At Abundance, we’ve been singing the praises of hyaluronic acid for years, so we were pleased to see it get some public recognition in the article “Skin care’s new favorite ingredient: hyaluronic acid” by Alene Dawson for the Los Angeles Times.  According to Dawson, hyaluronic acid is the skincare industry’s newest buzzword ingredient ~ it has a smoothing, plumping effect that makes it a worthy addition to cosmetics; also, because it is naturally occurring and is identical whether human, animal or synthetic in origin, hyaluronic acid is a safe and effective ingredient for fillers such as Botox, Restylane, Perlane and Juvederm (which contain varying thicknesses of hyaluronic acid).  For more information on injectables and fillers, please consult our in-house Facial Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Greene.

Dawson’s source, Dr. Nowell Solish, Director of Dermatologic Surgery at University of Toronto, seems to disapprove of cosmetic companies riding the coattails of hyaluronic acid because, when applied topically, it doesn’t absorb into the skin and correct winkles, but simply fills, plumps  and smooths skin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.  We emphatically say… What’s wrong with that?!  For people who aren’t in the market for fillers or noninvasive anti-wrinkle treatments such as glycolic/alpha-hydroxy acid exfoliation or GentleWaves LED Photomodulation, we see no problem whatsoever with instantaneous, albeit temporary, improvement in the skin!

Abundance has several products touting hyluronic acid ~ Epicuren’s Moisture Surge and DNA Skincare’s Zen Therapy Gel are almost pure hyaluronic acid and are used as a hydrator under your moisturizer, or as a stand alone moisturizer for oily skin… but we also like to use them as a foundation primer because it leaves a super smooth finish.  TRUE Cosmetics’ Skin Tints contain hyaluronic acid, making it more of a tinted moisturizer than a liquid foundation, and believe us when we tell you it lives up to the hype!  TRUE also uses hyaluronic acid in their Transforming Mineral Mist, which is used to set mineral foundation, making mineral powder more wearable for dry skin and those with a heavy-hand, but also serves as a refreshing pick-me-up anytime (think:  airplane… desert…).  PRIORI’s new Cellular Recovery and Epicuren’s Phyto Placenta Serum also contain this “buzzword” ingredient, although we prefer to think of hyaluronic acid as buzzworthy.

This month I’ve featured our pumpkin facial, not only because it’s seasonal, but because it’s another way to add antioxidants to the skin. In addition to nourishing the skin, the acid made from pumpkin breaks down the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together in the outer layer (epidermis), gently revealing the new, fresh layer. Pumpkin is a rich source of antioxidant, as evidenced by the rich orange color.

So what are antioxidants? Anti-oxidants are molecules that can prevent or interrupt the cycle of oxidation, which leads to cellular destruction. Oxidation is the toxic by-product of the fuel-generating process that our bodies perform daily, which produces free radicals, often referred to as oxidative stress. Free radicals are the pirates that de-stabilize cells, and eventually lead to cellular breakdown. Like the carcinogenic black smoke that is produced at a campfire, our bodies generate toxins (free radicals) under increased stress illness, and now there is research to suggest that exercise can significantly increase free radical production. Sun is a major source of free radical damage. Antioxidants have the ability to neutralize free radicals and keep our immune systems on track.

In my esthetics practice, I recommend antioxidants to all of my clients, because stress, and oxidative stress, are obstacles to healthy, beautiful skin. Ideally we get an ample supply of anti-oxidants from a wide variety of foods, especially fresh vegetables and fruits. However, to maintain optimal health in a stressed lifestyle, I believe it is to our advantage to supplement a vegetable-rich diet with mega-doses of whole-food based antioxidants. They can be found in many forms. My personal favorite is Juice Plus, a capsule form, because of the ease and convenience. I also use Dr. Tony O’Donnell’s Radiant Greens and Pomegranate Plus, both of which are considered super foods. In short, antioxidants boost the immune system in a very immediate, measurable way.

In the past five years there has been a growing trend to use antioxidants on the skin – and for a good reason! Applied topically, antioxidant serums protect the skin from free radical damage from the sun, stress and other environmental assaults. Vitamin C was one of the first to be used, but it is the least stable, so expensive Vitamin C serums, often packaged in brown glass bottles, begin to lose their potency the minute the airtight seal is broken.

At Abundance, I have been using idebenone, a synthetic form of CoQ10 delivered in a time-released formula from PRIORI Skin Care, with impressive results. We use it in conjunction with other elements of a well-rounded skin care program to significantly change the texture and color of the skin. Each skin care line now uses their own formulation of antioxidants in various deliveries – cleansers, moisturizers, serums and masques.

So this fall, enjoy the rich, bright colored (the redder the better) fruits and vegetables because they are full of life-giving anti-oxidants. A single apple contains over 40,000 different phyto-nutrients, none of which you can get from a manufactured vitamin tablet! If you would like more information about our antioxidants, feel free to give us a call or stop by the salon – we’d be happy to share with you.

Peels works by using one or more alpha hydroxy acids or AHAs (acids made from sugar, milk and various fruits and vegetables) to loosen the chemical bond that holds the dead skin cells together. By doing this very, very gently over a 6-8 week period, there is no “down” time or adverse side effects. At the end of the series, your skin is remarkably smoother, firmer, pores are minimized, and it appears visibly brighter, reflecting more light. For maximum results, it is generally considered safe to do two peel series per year.

During the past year, we introduced two very progressive new peels from PRIORI Skincare, the Skin Perfection Facial and the SuperCeutical Facial with Idebenone. Although I love the five skincare lines that we use at Abundance, I continue to be amazed at the results I see with the PRIORI Skin Perfection Facial. It uses a proprietary blend of AHAs, primarily lactic acid, which has a significant brightening effect on the skin. One of the additional benefits of lactic acid is that it deeply hydrates the skin, which means that your skin care products can penetrate much more deeply, delivery a better result. We offer the PRIORI peel treatments in conjunction with the GentleWaves LED Photomodulation treatments for a beautiful firmer, tighter and more luminous skin in eight weeks. A regular annual peel habit can help to minimize pre-cancerous cell build-up.

Products matter! All the facials in the world can’t make up for a consistent home care program. Consistent use of the new cosmeceutical products will produce dramatic results when used twice daily at home. Each of our five skin care lines feature anti-oxidants and anti-aging treatment products to support skin’s recovery from environmental damage.

We are excited about the press this week for our CoffeeBerry skincare line. The CoffeeBerry Night Complex was featured in Oprah magazine and the CoffeeBerry Day Complex was featured in US Weekly.

So welcome to Fall. Enjoy the season and don’t forget your sunscreen!

Chrysann

At any rate, I’m here to tell you that yes, I agree that we all need a little sun every day, but most of us can get our requirement for Vitamin D from the sun in about 10 minutes but after that, that sunshine is aging us, inside and out. It gets more serious … although it’s my business to be concerned about the beauty of the skin, I’m much more concerned about the greater damage that can be caused by the sun: damage to our long-term health.

On the lighter side, excessive sun sets off a chain of free radical reactions that derails the immune system, leaving us with a trail of symptoms such as fatigue, dehydration, and damaged (fried) hair and skin which leaves us tired, cranky, and looking a little thrashed. Notice how your hair gets dry and frizzy after a day in the sun? (Not to mention the irritating sunburn.) There is new evidence to suggest that inadequate amounts of Omegas in our diet can reduce our natural resistance to the sun. If your immune system is already taxed, you are likely to become burned more easily.

On the darker side of things, excessive sun can trigger aggressive skin cancers, even in the very young. Skin cancer is the #1 cause of death in women between the ages of 22 and 29. One theory is that the packaging for cosmetic products containing SPF has decreased the sales of dedicated sunscreen products to this age group. According to educators at SkinCeuticals, it would take 2 tablespoons (ok, for the non-culinary inclined, that’s a shot glass full!) of liquid make-up or a moisturizer containing SPF to achieve the protection level stated on the label. That’s 2 tablespoons applied to the neck and face, which is not practical (or possible).

One more thing on combination products … moisturizer molecules need to be smaller to penetrate and be of service. Sunscreen molecules are large. Therefore, it stands to reason that the moisturizer, which represents the costly part of the product, is not able to adequately penetrate the skin and do its job (thereby wasted). It’s generally true that combination products are almost always made of chemical sunscreens (which most likely contain one or more of a scary list of ingredients known to cause damage to DNA) to neutralize UV. These chemicals must penetrate the skin to neutralize UV, which increases redness and heat in the skin, worsening those enlarged red vessels. On the other hand, physical sunscreens, which are made of minerals (zinc and titanium dioxide) lay on top of the skin, and reflect UV and keep damaging heat from penetrating. For these reasons, I almost always recommend a physical (non-chemical) sunscreen, which is non-toxic and keeps harmful chemicals and heat from penetrating the outer layer of the skin.

Sun protection for healthy skin:

1. Cleanse your skin.
2. Moisturize your skin.
3. Apply sunscreen daily.

Sun protection for beautiful** skin:

1. Cleanse your skin with an anti-aging cleanser.
2. Apply an anti-oxidant serum.
3. Apply a moisturizer for your skin type.
4. Apply a physical sunscreen made of zinc oxide or titanium.

**Some of my readers just want healthy skin and don’t really care about beautiful skin, but for those of you who insist on seeing changes in your skin, you must come in to the salon and see our current line-up of cosmoceuticals, those amazing science-based products that can make your skin smoother and more radiant.

I am thrilled with the results that I’ve seen among my clients using PRIORI’S AHA line. It’s the perfect line if you want to correct ill-behaved skin, seriously hydrate your skin, remove fine lines, or smooth out the texture of your skin. Seriously, I’ve had several clients report that even their husbands noticed the new glow in their skin.

So get out there and enjoy the summer. Ride your bike. Play volleyball on the beach. Work in the garden. Drink wine on the deck with your friends. But don’t forget, it’s very cool to wear sunscreen.

Chrysann