Skin Care DIYs You Should Not Try

So I've been taking my time writing this post because, not only do I get easily frustrated by this stuff, but I also don't want to give anybody any ideas.. I'm on social media quite a bit (more than I'd like to admit) and I have noticed there are tons of  quick videos popping up everywhere about homemade skin care/ DIY skin care that will, "Clear acne/ get rid of wrinkles/ even out your skin tone/ fade dark spots." And I just need you all to know, if you don't already, that nothing you can do at home, nothing in your pantry, nothing posted on Pinterest, can hold up to these promises. First, not all acne is treated equally. People with acne will most likely have to try many different treatments before finding one that works for them! Second, I hate to break it to you but once you get those crows feet or smile lines, it's going to take  A LOT to get that smooth, baby skin look without investing in botox/fillers. Once you loose that collagen and elastin in your skin, say sayonara to your baby face! Third, there's really no point in putting random house hold items on your face if it's going to do more harm than good... Actually, you know what.. Go ahead and do that, and I'll see you next week for an appointment to fix those damages!

Here are a few common DIYs that I'd like to bust:
1. Toothpaste.
People like to use toothpaste as a spot treatment for acne because it dries out the breakout. And yes indeed it does, but it is also extremely irritating to the already red, swollen and sore zit. Some toothpastes contain ingredients such as baking soda, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and methanol, which all cause irritation and inflammation. Using it as a spot treatment is too harsh, especially for those with sensitive skin. In some cases it may cause chemical burns. Since breakouts are usually pretty irritated and painful on their own, try more soothing and calming ingredients such as tea tree oil, salicylic acid/ willow bark, or lavender. 

2. Lemon Juice. 
Now this one almost makes sense to me.. Lemons contain enzymes that can potentially brighten your skin, but applying a lemon directly to your skin can be damaging. Lemon juice is on the opposite side of the pH scale, meaning it is highly acidic. So using it causes disruption your skin's acid mantle (natural barrier function) and creates an irritation on a cellular level. Also citrus fruits are phototoxic, meaning they can cause blistering and burns when exposed to the sun. If you're wanting to brighten your skin and even out your skin tone, first use sunscreen to prevent spots from darkening, and then invest in your skin by using a professional grade skin brightener with ingredients such as licorice root, for a natural solution, or hydroquinone from your doctor. 

3. Baking Soda.
I hear about people using baking soda as an exfoliant constantly. There is also a brand at the drug store that advertises it as the number one ingredient in their acne product, endorsed by a beautiful actress with perfect skin, who probably doesn't even touch the stuff. Again with the pH scale, baking soda is super alkaline, it can throw off your skin's natural barrier. When the skin's barrier function is disrupted, the bad bacteria can hang around and grow and create more breakouts and irritation. Using baking soda even once can damage your skin and create major moisture loss. I'd really like to talk to the person who thought it was smart to put it in an acne product and ask them, "WTF?!"

4. Rubbing Alcohol. 
You're kidding me right? If you're using alcohol on your face for any reason other than to sterilize a wound.. You've lost your mind. Scientists use alcohol to cause a skin irritation to test other products that calm irritation. Talk about ruining your skin's barrier function. Just don't do it unless you want, dry, flaky skin with a possibility of more bacteria growing and irritation. Witch hazel is a much better toner and it's natural. 

5. Coconut Oil. 
OK, I can feel my blood starting to boil just a little bit so I'm going to take it down a notch. I love coconut oil. It's great for your hair, shaving, and in your coffee for extra energy. But unfortunately, it's not great for your face. The molecular structure of coconut oil is too large for your skin to absorb, meaning it will not hydrate the way our skin needs it to. If you love using an oil as a moisturizer (me too!) try jojoba oil, sunflower oil, or rosehip oil. They are more easily absorbed. 

Hopefully this post has opened your eyes about a couple things. I would like to add that your skin is extremely important to your health, it is our largest organ after all. Please drink your water, wear sunscreen and take care of your body, we only have ONE! If you don't care for looking healthy and ageless, then by all means, use whatever you want on your skin. But my goal is to inspire you invest in yourself, take care of yourself and feel beautiful. That is why you're reading this right?

As always, thanks for hanging out and if you have any questions about ingredients and skin care, don't hesitate to shoot me a message! 

XO Lindsay

How to Get Rid of Hyperpigmentation (Sun Damage/ Acne Scarring)

One of the most common questions or concerns I hear as an Esthetician is that people want a more even skin tone and texture.

Although I find most of my client's discoloration is from sun damage or acne scarring, skin discoloration can be caused by many different factors including hormones, diet, genetics, overall health and medications. Melanin is the protein in our bodies responsible for creating pigment in the skin, and when the cells are over stimulated by these factors, your skin darkens and holds a deep pigment causing an uneven skin tone, aka hyperpigmentation. Depending on how you acquired the hyperpigmentation, and how deep it has effected your skin, you can do something about it

First, I'm going to ask that you go back and read my blog post titled Safety Tips for Sun Protection and Tanning, if you have not already. That will help you understand the importance of wearing your sun screen and preventing sun damage. Sun damage is too common and my biggest enemy. If you are going to take brightening your skin and getting rid of hyperpigmentation seriously, YOU HAVE TO WEAR SPF! Otherwise, I cannot help you and your dark spots and scarring will not change/ may get worse.

AGAIN, do not even read further if you are not going to commit to protecting your skin from the sun.

There are a few different products you can try that will help brighten your skin and even out your complexion, but I want to explain to you the ingredients you need to be on the look out for. Hydroquinone and mercury have been the main ingredients used in skin-bleaching products. However, research shows that in the long term these ingredients can be toxic. In fact, these ingredients can darken skin and cause premature aging if used for extended periods of time. Fortunately scientist have discovered a number of natural lightening ingredients that work just as well as the synthetic ones, without the harmful side effects. 

Here are the natural ingredients that are going to inhibit the production of the enzyme tyrosinase, the enzyme that triggers the production of melanin. 

Licorice root - Can be used to lighten pigmentation and reverse the damage caused by acne scars, and contains anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe the skin and reduce redness.

Bearberry extract /Arbutin - Has been proven to effectively lighten freckles, dark spots, and other skin discolorations. Shown to have even greater results than the same concentrate of Hydroquinone. Bearberry extract is also useful because it contains sun protection filters that may help to reduce the long term effects of sun damage, therefore slowing or reversing signs of aging on the skin.

Mulberry extract- Reduces tyrosinase activity by up to 50% and has stronger effects compared to hydroquinone and kojic acid.

Vitamin C - Has been shown to slow down hyperactive melanocytes and even complexion through continued use. 

Kojic acid - Has been used in Japan as a natural alternative to hydroquinine and is very effective at reducing skin discoloration. It also acts as an antioxidant and is suitable for sun damaged or sensitive skin.

Vitamin B3/ Niacinamide - Helps the skin to reduce melanin production and retain moisture, making it feel softer and smoother, and can help reduce fine lines.

Ingredients such as these can be found in cleansers, serums and creams. Here are a couple of my favorite professional products. 

 

Bright Skin Licorice Root Booster- Serum by Eminence:
Can be applied to cleansed skin or added into moisturizer, for all skin types, great for sun damage and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (acne scarring). Pick it up from me at Celadon Spa or your local spa that sells Eminence. 










Iluma Intense Lightening Serum by Image Skin Care: Can only be purchase by a skincare professional















Here are a couple reputable products you can find at the drugstore, but remember, these will not be as potent. 





Skin Lighten Moisturizer by Derma E



















Vitamin C Renewal Cleanser by Avalon Organics











Now that you've got an idea of helpful ingredients and types of products to look for, I want to remind you to exfoliate as often as 2-3 times per week. Exfoliating not only gets rid of dead skin cells, allowing your skin to absorb ingredients, but can also help lift hyperpigmentation and reduce fine lines. Seeing your Esthetician for monthly facials, chemical peels or microdermabrasion treatments will be the most effective and will speed up the process of reducing skin discoloration. If you are serious about having a perfect complexion, please commit to wearing your SPF and staying out of the sun. There is no way around it. Remember, tanned skin is damaged skin. 

If you have any questions about the products you are using or further questions about ingredients, don't be afraid to email, message, text or dm me! 

XO Lindsay

urestiebestie@gmail.com

Oils for a Perfect Complexion

Have you hopped on the oil-loving band wagon yet? I have! Beauty oils have been popping up in many skin care and make up brands lately and we need to make sure you know which ones are right for your skin. You might be thinking, "No thanks, I have oily/ acne prone skin, I can't use oils." Well I have news for you.. Actually this shouldn't be news.. Everyone should have learned in science class that oil loves oil! Same goes for your face. You can actually use certain oils to balance out your skin's natural oils and no longer have to worry about looking like a rotisserie chicken towards the end of the day. To add, most oils are rich in vitamins and essential fatty acids. In fact, I believe using oils that your skin loves, is the KEY to anti-aging!

There are a few different ways you can start incorporating oils into your skin care regimen, oil cleansing, spot treating, and as a moisturizer or added into your moisturizer. Let's break it down:

• The Oil Cleansing Method: Think about it, if oil loves oil, it's a great way to remove oil-based make up (i.e. mascara and foundation), but also lift away any built up oil your skin has produced through out the day. This method is extremely hydrating for your skin because you aren't going to compromise the skin's natural barrier function. You can try this two ways:
• Cleanse your skin with an oil/ oil cleanser, remove with a warm damp towel, then cleanse your skin like you normally would with your favorite cleanser to break up the oil left on your skin, and finish your usual regimen.
• Cleanse your skin with an oil/ oil cleanser and continue on to your usual regimen. 
• Spot Treatment: Some oils can be used to diminish and heal scars or breakouts. For example you can apply tea tree oil onto an oncoming breakout with a q-tip to kill bacteria and calm the inflammation. Rose hip oil is great to use for scar and sun damage repair as well. 
• Moisturizing: Skin needs a barrier to maintain its proper function, protecting you! When you are not using the correct moisturizer, your skin wants to over compensate and produce extra oil. Restore moisture and bring back the balance your skin needs with healthy oils. If you're a little skeptical about using an oil try adding just a couple drops to your moisturizer at night. Your skin will thank you. 

Now, even though we are super excited to try adding an oil into our daily routine, we must be reminded that not all oils are created equally. I mean there are some oils your skin might hate and some oils that can be comedogenic (cause breakouts). Here is a scale you can use to help you decide which oil is right for your skin type. 

COMEDOGENIC RATINGS

0 - Will Not Clog Pores
1 - Low
2 - Moderately Low
3 - Moderate
4 - Fairly High
5 - High

To be considered a non-comedogenic oil on the list, an oil must be rated 2 or lower. 

NON-COMEDOGENIC FACIAL OILS

Rating 0	Rating 1	Rating 2
Argan oil	Calendula oil	Almond Oil
Hemp seed oil	Castor oil	Avocado oil
Shea butter	Emu oil	Baobob oil
Sunflower oil	Neem oil	Borage oil
	Pomegranate oil	Camphor oil
	Rosehip seed oil	Evening Primrose oil
	Sea buckthorn oil	Grape seed oil
		Hazelnut oil
		Jojoba oil
		Olive oil
		Peach Kernel oil
		Peanut oil
		Pumpkin seed oil
		Sandalwood seed oil
		Sesame oil
		Tamanu oil

Notice some of the oils you are not seeing on this table.. ehm.. COCONUT OIL! That is because it is highly comedogenic and should be avoided by acne prone skin. Sorry to break your heart but coconut oil has a large molecular structure and instead of absorbing nicely into the skin it just sits on top and in the pores and doesn't help aid in the skin's natural barrier function. Although I do love coconut oil for other uses, moisturizer, it is not.

Some of these oils work better for different skin types so if you have:

Dry skin (anti-aging): grapeseed oil, argan oil, olive oil, avocado oil, evening primrose oil, rosehip oil, lavender, hemp seed oil and jojoba oil.

Oily skin (acne prone): jojoba oil, rosehip oil, tea tree, lavender, ylang ylang, argan oil, evening primrose oil, sunflower oil and argan oil.

Truthfully you will need to test out a few different oils before you find the one your skin loves.

To conclude, I'm a product junky so let me finish off this article by showing you some my favorites.

Stone Crop Cleansing Oil by Eminence Organics - $52 from eminenstore.com or if you live near me, visit me at Celadon to pick it up.

This non-greasy cleansing oil gently removes impurities and restores the look of balance. It is infused with moisturizing sunflower and jojoba oils, brightening stone crop and supercharged microgreens. This light formula gently removes makeup and deeply cleanses to result in dewier softer looking skin.

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil- $48 at Sephora

Great for oily, dry, and sensitive skin. Moisturizes deeply an absorbs quickly, leaving a semi-matte finish. Wear it under makeup or instead of makeup, this is a must-have oil, ideal for breakout prone and sensitive skin.

Facial Recovery Oil- $76 from eminenstore.com or I can get this one for you as well.

Boosts skin damage recovery, great for repairing scars. Deeply soothing and nourishing containing a blend of clary sage oil, olive oil, sage leaf extract and ylang ylang oil. I love adding this into a night time moisturizer, plus it smells heavenly.

As always, thank you for sticking around through a lengthy post. I wonder how many times I used the word 'oil'. Comment if you use oils in your routine, which is your favorite? 

If you have any questions you can comment, email me or find me on Facebook at Esthetics by Lindsay!

XO Lindsay

urestiebestie@gmail.com