New In | Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence Serum

In my Mastering the At Home Facial post, I mentioned that I was on the market for a high nutrient serum for post-facial application.  In the comments, one of my readers raved about Snail Bee High Content Essence.  I didn't grab it right away because I rediscovered a bottle of Hyaluronic/Glycolic Acid serum stashed away on my dresser.  While, I was loving the results, deep down I still yearned for another product with unique nurturing qualities with the power to transform my skin.

Some time later, the Snail Essence serum popped up in my mind.  The next course of action was to see what others were saying and find out why I would want to put snail secretions on my face.  From what I read, snail slime can work wonders to fight acne.  The slime itself is composed of proteins, glycolic acid and elastin.  It acts as a barrier to protect the delicate snail from damage and infection. Not only can the serum de snail protect the skin from inflammation, it also said to have extraordinary healing qualities.  According to this article, Chilean snail farmers experienced the benefits first hand. Constant contact with the snail serum healed their skin, leaving behind no scars.

Garden snails leaving their slime all over my snail slime serum.

Benton's ingredient list was pretty amazing.  Seeing snail essence as the first ingredient was a bit of a shocker.  I mean, how often does that happen? This pretty much lets us know how potent this product is.  Another ingredient that made me raise my eyebrow is the bee venom.  Yes, bee venom, the poison that bees emit to protect themselves and attack their enemies.  Although I've never been stung by a bee, I can imagine the venom having redeeming qualities in small doses.  Blood rushes to the infected area to try to heal the sting.  And we all know that increased blood flow to the skin can be a really good thing as it can promote regeneration.  But, a word of warning, those of you who are allergic to bee venom will have to get your snail essence elsewhere.

Benton's Snail Essence serum is also loaded with botanical extracts which makes it a pretty attractive beauty serum.  Not to mention that it's under $20.00.  I had to try it for myself.  Thankfully, my skin no longer breaks out like it use to, but warmer weather has aggravated my skin, causing some mild inflammation below the skin surface.  My hope is this serum can squash all that.  The product itself is clear, unscented and absorbs in moments.  I consider it a "dry serum" because it leaves no greasy residue unlike the slimy trails left behind from our tiny snail friends.  It's a very easy product to fit into your current skin care routine.

So far, I like it.  What I'm really looking forward to is a reduction in discoloration and acne scarring. And, hopefully, the snail essence can actually prevent any potential breakouts that might rear their ugly head.  Maybe this stuff will actually transform my skin like the others who rave about it so much.  If you have acne prone skin and can benefit from the healing qualities that snail slime offers, check out this nifty little serum.

Ingredients:
Snail Secretion Filtrate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Arbutin, Human Ogliopeptide-1, Bee Venom, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Laminana Digita Extract, Dios Pyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Ulmus Campestris (Elm) Extract, Bacilus Ferment, Azelaic Acid, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Beta-Glucan, Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Cross Polymer, Adenosine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Arginine

5 Healthy Skin Boosters for your DYI Facial Mist.

I'm completely enjoying the warmer weather but each day that passes, means we're one day closer to summer.  Last summer, I stumbled upon a major beauty essential.  I kept a bottle of Evian Facial Spray with me at all times.  Then, an Instagram Beauty Secrets post introduced me to Chanel's Hydra Beauty's Essence Mist.  What lured me the most about this product is how many yummy ingredients it has.  I mean, who wouldn't want to mist themselves with ingredients such as camellia flower extract, vitamin E, & hyaluronic acid and other moisture boosters?

On one trip to the mall, I dipped into Neiman Marcus and tested Chanel's Hydra Mist for myself.  Long after the water absorbed into my skin, the feeling of moisture remained on the skin.  Although I loved the product, I couldn't convince myself to invest $90.00 into a 1.7 ounce bottle.  Maybe in the future but, for now, I've decided do a little experimenting with adding various boosters to my DIY facial spray.  

So far I have a ideas in mind.

First on the list is rosewater.  Can you imagine how decadent it would feel to experience the aromatic fragrance of roses each time you mist your face?  Rosewater soothes the skin.  It also contains antioxidants, and vitamins A& C,  which is great from the skin.  Another reason to add rose water to my spray mister is for it's astringent and anti inflammatory properties, which will help keep acne at bay.

The skin is it's happiest when it's slightly acidic so I'm inclined to add a few ingredients to lower the pH of the facial spray.  On top of my list is coconut vinegar, which has taken the place of ACV in my regimen.  If I go too many days without using a low pH toner, my skin suffers a dermatitis outbreak.  The acidity keeps my skin at it's healthiest so lowering the pH of this facial mist is a must.  I'll just make sure to keep my eyes shut, when I mist, to avoid getting any mishaps.  

Next on the list of facial spray boosters is powdered MSM.  MSM is sometimes called the beauty mineral because of it's sulfur content.  I read a post where a girl raved that applying MSM cream on her face every day filled in (and faded) her deep acne scars. So it's an absolute must.   

Lastly, I'm considering adding a little powdered vitamin C to transform my facial mist into a mild version of a  vitamin C serum.  Vitamin C on the skin can have major anti aging properties.   Some vitamin C serums can get very pricey but why spend all that money when you can make some at home for yourself? 

Oh, one more.  I think this time around I may use acid water as a base.  If you've never heard of acid water before, it's basically the opposite of alkaline water.  This water has a low pH and is known as beauty water. Why? Because our hair and skin both prefer slightly acid environments and respond well to acid water.  Acid water, and all of the other skin healthy ingredients will make this the ultimate in facial mists.  Oh, and rosewater, MSM, coconut vinegar are also good for the hair, so it easily doubles as a hair moisturizing mist as well. 

First things first, I'm off to get smaller size aluminum bottles which are more portable.  It'll also allow me to take make smaller batches.  Once that's settled, I'll start formulating.  Can't wait to get started.

First Impressions | Cure Aqua Gel Exfoliator

Immediately after publishing the latest Instagram Beauty Secrets compilation, I  headed over to Amazon and proceeded to place an order for Cure Aqua Gel and an extra hard Salux cloth.  Within days, the product arrived and minutes later, I tried it for the first time.

Let's talk about my first couple experiences with Cure.  I grabbed the bottle and turned it around for instructions.  Unfortunately, all the text is in Japanese so I had no idea how to use.  "No worries, I thought,  I've seen 1-2 Youtube videos, let's just give it a try."  I pumped a small amount into my hands and rubbed it on "dirty skin."  By dirty skin, I mean that it was early evening and I hadn't cleansed since the A.M.  I reflected back to the Youtube tutorial where the girl rubbed her skin shortly after application. She mentioned that the "little white balls" that form as she massaged the product represented the dead skin cells being lifted on the face.

Suuure....I thought.  That seemed like a marketing ploy.  Kinda like how toothpaste manufactures added a minty flavor to make us think our teeth were cleaner after washing.  It seemed very unlikely, to me, that the skin cells would lift so quickly without hardly any effort.  Especially a product that his comprised of mostly water.  This is the reason why I used it on dirty skin.  If there was actually lifting of surface level skin, dirt, etc. I would be better able to assess based on the appearance of those little white balls.

The gel looks like your typical cream cleanser.  It kinda reminded of Fresh Soy Cleanser. Once I pumped it, I immediately realized that the consistency is not creamy at all, it's pretty watery.  Be careful not to pump too much or you might create waste.  I rubbed the watery gel on my face and had no idea what do to next. "Do I let it sit or do I rub it off right now?"  Moments later, I started rubbing.  The little balls began to form.  Instead of white little balls, mine were the color on the BB Creme that I applied hours before.

Instantly, I raised my level of belief in this product.  Without hardly any effort, dirt, oil (and skin?) was being lifted off my face. It was wonderful.  Later on that day, I noticed an increase in oil production in my cheek area.  This typically happens to me after a deep exfoliation.  All the dead skin that was blocking the oil from reaching the skin surface was no longer there.

The next day I used it again.  As part of my experiment, I avoided using the Clarisonic because I wanted to make sure the results were pure.  Once again, I my balls were cloudy and dark in color. It turns out that I wasn't following instructions which state that we should cleanse prior to use.  I litterally didn't use any cleanser between uses.  I really wanted to see what this product could do on it's own.  And yes, even though I did no "real" exfolilating with the Clarisonic, I still experienced soft, smooth skin.

When I finally read the instructions, I decided to cleanse using my Clarisonic and use Cure afterwards.  By the time I rinsed, I could instantly tell that I wouldn't need another session with Cure. The first two experiences, combined with the high powered action of the Clarisonic, made my skin baby soft and ultra smooth.  I'm really happy with the results.  The only thing I noted which could be a negative is that my skin felt a little dry after the Clarisonic.  I wonder if my skin got used to the gentle exfoliation and was caught off guard by intensity of the scrubbing brush.

Either way, I'm giving my stamp of approval on Cure Aqual Gel.  This product is perfect for those of you who read all my posts on exfoliation and think, "but Nadege, my skin is sensitive to all that scrubbing....I can't hang"  Cure does all the work for you and leaves your skin in tact.  Plus, you get a pretty decent size product.  When means,  there's enough product to u on my neck and shoulders prior to jumping in the shower.   Everyone should try this product because it's so different than anything else you currently have.  Your current exfoliators are either abrasive or they burn your skin. This one does none of that and it's still very effective.

Eternal Youth | Cryotherapy Beauty Treatment

It wasn't that long ago that we we talking about cold showers for all of its amazing beauty benefits.  Now we're taking things to the next level.  Last week, I accidentally stumbled upon two separate instances where the topic of cryotherapy came up. Whenever that happens, I believe it's a message sent directly to me for a reason.

So I started looking more into cryotherapy. The more I learned, the more I wanted needed to experience it.  What is cryotherapy?  Basically, you're exposed to extremely low temperatures (well below -100 degrees) for 2-3 minutes.  All the blood rushes to your organs for protection. Your blood then becomes concentrated to a relatively small area.  As you breathe in, all of the oxygen reaches the blood that's concentrated around your vital organs. This causes the blood to become very RICH IN OXYGEN.  Then, you step out of the chamber, and all of that oxygen rich blood immediately rushes throughout the body to bring your body temperature back to normal.

During that re-warming process, toxins are flushed out, nutrients are delivered more efficiently and anti-inflammatory proteins are released throughout the body.  Red blood cells flood the surface of the skin, which can have wonderful benefits to healing scars.   Metabolism rises as the body works diligently to bring temps back to normal.  In fact, one short cryotherapy session can burn as much as 600-800 calories per session.

Cryotherapy is also excellent for pain management and reducing inflammation.  Athletes have been taking ice baths to address pain and injury for years.   Cryotherapy offers a more comfortable alternative to ice baths because it uses nitrogen gas instead of ice cold water.  When the skin is wet, the experience is way more uncomfortable.  I've watched videos of people in cryotherapy chambers and they seem to endure it pretty well considering the sub freezing temps.

Then I learned of the beauty benefits.  I mean....I already knew of some of the benefits from my experience with cold showers but this takes it to the max.  Cryotherapy claims to help reduce cellulite and increase the production of collagen.  I checked out a local cryotherapy center in my city and their website also boasts of healthier hair and nail growth.  No explanation was provided but I imagine the increase of nutrient rich blood to the extremities can stimulate healthy growth.   The prices seem pretty reasonable. The more sessions you purchase, the cheaper they are.  Cryotherapy is good stuff and serious anti-aging connoisseurs like Demi Moore are already hip to this eternal youth secret.

I can not wait to try this for myself! But for now, I'll take cold showers as practice for the big day.

Summer Countdown | Time for a Skin Detox

Now let's move on to Phase II of our countdown to summer readiness plan.  But first, let me share a little story.  A couple years ago, I suffered from severe acne prone skin.  Winters were a blessing for me because my skin seemed to calm down and only break out sporadically.  Summers, on the other hand, were a constant battle as my skin was at its worst.

Then, I adjusted my diet and my focus.  I took several actions that seemed to effectively address the acne.  Summer came around, and my skin behaved.  But I observed an interesting phenomena.  Others around me, with relatively normal skin, seemed to suffer from acne breakouts as soon warm weather came around.

It was at the point that I came to the unscientific conclusion that their acne was a result of a purging.  The increased sweat, oil production,  and cell turnover increases in the spring and summer, creating the right environment for fussy skin.  And, think of all the consumption of fatty foods over the winter holidays, along with the lower amount of water intake during the winter.  Things are pretty much stagnant.

Then, all of the sudden things start moving again. It's hot, we got outside, our skin gets oily, we start sweating, then we break out.  I'm of the opinion that we break out because we haven't done our due diligence to properly cleanse/detox before hand.  So when the body does it's natural detox, our skin suffers the consequences.  And it happens at the most inopportune time.

That's why it's important to take matters into our own hands. And to do it now.  We begin the cleansing process so by the time warm weather hits, we're glowing.

No detox exists without the increased consumption of water.  While I was observing the random breakouts of my coworkers over the summer, I also became in tune to which of them were severely dehydrated.  Some, I could tell by the peeling lips, others, by their dry hands. One coworker, who I admired  dearly, showed signs of dehydration on her face.  She was younger than me but her excessively dry skin had lead to the obvious formation of fine lines and wrinkles.  Out of no where I asked her "how much water are you drinking?"  She looked down and admitted that she didn't drink hardly any water.

You will be doing yourself a favor if you increase your water intake starting now.  Once your body is adequately hydrated, it'll use the additional water intake to help start the cleansing process.  It's time to clean house and water is your best friend. Immediately after your water intake increases, you will experience a rise in the number of rest room breaks.  Some people are bothered by that. I like to think of it as something wonderful. I'd rather flush my toxins down the toilet than have them excreted through the skin.


We all can fall victim to not drinking enough water.   Heck, just a couple of weeks ago, I suffered from scaly skin after I got "too busy" to keep up with my water intake.  But I had to correct that real quick and now I'm back to my old self again.

After I rehydrated, I started the process of detoxing.  Nothing crazy, just simple steps like adding a few cups of lemon water into my daily rotation.  This is to keep the body alkaline which is it's happy place.  An alkaline environment wards off inflammation. Acne is a form of inflammation and I'd like to avoid that at all costs.  Along with lemon water, I've restocked on probiotics to further promote a healthy internal environment.  As mentioned in the last post, I'm increasing the amount of leafy greens and fruits.  And maybe, I'll squeeze in a 3 day fast before summer hits for the heck of it.

Lastly, I will make sure to head back to the sauna on a regular basis.  The point is to start sweating and clearing out the pores now.  By the time summer hits, my sweat will be "cleaner" (if that makes sense).  Problem skin happens when we sweat are the toxins through our skin.  I learned the value of sweating when after visiting the steam from for the first time.  The first couple of sessions, I could barely keep my eyes open. The salt content of my sweat stung my eyes.  But, as I continued the sessions, my sweat became much less concentrated and had no salty taste.  It's like going to the rest room when you're dehydrated.  Both the color and the scent of the urine is super strong. But, when you drink plenty of water, the urine is almost clear.   Do you want strong, concentrated sweat coming through your pores this summer or the clearer version?

And again, I'll bring up exfoliation for the 50th time.  Why?  Because it's time to remove all the old, dead layers of skin.  All the lotions + butters we slathered on for months have built up. Our cell turnover slowed down during the winter months.  Those two variables are working together to rob you of your glow.  And if you start sweating through all those layers of dirt and dead skin, you're asking for trouble.  Long ago, I would break out on my chest and back. But once I learned of the merits of hydration, clean eating, and exfoliation, those problems left my life.  As a matter of fact, the first to areas I scrub while in the shower are my chest and back.  I guess it's just habit, but it's allowed me to eliminate old acne scarring from both of those areas.  I can proudly wear a tube top without a care in the world.

Ok, to recap, PHASE II of our get ready for summer plan is all about internal cleansing so when you sweat this summer, and when your cell turnover increases, you don't have to worry about the hideous side effects of what could happen if we aren't intentional.

Countdown to Summer | Glowing skin starts now.

This weekend is daylight savings.  This means the start of the "warmer seasons."  This week has been unseasonably warm which reminded served as reminder of how unprepared I am.  Winter allows me the opportunity to slack a little on my skincare, my eating, and fitness routine.  When spring rolls around, it's on!

So I've got to move quickly into action to get things back in order.  As always, the first priority was up to up my water intake and I'm already experiencing improvements.  Quick tip, if you want to drink more water, get a bigger water bottle.

Now that I've upped my hydration, I can worry about other things.  First and foremost on my list is body exfoliation.  Time to switch out my Salux cloth for an upgraded, harder version.  I've become a bit accustomed standard texture and now I'm graduating to the next level (super hard Salux cloth).

Second on the agenda is a cleanser that also evens out the skin.  In the past I've reached for the Kojic Acid soap. But I think I may venture onto something even more powerful.  So far, I've got my eye on this Mandelic Acid 3-N-1 exfoliating cleanser.  Mandelic acid is a mild exfoliant that is deemed the most effective for ethnic skin.  Even though mandelic acid is considered  on the mild side, as far as peeling agents go,  it's pretty effective.  Perfect for using a couple of times a week to promote healthy, even toned skin.

Ok, so I'll continue up my water intake, slough off dead skin with a high-powered Salux cloth,  and incorporate skin brightening products into my daily/weekly routine.  In addition to all of this, I plan to transition my eating habits away from fatty, heavy comfort food to fresher choices.  This means incorporating more fresh fruits and green salads throughout the day.  Not only will this help me shed a few pounds, the water content in fruit and veggies also help contribute to my total water intake.

This is Phase I of the "Get Ready for Summer" plan.  There's also a Phase II which involves one simple action which will contribute to my fitness, health and skin care goals all at once.  Let's Phase II discuss next time.

Cold Showers| The Hair + Skin beauty secret you have to experience.

In case you're wondering, I'm currently on a rampage against shedding & tangles.  All of my mind powers have been allocated towards figuring out what I can do to minimize this situation.  Then I received am email early this week that triggered a reminder of one mistake I've been making which could have contributed to my troubles.

I hate cold weather with an intense passion.  I'm one of those people who enjoy the feeling of warmth on my skin.  I'm a summer baby so I think it's part of my makeup. Because of this, I kinda look forward to my warm showers which serve as one of the few moments that I get to experience heat.  The problem with all of this is the horrible consequence I experience as a result of those few minutes of enjoyment.

I've experimented with cold showers in the past and I know first hand the multitude of benefits that come with it.  When cold showers were the norm, I enjoyed smooth, hydrated skin. My skin seems to naturally retain moisture with the help of the cold water.  Not only that, my face & breasts benefited.  Let me explain..... When the cold water hits your skin, everything constricts.  Pores tighten, and blood flows in a new direction.  One of the wonderful side effects to my face was how tight everything felt.  And I don't mean dry skin tight.  I mean toned and lifted tight.  Everything seemed to firm up, including breasts.  At first I thought I was a little crazy for noticing so I searched online and learned that dipping breasts in ice water is an age old home remedy to create firmer breasts. See, I'm not crazy.

But let's talk about the real reason why we're here.  The crazy tangles and shedding which are ruining my life.  Back when I took cold showers on the regular, I developed enough courage to do cold water rinses on wash day.  If memory serves me right, doing so made an impact on my wash day shedding.  I notice that even if I detangle prior to washing.  As soon as I jump into a warm shower to rinse the conditioner, the shedding kicks up again and I pay for it during the roller set.  Since I became a wimp, I've suffered the consequences.  Not only is the shedding more than I'm comfortable with, I've also had the pleasure of having to deal with lifted cuticles thanks to the hot water. Lifted cuticles are one of  the raw ingredients needed to create tangled hair.  From now on, I want to eliminate tangled hair from the menu.

I'm so ashamed of myself for allowing temporary comfort to come in the way of the bigger picture.  So now I'm done being a wimp.  Done.  It's time to build a little mental toughness and do what I have to do.  What motivates me is knowing that I'll experience benefits almost immediately.  Plus, I realize that the feeling of having icy cold water attacking my skin is only temporary.  The body quickly reacts to the experience and works vigorously to warm the skin.  Soon the cold water becomes tolerable and, before you know it, the experience is complete.  Then you're left with smoother skin and healthier looking + feeling hair.  Not to mention the benefits to your face and body.  Hey, if Naomi Campbell and Pharrell Williams use cold water to keep them looking ageless, maybe we can consider it too!  Let's add this to our list of beauty rituals to complete while we shower.

It's worth it.

Your Ultimate Nightly Coconut Oil Regimen has arrived.

Hopefully, by now, I may have convinced you to consider playing around with coconut oil as a overnight skin moisturizer.  If you've never heard of this before, I invite you to check out:

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+ Go to bed greasy |  How applying nourishing oils at night creates glowing radiant skin.
+ The Flight Attendant with Flawless Skin |  One woman's secret to moist skin even in the driest conditions.
+ The Actress who doesn't age |  The beauty secret shared by the beautiful actress who hasn't aged in 20 years.
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If you are using coconut oil as an overnight beauty treatment, may I suggest a few more ways to take your night time ritual to the next level.

TEETH WHITENING + DETOXIFICATION
 Since the coconut oil is handy perhaps you might want to do some oil pulling before heading off to bed.  What's oil pulling?  Well it's a simple act of swishing oil around in your mouth for a few minutes.  Benefits of this unusual practice include detoxification, clearer skin and whiter teeth.  Who doesn't want that?  If this is the first you're hearing about oil pulling, I suggest you learn more about the process and benefits by watching  a few videos on youtube.

P.s. make sure you keep a separate container of coconut oil for oil pulling that you don't put your fingers into.

LASH CONDITIONER
I will never forget the day when I was strolling online looking into the benefits of applying coconut oil on lashes when I stumbled upon a women who proclaimed "I apply coconut oil to my lashes every night and they are magnificent!"  Her proclamation was all the convincing I need.  Whenever I apply coconut oil on my skin,  I apply some of the excess to my lashes as a conditioning treatment before bed.

CUTICLE NOURISHMENT
Chances are you rub a little coconut oil on your hands and feet before bed.  Next time, pay a little attention to the cuticles.  Rubbing oil into the cuticles help bring blood flow to the nail bed, promoting strong, healthy growth.  And you know how important it is to have healthy, well maintained nails so don't skip this step.

LIP TREATMENT
Consider placing a little coconut oil in a small jar that you can blend with an exfoliant, such as sugar, to  create a lip scrub.  Feel free to leave a little oil on the lip, post scrub as an all natural lip balm.

One other thing you can do with your coconut oil at night is to consume it.  Turns out that a study was done that demonstrates how 40 female participants experienced a reduction in belly fat after consuming 1 ounce of coconut oil or soybean a day, follow their normal diet, and walk 50 minutes a day.  The group of women who ingested coconut oil as part of their regimen experienced a noticeable reduction in their waistline while increasing their good cholesterol compared to the group who consumed soybean oil.  While coconut oil is still a fat, it operates differently than other forms of fat thereby improving metabolism and even helping you feel fuller.


STRENGTHEN YOUR ENDS
Perhaps, the last thing you should consider when conducting your nightly coconut oil ritual is to quickly apply some oil to your ends.  That way your hair enjoys a light treatment while you sleep.  As we know, coconut oil penetrates the strand, allowing its nourishing qualities to enter the hair strand.  You can actually strengthen your strands as you sleep.  Be mindful when applying coconut oil to the hair over and over again to thwart off any potential protein overload issues.  Try it and see how your hair responds.

Master the At Home Facial

Ever since the post of Sundy Carter's regimen for flawless skin, I decided to get serious about my at home facial routine.  The first step in the process to learning how to do a professional level facial at home was to reflect on all the spa experiences I've had in the past.  Once I had taken note, I then moved to some online research.

I checked out some of the offerings of various skin care spas to see what their process was.  In the end, I felt pretty comfortable putting together a DIY facial that not only cleansed/treated the skin but ultimately gave me that glow that can only be experienced through a professional session.

The first step of any facial always begins with a cleanse.  In my version, I pre-cleanse by giving myself a deep facial massage using carrier oil like jojoba or coconut.  This preps the skin by brining blood flow to the area. For me, an oil massage/cleanse helps loosen any blockage hiding beneath the surface of the skin.  I take my time with the massage because it's one of those features that are a part of any decent professional facial.    

Once the massage is complete, I cleanse the skin using a the Clarisonic Pro.  Next I move to steaming using my beloved Panasonic facial steamer.  I've had a bunch of facial steamers in my day.   Their steaming action was never enough for me.  Especially after experiencing more intense steamers at the spa.  After a few upgrades, I finally landed on the Panasonic.  This thing is pretty powerful.  The amount of steam it produces is unreal. Plus I love the fact that I don't have to stick my face in it which allows me to steam while I'm working on the computer, thumbing through a magazine, doing my nails, whatever.  The part where the steam comes out can be adjusted up or down so I point it directly to my face no matter how I'm positioned.

Glam Glow // fresh clay mask

Once the steam session is complete, I apply a clay mask to my damp skin while the pores are still open.  This allows for an even deeper purifying.  The clay mask bar from fresh is very convenient while not being too drying.  If my skin is acting up, I go for the heavy hitters.  If you still haven't experience GlamGlow masks, please treat yourself and see what all the fuss is about.

The last step is what's going to elevate this experience to a spa level facial.  It transforms your skin from nice looking to "glowing."  Without a high level exfoliation, your facial won't produce the results you want.  By now exfoliation should be part of your normal routine. But on facial day, you want to incorporate products that actually make a difference to your skin.  For me, this means applying a mandelic acid peel, a glycolic acid peel, or a fruit enzyme peel.  They eat away at the old layers that act as a barrier between you and the skin you've always wanted.  Acne scars fade and your skin takes on a reflective property, giving it the appearance of a healthy glow.

Riiviva Diamond Tip Microderm Abrasion // Mandelic Acid Serum //  Alpha Beta Peel 

If you need something a little more aggressive to deal with stubborn acne scarring, might I suggest you incorporate microdermabrassion into the facial.  The best tool for the job, in my opinion, is Riiviva which was designed to give the same level of intensity at home as a certified spa facial. If you'd like to check out a more cost effective alternative, there's the PMD which does a decent job.  I still recommend the Riiviva because the tip looks exactly professional quality. They even have tips designed to eliminate cellulite & stretch marks.

Even though the chemical peels works wonderfully, the additional benefit of using physical exfoliation (with suction) is the stimulation of additional collagen.  For this reason, I'm choosing to rotate between the chemical peels and the physical removal of dead skin.

I've given myself a facial using the steps above a couple of times. Each instance, my face looked pretty amazing.  I'm saving a ton of money in the long run by not having to drop over $100 each time I want to experience bright, healthy skin.  With all that said, I still did enjoy the hydra facial and I would like to invest in a few more sessions.  That is until someone develops an at home version of the process.

The only step I feel I need to improve is adding an addition step after exfoliation to infuse my skin with nutrients.  Since I've removed the dead layer of skin, adding a fancy serum or cream with skin nourishing properties would be icing on the cake.

Update // The one tool that softens my skin, moisturized my hair, and attacks my tangles.

Today I'm providing an update on an item I purchased nearly five years ago.  After receiving a comment on my Instagram page about it, I thought it's to do a full on update.  Years ago, one of the biggest contributors to my dry, lifeless hair was the hard water spewing out of my faucets.  At the time, purchasing a whole house water softener wasn't an option. Honestly, I didn't care if my dishes were washed with soft water, I only cared if my skin and hair benefited.

So I invested a little of time and stumbled upon a feasible solution.  The Water Stick.  After a little thought I took the plunge.  The unit was fairly easy to install and I noticed a difference after the very first use.  Things went well, then time passed.  The only "challenge" I encountered was keeping up with "refreshing" the unit.  Honestly, refreshing it is the easiest thing in the world.  I simple fill an empty 1 liter water bottle with water mixed with table salt.  I no longer measure the salt, I just wing it.  Once I've added the salt water to the unit, I wait about an hour or so before using and I'm good to go.

When the comment came across my Instagram timeline, I decided to see if refreshing this unit would reproduce the same results as it did five years ago when I first purchased.  Previously, I was using sea salt (or something similar) to refresh the unit, this time I just bought good old fashioned store brand table salt for around a dollar.  Honestly, the results were even better than using the higher quality salt.  I think it responds better to the smaller grains.

I had to take full advantage of the recharged unit by doing a co-wash.  What soft water does is amplify the level of slip of any conditioner you use.  So basically, you are increasing the value of your current conditioners.  They just work so much better.  Can you imagine the long term benefits of your hair being hyper-conditioned week after week?  Same goes for your body soap.  You're left with a felling slip, moisture and softness all over.  That, combined with air drying, left me with skin that required no lotion.  It was great.

In the end, this water stick was pretty much one the best purchases I've ever made.  I think I mulled over the price for a little bit before buying but, in all honesty, this is worth every cent.  If you're still not ready to take the plunge, you can take some measures to keep the hard water deposits from ruining your hair and skin.  One option is to finish your wash with an apple cider/coconut cider vinegar rinse.   There are also some hard water combating shampoos  and conditioners out there that claim to help remove the buildup from your hair.

Air drying | Experience your sexiest skin ever!

@juneambrose

A while back, I was instructed by Lady Dee (skincare expert to celebrities) to never use a towel to dry my face.  I heeded her advice and my skin reaped the benefits.  But, for some reason, I never thought to apply this same principle to the rest  the rest of body until now.

We all know that air drying our hair can help keep it from over drying out.  The same thing could be said for our skin. Normally, the skin on my body gets ultra dry during the winter. So dry that it actually begins to itch.  The itching is serious.  Most of the day, I'm scratching at my skin (especially on my legs) hoping to get some relief.

Yesterday, I tried something totally different and it literally transformed my skin.  Instead of toweling off after my shower, I air dried.  Once I stepped out, I stood on my mat for a few minutes to allow the water droplets to fall.  Then I headed to my bedroom where I applied virgin coconut oil all over my damp skin.

I can't begin to describe how much my skin glowed.  Not to mention how soft and wonderful it felt to the touch.  I didn't need to apply another ounce of lotion for the remainder of the day and, best of all, no itch.  This is definitely a keeper for me.  I also think some of the credit goes to my full body exfoliation routine that I've practiced consistently for the past couple of weeks.  That combined with this coconut oil massage is perfection.  No other word to describe it.

Take advantage of the precious time while waiting for your body to dry (before applying the oil).  Put on your favorite scent, add a little lip balm, massage your scalp, say your affirmations, whatever. Make this a part of your beauty ritual.  This routine does require you to be in the buff a little longer than you may be used to.  So use it as motivation to tone up so you can feel totally amazing throughout the experience.  You absolutely have to try this.

Instagram Beauty Secret | How this "Basketball Wife" stays flawless

From the moment I saw this woman on Basketball Wives, the first thing that struck me was how amazing her skin looked.  So even toned, bright and healthy.  Most obvious was how her skin looked like someone much younger.  I kept thinking to myself, "I wonder if she does anything special or if she's just blessed to have perfect skin."

The season ended and time passed.  Then one day, out of no where, Sundy Carter popped in my head and instantly I wondered if she gave any insights to her skin care routine with her loyal followers.  So I followed her and this week she shared this post.

"Here's the secret ladies & gents.  My my skincare guru @deendeenlove."  Then someone Sundy left a comment asking her to share any tips she has that keeps her looking so "gorge, young, and glowing."

Sundy's response:

"Thank you, I only drink water throughout the day, sauna when time permits, changed my eating habits.  And cardio does the body good.  Deendeenlove gives the best facials ever.  I go again on Friday and will post a b4 and after."  

Is it any surprise to any of you that Sundy, like everyone else there with flawless skin, drinks a boat load of water?  That combined with all the sweating from visiting the sauna is pretty much the recipe for glowing skin.  But can we talk about how she got all excited about the facials?

I've gotten a few facials in my time, but for the most part, I vowed that once my skin cleared, I would no longer need professional facials. Reason? Because I saw facials as a corrective measure, not as a means to achieve the glowing skin I've always wanted.  Notice how she's already scheduled a follow up appointment.  I'm one of those people that'll get a facial for special occasion and never go back.

That's when I started questioning my approach.  Would I enjoy bright, healthy skin if I too maintained a healthy regimen of regular facials along with everything else I'm doing?  I'm gonna be honest and say that the price of regular facial treatments is a bit off putting for me.  That's why I've decided to master the art of the at home facial.

By the way, her healthy skin practices serve as a timely reminder that people who enjoy perfect skin, fit bodies, healthy hair, are probably not just lucky recipients, they work hard to achieve it.  Remember when Kelly Rowland shared that she does hundreds of sit ups each night.  I, for one, thought that her perfectly flat abs were hereditary.  Oh, speaking of flat abs, Sundy mentioned that cardio does a body good.  She was right. Take a look at her new figure share on her insta not too long ago.  Homegirl has been putting in work.

Look out for posts in the future on mastering the at home facial.

All the Celebrities are doing it! The Case for Daily Exfoliation

This weekend I decided to catch up on new episodes of the Real Housewives of Atlanta.  In one of the episodes, Cynthia Bailey celebrated Her 47th birthday with the girls.  Just three years shy of 50 and this woman looks absolutely stunning.  I've actually seen her  (up close) in person several years ago and, I tell you, she showed no signs of being a woman in her mid 40s.

Whenever I see a woman looking absolutely amazing, I immediately want to know the tips and techniques they swear by to stay fabulous. So I went hunting and Cynthia made it perfectly clear in a past interview that her  secret for amazing skin is daily exfoliation.

 According to a Stylist article, Cynthia explained that "I exfoliate daily and I definitely highly recommend it just to keep the glow.  And it keeps dull skin off your face.  So don't feel like you have to do it once a week, just do it every day, no matter what the tube says!" 

Then I reflected back to an article where TLC's Chilli talked about regular exfoliation to "get that dead layer of skin off".  Heck, the woman even told me to my face that "It's all about exfoliation."  Having witnessed her and Cynthia's skin first hand,  I'm a complete believer.

Then there's the Queen herself.  It's almost impossible to find first hand interviews of Beyonce sharing her beauty secrets.  But here's what we know so far.  We know that she drinks at least a gallon of water a day (with lemon).  We know that she adheres to the "Go to Bed Greasy" philosophy.  Thanks to her dermatologist, and makeup artist, we learn that she likely exfoliates several times a week and perhaps even daily.  And if I were to bet on it, I'm sure celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Gabrielle Union, and (for sure) Meagan Good exfoliate on the regular.

I'll admit that I've slacked off a bit on my exfoliation routine. After a while I noticed that even though my skin remained relatively clear, it still didn't have that look of health and radiance that I once enjoyed.  Every day in the shower I use a pumice stone on my heels.  And everyday I realize that even though I exfoliated my heels the day before, there's still dead skin that needs to be removed.  Same goes for the rest of my body and perhaps also applies to our faces as well.

I went into detail about daily exfoliation in this post but I have some new tips to include so look out for a follow up article.

The Many Beauty Benefits you'll experience from using MSM Water

This new spray bottle and I have been inseparable ever since our first encounter.  One reason I decided to move away from replenishing my Evian spray bottle stash is because a refillable bottle would allow me the opportunity to experiment with lacing the water with various super ingredients to elevate its effectiveness.  

The very first ingredient that came to mind was powdered MSM.  There are so many reasons why MSM was my first choice.  But I'll just share a few with them with you in hopes of convincing you that MSM powder/water is your very next product purchase.

It all goes back to when I first bought MSM water from the health food store.  The intended purpose was to help nourish my eyes. I found that the best method of doing so was to transfer some of it into a spray bottle.  Then I was like, "I take MSM internally, why not use some of this on my hair?"   This was right around the time I learned of the L.O.C. moisturizing method so it made sense to experiment with my newfound MSM water.   

That's when I realized that somehow MSM water seemed to make my hair feel more moisturized then when using water alone.  Once I realized that my store bought MSM water contained only 2 ingredients, I decided make my own in hopes of increasing the amounts of the active ingredient (MSM) in my formula.  

 MSM water is multifunctional.  Like my Evian mister, I also use MSM water on my face.  Except now,  my skin is reaping the benefits of receiving the MSM which has the ability to address acne concerns by killing bacteria and drying up oil which can lead to flareups.

Not only am I using surfur rich MSM water on my face, I also plan to target my scalp.  Normally, I focus on misting the length of my hair, but now that it's laced with MSM, I want to nourish my scalp to reap some of the amazing benefits.    Using MSM topically could have an impact on, not only the health of my scalp, but also hair growth rate.  I've even read where people experienced healthier new growth texture as a result of using MSM topically.  Not to mention that MSM is also said to help combat dry scalp, dandruff and dermatitis.  May I also add that MSM could have a positive effect on shedding.  They say that MSM could extend the amount of time the hair remains in growth phase. Let's hope this liquid MSM is powerful enough to do just that.

So far I've pointed out how MSM can help create healthier skin, moisturized hair and even better growth.  One last thing I'll mention before I go is how important MSM is for collagen production.  Much like bamboo silica, MSM works synergistically with collagen to keep our skin firm, smooth and moisturized.  So, I always make sure to add some MSM powder to my daily smoothies.

Do you need any more reasons to buy powdered MSM?

Get Flawless, even toned skin all over your body using this technique.

The post is inspired by a reader who left a comment about how to get smooth, even toned skin all over.   I'm so glad this question came when it did because this is the time of year when most of us aren't as concerned with glowing skin.  But, now is the time to develop the routine that will have your skin flawless by spring.

The commenter made mention of how smooth my skin looked and, thinking back,  I give 100% of the credit to my daily exfoliation.  It all began when I decided to take my pumice sponge from my pedicure kit to the shower.   Exfoliating my heels became a daily habit and I never had to deal with dry, cracked feet ever again.

Then I stumbled upon a video where a woman with amazing even toned skin shared her body  routine.  She talked candidly about how vigorously she exfoliated her skin.   Her routine went something like this:

She'd get into a warm shower and allow the steam to open up her pores.  Next she'd vigorously scrub the skin on her body and rinse.  Then she'd do it again (up to several times).  Each time she scrubbed an area she would do at least 10 rigorous strokes. 

(Note this method is for the skin on the body, not the face) When I first tried her technique, I was a bit taken back.  My skin had to get accustomed to such intense exfoliation.   Once  I got used to this method, I'd up the stakes by exfoliating on slightly damp skin instead of on soaking wet skin.  Each time I exfoliated, I focused heavily on my legs and the back of my thighs as a way of warding off cellulite by promoting blood flow to that area. And, of course, I'd focus on my arms and chest  because they were the most visible parts of my body. Basically, I scrub and scrub and scrub until all the sugar dissolves (If I'm rinsing the sugar off of my body before it's fully dissolved then I have failed).

This was around the same time when I began to frequent the steam room/sauna on a regular basis.  I'm a believer that sweating helps to loosen everything up which makes it easier to remove via scrubbing.  The combination of heavy sweating and crazy exfoliation created skin like I had never experienced before.  Not to mention that I was drinking oodles of water each day.

Let me tell you ladies that everyone who came in contact with my skin has something great to say.  Hubby notices, I couldn't stop touching myself, and when I went for a massage, the therapist kept going on about how smooth and soft I was.   If you use this technique of sweating + exfoliation + water for a week or two, you'll notice smoother skin.  But if you make this a long term habit, you encourage REGULAR cell turnover which means EVEN TOONED SKIN.   Seriously, if you want even toned skin, focus on exfoliation.  And, if you want to move things along a little faster, pair this method with a lotion like Glytone which works really well because it contains ingredients meant to help fade discoloration.

Consider this an advanced technique. If you have sensitive skin on your body, ease into it. Don't just rush in and try to scrub the skin off your body.   It's a process. But one that will pay off dearly if you are diligent.

Beauty Ritual | Creating bright, healthy skin daily

Lately I've been thinking about how important it is for me to ramp up my daily facial routine.  This stems from my observation of countless faces as I wander through crowded airports.  I see people with dull, lifeless skin and there are others who's skin gives off the appearance of life and vitality.  The difference between them is night and day.

I've made the unscientific conclusion that blood flow to the face is a major factor in the appearance of the facial skin. It just seems like healthy blood flow to the skin brings it to life!  Unfortunately, as time passes, our circulation slows which takes away the look of glowing skin. Healthy, glowing skin is  the end game so I've decided to incorporate a few daily actions to bring about that end result.

My goal is to allot a specific amount of time each day to promote healthy blood flow & stimulation to the face.  I've got some tricks up my sleeve that will make a world of difference. Especially since I've been operating with much less sleep lately.  These techniques will keep me looking well rested and fresh no matter what happened the night before.

Face Massage
Probably the most direct way to drive oxygen rich blood to the face.  Not only does massage help tone the face but it can promote the building of new collagen while delivering healthy blood flow to the skin.  My favorite is Tanaka Massage which also helps to stimulate the lymphatic system (which detoxifies).  When I do this daily, my face seems to appear more toned and lifted.  Best of all the entire process takes less than 20 minutes.  If I don't have 20 minutes to spare, I can always reach for my massage tools to help speed things up.

Steaming/Ice Facial
Hot and cold temperatures have an amazing ability to stimulate the blood.  Back when I took cold showers, my face always seemed to look fresh and healthy.  Our bodies rush blood to the area in an effort to combat the cold.  Let's not forget the fact that ageless rapper Pharrell owes his youthful appearance with his daily habit of using cold water on his face.  Heck, even Sanaa Lathan knows the power of using hot and cold therapy to promote youth.  I may dabble with using an ice cube  after washing my face to close up pores, creating that flawless finish. Another option could be to place my Evian facial water in the fridge before misting.

Yoga Inversions
Then, of course, you can always "force" blood flow to the face by practicing inversions.  Yoga is a perfect way to promote positions where the head receives the most blood flow.  As you may already know, inversions impact both the face and the hair.  Some say they've experienced as much as an inch of new growth in 7 days.  Earlier this year, headstands were a part of my daily routine.  I really need to start doing that again.


Water
Sometimes, when I'm sitting in a dull meeting, about to fall asleep, I reach for my water bottle and take the biggest swig.  Suddenly, I can feel the water rushing through my body and I'm no longer tired. When ever you think of increasing circulation, the first thing that should go through your mind is drinking lots of water.  Without adequate water in the blood stream, nothing can properly circulate.  Whenever I go a long time without drinking adequate water, I like to imagine that my oxygen rich blood is slowing becoming thick and sluggish.  That tends to motivate me to get things flowing again as quickly as possible.  Without enough water in your system, all those other things I mentioned in the post become null and void.   So, for the 15 trillionth time, drink more water.


P.S. The advice in this post should be paired with the exfoliation tips mentioned in this post to create the ultimate in perfect skin.