9 Summer Skin Tips

Summer is my favorite season...I spend almost every weekend at my parents lake house. As an esthetician my job is to inform clients on sun protection. I am not denying that I get some sun, I am just smart about staying protected! Sun spots, melanoma & freckles everywhere aren't a good look. Here are some tips for staying protected & summertime skin care. 

1- SPF: This is probably in every post I have..but who cares. It is the most important thing you can do to for your skin. Elta MD is the best sunscreen ever. Applying once a day isn't going to cut it people. I apply every 2 hours. 

2- HATS: Keep your face protected from the sun with a fabulous big floppy hat or your favorite team's baseball cap. Not to mention after taking a boat ride it helps conceal my crazy hair...WIN WIN. 

3-HYDRATE: I cannot stress the importance of staying hydrated from the inside out. I know it can be tough to drink 8 bottles of water a day, so try switching it up with this Aloe Gloe drink (organic section of Kroger). It is amazing for your skin. 

Or try this yummy cucumber, mint & lemon water detox drink I blogged about HERE 

4- GET THE GLOW: My favorite self-tanner is St. Tropez bronzing mousse. It is so simple to use & gives the skin a great color. 

5- Moisturizers: Now that it's summertime switch from an oil based moisturizer to water based. I also recommend Skin Scripts Ageless Hydrating Serum. Hyaluronic Acid binds moisture to the skin & this product is FULL of it. I am obsessed with this stuff! 

6- Foundations: Try switching up your foundations to a tinted SPF or water based foundation. Skin tends to lean towards oily in the summertime so look for matte foundations. 

7- Spritz Spring Water: La roche-posay thermal spring water is like magic. Minerals calm the skin while making the skin look dewy. This is also great to spray after applying mineral makeup to set. I always have a bottle around me in the summer months to spritz my face & body to cool me down. 

Contains a high concentration of Selenium, a powerful natural antioxidant.

Mineral-rich micro-droplets provide immediate, intense soothing.

8- Vitamin C: Vitamin C is SO important especially in the summer months. Vitamin C helps protect against sun damage as well as pigmentation on the skin from previous exposure. Check out my post all about Vitamin C serum HERE! 

I still love my Clinical Care Vitamin C Serum, however my new favorite is Skin Scripts Vitamin C with Green Tea Serum. It is the BEST. I apply Vitamin C morning & night along with my favorite Vitamin C gummies. Call me a child but they are delicious, I have to make myself not eat the whole jar.

9-Sunglasses: Not only fashionable but great to keep you from squinting aka causing crows feet & 11 lines. 

I hope everyone has a fabulous summer filled with lots of travel & time spent with family. Hopefully these tips will help you maintain healthy summertime skin. Thanks for reading. 

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. 

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.

Why you should toss your Cetaphil

Cetaphil is not the holy grail of cleansers it is made out to be. Actually you should throw away your Cetaphil cleanser. 

Cetaphil doesn't have a SINGLE anti-aging ingredient...or ANY beneficial ingrediets for that matter. This cleanser that is so well known has no benefits for your skin. This product claims to be "gentle & non-irritating" but lets review its ingredients. Oh wait there is only 8 ingredients.

1. Water

2. Cetyl Alcohol (fatty acids)

3. Propylene Glycol

4. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (surfactant, strips dry skin & irritating)

5. Stearyl Alcohol (fatty acids)

6.Methyl Paraben (preservative)

7.Propylparaben (preservative)

8.Butylparaben (preervative)

The three parabens listed are actually on the list of cosmetic ingredients to avoid.

So why are so many dermatologist recommending this cleanser? Politics of course....dermatologist have a great relationship with Galderma the company that makes Cetaphil & they send thousands of samles to dermatologist. Another reason this is recommended is it containts no artificial fragrances & dyes. Dermatologist do not have time to research over the counter products to recommend to their clients. Dermatologist also know more about skin care conditions then skin care products. 

This cleanser may not irritate your skin but it is most certaintly not helping your skin. Talk with your esthetician or dermatologist about cleansers that are actually beneficial for your skin. 

Ladies toss away the Cetaphil and start using cleansers with anti-aging ingredients that help your skin.

Happy Monday.

Dry vs. Dehydrated Skin

                           

With spring around the corner it is time to get rid of the dull, itchy & dry winter skin. To do this first you must determine if your skin is dry or dehydrated. MOST of my clients have no idea their skin type or often think they have dry skin when it is really just dehdrated. So lets discuss the differences in dry & dehydrated skin.

DRY SKIN:

-dry skin is a skin type

-genetics play a big role

-lacks sebum (oil)

-small pores due to lack of oils

-feels dry all over the body

-more suseptible to premature aging

-try using a humidifier, gentle exfoliator & rich moisturizers

DEHYDRATED SKIN:

-skin conidtion not a skin type

-lacks water

-can be experienced by anyone

-comes & goes based on diet, products & treatments

-may experience breakouts

-needs water rich products

-key to fix is retaining moisture

-common for oily & acne prone skin that uses harsh exfoliating products that strip the skin of water

-I recommend a hyaluronic acid product, go easy on exfoliation & use sulfate free cleansers & drink lots of water

Layering Skin Care Products

                          

    

After several questions this week from clients on layering products I decided to do a post on this topic. Many people have no idea which products to apply first or last. Which order you apply your products makes a huge difference in the potency of products. 

1. Start with a clean canvas by washing your face.

2. Serums (thinnest) should be applied first. This is because these products deliver the most active ingredients. If you apply a heavy thick moisture first, your active ingredients cannot penetrate as deep.

3. Target treatments should be applied next (acne spot treatments, lightening tx, eye creams, etc.)

4. All over treatments.

5. Moisturizer

6. SPF

Remember thinnest to thickest is the general way to go when applying products. Your skin care routine doesn't have to be complex. Always consult with your esthetician or dermatologist on your daily & nighttime skin care routine. Some products may dilute others and some products when mixed can have bad reactions. This is why you need to go over your products and routine with a professional! 

Give the skin a break when applying products, give each product enough time to dry. Try applying one product then make your morning coffe or brush your teeth before applying your next product.

Don't forget our skin repairs itself at night. During this time is when re texturing products work best. Make sure you are using a form of retinal at night.

NEVER forget your daily SPF

If you have questions about your skincare routine feel free to message me at skinstudiobymegan@gmail.com 

Winter Skin

Winter means one thing...dry skin! All of my clients, family & friends have been asking tips & tricks to hydrate their skin this winter. In Lexington, KY we have been snowed in all week! This has definitely wreaked havoc on clients skin as well as mine. Here are just a few tips to beat those winter skin blues. Don't forget you can always give yourself an at home facial....I will list steps for that as well. So make yourself a hot cup of tea and enjoy this post.

1. Moisturize- I cannot stress this enough. I have so many clients complain about dry skin and they are only moisturizing at night...HELLO. Make sure you are at least moisturizing twice a day. Also make sure you are keeping up with your exfoliation treatments. If you remove the dead skin cells sitting on top of the skin, you will maximize your moisturizer. Try switching from a gel cleanser to cream cleanser or switch to a more hydrating moisturizer. 

Instead of your normal moisturizer try this

2.Exfoliate- Exfoliation is the key to healthy, youthful & clear skin. Make sure to keep up with your monthly microdermabrasions, peels & facials especially in the winter. Products will penetrate much deeper with clean, clear pores. I love Nitty Gritty from Clinical Care Skin Solutions. This highly effective formula polishes skin with Aluminum Oxide crystals, which are the same crystals used for microdermabrasion. If you are acne prone, try Scrubzit from the same company. 

Another great way to exfoliate is using a Clarisonic brush.Sure they are a bit pricey for some people, but they are amazing & definitely worth the money. I have had mine for years & it is still in perfect condition.

3. Sunscreen- Yes you need to still wear sunscreen EVERYDAY in the winter. It amazes me everytime someones says they don't need to wear it during the winter. The UV rays don't hibernate, they actually reflect off of the snow. 

4. Bath/Showers- Make sure you are using lukewarm water when taking a bath/shower. Hot water strips the skin and hair of natural moisture & oils. I am guilty of taking extremely hot showers. Make sure you are using an exfoliant not only on your face, but body as well. My favorite cheap body exoliant is Dr. Teals eucalyptus epson salts. You can get this at kroger, target, etc. Mix some in a warm bath or mix a handful into your favorite body wash and gently scrub into skin. 

5. Lips- Nothing is more annoying, painful & unattractive then chapped/cracked lips. Many chapsticks are actually drying to your lips, it feels good temporary but isn't healing long term. I have two favorites for winter lips. The first is hydrating with aquafor. I absolutely love this stuff. Every time I have a laserpeel or deep peel, this is my go to for healing my skin. This stuff is also great for chapped lips. If I have dry skin patches I always moisturize with this.

My second favorite is Clinical Care's Sugar Lips, its a lip exfoliant and plumper. Not to mention it tastes amazing. My husband is the chap stick king and he loves this stuff. 

6. Hydrate- I know I say this all the time but I cannot stress the importance of hydrating your body & skin. Keep a water bottle with you at all times. I used to track my daily intake when I first started to drink more H20...there are a few good apps I used to keep track. Also warm up this winter with a cup of hot tea. My favorite is Yogi Skin Health (for normal skin) and Yogi Skin Detox (for acne-prone skin). Last night I tried Aloe Water for the first time & was blown away how yummy it tasted (I hate coconut water). I love to spice things up with lemon water as well. 

At Home Facials- Try giving yourself an at home facial. Start by cleansing your skin using small circular motions. Next use your favorite exfoliant (Nittygritty, Scrubzit, clarisonic brush). Again, use small circular motions working the exfoliator into the skin. After rinsing, apply your favorite mask. While the mask is sitting on the skin, dampen a facial washcloth & heat in the microwave. I warm mine up in 30 second intervals, make sure to check the temperature before putting on your face. Apply the steam towel & let sit on skin for 10 minutes (this will help remove your mask). If you cannot remove the mask completely, cleanse the skin again. Next apply your serums (Vitamin C, lightening creams, etc.). Apply your moisturizer & follow up with a sunscreen. 

I hope you enjoy these winter skin tips & tricks. If you have any questions regarding your skin type & treatment, message me at skinstudiobymegan@gmail.com

Bridal Skin Tips

With Christmas and Valentine's Day being over...that means one thing....ENGAGEMENTS! I absolutely love everything about weddings and engagements. That is probably because I just got married this past August and I am so sad it is all over. With that being said, I do NOT miss the stress of planning a wedding, the sleepless nights, and the stress of stressing over my skin. I have always had oily, acne-prone skin. I have spent...aka my parents have spent thousands of dollars growing up on skin care products, prescriptions & treatments. Having clear skin on my wedding day was a miracle by the skin gods & also took a lot of work and timing on my end. This post is just some quick tips to clear, glowing & healthy skin on your big day.

• Hydrate: Drink plenty of water to flush out toxins & hydrate your skin. Another great way to hydrate is tea. My favorite is Yogi Skin Detox for acne prone skin or Yogi Skin Health for normal skin.
• Avoid aggressive treatments one-two weeks prior to wedding date.
• Avoid changing your skincare products 2 months before wedding. Most products take at least 4-8 weeks to start seeing results. Switching products can also lead to irritation and blemishes. Have a consultation to decide what products your skin needs. Before your wedding it is a necessity to invest in good quality skincare products. Spend a little extra money on pharmaceutical grade products...your skin will thank you.
• Exfoliation is key to healthy, glowing, clear skin. Bi-weekly professional exfoliation treatments are recommended for several months leading up to the big day.
• Ice cube facials nightly at home. Wrap an ice cube in a paper towel and gently massage over face. This helps reduce redness, blemishes, improves circulation, reduces puffiness & appearance of pores and gives the skin a healthy glow. 
• Add Vitamin C serum to your at home skincare regimen. It lightens, tightens, and brightens the skin. It gives the skin a healthy glow.
• Use an Epson salt scrub for your body. This is great for dry elbows and knees. My favorite is Dr. Teals Eucalyptus Epson salts (I get mine at Target). You can mix some in your Jacuzzi or mix a handful with your favorite body wash and gently massage into skin. 
• Clean makeup brushes with an antibacterial soap frequently.
• Wash pillow cases frequently.
• Add a multi-vitamin or Vitamin B & C. I love the Vitamin B-complex & Vitamin C gummies...so tasty!
• The week of your wedding get a micro-current facial. This is a perfect day of treatment to de-puff the skin, get an instant lift & glow. No downtime or side effects.
• If you have certain concerns (pigmentation, acne, rosacea, unwanted facial hair, etc.) discuss with your esthetician how to address these concerns. 
• Lasers and botox need to be addressed early and timed out before your wedding to avoid side effects on your big day.
• If you struggle with acne-prone skin consider talking with your doctor or dermatologist about getting a prescription antibiotic to avoid any blemishes on your big day! I have had great results with the antibiotic bactrim. Quick results and no side effects. Everyone reacts differently with medications so discuss options with your doctor. 
• Test different foundations that are best for your skin type. I used Dior Airflash on my wedding day ($62 available at Sephora). I absolutely love the coverage of this foundation and use it on special occasions because it usually clogs my pores. However my best friend (esthy & manager at Sephora) recommended I try their version Sephora Collection Perfection Mist Airbrush Foundation...I have to say it is WAY better than Dior's version and is only $28. The coverage is fantastic, my pores appear much smaller & I don't appear as oily throughout the day. I am in love with this foundation, and the best part is it doesn't clog my pores.

I hope some of these tips & tricks will help you get your skin wedding ready! If you have any questions or concerns on your skin email me at skinstudiobymegan@gmail.com. I would be glad to help! Here are some pictures from my big day. I miss it SO much. 

Venue: The Thoroughbred Club of America

Hair: Pink Lou Lou (Allison Johnson)

Makeup: Caroline Clay

Photographer: Chance McCool

Videographer: Hannah Johnson

check out this sweet video my friend Hannah Johnson made of our big day...I tear up everytime I watch it

Ultrasonic Facials

I am beyond thrilled to introduce my new beauty tool coming to Skin Studio By Megan. This my friends is the Ultrasonic Skin Scrubber. With the help of micro bubble jet energy, ultrasonic energy and electronic properties of ions, SkinAqua Ultrasonic provides three professional grade skincare treatments in one. 



1. Soft Peel & Cleansing Mode: During the first step, the machine is loosening dead skin cells.The peeling step of this process pulses water quickly into the skin to bring out trapped dirt and oil.

2. Nutrition Mode: During the second phase of ultrasonic, the skin scrubber penetrates product deeper into the skin. This allows the product to reach deeper into the skin than it normally would. 

3. Firming Mode: During the final step of ultrasonic, the machine allows the esthetician to tone and lift the face. This results in elasticity to the skin, eliminates fine lines & wrinkles, and shrinks the appearance of pores.


Benefits of Ultrasonic Facial Treatments:

- Uses noninvasive sound waves.

-Millions of tiny vibrations to remove dead skin cells for clear & radiant skin with no redness & irritation that can sometimes occur with microdermabrasion or chemical peels...making this perfect before a big event! 

-Loosen & remove oil, dirt & sebum from pores and hair follicles resulting in less breakouts & blackheads.

-Noticeably tighter pores.

-Gently stimulates skin to encourage collagen and elastin product, with a series of treatments fine lines & wrinkles will be less noticeable & skin tone & texture become more even.

-By stimulating blood flow the skin gets an instant glow.

-Facilitates hydration & plumps the skin filling out fine lines & wrinkles. Gives the skin an instant "face lift" making it perfect for big events. 

Try this new procedure with NO downtime or redness....add on to your current microdermabrasion for FREE for your first trial....after your first trial add on for only $10....included in all express & custom facials

This new tool literally extracts pores in front of your eyes. Interested in this treatment for at home use? Message me at skinstudiobymegan@gmail.com or call/text 859.619.2155 for information! 

Why you should be using a Vitamin C Serum

My all time favorite product is Restoration C, EVERYONE should be using a topical Vitamin C serum. Let me explain why....

When you apply Restoration C topically, it stimulates the regeneration process of collagen fibers. It will diminish age spots while your skin regains its natural firmness, smoothness & elasticity. Adds protection against UVB damage. Also contains willow bark extract which is skin clearing & antiseptic.


It lightens, tightens, and brightens the skin. Miracle product ? YES it is.

Usage: 1-2 pumps daily on face, neck & chest. For years I used Skin Ceuticals Vitamin C serum costing me $165...I since have switched over to Clinical Care's Restoration C for a budget friendly price of $60. Don't get me wrong I love Skin Ceuticals products...however saving $100 on a product is fantastic & I LOVE the way the Clinical Care Restoration C feels on my skin. It is not greasy feeling like many Vitamin C products. Clinical Care's C serum is also pharmaceutical grade, meaning it contains a much higher level of the active ingredients then your over the counter C serums. Check out my last post on professional skincare products vs. over the counter skincare products.

Who can use this serum?
Everyone...Restoration C is an anti-oxidant that restores & repairs damaged skin. Perfect to diminish sun spots & age spots. Also helps fight breakouts. 

All of my clients love this serum & the one's using it daily are having amazing results! Interested in getting some for yourself? Call or text me at 859.619.2155 or email me at skinstudiobymegan@gmail.com I can always deliver or ship.

Drugstore Skincare Professional Skincare vs. OTC

What you get is what you pay for. This is VERY true in skincare. I cannot stress the importance of good quality skincare. Skin care treatments only go so far....if you do not have a good home care skin regimen you aren't going to have great results. Over the counter skin care products are watered down and contain tons of fillers, thickeners, irritants, and comedogenic ingredients. The products have very low quality ingredients. Products you purchase at Skin Studio By Megan or from your local esthetician will contain more active ingredients, penetrate deeper into the skin, and have less irritants. There are so many options for skin care products varying in price. Talk with your Esthetician about different options for products and your budget.You can always email me at skinstudiobymegan@gmail.com to discuss product recommendations for your skin needs. 

5 Skin Care Resolutions...Cheers to healthy skin in 2015

Here are 5 simple skin care resolutions to add to your daily routine. Cheers to 2015. May your year be filled with love, happiness, fabulous eyelashes & healthy skin.

I am extremely guilty of not getting enough H20. I have been on a hot tea kick lately and I am loving the results. Yogi Skin Detox is my absolute favorite (not to mention easy on the bank). I try to drink 3-4 cups per day. It gives the skin a beautiful glow & I have not had a blemish in a few weeks (pretty rare for my skin). I highly recommend giving this tea a try. 

There is a HUGE difference in professional vs. over the counter products. I will write a post on that topic next. Making sure you have a good cleanser is an important step in establishing your skin care routine. Washing your face morning & night is critical to remove makeup, dirt, toxins & allow products to penetrate onto a clean surface. If you have acneic skin, I recommend a cleanser with salicylic acid. 

Most people only apply sunscreen in the summertime...and most do not apply it on their face. It is critical to apply sunscreen every day of the year. Your skin will thank you in the future. Finding a sunscreen that is good for my skin has been tough for me. I really love Clinical Care's Sunshield and Elta MD's clear sunscreen. 

It is never too early to start your anti-aging regimen by adding an eye cream. Have a night with little to no sleep or do you unfortunately always have bags under your eyes? Try caffeine blast by Clinical Care. Instantly improves as well as long term effects. 

EVERYONE should be using a Vitamin C serum. It is my absolute favorite product. It brightens, tightens & lightens. I like to think of it as my skins coffee in the morning. Restoration C stimulates the regeneration process of Collagen fibers. Restoration C will diminish age spots, while your skin regains it's natural firmness, smoothness and elasticity.