Winter skin

With winter making an appearance and our skin crying to hibernate, I thought it would be a good idea to share some tips on how to care for your skin for the change in season. Cold harsh weather conditions can leave your skin looking dull, dry and red as soon as you step out the door - than the same again when you walk in through the door with the heating up on full!
So what can we do without over loading the skin with thick gloopy products that usually end up clogging the pores and leaving you looking like you dipped your face in vegetable fat!! (Slight exaggeration I know!)

Firstly it would be a good idea to explain the difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin. It's as simple as this.....

Dry skin -
Needs oil not water
Flaky texture
Patches of dryness/thickness
                    Rough feeling

Dehydrated skin -
Needs water not oil!
Feels tight
May be cracked
Can feel very rough and scaly
Can show up fine lines and wrinkles

Usually winter skin is dehydrated. The harsh weather and high heating sucks up the water in our skin leaving it looking dull and feeling tight. This skin type is in need of serious water hydration. Dry skin types can also have characteristics of dehydrated skin in which case it needs water and oil. However, if you have generally oily combination skin than you may feel like your skin is 'dry' when in fact it just needs more water. In this instance using oil based products will leave you feeling clogged up and greasy yet still have the need to hydrate the skin. Also a typical case of spotty skin yet feeling 'dry' - your skin needs water not oil!

First things first, you must keep your fluid intake regular. This will help keep your skin hydrated from within. Always remember to keep on going with your sun protection. Factor 15 is sufficient for cold wintery days including cloudy days. This is because 70-80% of the damaging rays come through clouds and through glass. So sitting in your car with your windows rolled up or the winter months do not mean you are not damaging your skin. Especially if you have sensitive skin.
Including a hydrating face mask once a week will do wonders to your skin. Honey is a great ingredient for all skin types. Oats is another excellent ingredient to reduce redness and hydrate the skin. I will go into oats in more depth another time. Why not try this hydrating face mask:

Using oats for red dehydrated skin - great for 'bad reactions'....

Mix some plain oats in warm water, leave to soak for a minute or two and massage on to face and neck. It's a little messy but very effective. Leave on skin until it begins to set than remove oats using a tissue and massage in the remaining milk. Leave on skin for as long as you like.
You can also mix in some honey with the oats especially if you have a more combination skin type.

Try not to use hot water. I'm really bad at this rule! I hate the cold I can't take it so my answer is to use the hottest temp. of water I can take. This leaves my skin completely starving for hydration. It's so bad for you don't do it! I walk out the shower looking like a lobster and than feeling like a prune 10mins later. Is it really worth the few minutes of warmth? Not really! Just use warm water (I'm trying!) this will stop your skin from losing much needed water and keep it hydrated.

Use a little extra moisturiser. Try to top up your moisturiser during the day if you can. Obviously those of us who wear makeup find this impossible to do so just cleanse your face when you get home and pop on your moisturiser.

Use Hyaluron based moisturisers. Hyaluron has the ability to hold 1000 times it's own weight in water. This will stop your skin from feeling dehydrated. The science behind Hyaluron is yet another discussion. For now all you need to know is Hyaluron products will at least give you a temp fix of hydration. More advanced products can actually help replenish some of the Hyaluron lost in your own skin too.

So your winter skincare regime should be:

Cleanse your skin with a milk based cleanser. Remember I always recommend you wash it off but see what suits your skin. Don't use really hot water!

Apply mask (if using) leave on for 10-15 mins. Some hydrating masks can be blotted off with a tissue others you may have to wash off. Once a week is good.

Wipe/spray skin with toner.
Go for hydrating toners and flower sprays.
If you want to go natural, use rose water for dry/dehydrated/normal skin types and orange flower water for oily/combination/spotty skin types.

Apply serum (if using)
If you have dry skin use a small amount of jojoba oil in the evening. If you don't use serum usually, now would be a good time to pop some extra hydration into your skin.

Moisturise
Use a good helping of your normal moisturiser. If you find your skin type has changed try a slighter richer moisturiser. However, remember if you are usually oily/combination and are now feeling really 'dry' try water based products don't assume you need a product for dry skin types. I always recommend you add a serum to your routine if you don't use one already.
Jojoba oil is the closest oil to your natural skin oils. Therefore, applying a few drops of that on oily skin types will be a good way to help feel a little more hydrated. Add a few drops of tea tree oil if you have any breakouts.

A lot of the time many skin types cross over. Therefore it is hard to chose the right product. There is a difference between skin type and skin condition. This is where it gets confusing. Skin type is something your born with and skin condition is something caused by environmental/lifestyle factors. I think I'll cover how to identify your skin type in my next post.
So for now.... Light the fire, slap some oats on your face and roast some chestnuts! Happy Xmas shopping.......

Aqua - H20 - Water

What is it and why is it in our skincare?

 Firstly let's look at some of the different names used for water in our skincare. Please note that I am not using any brand names just legal names that can be used for water:

Water
Aqua
deionised water/aqua
distilled water/aqua
purified water/aqua
thermal spring water
H2O


Water or aqua is used in our skincare as a solvent. It helps to mix the rest of the ingredients together. When applied to our skin it more than likely just evaporates, which is why water sprays feels nice in the summer as evaporation takes heat with it.
 So what's all the buzz about fancy water mist sprays in the summer and for hydration in the winter? Do they really work?
Personally I feel aqua in our skincare is fine; I don't see the harm especially if you have a dehydrated skin type which usually feels tight. The water will help hydrate the surface and as mentioned I rather have the other more useful ingredients mixed in water than some horrible waxy type product. In regards to expensive water sprays I feel they are a complete rip off! Charging silly money for water in a bottle is ridiculous. Next time you buy one (if you do) just read the ingredients its usually water (or one of the fancy names for water) and nitrogen! Nitrogen is needed to make it an aerosol.

I know its nice and natural and feels heavenly on a really hot day but do we really have to pay a silly amount of money for it in the current financial climate?
You could really buy a spritzer bottle and fill it with water and some nice essential oils, stick it in the fridge n hey you got yourself a cooling hydra mist! Just to prove this to you I have a recipe for you to try below and for a laugh I've made it sound all fancy and expensive – would you fall for it?

So luckily for us in the EU the water in our skincare is monitored and tested regularly. This ensures that it is safe to use. As you know water can carry a lot of harmful bacteria and usually you will find that water based skincare will have preservatives in them. This is because water can attract or help bacteria to breed therefore the product would need a preservative so that it doesn't go off too quickly.
EU also requires that the water used in our skincare is toxin, pollutant and microbe free in all formulations i.e distilled, purified aqua.

Water based skincare is usually better for dehydrated or oily skin. This is because both skin types don’t need oil for hydration they need water. applying water on the surface may not do wonders as mentioned it more than likely evaporates but it will help the skin to absorb other ingredients without a heavy oil based formulation. if your skin is spotty but dry - try a water based moisturiser. Also if you find your skin is greasy/shiny yet you feel its dry, try a water based product as your skin is probably dehydrated and not dry. (a discussion for another post!).

Drinking water on the other hand is necessary – not only as part of a healthy diet but also for our skin and hair.
Try this…..increase your water intake by just a glass or two everyday for a week and share your results in the comments.
Honestly it’s a tried and tested formula by myself (and I can be skeptical about these things trust me!) Water helps to keep the body hydrated and removes waste products and toxins from our body – which if left to circulate around the body can cause many symptoms such as sluggish digestion, tiredness and dull / dry / spotty skin. so it you want healthy looking skin on the outside you must have a healthy body inside!

 A few quick pointers: 

• When you feel thirsty your body is already dehydrated
• Your body is around 60% water
• Adding a freshly squeezed lemon to a glass of warm water helps detox the body
• Our daily 8 a day includes water, milk, fruit juices, tea and coffee. Although plain water is essential.
• The benefits of water are first used by vital organs before reaching the skin – that’s why its important to drink enough!
• After a bath/shower the skin is more porous – applying a good moisturiser will help hydrate it better
• Water retention is not just extra water you have sitting around – its much more scientific than that, so don’t feel that if you drink more water it will give you water retention – in fact it’s the opposite. Drinking regular amounts of water will help flush out toxins help get rid of excess water.

So here is a new product to try ;)
Email me your order for free delivery in the UK!!

MINERAL RICH DERMA HAZE

 with damask rose 

• Give your skin life with a mineral rich haze using H₂O particles to hydrate and nourish your skin.
• Enriched with essential minerals to help your skin glow and look its best. 
• Infused with the wonderful aroma and benefits of damask rose to hydrate and awaken your skin.
• refresh your skin during the day without washing
• set your makeup for a flawless finish
• no added parabens
• natural fragrance of damask rose
• no artificial colouring or perfumes

copyright

Available in two sizes. 

100ml £5.99

250ml £12.99

Order now and receive a free trial size of Kaya Kosmetics Mineral rich derma haze with sebum regulating orange flower extract. 

So there you have it my very own 'hydra mist' or 'derma haze' I should say! 

In conclusion.....I'm not saying these water sprays are no good, all I'm saying is these companies are conning us! why is it so expensive to buy water in a bottle? even if it is costing them to make it - fair enough- but lets be realistic and watch where our pennies are going! compare the ingredients and buy a cheaper option. Although the Kaya Kosmetics Mineral rich derma haze contains rose water, so technically its allowed to be a little more expensive as its not 'just' water!! 

Happy drinking......... O and that recipe i promised......

Cooling water mist

75ml distilled water (or mineral water)

25ml rose water (use orange water for oilier skin types)

spray bottle

1. mix the two liquids together in the spray bottle

2. Allow the H2O particles to activate before using (leave in refrigerator to cool before using)

3. spray over face or body when required

Sodium Laureth Sulphate vs Sodium Lauryl Sulphate

Sodium Laureth Sulphate or Sodium Lauryl Sulphate?

Since we are on the topic of cleansing, I thought it would be a good idea to look at some common ingredients found in cleansing products. The most popular one you may have heard of (if you haven't I'm pretty sure you have used it) is a surfactant called Sodium Laureth Sulphate or Sodium Lauryl Sulphate.
SLS has been in the media on and off for quite some time. It is used in cosmetic products to help create a foam - most commonly in foaming washes, shampoos, bath bombs and less obviously found in toothpaste and Aqueous cream!! Yes that's right Its not some auto correct! Anyway I'm not going into why its in toothpastes and aqueous cream or whether it should be. All I can say is aqueous cream contains Sodium LAURYL Sulphate - You will see what I mean later....

What is it exactly?

As mentioned above its basically a foaming agent used in cleansing products. It is good at dissolving oil and so it is great in cleansers for oilier skin types.
Both are actually extracted from natural coconut or palm oils however, it is than reacted with other synthetic ingredients to give the end product. This is where the two types come from (two different reactions).

So whats all the bad hype about?

Well firstly the main thing to remember is the two different types - Sodium LAURETH Sulphate and Sodium LAURYL Sulphate. Now the big hype about how its irritating and cancerous and toxic etc etc applies to Sodium LAURYL Sulphate and not Sodium Laureth Sulphate - confused? I'm not surprised. Basically the tests show that Sodium LAURYL Sulphate is a skin irritant and can make the skin very sensitive i.e likely to cause reaction. Sodium LAURETH Sulphate however, has shown mild to moderate irritation in sensitive skins with prolonged use. Now my verdict is that firstly it must be washed off thoroughly! that minuses the prolonged use caution. Secondly if you have sensitive skin you shouldn't be using such a foaming cleanser as this is more for the oilier skin types (my point goes back to making sure you are using the correct product for your skin type). So both points cancelled out I don't see the harm in using a product with Sodium LAURETH Sulphate as long as it suits your skin type.
Now for the other tests carried out on Sodium LAURYL Sulphate - well I 100% agree that it is a skin irritant. It will dry your skin out which in return will break your skins barrier (going back to my first post) and therefore is more than likely to cause an irritation. No doubts there! So whats all this about cancer causing properties and toxic ingredients and so on. Well I am no cosmetic scientist, however, I can tell you that a lot of these studies were carried out on rats - where the poor animal was fed the product and it was also tested on the inside of the eyelids!!! I'm not even going to conclude that paragraph - you decide! O and yes don't eat it,  it may well be toxic! The other tests which were carried out on the actual skin of the rats go something like this.... a small square piece of skin is invaded with large amounts of the ingredients and than the results are recorded. So that kind of tells you about the truth of some of the studies that are pumped into our minds through the media. I mean if you put a slice of lemon on your skin and leave it there for 5 minutes (or 1 for that matter) what will the results be? dry red skin most likely itchy. What do we actually believe and what not?

In my opinion I would stay clear of Sodium LAURYL Sulphate as it will dry your skin out - just like soap would - However, for now if you have a slightly more greasier/ oilier skin type than Sodium LAURETH Sulphate is fine to use. Just make sure you do a double rinse and assure that there is no residue left on the skin.
If further studies are revealed we can look into them more closely - for now I haven't seen enough proof to suggest it causes cancerous cells unless your going to eat it - than I may not need to see results I can tell you its not going to do you any good!
I wouldn't worry about throwing away your products just yet - Next time you buy a cleansing product just take a minute to read the ingredients and choose wisely.
Keeping my post short and sweet - next time we can have a look at water or Aqua in our products!

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THE CLEANSING ROUTINE

Why do we cleanse? How should we cleanse? What is cleansing?

When asked what they use for their cleansing routine I used to get clients who would reply "ooh I don't cleanse, which is bad I know but I don't get time" than when I ask how about water? Do you wash with just water in the morning? (I was adamant they must do something, they can't be that busy!) They would go into how they use a facial wash or soap bar sometimes even a face scrub...... Well is that not cleansing? I don't believe cleansing is about using a fancy cleanser with cotton pads and fancy cloths. Cleansing is to clean the skin with whatever you use as long as you are using something to clean your face I want to know! Than I will go onto whether it's the right way. So coming back to what is cleansing - in my opinion it's a form of cleaning your skin whether it be a face wash, a wipe, just water or a fancy cleanser.
If you don't get time to do it separately, just do it in the shower, as long as you do it everyday and you do not use your shower gel! Shower gels will strip the oils out of your skin. Just use water if you had to.

 If you don't have time to do a fancy cleanse morning and night, I recommend the evening is more important as you've been out and attacked by various environmental factors so do it at night - its better! Unless you work nights than do it in the morning!
Cleansing helps to dissolve makeup, dirt and anything you've picked up from the wonderful streets outside. If you don't believe me watch the water when you rinse your face, especially if you've been on the wonderful London Underground!

What's a good way to cleanse?

I personally prefer and have seen better results on clients who use water with a face wash/foam/milk. I am a big believer in using water. I know news has it if you have sensitive skin don't use water too often blah blah. I have sensitive skin and unless I'm having an attack of raw red looking skin, I will always use water. I think the main thing is what you wash with. There are cleansers out there that are a little harsh especially for certain skin types. The most important thing is using the right product for your skin type. If you don't know your skin type, go and get a free consultation somewhere it's so worth it. Otherwise I will do a post on identifying your skin type.
I hate (I don't like to use the word hate it's quite harsh but I will) people who say "my skin is realllly sensitive I can't use anything on my skin" So I'm like okay so what do you use on your skin at the moment? 'Well I rub it with harsh acids every morning and night than use makeup full of the worst possible colouring and chemicals on the market' - really? Your skin is sensitive? Who the hell told you your skin is sensitive? Or is it sensitive because of all that. I blame the bad articles and bad therapists they see who don't have a clue what they are doing - don't even get me started on them!
Anyway back to cleansing - if you haven't got time or money for a full skincare routine I recommend you use a flannel and water or use a basic face wash from your local supermarket. I believe your moisturiser should be what you spend your money on - not your cleanser - after all it's only getting washed off. However, if your lucky enough to be able to spend a little on yourself buy a good cleanser (by cleanser I mean face wash, milk or foam) whatever suits your skin type. Personally I still don't believe in spending loads on a cleanser. I think an average priced one is fine. Unless you like a bit of luxury in your life in which case go for it!

Different types of cleansers

Foam /wash
A foaming cleanser or face wash gives you a good lather and is great for those who like a good squeaky-clean soap like feel to wash with. It's better for oilier tougher skin types. Although there are options available for the more sensitive skins too. Also great to use in the shower. Remember to keep away from ingredients which are bound to dry out your skin. Sodium Lauryl sulphate gives a lovely lather but will strip your skin of natural oils. Go for options with Sodium Laureth sulphate and soap free formulations. (The difference is explained in a post yet to come).
Always do a double rinse to make sure there is no product left on skin as this can cause irritation.

                                                      Cleansing milks
Milks are excellent for dry/dehydrated skin. Milks can be rinsed off or wiped with cotton pads. I would recommend always wash off as long as your skin is not sensitive to water. Milks are also great as makeup removers especially mascara. Remember not all milks can be just wiped away. Some require a rinse so always read the label. Massage the product into your skin using quick movements to help dissolve any makeup.

Soap

Soap is the traditional way of washing the face or body. It has been used for many years and is still a firm favourite of many skincare virgins. However, soap can be very drying. Although it can give you a lovely clean feel - it will strip your skin of natural oils. Oils that we need to keep our skin soft and supple. If your skin is stripped of natural oils it will make excess oil - seriously it will make more oil that you don't need because it thinks you will strip the hell out of it again! Like I said your skin is very intelligent. So for those with spotty skin although it gives you a wonderful clean oil free feel after using a bar of soap, you will notice that you will become oilier and may possibly get spottier if you keep at it. Use a soap free face wash or foam instead. If your skin feels tight after a cleanse you have stripped its natural oils. Stay clear of soap, be it a solid bar or liquid. I know our mums and grans used nothing but soap and they have lovely skin - however, think of the moisturisers they would use after it, from cold creams to thick heavy creams. Secondly our climate now is far worse than what it was many years ago. With harsh winters and blazing UV rays in the summer our skin does not need another think to fight with!


Exfoliating cleansers
These are face washes with a slight grain which are suitable for daily use. I'm not a great believer in a two in one. I feel these washes don't give you an abrasive enough exfoliation and it's too much to do an extra scrub along with it. I personally prefer and can speak from experience of seeing people use different types of products that having a separate exfoliator and cleanser is more effective than a two in one. This allows your skin to heal if need be and than you can have a good scrub once or twice a week depending on your skin type. Either way if you do go for one chose a soap free option and if your skin can take it do an extra facial scrub once in two weeks on which day don't use the two in one.

Make up removers
Makeup removers are excellent for heavy makeup wearers. If you wear light makeup on a daily basis I feel a good double cleanse is sufficient. However, for those who wear a heavier foundation and eye makeup it is better to remove as much as possible and than follow with a cleanser. Wipes are fine to use as are cleansing milks to help dissolve the make up. Always follow with a cleanse.

Wipes

I do love wipes! For everything.... Wipe your hands, the table, your clothes, your phone and even your skin! (Obviously not the same wipe...) Please do yourself a favour and don't just wipe off your makeup and call it a day. Its fine if you are in a hurry and your only option is a wipe or to fall asleep in makeup, however, the number of ladies I see that use wipes as their only form of cleansing surprises me. I know we don't have time and I know we have better things to do. If that's the case skip the wipes and wash your face. You will thank me! Most wipes contain tons of chemicals and are wet towels sitting in a box or packet - perfect for bacterial growth. The harsh rubbing on the skin can also cause irritation and sensitivity so be aware.

Toners
Toners are great to remove any left over residue from your cleanser and also help to close up and tighten your pores. Always chose an alcohol free toner as alcohol is very drying on the skin. Natural options to use are rose water for dry skin and orange flower water for oily skin. Pour neat into a spritz bottle or use on cotton pads and wipe away. Can also be used as an eye makeup removers and cooling sprays in the summer.

I've tried to cover some of the basic products available on the market, however, I will go into detail and maybe we can look at particular products in the future. If you have any questions on your product or skin type feel free to ask.

Happy cleansing...... and remember if your skin feels tight after you wash, you have stripped your natural oils - try a different product.

BEAUTY TO BASICS

October 2013

Bit about me.....
I've been in the health and beauty industry for nearly ten yours now!! A scary number for me! Where does the time go? I decided to do BTEC Beauty sciences back in 2002 and haven't looked back since. Although I'm moving away from carrying out treatments I am still passionate about skincare. Not only the pretty beauty side of it but the actual science behind it all. If I could turn back time I would do a medical degree and qualify as a dermatologist! I hope to increase my knowledge to that level even without the qualification behind it! I've worked in a salon, complementary health clinic, field sales in skincare and opened my own salon. What next? Well watch this space..... I'd like to start my own skincare line but the legality and costs behind it are phenomenal. So maybe that has to wait unless I win the lottery or find an investor....if you happen to be the next Alan Sugar reading this please contact me!  Well never say never......

Being off sick from work has made me realise that with my experience in the beauty industry it's about time I started sharing some of my knowledge.
With so many beauty blogs out there starting off is always a little daunting. However, reading through some of the other blogs has made me think - well what happened to the basics? Why is it our mums and grans have fantastic skin and yet they use a soap bar and most of the time don't even bother moisturising? Have we gone too far?

Do we even know what we are buying? Or do we just read something in a magazine with a gorgeous model with flawless photoshopped skin and think that's what I want so I'll buy it! There's no harm in buying what's advertised - it's not all lies! But understanding our skin and what it's needs are along with what's in our product is important. Otherwise it would be like taking a pill which you have no idea about the effects or what's it's meant to do - but you take it just because it said so on a piece of paper!


So my blogs hopefully are going to be about what's in our products and how it will work on our skin. I will pick out an ingredient which is maybe popular at the time and we can take a look at the science behind it and whether it's actually going to work. There are many products out there by big brands which claim to do miracles for your skin yet if you look at the science behind it - it's not quite true! I will be sure to mention these without naming brands.

So as this is my first post I want to start by explaining how the skin works. I'm not going to bore you; it's not an anatomy physiology post but just the basics of the skin so that you can understand how things work on our skin.

So...

The skin has three layers:

Epidermis
Dermis
Subcutaneous

The subcutaneous layer is the fatty layer deep inside so you need not to worry unless you are having some form of surgery! The dermis is the live layer where all the blood supply is including nerves, hair follicles, sweat glands and also where the skin gets it's elasticity. Some products do claim to penetrate into this layer however, it's probably the more advanced skincare maybe even the more medical type skincare and of course any form of injectables etc!
The main layer you need to learn about is the epidermis as this is the top layer, the layer we can touch and feel (well not all of it) it has 5 layers, I won't go into it but the top layer of the five is the one we can see and touch. This layer is completely dead and as you go down to the fifth layer each layer becomes a little bit more alive -Which is than attached to the dermis. That's the easiest way to put it. So basically the fifth layer down is where the cells divide to make new cells and push the old cells upwards and by the time they reach the top they are completely dead - dead skins cells which we can scrub off. The bottom layer aka basale layer also contains the melanocytes which is responsible for the colour in our skin -the more you have the darker your skin colour!

So the products we use on our skin are usually penetrated or some just create a barrier on/into the epidermis.
The skin is very complex and very intelligent! It protects the inside of our body so it won't just let anything penetrate it. The second layer in the epidermis is actually a waterproof barrier so anything that goes into our skin is first tested and our body makes sure it's okay before it allows it to enter - however some things can still seep through depending on what it is and how it works. I mean I'm not saying that if you dropped acid on your skin it will stop and test it first... obviously not! What I'm saying is when we put skincare ingredients onto our skin, it's take time for them to penetrate into our skin and take effect.
Have you ever experienced a stinging feeling on your skin after applying a product? Maybe after shaving or after you've been out in the sun? Well that's because the barrier in your skin is broken down and the product you have applied is going into the skin too quickly so the body's response is to sting like mad because it doesn't know what the hell you just put onto it. The below picture will explain it better I hope:

So now that I've bored you with how the skin works I will go onto talking about skincare ingredients. So watch out for my next posts! I will try and keep them regular and shorter. If you want me to answer any particular questions or look into a particular product or ingredient please email me. I'd be happy to get back to you and after all you guys are reading my blogs so I want to write what you want to read!

So before I end this post here's a few other facts about the skin:

· The skin is the largest organ of the body

· You have around 19,000,000 skin cells on every square inch of your body.

· The skin can penetrate harmful sun rays on not only a hot day, but on foggy misty days too!

· The epidermis of your skin is constantly growing upwards to form new skin on the surface while the dead skin is shed. This process takes around 52-75 days. Except in some cases of skin diseases such as psoriasis.

· The skin reflects your health and behaviour. Working on your health from within will show in your skin.

· Pollution attacks the vitamin E in our skin, which can result in damaged skin. This is why we must care for our skin more now than say 10 years ago.



....and always remember what you put in your body shows on your skin, so love your insides for lovely skin!!