Congested Skin – Often combination skin types produce a congested skin — not quite acneic, but with slight bumping and occasional breakout.  This skin condition is best treated with a cleanser that is slightly more astringent — we recommend one containing alpha hydroxy acids, primarily lactic acid, which is very hydrating to the skin.

Oily Skin – When the pores are large in the center of the face and around the sides, we define the skin as “oily,” but it does not necessary mean that you are making oil, just that you are capable of it.  Oily skin must be moisturized, just like dry skin, to protect the barrier function (the skin’s ability to retain its moisture).     In both situations, the skin benefits from products containing alpha hydroxy acids, gently formulated so the skin is not overdried.  Sometimes , in cases of extreme oil, a combination of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide may be used — but check with a dermatologist or esthetician, to avoid over-drying the skin.

Mature Skin – mature skin generally benefits most from a creamy cleanser which leaves the skin more hydrated.    Depending on the client’s exfoliation requirements, we may alternate with an alpha-hydroxy-based cleanser for brightening and refining.

Sensitive Skin -  Sensitive skin loves milk-type cleansers with calming ingredients such as rose or chamomile, with a minimum of friction (no particles) and gentle, lactic-based alpha-hydroxy acids for exfoliation.

We recently worked up this chart for our Foundation Workshop as a guide to help you find which cosmetics are ideal for you based on skin type and desired coverage.  Our chart reflects products that we have here at Abundance, and below we have included a loose translation to help you use these guidelines with any cosmetics in your makeup bag.  Of course, there are many other types of foundation available today – creams, gels, mousse, you name it – so there is a lot of room to play.

A word on oily skin… when we refer to oily skin in this chart, we do not mean “I get a little shiny by the end of the day” – we mean seriously oily skin.  Typically we recommend mineral foundation for oily skin types, however you can still use Skin Tints if you use it in place of your standard morning moisturizer for light, non-greasy hydration (follow with powder or mineral foundation as usual…).

A note on concealing the under-eyes… We now offer both TRUE’s creamy under-eye concealer which is a trio (illuminator, salmon & yellow) as well as PRIORI’s CoffeeBerry Perfecting Concealer (in powder form).  Both are great to have in your makeup kit, but if you want to start out with just one, then I would pair creamy concealer with Skin Tints or powder concealer with mineral foundation.  If you wear both, then I would choose creamy concealer for more problematic under-eye circles, or the powder concealer for general brightening around the eyes.  PRIORI’s CoffeeBerry (powder) concealer is great on the eyelids too!  It evens out color nicely so that you look awake and wide-eyed.

Skin Tints = tinted moisturizer, or a very hydrating sheer liquid foundation formula

Mineral Foundation = mineral foundation (!)

Finishing Touch powder = a fine setting powder (non-mineral) that minimizes pores and reduces shine

Mineral Mist = a fine mist used to liquify and set mineral foundation, and hydrates with hyaluronic acid (do not attempt with water which is drying to the skin)

Chemical peels are one of the best values in skin care, and the fastest way to achieve a brighter, smoother complexion.  During each of 6-8 weeks, the skin sheds 3-5 layers of dead skin cells, releasing trapped oil and debris.  At the end of the series, the skin is softer, more hydrated and products are absorbed more quickly into the skin.  To maximize your results, incorporate any or all of these tips:

1. Use “active” home care products such as PRIORI’s Advanced AHA.  These products gently exfoliate at home, so that your weekly treatment works a little harder by penetrating further into the skin for a deeper release of dirt, oil and trapped paticles.
2. Daily use of the Clarisonic facial brush gets skin cleaner and increases serum penetration by 61%.
3. Several times each week in between your peel treatments, incorporate a microderm scrub such as Epicuren’s Microdermabrasion Cream or PRIORI’s Invigorating Hand and Body Scrub.  You will see a significant reduction in fine lines, as the microderm cream clears the path of dead skin cells so the peel material can get right to work.
4. Add a brightening serum to your daily regime, such as Epicuren’s herbal Skin Lightening Cream or PRIORI’s Smooth Lines or Even Tones.
5. Consistent use of the NuFACE microcurrent facial toning system accelerates the cellular activity of the skin through increased blood flow, which enhances the performance of the treatment products and improves cellular metabolism, leaving the skin more radiant!

An annual peel series is the best way to freshen and brighten the skin.  As the skin ages, it is also an  important part of a healthy skin practice, as it reduces the build-up of brown spots, known as actinic keratosis, which may reduce the risk of skin cancer.   It is generally considered safe to do two peel treatment series each year.

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.