Are you over stripping your skin?

Over stripping your skin is SO easy to do. This is the number one skincare mistake I make...and I accidentally do it often. Being oily, most clients & myself want to wash away all the oil. When we break out we tend to try and scrub away our problems. This is only doing more harm then good. Once oil is stripped from the skin, the natural barrier(acid mantle) is compromised. The acid mantle protects the skin from environmental factors. Once the skin is stripped it can lead to acne, dehydration and sensitivity. This happens because when skin is missing oil, it wants to over compensate and produce more oil. 

Over stripping leads to:

-more oil

-more blemishes

-dehydration

-sensitivity

Ways you can over strip the skin: 

-over cleansing

-over exfoliating

-over using products (combining too many exfoliating products in your regimen) 

Make sure you aren't going crazy with the clarisonic ladies & gentlemen..this can definitely over strip the skin. 

Ways to help compromised over stripped skin:

-Skin Scripts Cacteen Balancing Moisturizer: this is one of my favorite moisturizers ever. It is so lightweight and amazing. It helps normalize water/oil balance & soothes irritated and sensitive skin.

-Facial: Get a nice hydrating and calming facial

-Skin Scripts Ageless Hydrating Serum: This stuff is the best. Ideal for all skin types. This helps improve the skin's barrier function. This product was just featured in Skin Inc for this exact reason. It improves hydration, balances surface lipids, reduces visible wrinkles, improves cellular respiration, and plumps the skin. It is 60% hyaluronic acid. 

Next time you are having extreme oiliness or breakouts, remember cleansing and scrubbing excessively will do more harm then good....trust me. If you have questions about over stripping the skin feel free to email me at skinstudiobymegan@gmail.com

Latisse & Long Lashes

Let me start by saying I LOVE LATISSE. You know those people with amazing natural lashes? Well I am not one of those blessed beauties. My clients always ask me a billion questions about Latisse so I thought I would clear up some confusion in a post. Here are my most frequently asked Latisse questions. I have used Latisse on and off for years. 

Here is a 4 week before & after of my lashes with Latisse. It's not the greatest before & after but you can see those lashes growing. Side Note: my mascara is super clumpy...I was using cheap mascara (yikes)

Won't that change my eye color? 

The answer is NO. This impression is from when Latisse was originally used for Glaucoma patients, it was injected directly into the eye. Since Latisse has been used externally for lash growth, there has been NO changes in eye color of patients. 

Do I have to get a prescription?

Most med spas or plastic surgeons offices will just have you sign a consent form before purchasing Latisse. 

Do I have to use it forever? 

Yes. Lashes have a growth cycle and do fall out. Once you stop using Latisse & the lashes that grow in will be your regular lashes. However, after I use Latisse for awhile and get my lashes the length I prefer, I only use it every 3 nights to save some product & money. 

If I use it twice a day will they grow faster?

No. However I have heard people swear by using it twice a day the first week. The rep for Latisse told me when I first got into the medical field that it will not make them grow faster. 

How long will it take to see results? 

Most people start to see a change around week 4. 

It is so expensive... how long does it last? 

The 3 ml bottle lasts me anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks. I have learned a few tips & tricks to save my precious prescription.

I always put the one drop of Latisse into the bottle cap. Then I dip my brush into the solution. I swipe over both eyes on the top lash line. I use the same applicator for both eyes to make my applicators last longer. I would NOT advise this if you have any kind of eye infection. 

Are there side effects? 

Working in the medical field prior I have sold lots of Latisse. The only complaint I hear is some people have redness around the lash line. 

Latisse vs. Eyelash Extensions 

I say Latisse all the way. I have performed and received eyelash extensions. Even with the proper technique the extensions can still be harsh on the lashes. Think about it...they are using a glue and eyelash extension applied to your natural lash. It definitely weighs down on your lash. Many of my clients have come to me for advice to grow lashes after years of eyelash extensions. Extensions are lots  of maintenance people...like getting your nails filled in. I think Latisse is a much safer alternative for long luscious lashes. 

Side Note: Use Latisse to fill in your eyebrows from over tweezing. It works like a charm. 

Contact me at skinstudiobymegan@gmail.com to find out the best deals on Latisse in Lexington. Many places have buy the 5ml get the 3ml free rebate going on currently.  

Chemical Peel 101 & Giveaway

It amazes me how many clients are scared of chemical peels. I think we have all seen the Sex And The City episode where Samantha's skin looks crazy post peel. I blame that episode for the fear in many clients. I also think the name "chemical peel" scares people off a bit. Tonight we are going to discuss different types of peels & why you should try one at your next appointment. I love alternating clients between peels & microdermabrasion...it is good to switch things up! 

                             

Many clients don't understand there is generally 3 levels of peels...light, medium & deep. Being acne prone and working in the medical field I have tried just about every peel ranging from no peeling to my face falling off in sheets. I have found I have better results doing light "lunch-time" peels more frequently rather than a series of deep peels. Not to mention the down time is much better. Let's discuss chemical peels. 

Benefits of chemical peels: 

-improves skin texture

-reveals healthy glowing skin 

-removes dead skin cells 

-preserves youthful appearance 

-increases moisture retention

-improves skin barrier function 

-stimulates collagen & elastin

-reduces surface pigmentation 

-reduces fine lines & wrinkles 

-reduces acne & acne scarring 

Downtime: 

All the peels I perform at Skin Studio By Megan are "lunch-time" peels. They can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes per treatment. Lunch time peels speed up renewal process on top layer of skin. The downtime is very minimal if any. The skin may appear red after treatment and that will fade within 30 minutes to a few hours. No makeup for at least 2 hours. You also may feel tight & dry for a few days. A few of my peels have minimal flaking for 3-5 days. The downtime is similar to microdermabrasion. 

Types of peels: 

Lactic: 

milk-based 

hydrating & exfoliating 

normal-dry

sun damage 

hyper pigmentation 

lightening 

Glycolic: 

-dissolves desmosomes that hold skin together

-normal, oily, acneic & dry

-minimizes poor size 

-mild-moderate acne 

-pigmentation 

Salicylic: 

-normal, oily & acneic 

-resurfaces & refines skin & pores

-dries up oil

-excellent antioxidant 

-inhibits inflammation 

TCA:

-re-texturizing 

-melasma 

-acne 

-hyper pigmentation 

-evens skin tone 

These are just a few popular peels at Skin Studio By Megan

Remember there are tons of different peels out there. Just because you had a glycolic peel at one office doesn't mean it will be the same at another. Peels vary in pH levels & percentages. 

Giveaway: 

I am giving away a FREE chemical peel to one lucky winner. Here is how to enter. Like the giveaway on Instagram or Facebook. Comment which peel you think is best for your skin type. Share this post. (If private comment that you shared so I will know). The winner will be chosen Monday June 15th. Tag a friend on Facebook or Instagram to be entered twice. 

INSTAGRAM LINK

FACEBOOK LINK

Skin Scripts peels are good for all Fitzpatrick types. Most companies peels are not recommended for darker skin types. 

Here are some testimonies from clients about chemical peels.

 "Best chemical peel experience ever! I've always been so scared to get one done but Megan did an amazing job my skin has never looked or felt better!" -Devan W

"I just wanna take the time to give a huge shoutout to Megan Johnson!!!!!!!! Received a chemical peel and different sorts of her fabulous treatment two days ago, and my face already looks and feels so much better! Thank you Megan you are amazing!!!! If you are having troubles with your skin I recommend setting up and appt. with her!!!" -Hannah G