PRODUCT ALERT

OSEA Malibu is one of my all time favorite lines out there.  It was founded by Jenefer Palmer and is a marine based skin care line created out of Malibu California.  It is an all natural product and when you use it you feel free and clean.  It is non-invasive yet very active at the same time.  Menaing it doesnt contain harmful chemicals, but its natural derivitives really work wonders for your skin.  Here are my favorite products by OSEA... they are all so wonderful, but for my dry skin type, these work best!

Sea Vitamin Boost

Advanced Protection Cream

Essential Hydrating Oil

Undaria Algae Oil

Eyes and Lips

White Algae Mask

 Shop now:
 http://www.oseamalibu.com/

Dreadful Bumps

 If you are like me and have those dreadful litle bumps on the back of your arms you are going to love this post!  The medical term for these suckers is Keratosis Pilaris.  We will call it KP.  KP is the result of clogged pores where skin cells have hardened inside and then inflammation occurs.  It affects affects 50-80% of adolescents and roughly 40% of adults though no one knows exactly why.  What I know is that it is more common in children or a person with dry sensitive skin.
Treatment:
   Advice for treatment of these little buggers is exfoliation.  All though it’s better to use a chemical exfoliant than a physical one, physical ones are better than nothing.  The goal is to unclogged the follicle and then hydrate the area.  Chemical exfoliants or washes to look out for are ones rich with alpha hydroxy acids.  Then use a hydrocortisone cream to reduce the redness.  The KP should clear up in three weeks if you fallow these steps.  For a less expensive solution try and homemade scrub and then olive oil after!

Bath time!

     Make your next bath experience even more serene.  Add rose petals, oatmeal, coconut oil, lemon/lime slices, milk, sea or epsom salt, candles, and of course some zen music and greenery or flowers will help to keep you calm.  A cream or gel mask is perfect because the steam with help with product penetration!!

pH...

     It would be lovely if all skin care products displayed there pH balance number wouldn't it?  Well I recently went to a class on pH and the skin, and I feel everyone should be knowledgeable on these facts!  First, I want to go over what pH is so you understand it and know what to look for.  PH stands for potential hydrogen.  Potential hydrogen plays one of the biggest roles in our skin's barrier, the acid mantle, which is formed by secretions from sweat and sebaceous glands along with the breakdown of fatty acids by beneficial microflora.  In Laymen's terms, pH is important for healthy skin because it helps regulate oil secretions which is crucial for all skin types, right?  Most definitely!  The pH scale goes from 0-14.  0-7 is acidic and 7-14 is alkaline.  The skin must be acidic, and the neutral pH of skin is found between 4-6.  Here is the scale:

     Now this means that the products we use should be PH balanced.  The sad thing is... nearly all drug store cleansers and a lot of the "acne" products out there are a pH of 7-10 which is alkaline!!  The manufactures reasonings: ingredients are cheaper when you do not balance your product and if the product strips you of your oil then you will have less breakouts which makes you think the product is working... not nice!  
     So now that you are a pro on pH, it is time to make a conscious effort to drop those store bought products and research some products that will really leave your skin clean and healthy.  Some pH balanced products out there are Dermalogica,  Fresh, Arcona, and Murad.  Just to name a few.
And one last tip... never use bar soap on your face unless it says it is balanced.  Bar soap is a pH of 9-12!
Please comment below if you have any questions.

Namaste

New finds!!

Today I preformed a facial using two new lines I had never used before, Tracie Martyn and MyChelle, and I absolutely loved them.  I will be adding these to my back bar and calling it the Enzyme Exfoliating Facial.  The Tracie Martyn enzyme exfoliant has sea minerals and volcanic ash to create a deep exfolianton.  The MyChelle Fruit Enzyme Cleanser was so nice and foamy and smooth.  And the MyChelle Fruit Fiesta Peel worked wonders on minimizing the appearance of my clients pores.  You can find the Mychelle products at Whole foods and the Tracie Martyn products at Barneys New York!!

Shower yourself with FLOWERS!

Whether or not your single, you have a husband, a boyfriend or a secret admirer... you need to start buying yourself flowers!!!  Statistics show that having flowers and plants in your home and/or office has a hugely positive emotional impact on you!   And if you do have significant others, they don't do it nearly as much as they should!  So stop by and support your local florist and stay inspired and happy.  When your joyful you will pass it on to others and you will also take care of your health and skin more efficiently... which leads to an all around better you!