New blog website

I have created my own blog website!!! I will no longer be contributing to this Blogger page, so check out my new and improved website!

http://defaced.esthologyskincare.com

Top 3 Sunscreens at Sephora Right Now

In honor of the end of Summer quickly approaching, I wanted to remind everyone how crucial it is that sunscreen be worn EVERYDAY in every season. Many clients tell me they only wear sunscreen in the summer or even only "if they are going to be in the sun." This makes me absolutely cringe every time.   I cannot work with my clients to improve hyperpigmentation if they are not religiously applying sunscreen and I will be brutally honest with them. The options for mineral sunscreens have always been a bit limited, the options for great mineral sunscreens have been nearly non-existent. However, the options and formulas do seem to be improving so without further ado I give you the top 3 sunscreens you can find at Sephora today!

Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30: Once again Drunk Elephant came into the game with a goal to change the skincare industry and Umbra did not disappoint. At the time, and to my knowledge even today, there is no other purely Zinc Oxide mineral sunscreen at Sephora. You may not know this but Titanium Dioxide (another mineral sunscreen active) can actually be really drying. It is naturally oil absorbing, which can be absolutely wonderful for those struggling with excessive oil. However, for those of us with dry skin that are desperately attempting to hold onto every drop of moisture, we can Zinc Oxide may be the better option. This formula contains 20% Zinc Oxide, along with antioxidants to further defend the skin against the sun and other free radicals throughout the day and of course Drunk Elephants signature ingredient, Marula Oil. Umbra has a smooth texture with a very sheer light pink hue to avoid the dreaded white cast on the skin. It goes on smooth and feels hydrating upon application but dries down beautifully, not oily or greasy film is left on the skin, and it wears beautifully under makeup. Umbra's price may seem a bit steep at $36 but this is a 3 oz container and a little goes a long way with this formula, less product is required to get the maximum protection than that of a chemical sunscreen. The last tube I purchased lasted me nearly 6 months with daily use!

Tarte Tarteguard 30 Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 30: This is truly a hidden gem within Sephora. You will find it tucked away in the Tarte gondala, far away from the Skincare section where those sunscreen seekers are likely to be searching. Tarteguard is a 3.36% Titanium Dioxide and 4.13% Zinc Oxide, antioxidants and contains their signature oil, Maracuja oil. It has a lighter texture than the Umbra due to the decreased amount of Zinc Oxide. By combining the 2 minerals they developed a beautiful lightweight lotion like texture. Those with normal to dry skin will appreciate the hydrating feel but those with oily skin will benefit from the oil absorbing properties of the Titanium Dioxide. My only complaint about Tartegaurd was the price to size ratio and the packaging made it impossible to tell when the product was low.

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47: This has been a top seller at Sephora for awhile but is still a great formula. It has a similar mineral composition to that of the Tartegaurd but in higher amounts, resulting in a whopping 47 protection factor rating. It contains 9.4% Zinc Oxide and 5.9% Titanium Dioxide along with beneficial antioxidants and of course Josie Maran's signature Argan Oil. This formula does contain the Argan Oil pretty far up in the ingredient list so those with drier skin may appreciate its texture a bit more than those with oily skin.

Exfoliation: What you need to know about scrubs, enzymes, and chemicals

skincare, stratia, ole hendrikson, boscia, tatcha, perricone, sunday riley, peter thomas roth, drunk elephan

Exfoliation is your BEST FRIEND! It is going to help you with the majority of your skin concerns. I cannot reiterate this enough. When client’s express concerns about texture, breakouts, clogged pores, uneven skin tone etc. my first question is always "Do you exfoliate" and 90% of the time the answer is "no". BUT WHY?! Everyone should have a well-formulated exfoliant in their skincare routine. Or they tell me "My cleanser has beads in it," NOT GOOD ENOUGH SUSAN!

However, what I find is there is a TON of misconceptions and confusion behind exfoliating. So, here we go...a simplified breakdown of exfoliation. 

So why is Susan's scrubbing cleanser not good enough? Listen, if you are 14 years old this is a great start. However, if you have real skin concerns this is absolutely not enough. You need a chemical exfoliant, something that is going to penetrate through the dead skin. Think about it, a scrub is only going to address the outer most layer of the skin, it will slough away superficial dry dead flaky skin, at most. You have clogged pores? Think about those granules for a second...Do you really think they are capable of penetrating your pores to remove dirt and solidified oil? Look at those granules and look at your pore size...it is NEVER going to work Susan. A chemical exfoliant is the only thing that is capable of penetrating a pore. Let me repeat this, a chemical exfoliant is the ONLY thing that will penetrate a pore. 

If you are suffering from breakouts and/or blackheads you need a BHA exfoliant. What is a BHA? It stands for beta hydroxy acid, you will see it listed as salicylic acid. This is an oil soluble exfoliant. What does this mean? Well, oil is in your pores and lies on the surface of your skin. Salicylic will penetrate through this oil to remove debris from the pores. Clear pores mean fewer breakouts and reduced blackheads. Yay exfoliation!

There are a number of other chemical exfoliants out there. This can get a little confusing so I do not want to go into too much detail. If you want to know more please leave a comment and I will absolutely explain with more detail.

The other chemical exfoliants you will come across are AHAs, alpha hydroxy acids. The most common of which are glycolic acid and lactic acid. Glycolic will be in the majority of exfoliants marketed as anti-aging. However, I think the biggest misconception here is that it is ONLY for aging skin. This is false, most anyone will benefit from glycolic acid. It works beautifully to smooth textured skin, speed cell turnover and will ensure your serums are not wastefully sitting on top of dead skin. The maximum percentage of glycolic over the counter is a 10%. If you find a product with 10% you will feel the glycolic. It feels a bit tingly or itchy but it subsides and this is normal, do not panic! 

If you are suffering from breakouts I would highly recommend finding a product with both AHAs and BHAs this will ensure your skin is getting the benefits of both types of acids.

Finally, I want to talk about what type of product to look for. Just skip the exfoliating cleansers, please. Invest in a product that spends time on the skin such as a serum or mask. A cleanser only stays on the skin for approximately 30 seconds. This is simply not long enough to allow chemical exfoliants to do their job and is a complete waste. I highly recommend investing in an exfoliating serum. A serum is going to remain on the skin indefinitely and thus have plenty of time to work its magic. I like to apply my exfoliating serum first, then I apply a targeted treatment serum such as a dark spot corrector, a vitamin C, or a hydrating serum. This method will ensure my treatment serum is not sitting on top of dead skin and allows it will go where it needs to be. 

Another option is a mask that stays on the skin 15-20 minutes. These are typically a bit stronger and are only needed a couple of times a week. HOWEVER, consistency is key with these. If you are someone who will forget to use a mask or cannot find the time to let a mask sit for 20 minutes, then invest in the serum option. 

I could go on for days about this topic but my goal is to keep it simple. I plan to go into further detail in future posts about Ph, more AHA’s, and specific products. However, if you have specific questions please comment below.

A Battle in Essence: Clinique vs SK-II

Clinique, essence, skincare, sk-II, dry skin

If you have read my previous post on Clinique's Step 3 toners you might be a bit surprised by what I am about to say......I LOVE THIS ESSENCE. You guys seriously this essence is life. So I, being the skeptic that I am, absolutely refused to hop on the essence bandwagon. When they were first introduced to Sephora, they were EVERYWHERE. Every brand launched beautifully packaged essences in sleek glass bottles, each one claimed to be the missing component in consumers skin care regimens and by adding this one additional product absolute miracles would be produced. As I do with all new products, I bypassed the wild over exaggerated claims on the front of the box, flipped them over and read the ingredient lists. Repeatedly each one read incredibly similar, filled with alcohol and fragrances, and lacked skin beneficial ingredients one would expect to find. 

When our store received SK-II I was blown away by the price tag, $99 for a 2.5 oz!  While it did lack garbage ingredients and skin sensitizers that others had, SK-II only had ONE main ingredient (galactomyces ferment filtrate) aka pitera. Here is what you need to understand, there is NO SINGLE INGREDIENT that is going to miraculously transform your skin. If galactomyces ferment filtrate was the only ingredient needed then why are we not just bathing in it every day and going on with our lives no longer needing to obsess over skin care? If I am going to invest $100 in a product, you better believe it is going to be chocked FULL of beneficial ingredients. 

So, in comes the Clinique Even Better Essence, a bit late to the game, but well worth the wait. I was immediately impressed with the ingredient list and did a little happy dance over the occlusion of alcohol as is the dominating ingredient in Clinique’s step 3 toners. This Essence contains many of the ingredients that are in my beloved Drunk Elephant B-hydra gel watermelon extract, lentil extract and apple extract which act as antioxidants to protect the skin and prevent free radical damage. This Essence also contains an additional antioxidant that is not derived from fruit....are you ready for it?!...galactomyces ferment filtrate. Yes, that's right it contains a heaping helping of the same main ingredient in the SK-II essence. See I wasn't just rambling, everything comes full circle with a little patience. 

So the Clinique essence is $44 for a 6.7 oz while the SK-II essence is $179 for a 5.4 oz and the Clinique essence contains much more than just pitera. I have used both and much prefer the light lotion-like texture of the Clinique Essence (I use the 1,2 for dry skin), as opposed to the water-like texture of the SK-II essence. 

Honestly, with spending this amount on the SK-II essence, it is utterly stressful to make a small pool of the thin liquid in your hands and frantically splash it on your face in a desperate attempt to not let the ultra-thin liquid seep between your fingers, potentially wasting a couple drops ultimately costing you around $10. It also has relatively ZERO spreadability as well, so I never felt it to be evenly distributed on my skin and felt the majority was wasted on my palms.  

So to sum things up I am an essence believer now, but only if the ingredients are right. I enjoy having the extra step as I feel it is a way to give my skin the additional beneficial ingredients in a light non-pore clogging way. The Even Better Essence is no longer on Sephora’s shelves but it is still available on Sephora.com and I assume you can find it at Clinique counters.

Blue LED light for acne

I will admit that I am a total research junkie! I will not believe in something unless it is backed by scientific research. One of the perks of being in college is having access to peer reviewed scientific research articles. I can spend all day reading scientific findings and actually enjoy it! LED light is one of the most researched skin care devices on the market.

However, even with all the research in the world I just have to see it to believe it. This is especially true for ANY acne product, as acne is one of the most finicky skin concerns and there is no one product that works universally for those suffering from breakouts. 

In addition to my total nerd status of reading research articles, I am also a TOTAL skeptic. Anyone that works with me will tell you this. And honestly, I absolutely hate being so negative about 90% of skincare products but 90% are absolute garbage. I usually just keep my mouth shut when some new "holy grail anti aging, pore reducing, skin smoothing, glow enhancing, moisturizing, and mattifying" BS comes out, in attempt to not rain on my coworker's parades. So needless to say I was 100% skeptical of LED light treatments, especially lower strength devices sold over the counter. 

I ordered the professional Lightstim Acne light to use in the spa on my clients, but as with anything I use on my clients, I first put it to the test on myself. I have dry as the Sahara skin, that is congested by any moisturizer and consequently, breaks out. It is a constant battle between dryness and breakouts. So with acne treatments being geared towards oily skin, anything I used to treat breakouts worsens the dryness. 

But wait for it.....YUP you guess it, blue LED light is the holy grail answer! I was blown away by this treatment. I can finally use something to treat and prevent breakouts without drying my skin. Blue LED light works by killing the bacteria UNDER the skin. Thus, preventing breakouts from ever arising. 

Additionally, if I do have a current acne lesion the LED light will prevent it from surfacing. What does this mean? It dissipates the potential for scarring as the breakout does not surface and thus does not require extracting. 

It is so easy to use at home as well, after cleansing and applying my usual nightly skin care regime I get all cozy in bed or on the couch and plug in my light. I turn it on and hold it directly against the skin, preventing any precious light from escaping, and hold it there for approximately 3-5 minutes. I no longer use a timer and just hold it longer in my problem areas for good measure. I typically use my light a few times a week, and if take some time off I will get a few breakouts here and there. Like with anything in Skincare, consistency is key. There are a lot of LED lights on the market. I chose Lightstim for their 5-year warranty, price point, amazing customer service, quality and is the only LED light company based in the US. 

If you are suffering from major or minor breakouts I highly recommend blue light treatments. Lightstim retails theirs for $169 , or for a stronger treatment, I offer LED light treatments as part of a $50 acne facial at my private practice, Esthology Skincare in Upland, CA.

Out with the old in with the new! It's chemical peel time!

I am currently on day 2 of a 14% Modified Jessner's Peel I performed on myself.  About 3 weeks prior I had completed a 30% salicylic peel, with only minor peeling; I decided to increase to a stronger peel to really tackle my problematic skin. I used a Glo Professional peel which contains 14% lactic acid, 14% salicylic acid, and 14% Resorcinol with a pH of 2.00. Prior to the peel, I had been using a glycolic hydroquinone serum to ensure my hyperpigmentation would not worsen from the peel.

First, I thoroughly cleansed my skin with a foaming cleanser and my Clarisonic to remove any superficial dead skin. I then followed with the Glo Professional Peel Prep to gently strip the skin of oils to ensure an even peel. Then began the fun part! 

When I applied the first layer of the peel, the burning sensation took a good minute to really begin, it felt the strongest on my cheekbones, nose, and chin. I waited about 5 minutes before applying another layer because the burning lasted a bit longer than I expected.  The 2nd layer was much easier, I felt this the strongest around my nose. I continued the same process for 4 layers all over and an extra on my forehead for good measure. The peel had a strong raspberry scent, unlike the 30% salicylic I'd done prior, which smelled like straight rubbing alcohol.  My face was red and felt raw and tight. I left the peel on and went to bed.


The next morning my face was still red and about 2 shades darker. I rinsed my skin and applied a hydrating oil followed by a heavy moisturizer, which provided immediate relief from the extreme tightness I was feeling. I lived like a hermit the rest of the day, never leaving the house, with all the blinds pulled shut. I re-applied moisturizer about 7 times and laughed at myself in the mirror every time due to the uncanny resemblance between my skin and a mannequin, it was so tight and shiny. This morning my skin looked the same, still a couple of shades darker, and ridiculously shiny, but less red. I had to leave the house to get my books for school, so I piled on a mineral SPF 40 and layered that with an SPF 30 BB cream.  Little did I know I would also have to have my picture taken for my school ID, the flash bouncing off my face probably blinded the poor little old librarian! O well. I expect to start peeling very soon, just in time to go back to work. I will post pictures and update through out the process. 

I plan on doing a series of at least 6 over the next 6 months to improve my hyperpigmentation, scars, and congested pores and of course, you are all invited on my adventure!

Shed some skin!

Exfoliation is essential in any skincare routine; no matter what skin type or what skin concern you have exfoliation is crucial! Generally, skin cells take about 28 days to reach the surface of the skin where they die and remain until they naturally fall off or they are removed. The new skin cells are the cells we want to treat and moisturize, but they remain hidden underneath these dry, dull, dead skin cells. So all the dollars spent on those fancy creams and serums are just sitting on top of the dead skin, unable to penetrate into the areas we need them to. There is only one way to remove this dead skin, and I bet you already guessed it! EXFOLIATION!

Exfoliation can be done in 2 different ways, chemically or manually. The majority or people exfoliate with some type of scrub. These work by manually sloughing off dead skin. The key to finding a good scrub is to find a gentle one. Now, I know that sounds obvious but let's really define a gentle scrub vs a not gentle. Ground fruit seeds are not gentle in anyway shape or form. Yes, this includes the all-mighty apricot scrub; PUT THE APRICOT SCRUB DOWN! I have so many clients ripping their faces apart with this scrub, it is out of control. Here is the really crazy part, most of these clients tell me they have sensitive skin so they opted for a more natural exfoliant. Natural does not necessarily mean it is better for your skin; this notion has gotten completely out of hand.  When fruit seeds are ground down into a facial scrub the edges become jagged, uneven and abrasive. They cause tiny abrasions on the skin and are especially troublesome for rosacea or acneic skin types. When used on acne they cause acne lesions to tear, thus spreading bacteria and worsening breakouts and irritation. A gentle scrub is going to be a product with perfectly rounded beads or a fine powder.

The other option is going to be a chemical exfoliation. I almost always recommend a chemical exfoliant over a manual. Chemicals are able to penetrate much deeper into the skin and even into the pores, while still being gentle on the skin, a scrub simply can not provide the same results. When choosing a chemical exfoliant it is important to know the difference between Alpha Hydroxy and Beta Hydroxy Acids. Alpha Hydroxy acids are commonly referred to as AHA's.  Glycolic and lactic acids are the most common AHA's in today's market. These are going to exfoliate the surface of the skin and are known for their scientifically proven anti-aging benefits. They can be found in cleansers, toners, and many leave on products such as moisturizers. However, they are most beneficial in leave on products so the skin has time to reap the benefits. When using a product with Alpha Hydroxy acids it is imperative to wear a broad spectrum SPF of at least 15 in the day as they will make skin more susceptible to sun damage. Beta Hydroxy acids are referred to as BHA's and include salicylic acid. BHA's are oil soluble, making them the only exfoliant capable of penetrating into the pores. They are good for all skin types, especially oily, congested, or acneic types.

If there is only one thing you take away from this post, let that be that if you are intent on using a scrub switch to something gentle. If you insist on finishing up that half empty bottle of apricot scrub, use it on your feet but keep it away from your face!