart disease and cancer. Who needs that?

Nourishing your five senses is a way to ensure you get complete relaxation. When you come in for a relaxing treatment at Essential Skin Care, your five senses will be stimulated by the sound of trickling fountains, alluring spa music, visually pleasing aesthetics, the scent of natural herbal oils and flowers, tasty herbal tea and most important a caring touch.

All treatments are customized to meet the needs of your unique skin with emphasis on correcting specific aesthetic concerns, while providing a caring and tranquil environment. Each facial includes a deep cleanse with aromatic steam, skin analysis, exfoliation, extractions, mask (with massage of neck, décolleté & shoulders), serum, eye cream and moisturizer/sunscreen.

Tips for home care:
When you’re at the spa, do you ever notice the scent of essential oils they have diffusing to create the mood? Oils are a great way to change or enhance your feelings. You can easily and inexpensively create this environment at home. The next time you’re going to take a relaxing bath or give yourself a foot spa, why not use aromatherapy to set the mood? Whether you use a candle or an oil burner, it is a quick and easy step to enhance your at home spa. ____________________________________________________________________________________   Nourish Your Skin Through UV Protection
By Karen Sparks, Licensed Esthetician
September 2009 REVISED April 2010 For those of us who live in Southern California, we need UV Protection all year round, especially in the hot summer months which are rapidly approaching. You see it all the time, but what do UVA and UVB rays stand for and how can you protect yourself from those harmful, sometimes deadly rays?

THE CAUSE OF SUN DAMAGE
• UV stands for ultraviolet rays and have the greatest impact on how our skin ages. Approximately 80 to 85 percent of our aging is caused by the rays of the sun. Most individuals have greater sun exposure to UV rays than they realize because even fluorescent office lighting can be a source of UV light.
• All ultraviolet rays generate Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS, also known as free radicals) and are capable of altering our DNA and cause them to mutate which lessens the skin’s ability to repair itself.
• UVA Rays: (Think A for aging.) The least energetic of all UV radiation, but the longest in the spectrum and the ones most responsible for aging. UVA rays penetrate deeper into skin, and are responsible for causing damage at the cellular level. This makes them responsible for most skin cancers and weaken the skin’s collagen and elastin fibers, causing wrinkling and sagging in the tissues. By the way, UVA penetrates glass so don’t think you’re protected by windows.
• UVB Rays: (Think B for burning.) They are shorter, more energetic than UVA rays, and are also responsible for some skin cancers. The rays are responsible for the actual “burn” or “tan” response in skin. Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand because they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn. On a positive note, UVB rays contribute to the body’s synthesis of vitamin D and other important minerals.

SUN PROTECTION
Sun protection helps prevent skin damage, wrinkles, and reduces the risk of developing skin cancer. Newer broad-spectrum sunscreens contain products to block both UVA and UVB rays. All are labeled with SPF (Sun Protection Factor) numbers. The higher the SPF, the greater the protection from sunburn caused mostly by UVB rays, but this does not increase the length of time for sun exposure. No sunscreen can provide 100 percent UV protection.
There are currently 17 active ingredients approved by the FDA for use in sunscreens. Sunscreens work by absorbing, reflecting, or scattering the sun's rays on the skin. These filters fall into two broad categories: chemical and physical. Most UV filters are chemical, they form a thin, protective film on the surface of the skin and absorb the UV radiation before it penetrates the skin. The physical sunscreens are insoluble particles that reflect UV away from the skin. Most sunscreens contain a mixture of chemical and physical active ingredients.
By limiting sun exposure, wearing protective clothing and using sunscreens you may reduce the risk of skin cancer and other harmful effects of the sun. Wearing a SPF that shields skin against both UVA and UVB rays is critical. Many SPF products now have added antioxidants that help nourish your skin while providing protection. _________________________________________________________________________________ Antioxidants and your Skin
By Karen Sparks, Licensed Esthetician
October 2009

You may remember the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” well I believe there is truth in this saying. It is important to eat antioxidant rich foods as well as take antioxidant supplements, as advised by your doctor. There is also a way to help protect and nourish your skin topically with antioxidants and that is with a professional strength Pumpkin and Multi-Fruit Complex Peel Treatment. The contents and function of a pumpkin enzyme facial are:
• A concentrated blend of five fruit acids, bilberry, sugar cane, sugar maple, orange and lemon, as well as glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids. The combination of acids break down the bonds that hold the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin. When these bonds are weakened, the dead skin cells shed, promoting new skin cell turnover.
• Raw pumpkin is rich in over 100 natural nutrients including vitamins A and C. This nourishes the new skin cells and help to reduce the signs of aging.
• Benefits of the peel are a deep exfoliation, leaving the skin looking radiant and youthful, as well as increasing the skin’s ability to retain moisture.
As always, it is vital that you remember to use sunscreen every day. Even if you think you will not be getting any sun, you still may be affected by UV rays. Sun protection is also an important factor in helping your skin retain the antioxidants topically applied to your skin with serums and/or moisturizers.