The Worlds Worst Acne Offenses

Ah acne...my old foe. When I worked at the spa, acne clients were often the worst when it came to how they treated their skin. As a skin professional, I was appalled by the methods they used to clear their skin. As an acne sufferer myself (former of course) I sympathized with their despair and confusion. 

So to save you some heartache, here is my top 10 worst acne offenses:

10. Using products known to aggravate blemish prone skin. This totally boggles the mind. Pancake theatrical makeup (like MAC's) and cold cream (even if Miss Monroe used it) is totally inappropriate for blemish prone skin. Using products like these are definitely going to make a bad thing worse.

9.Using facial scrubs. I'm not sure why skincare lines keep making these "medicated" facial scrubs. If you need something medicated (meaning it's going to kill bacteria) the last thing you want to do is scrub open those infected blemishes and spread the infection around. If you just have blackheads, a gentle scrub will help loosen those buggers up. Just remember to massage it into your skin, don't "scrub" it in with your hands.

8. Drying out your skin. Oily skin is not the cause of acne, so why try to dry out your skin with astringents and over doing the clay masks? In fact oily skin is a blessing! The protective layer of sebum prevents moisture loss and minimizes the appearance of fine lines. Also, constant over-drying can lead to an overproduction of sebum. Instead choose products that help remove excess oil, not strip it away.

7. Using only one product and expecting a miracle. After every acne treatment I did, I'd set out all the products the client needed to continue the blemish-clearing treatment at home. Sometimes they naively bought one product (usually the spot treatment) and thought their skin would clear up. Not so ladies. Clearing blemishes takes a customized skin care regimen, not one miracle product.

6. Using too many products. Using a cleanser + a scrub + a clay mask + an all over treatment serum + a spot treatment + an oil control lotion + another dab of the spot treatment for good measure = overkill. All your going to get is raw, irritated, blemished skin. Take it easy. It's not just about getting rid of blemishes, you also have to heal and prevent scarring.

5. Using Proactive. Honestly the stuff is crap. Some of the worst blemished skin that I have treated are from those that have used Proactive. Benzoyl Peroxide, the active ingredient, destroys healthy skin cells, dries out the skin and leaves behind scars. Just stay away, far away.

4. Trying to take out blackheads without properly preparing the skin. Yes there is a way to properly prepare the skin. This helps them to slip out easier as well as helps to prevent scarring and inflammation. See my eHow article here to learn how to prep and extract.

3. Picking. Yeah I know it's tempting, but picking at your skin leaves scars and spreads infection. Just stop...right now...stop!

2. Not using sunscreen. Sunscreen can feel heavy and greasy, so if may be tempting to skip it. Please don't. Instead of just having blemished skin, now your also going to have premature aging skin.

1. Not seeing a skincare professional. Not the cosmetics counter girl, not your neighborhood beauty consultant, a skincare professional. She can help you to understand what type of acne you have, create a custom home treatment and recommend the professional treatments you need. If your acne is is severe enough that it needs a dermatologist, she can even refer you to one. So why not take advantage of this free service?

So those are my top 10 worst acne offenses. Do you see any that your guilty of doing, or worse yet, advising someone to do? C'mon ladies...come clean.

*Photo is of Jayne Mansfield 1962

See Spot Go.

* photo courtesy of pixdaus

If only we looked so cute with spots on our faces. Freckles, age spots, sun spots, scars from blemishes, whatever you call them, they're all the same thing...hyper-pigmentation. Are you doomed to seeing spots on your skin forever? Although hyper-pigmentation is a stubborn foe, it can be treated and the cooler months,when the sun is mild, is the best time to start. Here are some effective over the counter treatments as well as suggestions for professional treatments.

Brighteners- These products work by exfoliating the skin with hydroxy acids or citrus acids and may have light diffusing minerals to further enhance the "brightening". These products also have the added benefit of smoothing the skin and minimizing fine lines. Although these natural acids, especially lactic acid, help with pigmentation, these products are best suited for maintaining results.

Lighteners- These products work by stopping further production of pigment as well as diffusing the discoloration so that it blends into the surrounding skin. These products will often contain hydroxy acids as well. Skin lighteners use (mostly) natural ingredients which make them very gentle to the skin, however it can take quite a while to see results, usually about 2 months of continuous use. Ingredients to look for are kojic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, bearberry extract, licorice extract, mulberry root extract, azelaic acid, and L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

Whiteners - Also known as skin bleachers, work pretty much the same way that bleach works on clothes, it completely take out the color. The active ingredient in skin whiteners is hydroquinone. Over the counter products with hydroquinone will usually contain 2% hydroquinone but can contain as much as 6%. Be aware that hydroquinone is toxic. Any product containing hydroquinone should only be used for 3 months max (with a 2 month break before you resume) and only on 20% of your body at a time. This is serious stuff ladies, which is why it is not my preferred way of treating hyper-pigmentation.

Au Natural (said that with my best american french accent)- This is the closest you can get to natural while it still being effective.They contain the sap of the grape vine to even out skin color as well as give a healthy dose of antioxidents. It's gentle enough for the super sensitive and can even be used during pregnancy!

Professional treatments are extremely effective for treating hyper-pigmentation. 1 professional treatment (depending on the treatment of course) can be as effective as 2 months of using skin lighteners at home.

Facials - use professional-use-only masks, serums and exfoliants to lighten skin. Skin lightening facials can take a while (maybe 5-6 treatments) before you get your desired results, however the luxurious massages make it worth the wait!

Skin Peels - these work by exfoliating and diffusing pigmentation. This is my preferred method since peels can be totally customized for your skin type and well as treating other skin condition simultaneously (like blemishes and fine lines). Results are immediate and continue with further treatments, which is usually a course of 3-4 treatments.

Lasers - can only be done by a doctor or nurse practitioner. Although very effective, they can very uncomfortable, scary and can cause scarring if done by an untrained hand. I'm a bit of a nervous nelly when it comes to treating the skin with lasers. I prefer a more hands on approach.

So what treatment is best? Well I say both home treatments and professional skin peels. But if you can't afford the skin peels, stick with the gentle skin lighteners. But no matter which treatment you choose be patient, be consistent, and most importantly, wear your sunscreen. Even just one day, one day, without it can undo months of hard work, so don't leave home without it!

* photo courtesy of flikr

One last note, there are many suggestions for home remedies to help lighten skin. Lemon juice, sour buttermilk, potato juice, cucumber juice and hydrogen peroxide are examples of such suggestions. Yes the idea is very alluring, however the problem with some of these is that they are not as effective because the active lightening ingredient just isn't concentrated enough. Others, like hydrogen peroxide, can be very damaging to skin. Although homemade skincare can be deliciously great for the skin, better leave skin lightening alchemy to the professionals.

Homespun Beauty: Pumpkin Mask

My Hunny and my boys pumpkin hunting at the Tanaka Farm in Irvine, Ca.

So here I am at my computer slathering my luscious pumpkin spice hand lotion, glancing over at my french country calender with vintage pumpkins pictures, and thinking about the giant pumpkin sitting on my kitchen table that my boys and I will bake into pies and muffins tomorrow. Hmmm...what shall I write about...

Pumpkin is a wonderful and gentle exfoliant that works by eating up all the dead skin cells that are sitting on the surface of the skin. It's also loaded with yummy vitamins for luminous skin. For maximum benefits, wear this mask as you indulge on pumpkin pie and a warm cup of cider!

Luminous Pumpkin & Milk Mask
1 T canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp pumpkin seed oil
1 T finely ground oatmeal
coconut milk (enough to moisten to desired consistency)

Mix all the ingredients together and spread evenly over face and neck, avoiding the eye and nostril area. Leave on for 10-15 minuets and rinse thoroughly. Follow with toner, serum and moisturizer.

**This make may tingle a bit. That's okay and simply means that the pumpkin is exfoliating and stimulating skin renewal. If it burns though (which I highly doubt it will) rinse it off immediately and apply a cold compress. If you don't feel any tingling, that's okay too. You just may not be as sensitive.

How to Save Money on Skin Care Without Compromise

When it comes to skin care, I might be the worlds most stubborn and inflexible woman. I am, after all, a passionate skin care therapist. Over the course of my career, I've had the luxury of trying some of the worlds finest skin care. So once I find something I love, it is impossible for me to compromise. But money is tight these days in the Poblano household, so how do I manage to pamper my precious skin without going cheap? I get creative!

Toner- Replace the flip cap with a spray or mist top like the Lime Blossom Toner above. You'll find that you only have to mist your skin with 1-2 pumps in the morning instead of saturating a cotton ball with your toner. At night, mist 3-4 sprays of your toner onto a cotton pad (not a cotton ball which absorbs too much product) and wipe your skin clean. Doing these two simple steps has helped my toner to last 6 months!

Mask- I like to mix my facial masks with skin loving items I find in my kitchen. Egg whites for firming, egg yolk or honey for dry skin, olive oil for irritated skin or apple cider vinegar for blemish prone. By adding these less expensive yet nourishing goodies to your masks, you can make one tube or jar of expensive mask last one year!

Treatment Serums- This is where I usually spend the most money, from $50 to over $100 for 1/2 ounce. But trust me ladies, this is the product that is going to do all that lightening n' tightening, renewing n' smoothing. Treatment serums are the muscle in your skin care routine. So how do I save money without compromise? First, I use them only at night, when the skin naturally repairs itself making the most use of my serum. Secondly, though I have several serums, each one that does something different, I use only one serum a night. Thirdly, and most importantly, I gently but firmly press the serum onto toner damp skin (see more info on this below).

Night Moisturizer- I can make my night cream last 4-5 months by following one simple step, I gently and firmly press (not rub!) the product onto toner damp skin. Using this simple method makes a tiny pea-size amount of product cover my entire face, neck and decollete! So here's how you do it: after wiping your skin with your toner, squirt a small amount of serum onto your middle and ring fingers. Lightly rub your fingers together and gently press the product onto your damp face, neck and decollete. Repeat the same method with a small pea-size amount of your night moisturizer. Why does this work? Because you are pressing (not rubbing) and the skin is toner damp, the product sits on the skin longer (rather than soaking in right away) allowing you to move the little bit of product over a larger surface area.

Voila! You just saved yourself a bunch of money and it didn't even hurt! Have any tricks of your own? Please share them in the comments below!

Apple Cider Vinegar: The Original Vintage Beauty Aid

Before Liposuction, Summer's Eve, Dr. Scholl or Pro-Active there was Apple Cider Vinegar . Yes ladies, although simple in it's appearance, apple cider vinegar can do the job of all of these but in a much safer and simpler fashion. Here are some recipes that I have used with great success:

1. Skin & Health Tonic (internal) - Mix 1-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar, 1 cup of apple juice, 1 cup of water and 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda. I like to sip this throughout the mid morning to help to keep the munchies away 'til lunch. Taking apple cider vinegar this way can help reduce the appearance of cellulite, clear cystic acne, reduce grey hairs, and help to slowly and permanently lose weight.
2. Clearing Hair Rinse (external) - Mix 2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 3 drops of Lavender Essential Oil and 2 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil in a large cup. After shampooing your hair, add 2 cups of warm water to the apple cider vinegar mixture and pour this over your scalp and hair. Let it sit for 5 min. then rinse and condition. This helps to exfoliate the scalp, remove product and hard water build up, kill dandruff-causing fungus and bacteria and smooths cuticles so your hair is super soft and shiny!
3. Skin Tonic (external) - Mix 1 part water with 1 part apple cider vinegar and apply to blemishes throughout the day. This is especially helpful with those stress induced blemishes. And this wont leave a scar like Pro-Active does!
4. Feminine Refresher (external) - Mix 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with warm water (enough to fill a peri bottle or other squirt bottle). Use this mixture to rinse the external feminine area. Especially refreshing after your monthly or when you feel a little "itch" coming on.
5. Feet Refresher (external) - Mix 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar with 2 liters of warm water. This can help soften callus' and get rid of other foot nasties. For especially stubborn athletes foot apply apple cider vinegar directly to affected area. It will burn, but it will definitely clear it up!

*Remember to only use Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar *

The "open and closed" pore myth

Time and time again I see people saying that we need to "open" our pores to clean them and "close "them up to prevent them from getting clogged. The truth is that pores don't have muscles to open and close. When skin therapist's use steam during facials it's really to relax the skin which makes it easier and less traumatic to take out black heads. Using cool water or a cool spritz at the end of a facial helps to temporarily tighten the skin, but alas will not "close" pores to prevent blackheads.

So what temperature water should you use to wash your face? Does it make a difference? Warm water is still a great choice since it will help to warm up and dissolve oils and waxes from makeup, therefore making it easier for your cleanser to do it's job. If you plan on trying to remove your own blackheads (which I would discourage if your a "picker"), putting a warm, damp cotton pad over the spot could help relax the pore reducing the chance of swelling.

As for a cold water rinse? While it won't close pores, it definitely feels refreshing, can help reduce swelling and redness, and can temporarily tighten the skin.

Japanese Dry Brushing

Dry brushing is a very popular method of exfoliation and detoxifying treatment done by most spa's. It was my favorite way to exfoliate clients when I worked at the spa. Here are some of the benefits:

• It's super quick...it takes 1-2 minuets to do your whole body
• It's cheap...a nice natural bristle brush is about $10. You can find them usually at health food stores
• No need for messy body scrubs
• Leaves your skin smooth
• It stimulates circulation of blood (which promotes healing) and circulation of the lymph (which removes cellular waste)
• With repeated use it can help the appearance of cellulite
• Helps to reduce edema (water retention)

So this is how you do it. Your skin should be completely dry. I prefer to do it right before I take a shower:

• Starting at your feet, lightly brush your skin toward your heart.
• Use long strokes and brush over entire leg area. It may feel a little tingly but that is your skin being stimulated. Just be sure and use light strokes.
• Switch and do the other leg.
• Continue with entire body always brushing toward the heart.
• Do not brush your face or neck. These area's are much too sensitive.

And that's it! Take a shower, rub some yummy lotion on and your skin is gorgeous! Try to do this every day and you will definitely see a difference in your skin.