SHRINK THE APPEARANCE OF LARGE PORES

MYTH: Products that claim they shrink the size of the pore....that is IMPOSSIBLE. Pore size does not shrink or grow. However you can shrink the appearance of the pore. Pores seem large when they are filled with dead skin cells & sebum (oil). Pore size is genetically determined (thanks mom & dad for the big oily pores).Here are a few ways to help reduce the appearance of your pore size. 

1- Salicylic Acid Peels-
My 20% Salycilic Acid peel from Skin Scripts is amazing for oily skin. This peel is oil based and will dissolve the oil therefor making the pore size appear smaller. You can expect mild flaking with this peel for about 3-4 days. Some clients have no peeling at all. I LOVE this peel. Recommended for oily & acneic skin. 

2- Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is polishing the top layers of the skin. The diamond wand tip gently sloughs off the top dead layers of the skin, while the vacuum suction pulls out debris inside the pores (dead skin cells, oil, dirt). By doing this, our pores appear much smaller instantly. Check out more information on microdermabrasion on my previous blog post HERE

3- Deep Cleansing
Facials are a great deep pore cleansing treatment. For at home, I recommend Clarisonic brushes for a good deep cleanse. I have had my Clarisonic for years (I change out the brush head) and have never had issues with it. It might be an investment for some...but it is worth every penny! Make sure not to over use your Clarisonic. 

4- Glycolic Peels
Glycolic Acid dissolves the desmosomes between cells to keep skin cells exfoliated. Also opens up acne impactions. By dissolving the desmosomes we are helping to shrink the appearance of the pore. 

5-Wear Sunscreen
UVA & UVB creates free radical damage which slows down cell production. Basically it makes your skin & pores look rough & flaky. My favorite sunscreen is ELTA MD.

6-Moisturize
Most people with large pores and/or oily skin are often afraid of using moisturizer. I always hear from clients well moisturizers break me out...WRONG. If your skin is dried out it will go into overdrive creating more oil leading to more breakouts. Talk to your esthetician and see if you are using the right moisturizer. Most clients are NOT because they hear about a great moisturizer from a friend or AD. About 99.9% of the time your friend who recommended a product has completely different skin then you. Just because products work well for them does not mean the product will benefit your skin.

7- Ice Cube Facials
I love doing ice cube facials, however I don't do them as often as I should. Take an ice cube, wrap in a paper towel & rub them over your face. It reduces inflammation (great for acne), reduces redness & shrinks the appearance of the pores. It has a nice tightening effect instantly on the skin. It gives the skin a fantastic glow. 

I hope these tricks & tips help you out. Make sure to consult with your esthetician about your skin type & the best treatment for you. I hope everyone is having a fabulous Sunday & a great weekend. My Sunday will consist of blogging, cleaning my house & watching Skin Scripts webinars, I LOVE that company & their educational webinars. 

Cucumber, Lemon, Mint Detox Water

     

Today I want to share with you all my favorite way to switch up your old boring water. Water intake makes a huge difference in the appearance of your skin including redness, fine lines & blemishes. I am guilty of not drinking enough water, having kidney stones I am supposed to double my water intake...it seems impossible. This fruit infused water is a great way to switch things up & has great benefits at the same time....win. This detox water is so refreshing and the perfect beverage for spring & summer.

What you need: 

-lemons

-mint 

-cucumber

-pitcher (I love my infused pitcher) 

How to make it:

-Thinly slice your lemons & cucumbers (thanks to my husband for taking over this step) 

-Pull off some mint leaves 

-Put ingredients into your infuser or regular pitcher with water

-Refrigerate at least 4 hours or over night. 

Benefits: 

Lemon

-Helps cleanse amd alkalize the body.

-Aids in digestion 

-Boosts immune system 

Cucumber

-Inhibits behavior of pro-inflammatory enzymes 

-Rich in antioxidants

-Hydrates

-Anti-inflammatory

Mint

-Digestion comfort

-Sweetness without sugar

-Studies show helps top colitis & irritable bowl syndrome 

ENJOY....do you have some great water recipes? Send them to me at www.skinstudiobymegan@gmail.com 

Why makeup cleansing towels are actually BAD for your skin

Makeup cleansing wipes are every lazy girls dream...I myself can be lazy about washing my face at night after a long day of work or a night out with friends. I used to stash them beside my nightstand,convenient  right? WRONG. I have tried out many different brands of these wipes and have never been satisfied...then I decided to investigate them a little more. Why am I never happy...because these wipes are doing more harm then good.

Lets break down some of the ingredients:

These wipes contain high levels of alcohol which is very drying to the skin & can cause premature aging. 

Most brands contain fragrances which are very irritating to the skin. 

These are packed full of preservatives to make their shelf life longer...irritating to the skin.

Surfactants are detergent like chemicals to remove makeup and grime from the skin. However these surfactants are left just sitting on top of the skin creating a film. Think of covering your face with plastic wrap all night.

Ingredients to avoid in these wipes: 

Phenoxyethanol is an irritant.

Propylene glycol is an irritant.

2-Bromo 2 Nittropane-1, 3-Dio are anti-microbial agents that carry the highest hazard rating in Skin Deep Ingredients Database. 

Damaging while using: 

These wipes are okay every now and then if you are traveling or camping but daily usage is actually doing more harm then good. Sure they are simple, cheap & quick but it is SO worth it just to get out of bed and give yourself a good cleanse. Here are some reasons why: 

-Eye makeup can sometimes be a pain to get off. Constant pulling & tugging of the skin to get all your mascara off is very damaging because the eye area has such delicate skin. You are actually causing aging by rubbing those wipes harshly. 

-Yes these wipes remove makeup but they also remove natural oils of the face which protect our skin. 

-Any products you apply after using these wipes will not penetrate the skin properly due to the film left on the skin. AKA you are wasting your products. 

-Using these wipes means you are essentially just wiping the bacteria on your face back & forth....gross. 

-Because of the film left on the skin from these wipes, your skin cannot breathe. 

-These wipes cause dryness, redness, irritation, premature aging & acne. No thanks

-Soaked in potent chemicals 

All in all these wipes are a no no. If you are  going to use these wipes make sure to rinse with water immediately. If you are traveling or camping dampen a paper towel and gently wipe the water on the skin to remove the film. 

Nerium...the FATAL scam

                                                     

      

The pushy, uneducated sales reps: Last week I had a potential new client come in for a skin care consultation. After arriving twenty minutes late we continued into her skin care consultation. She then approaches me asking if I have heard of a line called Nerium.. ARE YOU SERIOUS? She then tells me she is a brand representative and I nicely (as nicely as possible) denied her from contiuing on. Nerium is the WORST most toxic product on the market and today we are going to break down why.

First off their pushy sales representatives DRIVE ME CRAZY. There is nothing worse to me then MLM product lines...except Nerium, its the worst! MLM is a multi-level-marketing pyramid scheme. Basically you buy into a company, get commision for your sales & have people sign up "under your team" and get commision for them joining. Now I am not going to knock all MLM lines because there are a select few that actually have decent products (nutrition, makeup, etc.) but what kills me are these woman selling skin care products with NO PROFESSIONAL LICENSE. They have no education on the anatomy of the skin at all...so why would anyone in their right mind trust them to educate them on skincare. Sure they have a webinar or some training, but they are NOT licensed skin care professionals...most of them are at home moms trying to make an extra buck and get a new lexus. 

Now lets get into the actual product. MLM product lines are not regulated by the FDA. Another red flag to me is the "automatic reorder". If the product worked you wouldn't need to use this sales tactic. Nerium claims to reverse wrinkles in two weeks. This is impossible. It takes 90 days to build collagen, not 14. Also this product doesn't penetrate deep enough to actually reverse the signs of aging.

Now lets talk ingredients. Nerium consists of Nerium Oleander leaf extract which is TOXIC...so toxic if you ingest it, it is fatal. Who in their right mind would apply a product to their skin that is FATAL. Nerium Oleander is a deadly plant and so deadly one leaf can kill a small child. Not only would I not put this on my face, I wouldn't keep it in my house. Reps claim that they use small amounts in their product and it cannot reach the bloodstream. However the company will not release how much of this toxic deadly plant is actually in their product....RED FLAG. They also will not release any of their scientific research...HELLO why not? I would never use a product which company will not release their research to the public.  There is no evidence that this product has any anti-aging benefits. 

The second ingredient found in this product is aloe barbadenis...just a fancy form of aloe vera. The rest of the ingredients can be found in any basic over the counter terrible skin care products. 

What about all these "wow" before and after pictures? Nerium Oldeander leaf is a skin irritant that causes swelling of the skin. If your skin is swollen & inflammed, your fine lines & wrinkles will appear smoother. However, having your skin in a constant state of inflammation is terrible for your skin. There is also a law suit against Nerium with actor Ray Liotta who has never used or heard of these products till he saw his before & after pictures posted everywhere with Nerium. Clearly lots of photoshop went down since he has never even heard of this product.

Conclusion: So ladies & gentlemen..please throw away this toxic fatal product. If there was such a fabulous miracle all-in-one product that Nerium claims to be estheticians, dermatologist, and doctors would be selling it everywhere. Instead we all strongly dislike this product & everything the company stands for. This product was given me to sample however there is no way I would apply this to my body or face. This product smells terrible. Also, you are given a list of ingredients that you cannot use with Nerium. Salicylic Acid was on the list and as an acne suffer, I could never go without my Sal. Acid. 

This product has no scientific research provided for the public, is toxic & fatal when ingested, causes inflammation of the skin in a negative way and is expensive.

Lastly, there has been lots of feedback on several forums about people using Nerium having cardiac issues. Once they stop using the products their issues stopped. Clearly the cardiac issues are linked to the poisonus fatal plant they are rubbing all over their face daily. 

Why you should toss your St. Ives Scrub

After my post on why you should toss your cetaphil (check it out HERE) I decided to make a series on terrible yet popular over the counter skin care products. Tonight I am breaking down why you should throw away the ever so popular St. Ives Scrub.

This product claims to be "all natural" and hypoallergenic but have you looked at the actual ingredients? If you have a bottle of this terrible scrub I am assuming no....go ahead and toss it in the trash now. I like to think of this product as taking glass putting it in a blender then rubbing it on your face. Lets break down a few of the ingredients.

The walnut shell powder creates microscopic tears in the top layers of the skin. The granules are jagged making the product scratch the skin not exfoliate the skin. This makes it perfect for bacteria to clot. 

This product is full of ingredients that have fragrance....very irritating to the skin.

A lot of the ingredients are highly comedogenic for example ceteareth-20 an emmolient. 

Propylene glycol leaves a film on the skin and is toxic.

Most ingredients are very irritating to the skin.

They claim to be "all-natural" (which means nothing but a marketing ploy) yet fail to mention synthetic surfactants, emulsifiers, preservatives & fragrances. Not so natural is it?

This product is seriously damaging the skin. The redness and tearing is at a microscopic level which cannot always be seen or noticed when using. This product causes premature aging, discoloration, scarring & broken capillaries. It also makes the pores appear larger. So please do your skin a favor and TOSS the St. Ives.

IS YOUR MAKEUP CAUSING ACNE?

MAKEUP & ACNE 

Many teens & even adults who suffer with breakouts have a love/hate relationship with their makeup. They rely on it to cover up blemishes & acne marks however it's just causing more. Today we are going to talk about the best makeup for acne prone skin & what to look out for when shopping for foundations.

Acne cosmetica is the term for acne caused by makeup. Cosmetic induced breakouts are usually on the chin & cheek area more than the forehead. Acne cosmetica can take months to form making it confusing as to which products are causing the breakouts & irritation. 

Tips to prevent acne cosmetica:

-Wash makeup brushes/applicators frequently.

-Opt out for a powder base makeup over a liquid. Plus powder absorbs excess oil.

-Mineral makeup: if it itches that means it's irritating 

-Keep face bare when possible.

-Always remove makeup before bed..and I don't mean those terrible makeup cleansing wipes..WASH it.

-Avoid thick or solid makeup products like sticks, pancake cream, or cream to powder foundations/concealers.

-Look for fragrance free products. Hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic do not always mean these products won't clog your pores. These terms are often a marketing ploy & still can cause breakouts.

Here is a list of popular foundations with pore clogging ingredients proven to make acne worse:

-Clinique Acne Solutions (I have tried this one...it tore my skin up)

-Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid

-Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder-

-Mac Studio Fix

-Bare Minerals matte

Let me just tell you all...lots of my acne clients of all ages say they wear mac...all estheticians call mac MACNE. Throw it away....now. 

Great foundations for acne prone skin:

-Glo Minerals 

-Jane Iredale

-Priia Mineral Makeup

-Makeup Forever HD foundation & Mat Velvet

-Clinique Stay Matte 

-Cover FX mineral Foundation 

My all time favorite is Glo Minerals pressed base powder. Apply it with their finishing sponge ($5 sold separate) for great coverage & healthy skin. Find this at your local plastic surgeons office, dermatoligst office or medspa. 

List of popular pore clogging ingredients:

-artificial fragrance

-mineral oil

-artificial color

-petroleum

-wheat germ oil

-algae extract

-carrageenans

-red algae

-potassium chloride

-sodium chloride

-sodium lauryl sulfate

-isopropyl myristate

-hexadecyl alcohol

-laureth 4

-lanolin

Now the lists could go on & on for pore clogging ingredients & makeup but this is a small list to help you. Be sure to read the labels & check ingredients instead of falling for the marketing scheme of "non-comedogenic" & "hypo-allergenic".  

Eyelash & Eyebrow Tinting

With summer slowly but surely approaching I thought it would be a perfect time to do a post on eyebrow and eyelash tinting. This is my most popular add on service...it's quick, safe & easy on the wallet! Biosmetics Intensive tinting only uses natural ingredients (like sunflower oil) and contains no coal tar or other prohibited materials. The tinting extends the full length of the eyelashes which may have been faded by sun and water over time. The color lasts anywhere from 4-6 weeks. This is perfect to enhance your natural beauty & great for no make up days at the pool, lake & beach!

Here are some of my clients before & after pictures:

This month I am running a special on tinting. Get both your eyebrows and eyelashes tinted for only $30 (save $5). The appointment only takes around 15-25 minutes. To take advantage of this offer text or call 859.619.2155.