October 13, 2011
Shopping for anti-aging beauty products can be overwhelming and confusing. Let us take some of the guesswork out by identifying the most potent ingredients in the fight against fine lines and wrinkles.
1. Niacin. Niacin, otherwise known as vitamin B3, promotes cell turnover while it repairs sun damage and protects from further assault. These products will protect against the sun’s rays and supply the skin with vitamin B3 to replenish skin’s moisture barrier.
2. Vitamin A. This powerful vitamin is essential for proper cell function and not only fights off wrinkles, but will reduce oil and the size of the sebaceous glands that lead to acne. Not everyone can tolerate taking vitamin A orally, but a topical application will work well, due to its ability to turn over cells.
3. Retinol. This is a type of vitamin A, and a go-to ingredient often used in products for its collagen-boosting properties.
4. Peptides. These amino acids are proven to speed healing and restore collagen, which helps smooth the skin and ease wrinkles.
5. Hyaluronic acid. This powerful, naturally occurring molecule is found in abundance in young skin. As we age, it diminishes. Plastic surgeons often opt for a hyaluronic acid-based filler to restore facial volume.
6. Marine botanicals. Manufacturers of wrinkle-reducing creams and serums turn to plants from the sea for their ultra-hydrating effects on human skin.
7. Glycation fighter. Sugar is not only bad for your waistline, it also causes inflammation and prematurely wrinkles skin. Glycation occurs when oxidized glucose covers the surface of proteins in the body and makes them work less effectively. When this happens to collagen, wrinkles and aging skin emerge.
8. Antioxidants. Inflammation caused by bad choices (like smoking) and environmental stress (like pollution) can lead to premature aging that often results in wrinkles. Antioxidants can repair and protect against the damage inflammation causes, inside and out.
9. Infrared light. Exposing the skin to warm infrared light is believed to engage the fibroblast cells that, in turn, boost collagen and elastic production. The result? Smoother skin, smaller pores, fewer fine lines and better overall tone within a few weeks.
10. Glycolic acid. You may have heard of this when speaking to your plastic surgeon about a chemical peel, but it’s also found in many products. This acid easily absorbs into the skin, making it ideal for topical application. Not only does it exfoliate away fine lines and discoloration, but it also fights acne.
November 5, 2010
Waxing is a popular option for removing hair from the legs, bikini, underarms and face. However, in order to get the best results, you need to let your hair grow out for three to four weeks.
Although somewhat painful—imagine a bandage being quickly ripped off your skin—nearly all hair and skin types can use this method of hair removal, except, perhaps, for extremely sensitive skin, since wax can potentially tear or burn.
You can ask your aesthetician to apply a pre-waxing oil, which prevents hot wax from sticking to the skin, so it adheres only to the hair for a less painful experience.
You should stop using any products that contain retinol three to four weeks prior to your waxing appointment, since retinol encourages cell turnover and renders skin more sensitive.
To schedule your waxing service at Rizzieri Aveda School, contact 856-988-8600 x0 today. You can review our waxing services at www.rizzierischools.com
September 28, 2010
If you’re craving clear, smooth skin (and who isn’t?), you don’t have to spend a fortune on cleansers and creams. In fact, you might already have everything you need to battle blemishes in a surprising place: your fridge! Turns out, what you put in your mouth is as important as what you slather on your face when it comes to curing and preventing common complexion woes. So if it’s flawless skin you seek, don’t think about what you can’t eat—toss these yummy bites in your shopping cart.
Nibbles with ZINC
My go-to snack, almonds are rich in zinc, which may help banish existing blemishes and prevent new ones from forming. The mineral works to reduce inflammation to shrink bumps, and it also slows sebum production to reduce shine and prevent more breakouts from forming.
Great sources of zinc:
1. almonds
2. baked beans
3. beef
4. chickpeas
5. oysters
6. pumpkin seeds
Snacks with CAROTENOIDS
Mango packs powerful pigments called carotenoids that turn into vitamin A inside your body. Think of A as kryptonite for acne. It attacks blemishes in three ways: reducing inflammation, encouraging cell turnover (aka natural exfoliations) and strengthening your skin’s defense against bacteria. All of that can add up to clean, clear pores that are less prone to pimples.
Great sources of carotenoids:
7. mango
8. cantaloupe
9. carrots
10. spinach
11. sweet potatoes
12. tomatoes
Fare with FIBER
If you really want to clear up unsightly spots, it’s time to give up the white starches: When people cut refined carbs from their diet in favor of high-fiber grains like brown rice, they had half as many blemishes after 12 weeks, an American Journal of Clinical Nutrition paper reports. Eating unhealthy carbs, such as white bread, cookies and pastries, signals the pancreas to send out a surge of insulin. This triggers a hormone-level change in your body that increases oil production and tells cells to multiply, all of which jams pores. But the fiber in whole grains helps your body absorb and burn carbs more slowly, which keeps blood sugar and insulin levels steady.
Great sources of fiber:
13. brown rice
14. whole-grain bread
15. popcorn
July 28, 2010
Want smooth, pretty, age-defying skin? We thought so. Who better to learn from than the pros who think about dermal health all day long? From what you eat to when you wash your face, here are 7 small changes that can make a big difference in tone, texture, and overall glow.
1. Suds up at night
The most important time to wash your face is before you hit the sack. Dirt, bacteria, and makeup left on overnight can irritate skin, clog pores, and trigger breakouts. Remove this top layer of grime with a gentle face wash, which also allows anti-agers to penetrate deeper for better results. Because oil production dips with hormonal changes in your 40s, cleansing twice daily can dry out your complexion and make wrinkles look more pronounced.
2. Be UV obsessed
Nothing is more important than wearing sunscreen (ideally, SPF 30) every day if you want younger-looking skin. Even 10 minutes of daily exposure to UVA “aging” rays can cause changes that lead to wrinkles and sunspots in as few as 12 weeks. If your moisturizer isn’t formulated with a built-in broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen, be sure to apply one daily to block both UVA and UVB rays.
3. Manage stress
Emotional upheavals can make your skin look 5 years older than your chronological age. Constant anxiety increases the stress hormone cortisol, which causes inflammation that breaks down collagen. It also triggers a chain of responses that can lead to facial redness and acne flare-ups. To quell inflammation, eat antioxidant-rich foods such as berries, oranges, and asparagus.
4. Use a retinoid
Research shows that these vitamin-A derivatives speed cell turnover and collagen growth to smooth fine lines and wrinkles and fade brown spots. Prescription-strength retinoids such as Renova provide the fastest results–you’ll start to see changes in about a month. To help skin acclimate to any redness and peeling, apply just a pea-size drop to your face every third night, building up to nightly usage.
5. Update your routine
Altering even one thing in your regimen every 6 to 12 months jump-starts more impressive improvements in tone and texture. When you apply products consistently, your skin slides into maintenance mode after about a year. To keep your skin primed for rejuvenation, substitute a cream that contains alpha hydroxy acids for your prescription retinoid twice a week to boost the benefits. Or bump up your OTC retinoid to an Rx formula.
6. Eat omega-3s
These “good fats” in foods such as salmon, flaxseed, and almonds boost hydration, which keeps skin supple and firm. The same isn’t true of the saturated fat in dairy products and meats, which increase free-radical damage that makes skin more susceptible to aging. Limit saturated fat intake to about 17 g daily.
7. Exercise regularly
Studies find that women who work out regularly have firmer skin than similar nonexercisers. The reason: Exercise infuses skin with oxygen and nutrients needed for collagen production. To keep your skin toned, make time for at least three 30-minute heart-pumping workouts per week.
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