NEW Refine & Renew Duo Review

Let me start by saying I LOVE Skin Scripts products so when I found out they were launching a new duo I was thrilled. I was even more thrilled this duo is safe for all my expecting clients...pregnant ladies need good skin care too. This duo is safe for all skin types and is an excellent daily exfoliant without over stripping the skin. Check out  how you can over strip the skin on my older blog post. Now let's chat about these two new products. 

Raspberry Refining Scrub: 

This scrub smells SO good I want to eat it. Massage this onto the face, neck & chest for 2-3 minutes. Rinse and follow up with the serum. 

Benefits:

-polishes & refines the skin

-anti-inflammatory

-lightens discolorations 

-safe for eczema & psoriasis 

Functions: 

Polish and energize the skin with the antioxidants raspberry and marionberry which brighten the skin and provide anti-inflammatory like benefits to soothe skin irritations. Jojoba beads and blue corn meal gently exfoliate to remove surface build up provides physical exfoliation while exfoliating and lightening ingredients work in tandem to promote a clear, healthy skin tone. 

Beta-Carotene/Papain Renewal Serum: 

This serum feels amazing and light weight. It glides on the skin. Use nightly after the scrub. Reduce usage of flaking occurs. 

Benefits: 

-improves skin barrier integrity by balancing surface lipids 

-exfoliates to reduce visible wrinkles 

-anti-inflammatory

Functions: 

A mild exfoliation serum for sensitive skin.  Beta Carotene is a natural form of Vitamin A. Enhances cellular renewal and assists with collagen stimulation....bye bye wrinkles. 

I love how big the products are and the duo can be yours for only $60! You can also purchase them individually. If you have any questions on these products feel free to contact me at 859.619.2155 or skinstudiobymegan@gmail 

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

Birth Control & Acne

Note: I am NOT a doctor. You should always discuss concerns with your skin & birth control with your physician. 

Birth control is used for many purposes but it can be used to help your acne. 

How does birth control help acne:

-regulates hormones 

-lowers body testosterone level, which can reduce acne (testosterone is the male hormone that increases oil production)

Before starting or stopping birth control remember these things: 

-sometimes your acne will flare up when starting or stopping birth control (hormones are changing) this may last around 3 months

-hormonal breakouts are typically cystic and located around the chin area 

Which birth control is best for acne: 

Generally skin is clearer when the pill has moderate to high forms of estrogen. 

Higher is estrogen and lower in androgen. 

A few examples include: 

-orthotricyclen 

-sprintec 

-zovia 

Which birth control is bad for acne: 

Higher in androgen and low in estrogen. 

A few examples include:

-depo-provera (plus you'll gain a TON of wait...trust me my body has never been the same)

-mirena or skylar IUD

-nuvaring 

Remember I am in no way a doctor but after researching and discussing with physicians I thought I would share these tips. Many of my clients struggle with acne issues and birth control so I thought this information could be useful. 

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. 

Buying Beauty Products Online

It is very easy to find high-end beauty products online at an extremely discounted price. I can't tell you how many of my clients say they found Latisse or Skin Ceuticals products on Amazon. Buying beauty products online is okay ONLY when it is directly from that companies website. Latisse found on eBay or Amazon is probably old & expired....that's why you found it $50 cheaper! 

Let's talk about why these products should not be purchased online: 

The authenticity, safety & effectiveness of the product cannot be guaranteed. Many have been watered down or altered.

I like to explain it like this to my clients...would you buy your skincare products at a yard sale? NO. Products that are sold online have no regulations of the temperature they are stored at or the age. Once a product expires or reaches a certain temperature the active ingredients go bad. 

Another bad thing about purchasing online is someone could have stuck their greasy fingers in the product, used it once & packaged it back up and sold it to you...yuck. 

Keep in mind when your product is shipped to you its temperature is not controlled. As I mentioned earlier some products go bad after they reach a certain temperature. 

Signs to look for with online products: 

-broken seal

-expiration date 

-obscure packaging 

-steeply discounted pricing 

-ingredients that have been banned from the FDA 

I am all about saving some money here & there, but when it comes to your products...don't skimp. Spend the extra ten dollars to make sure your product is the real deal! Your face & body will thank you! 

I found this photo on Facebook. This is the same product purchased at a professional salon vs Walmart or drugstore. YIKES 

The top is Walmart and the bottom in Salon. Notice how watered down the top is and how concentrated the bottom product is. You get what you pay for people. 

Most products state on their bottle that it is not guarantee unless sold from a professional!