Understanding Labels: Noncomedogenic Products July 29, 2010

Sxc.hu/hberends

While browsing beauty magazines or shopping for new products you may have come across the term “noncomedogenic.” Unless you are a skin care expert, chances are you have no idea what that means.

It is important yo understand the labels of the products you use, so we have done our research to bring you the facts. Comedogenic ingredients are known to clog pores. This is especially important if you have oily skin, or if you are prone to break outs.

Here is a list of ingredients that are known to be comedogenic:

• Acetylated Lanolin
• Butyl Stearate
• Cocoa Butter
• Coconut Oil
• D&C Red Colors
• Isopropyl Myristate (commonly used in makeup, EXTREMELY comedogenic)
• Isopropyl Palmitate
• Laureth 4
• Lauric Acid
• Linseed Oil
• Octyl Palmitate
• Octyl Stearate
• Oleth – 3
• Sodium Chloride
• Mineral Oil (although not highly comedogenic commonly aggravates oily skin and is used in high quantities in many skin care products)

The products in this list often result in blackheads, whiteheads, and break outs. It is a good idea to avoid these ingredients in your make up and skin care products. You should also check the labels of your hair care products for these ingredients. This could be the cause of breakouts along the forehead.

Hope this helps! To get more information on reading product labels, and other ingredients to avoid, visit our education center.

Scandle: a Candle and a body lotion! June 5, 2010

Have you heard of a Scandle® Body Candle? Based out of the Dallas area (Lewisville, to be exact), these candles burn at 2 degrees above

The Scandle Body Candle is a low-heat candle that can be used for massage, cuticles or moisturizer! Photo: Scandle LLC

body temperature to produce a healthy, calming body oil that feels and smells luxurious.

Once your candle starts to burn you can use the oil as almost anything you want, like a massage oil, body lotion, or cuticle cream.  This candle is such an easy way to get a spa experience in your own home.

So how does it work? The candles are made of cosmetic grade soy oil rather than traditional waxes. They are also hypo-allergenic, and also contain jojoba and shea oils to hydrate your skin. The fragrances include calming, sensual, healing, uplifting and detoxifying.  They even have a shimmering lotion candle! The warmth of the oils are both powerful and soothing for the ultimate in relaxation.

“At Scandle,” says Christine White, Owner and Founder of Scandle® LLC, “we are always striving to develop new and unique products that are healthy for the skin and the environment and The Scandle® Shimmering Body Candle is just that!”

To order your own Scandle® check our their website. You can also find the product at various spas in the Dallas area.

Let us know what you think after you try one out!

Free Things You Can Do For Your Skin! February 23, 2009

Skin care can certainly get expensive, so we thought we’d share some ways to treat your skin without spending a dime!

• Steam your face over boiling water. Steam really opens up your pores, which is why most facials begin with steam. It also increases circulation, deep cleanses, and can help get rid of blackheads! Boil water on the stove, then transfer it to a large bowl. It helps to hold a towel over your head to keep the steam from escaping. Hold your face over it for about 5-7 minutes (stop if it is too hot or irrtates your skin).
• Give yourself a facial massage. This is one of the best parts of a facial, and you can learn a few moves to perform on your own skin! Not only is it relaxing, but it helps increase circulation (which can provide a plumping effect), stimulates tissues and releases facial tension. Try these moves:
  *Using both thumbs (upside down), press on the inside of each brow (thumbs should be lined up above your nose). Hold for about 4 seconds, then move thumbs up (towards hairline). Press for 4 seconds and release as you move up.
  * Using both hands (one on each brow), gently pinch the inside of the brow for about 4 seconds. Release, and move along the brow, pinching and releasing until you reach the end. This helps relieve tension in the eyes.
  *Using the ring finger on each hand, start at the corner of each eye and make small circles under the eye area until you reach the nose. Use delicate pressure. This helps stimulate the delicate tissue under the eye, and releases tension.
• Wet  your face before applying moisturizer. If you apply moisturizer to dry skin, it doesn’t absorb as well. Moist skin always accepts moisturizer better. You can do this by simply splashing your face with water (or if you have a spritz toner, give the skin a spray before moisturizing). Make a big difference!!
• Exfoliatate your lips with your toothbrush. Lips need love, too! After brushing your teeth, use the brush to make tiny circes along the lips. It helps get rid of dead skin cells, and increases circulation (which can plump the lips). Follow with lip balm (or Vaseline).
• Fill a spray bottle with water, and spritz throughout the day. Your skin LOVES water…many people feel like their skin is dry (lacking oil), when it is actualy dehydrated (lacking water)! Giving yourself a spritz during the day is like a drink of water for the skin. It also helps you feel more energized!
• Cleanse your face twice. That’s right- whether u wash your face in the morning or night (or both), wash it twice! Dermalogica (the world’s leading professional skin care brand) does this in all of their treatments because it works. During the day, our skin deals with dirt, oil, makeup, pollution, sunscreen and germs! Spending time cleansing the skin is a MUST if you want healthy skin.
• Look in your pantry for an eye treatment. If you have tea bags (black or chamomile), place them in lukewarm water, then let them set on your eyes for a few minutes. It helps calm eyes, constricts blood vessels and can reduce puffiness. Of course, cucumber work nicely too. If you don’t have either of these items, then run a wash rag under cool water, rest over eyes, lay down and relax!
• Drink LOTS of water! Healthy skin starts from the inside out. Drinking water keeps skin hydrated and looking fresh.
• Eat your fruits and veggies. Healthy skin needs nutrients. Fruits and veggies also help to fight free radicals (which can wreak havoc on the skin).
• Turn down the heat in your shower. It might feel good, but hot water draws moisture out of the skin. Keep water lukewarm, and apply moisturizer as soon as you get out of the shower.

Victoria Beckham Loves Dermalogica February 18, 2009

So…fans of Skin Care Logic already know the benefits of Dermalogica, but many celebs are sharing their love of the line, too!

In Victoria Beckham’s book “That Extra Half an Inch”, she repeatedly mentions Dermalogica products as “must-have” items that you shouldn’t live without. While performing her skin care rituals at home, she chooses MultiVitamin Power Recovery Masque. Says Beckham, “I love face packs (masques) too and try to do them two a week…using Dermalogica’s MultiVitamin Power Recovery Maque, which I call my little ambulance in a tube.”

She also loves the MultiVitamin Hand and Nail Treatment because it “lasts you through the day”, and has been quoted several times praising Dermal Clay Cleanser.

Beckham also enjoys  facials in LA at Dermalogica’s flagship location, Dermalogica on Montanta.

 You may also enjoy:
10 ways to enjoy spa treatments on a budget
Tips on using nutrition to improve your skin
Tip of the week: apply moisturizer to damp skin

What’s the Deal With Hyaluronic Acid? February 16, 2009

Photo: Sxc.hu/stem_pl

You may hear a lot about Hyaluronic Acid…it’s in a lot of skin care products these days! But there are a lot of questions/misconceptions about what it is, so here are the facts:

We all have naturally occuring Hyaluronic Acid in the “reticular layer” of our skin. It’s function is to lubricate and cushion the skin. As we age, Hyaluronic Acid production is slowed down (making skin seem drier & less “plump”).

The skin care industry has been able to replicate ingredients to match our bodies’ production of Hyaluronic Acid. This is great b/c our skin penetrates the synthetically developed form very well (since it recognizes what HA is). In fact, products containing HA can hold about 1,000 x their weight in water!!! That means it is super-hydrating, and can help “plump” areas where you have fine lines.

Don’t confuse the word “acid” with Lactic or Salicylic Acid..HA falls in a completely different category.

Sooo…if you have problems with topical dryness (or are looking to “plump” your skin), look for products with Hyaluronic Acid. You won’t regret it!

Under Eye Circles and Puffiness February 9, 2009

Under eye circles, wrinkles and puffiness…VERY common concerns! The area around the eye is much thinner than anywhere else on the body, and therefore one of the first places we show aging. Let’s look at each concern, and how to treat it.

Dark circles can often be hereditary. The sun is often to blame since it can cause veins/capillaries around the eye to “leak”. Since skin here is thin, this “leaking” becomes very visible. Lack of sleep is sometimes to blame (but if you alwys have dark circles, the problem is probably not related to sleepiness). Dry, dull skin can make dark circles look worse.

Hide dark circles with a good eye cream. Find one with an SPF to help prevent future damage. Some have “light diffusers”, which bounce light off the eye (making circles much less apparent). Anything with a light red/pink tint can help cancel out darkness.

Puffiness can be caused by things light water retention, heredity, allergies, leaving make-up on overnight, smoke, etc. Severe pads under the eyes are usally hereditary (and best treated by blepharoplasty).

Treating puffiness requires calming ingredients. Hydrocotyl Extract is an anti-inflammatory that calms skin. Vitamin E, Spiraea, Bisabolol and Allantoin are also smoothing and calming.

Fine lines are very common around the eye, and are bound to happen at some point. The sun, however, makes wrinkles SO much worse!

Treat fine lines with Lactic Acid, which smoothes tissue and retexturizes the area. Hyaluronic Acid helps “plump” skin and is super-moisturizing. Sodium PCA is a “humectant” (which just means it drawsmoisture to the skin), which helps fill in lines. Also be sure to wear SPF every day around the eyes…it helps prevent problems from getting worse!

More tips:

• No smoking!
• Get a good night’s sleep
• Take an antihistamine if you are prone to allergies (helps decrease puffiness)
• Use a cold mask or cucumbers before applying make-up
• Wear sunglasses! (They can help block some of the sun’s rays)

I love, love, love this product to treat the eye area:

 

 

 

Dermalogica’s Total Eye Care SPF 15    My life saver!

Adult Acne…A Rising Concern! February 3, 2009

That’s right…adult acne is very common, ESPECIALLY with  women! In fact, 54% of women over the age of 25 are

Overnight Clearing Gel

dealig with it. Why? Researchers believe that CHRONIC STRESS is the most common factor (no surprise)! Other cuplrits can include: genetics, cosmetics, hormones and the environment (pollution and heat can aggravate the skin).

Adult acne tends to be focused around the chin, jaw line and neck. Unfortunately, it can be accompanied with changes in pigmentation and tends to heal more slowly.

So, what’s a girl to do?! First, check your cosmetics for bad ingredients. Isopropyl Myristate is a big time no-no…the chemicals in it can cause the mirror in make-up compacts to come unglued. Yikes! Also avoid mineral oil, lanolin, S.D. Alcohol and fragrance.

Please do yourself a favor and check out Dermalogica’s MediBac Clearing line for Adult Acne. It is specifically designed to treat adult acne (which requires a completely different regimen than teenage acne)!

And look for these GREAT INGREDIENTS in your products:

• Salicylic Acid (helps dissolve oil and is great for treating whiteheads and blackheads)
• Tea Tree Oil (anti-bacterial)
• Triclosan (anti-microbial)
• Sulfur (absorbs oil)
• Benzyl Peroxide (anti-bacterial)
• Menthol (cooling, anti-inflammatory)
• Witch Hazel (soothes inflammation, a natural astringent)
• Clays like Bentonite, Kaolin, Magnesium (absorb oils)
• Calming Agents like Chamomile, Aloe Vera, Allantoin, Spiraea, Bisabolol, Red Raspberry, Coneflower, Menthol, Balm Mint and Zinc Sulfate

You may also enjoy:
Why do I get breakouts around my mouth?
Treating breakouts correctly
Using nutrition to improve your skin

Check out: http://www.acne-review-blog.com/ for more info!

Who is Skin Care Logic, anyway? February 2, 2009

Our facial room

Basically, I am the owner of Skin Care Logic, and I love skin care! I started the company after years of working in the  industry, and seeing the many questions that everyday consumers have. There is SO much information out there (and much of it incorrect!), so my goal was to: a.) provide my clients with my favorite line (Dermalogica) at a discounted price, and b.) take all of the good information out there and make it available in 1 place (and in understandable terms).  We also do facial in the Dallas, TX area and love spending one-on-one time with our clients.

Soooo…anyone who reads our blog our visits the web site is free to send us questions. Are there topics you think we need to write about? Let us know. We are happy to help.