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Skincare products & skin care techniques for skin problems. How to apply Retinol & Vitamin C. Anti-aging skincare. How to treat acne, brown spots, dry skin, wrinkles, Keratosis Pilaris. Skincare ingredient list. Skincare research. Skin care techniques, news, products, tutorials.

How to use anti-aging devices such as NuFace and Revive light therapy devices. Details on dermaplaning and cleansing devices. News of the latest skin care products.

CURRENT SKIN CARE OBSESSIONS: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic with 15% L-Ascorbic Acid.

Natural Anti-aging B3: InstaNatural Niacinamide Serum

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InstaNatural Niacinamide Serum uses Vitamin B3 and Hyaluronic Acid to address hyperpigmentation, redness/inflammation, acne, and elasticity – especially around delicate skin areas such as the eyes and mouth. It can be used in tandem with a vitamin C serum. Only a small amount is needed per use. It leaves a nice glow and makeup applies evenly over it.

wHY USE A VITAMIN B3 SERUM

Redness around the nose and cheeks makes one look older, this is due in part by tiny capillaries that tend to break starting in the early 40’s, causing redness, especially around the nose. It is subtle, especially at the bottom of the nostrils, but it is there and makes one look older.

Adult acne can start at any time, often when anti-aging products are being concurrently used. Treating adult acne is more complicated than just drying the pimples as we did as teens.  Both these issues cause redness, and some skincare products such as peels can cause irritation.  Vitamin B3 can treat both acne and wrinkles at the same time without irritating the skin or causing it to feel dry and itchy.

INGREDIENTS:

Active ingredients include:

Vitamin B3 (5%) a powerful anti-inflammatory that reduces the redness and puffiness in acne, irritated skin, and blotchy skin.

Hyaluronic Acid makes skin look instantly younger by adding lots of moisture and plumping the skin. It also allows the B3 to reach deeper into the skin, it sort of sucks it into the skin by swelling the pores with moisture to open them, making them receptive to the product. The deeper a product gets into the skin, the better. It can, however, make skin more sensitive to sunlight, so if you are not using a sunscreen already, make sure to do so, especially if you are using any anti-aging Retinols. Vitamin C serums, or ALAs.

Soothing ingredients like Organic Aloe Vera to soothe and cool the skin, Avocado Oil is a rich conditioning and moisturizing agent, as is Vitamin E.

UPON APPLICATION

The serum does not sting or burn on application, it is cool to the touch and smooth. It dries down well without any visible residue and my skin is not sticky. My skin is normal to dry/sensitive, some users mentioned it was sticky, the instructions say to use about a pea size amount, I found this amount or a bit more to leave no residue.  There is a nice glow. Do however allow enough time for the serum to dry before makeup application to give it time to set. I apply it after I shower, I eat breakfast then apply my moisturizer and sunscreen, and then dry my hair, then apply my makeup to allow time for it to set.

HOW MY SKIN LOOKS WHEN USING IT

There is an interesting sort of airbrushing in the light deflecting nature of the serum. I have a cluster of broken capillaries that is red, the redness in that area seemed to diffuse and is not as noticeable even just after applying the serum, and it seemed to be less inflamed.  I also have a glow/highlight to the top of the cheekbone where one might apply highlighter.

My hands have hyperpigmentation and lots of blotchy redness, so I treat my hands to some of the serum as well.  Hands can be a giveaway for aging, so I try to treat my hands to what I put on my face whenever possible. But always follow the serum with a moisturizer.

ACNE and Niacinamide

I have one pimple on my cheek, it is red and just forming. The serum did reduce some of the visible inflammation and redness, so far it hasn’t irradicated the pimple, so I don’t think this would be my only treatment for acne, but a nice addition for areas that suffer for both from acne and wrinkles, such as the forehead area.

CONCLUSION:

Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) is a very good addition to an anti-aging regimen because it addresses a loss of elasticity and reduces redness.

Find it at Amazon.com.

 

InstaNatural Niacinamide Serum

InstaNatural Niacinamide Serum

I received this item in exchange for my unbiased review. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below and I’ll do my best to answer it!

Serum Ceuticals Albumin & Hyaluronic Acid Serum

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NO CHEMICAL PRESERVATIVES!
Serum Ceuticals is an innovative brand that makes a truly all natural product with no chemical preservatives by instead of chemicals they use a natural charge – in this case from Radish Root Ferment Filtrate – to keep perishable ingredients fresh. This product has Albumin, a product used in skincare to give the appearance of tighter, firmer skin and enhance collagen production. A nice feature is that it can be used on the eye area, including the eyelids, an area frequently ignored in anti-aging topical remedies. Addressing crepey skin around the eye with a tightening effect is pretty impressive.

THE INGREDIENTS
This serum contains several ingredients that serve both as a short term and long term fix for anti-aging concerns. For immediate appearance enhancement, it smooths and softens the appearance of skin with moisturizing ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, and make the skin appear firmer and taut with Albumin that forms a layer on the skin and tightens it, which in tandem with the caffeine, makes skin appear firmer and tighter. For long-term anti-aging, Hyaluronic Acid helps Albumin get deeper into the skin to enhance collagen production.

MY EXPERIENCE
The first time I applied it, I didn’t read the directions and failed to shake the bottle before use. This is actually pretty important because while my skin looked taut and luminous upon application my skin also felt sort of uncomfortably tight and… I smelled like a soybean. The second time I read the directions and experienced neither of these problems. But on dry down, which does take a few minutes, skin looks amazingly youthful: dewy, plump and luminous in a natural way, not a fake shimmer or shiny glow. So remember to SHAKE IT before use.

I applied it directly then my moisturizer, but it is concentrated, so consider adding it into your moisturizer. I experienced no irritation or uncomfortable tightness, there is no bad smell or stickiness. I offered it to my Mom to try and while she has very sensitive skin, she reported no problems and really loved it. Her skin did look smoother and softer with a nice subtle glow after just a few uses.

What is especially interesting about this product is it is truly and all natural product yet it contains some powerful ingredients in the form of multiple peptides. Being able to use this kind of ingredients around the eye makes for a great treatment to address the appearance of thin and deep wrinkles, smile lines, and to address lax appearing skin.

I would recommend this product, especially for those with sensitive skin.

Serum Ceuticals Albumin & Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Serum Ceuticals Albumin & Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Recellergy Vitamin C Skincare Supplement: Anti-Aging From Within

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VITAMIN C’s ROLE IN ANTI-AGING SKINCARE

Vitamin C is necessary for anti-aging because it is a vital component in the production of Collagen. Collagen supports skin and keeps it taut, firm and gives it a youthful appearance. Collagen also repairs muscles, the supporting structure behind of our skin that keeps skin from sagging. The more collagen the better when it comes to skin, but collagen production decreases starting as early as in our thirties. This is often the start of tiny crinkles and wrinkles, dark spots, adult acne and a loss of luster in the skin.

We generally cannot by our dietary intake alone get enough Vitamin C for our bodies to enhance this collagen production process, so supplemental Vitamin C works infinitely better at giving your skin a sustainable level of Vitamin C to make collagen. Topical serums treat surface layers of the skin, and are useful, but Collagen production at the deeper layers – that which are the building blocks for taut, lifted skin and a natural, youthful glow – that happens at the deep levels of the skin. These layers require cellular level nourishment via supplemental Vitamin C.

HOW TO GET VITAMIN C TO THE CELLULAR LEVEL FOR COLLAGEN PRODUCTION

Not just any old Vitamin C does the trick: a UK study shows a daily dose of 1000mg of Vitamin C delivered in a specific WAY is the most effective way of increasing skin firmness. Because regular Vitamin C as found in our diet and many supplements leaves our body quickly, it is not as available to the Collagen production areas of the skin. However, when the Vitamin C is delivered by liposomes, it can deliver nutritional contents directly to where they are needed – including the skin.

To that end, Recellergy by Livon, a brand sold exclusively in premier salons and spas, uses this liposome delivery technique to get the Vitamin C to the skin, where it is needed to make collagen. This results in stronger skin, which means fewer wrinkles and a firmer appearance to the skin, It is not an aesthetic “quick fix” like a serum or a cream for the surface layers of the epidermis – (serums are great but limited) – but it works in as few as four weeks to make skin firmer from the dermis, the supporting skin that when full of collagen, gives the look of youth.

Side benefit: according to a UK study, Recellergy users said they also had an increase in daily energy levels and well-being within weeks of taking Recellergy Vitamin C.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH RECELLERGY

VITAMIN C RECELLERGY VITAMIN C comes in small packets with two notches on the top sides. For use once or twice a day.

  1. Cut straight across with scissors to open the packet, it is a gel-like liquid inside the packet.

vitamin c open

2. Add the contents of the packet to one to two ounces of cool or room temperature beverage – not a hot beverage such as tea and don’t use it as an additive in the blender for your smoothie – the reason is the liposome delivery system is not to melt or blend – it may even clump a bit and not melt in your drink. It will also not mix into water, as seen in the photos below, but it mostly blends into a juice, like the grapefruit juice seen in the pictures.

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vitamin c3

In Grapefruit Juice

In Grapefruit Juice

3. Drink the mixture on an empty stomach if possible and wait about 15 minutes to eat. That is all there is to it!

  • TASTE: There is not really a taste to it, my grapefruit juice tasted slightly more tart than normal, but I wouldn’t really notice a difference in taste.
  • TEXTURE: The packet says some may not dissolve in the beverage and this was true for me. The texture was basically unnoticeable, not gritty or sandy, not slimy. The portion of my beverage with the Recellergy Vitamin C that did not dissolve (as seen in one of the photos below of the almost empty glass) tasted normal but that swallow of the drink felt like a thicker juice more like a nectar, but it did not feel slimy or gritty in my mouth as if some foreign substance was in the drink. I didn’t really noticed it and I have a thing about weird textures on food.

CONCLUSION: Topical Vitamin C serums are very useful in anti-aging, and should be used in a skin care regimen, but they can only do so much for the surface dermis layer of skin. Real anti-aging treatment comes from Vitamin C reaching the dermis, the deeper skin level. Recellergy Vitamin C with its’ unique system of Vitamin C delivery gets a high dose of Vitamin C to the skin where it is needed for collagen production. It is a great tool for looking naturally younger.

Read more about Recellergy’s amazing products at http://www.recellergy.com/products/

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Smoothly Shea UnRefined Shea Butter: A Certified Premium Grade A Shea Butter

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Do you know what a lab Certified Grade A Shea Butter is? I didnt but once I learned, I threw away all but one of my existing Shea Butter products. From now on, I am not putting ANYTHING on my skin that isnt “Grade A” Shea Butter.

I don’t want any to use any Shea Butter that does not meet this high-grade standard once I understood what it means: a poor grade Shea is not just less effective, it could be moldy, rancid, or contaminated.

I found that out when doing research about Smoothly Shea UnRefined Shea Butter, which is a very high-quality unrefined Shea Butter suitable for use on skin, hair, and for homemade Shea Butter items such as lip balms and soaps. Unrefined Shea Butter has the important bioactive nutrients that refined Shea Butter lacks. If your Shea Butter experience has been just okay, consider a quality grade unrefined Shea.

The Shea refining process removes potential contaminants but also removes most of the bioactive and moisturizing agents of Shea Butter

I WAS RELUCTANT TO USE AN UNREFINED SHEA: HOW DO I KNOW IF IT IS ANY GOOD OR EVEN SAFE?

I was leery about using unrefined Shea Butter not knowing if it is fresh, pure or even safe, so I did research. There is no governmental requirement to test Shea Butter, so some poor quality Shea, even rancid Shea, is indeed available for sale. So how does one go about finding a trustworthy unrefined Shea Butter?

This article addresses two topics: How to find a safe, pure Unrefined Shea Butter and a product review of a Grade A Premium Shea: the Smoothly Shea Unrefined Shea Butter.

IMPORTANT TAKEAWAY: Independent Shea Butter Vendors can get their Unrefined Shea Butter tested and certified for quality, freshness, purity, potential contaminants and overall safety. Smoothly Shea brand voluntarily submits their Shea Butter batches for testing and sells that which is certified with Premium Grade A.

HOW TO KNOW IF YOU CAN TRUST AN UNREFINED SHEA BUTTER

How do you know if a Shea Butter is old, contaminated, moldy, or if it has gone rancid or worse? Researching unrefined Shea Butters leads to the Shea Institute, an organization that tests and grades unrefined Shea Butter.

Shea Institute gives independent Shea Butter vendors the ability to voluntarily test each batch and get a letter grade rating of the Shea quality based on these lab results. This means vendors can assure their customers that they sell only pure, fresh, quality unrefined Shea Butter free of preservatives and consumers can purchase pure unrefined Shea they trust that is a safe product. It is a WIN-WIN for independent vendors and consumers.

This is a big contrast to many commercial products with Shea Butter in it. Because if a Shea Butter has gone rancid, the Shea Institute will assign it a grade D but that Shea can still be sold and used in product manufacturing. Few Shea Butters earn a Grade A certification.

I have probably unknowingly bought some rancid Shea Butter products over the years, the rancidity masked by added fragrances such as lavender oil. One clue that a Shea Butter may be very old or even rancid if it causes acne breakouts, because an unrefined Grade A Shea actually TREATS acne. So I was impressed by what level of freshness and quality is entailed by qualifying to be aGrade A Shea Butter that from now on Grade A Shea Butter is the only kind I am going to buy.

WHAT EXACTLY IS INVOLVED IN UNREFINED SHEA BUTTER LAB TESTING?

According to the Shea Institute website, the analysis includes:

  • Physical Assessment of Shea
  • Chemical Assessment of Shea
  • Moisture Content
  • Toxin, Metal, and Containment Testing
  • Microbiological Analysis
  • Peroxide Values
  • Fatty Acid Profile
  • Rancidity Values
  • Shelf-Life Studies

This testing also includes testing for Lead, Mercury, Mold, Yeast, Products of rancidity, Coliform bacteria (Shigella, E.Coli, Salmonella, etc.) and unsanitary products.

This addressed my concerns of how do I know I am getting a quality unrefined Shea that is safe for use on skin and is both pure and fresh. I didn’t even think about before now that Shea Butter COULD contain some of those things. Yuck.

Smoothly Shea Unrefined Shea Butter is Certified Grade A and Certified Organic by the American Shea Butter Institute (ASBI).

ABOUT THE SMOOTHLY SHEA UNREFINED SHEA BUTTER

As a Certified Grade A Shea Butter, Smoothly Shea has not only passed freshness, purity and safety tests but surpasses levels testing for higher and better bioactive nutrients counts. With superior bioactive fraction counts, this leads to a more powerful Shea Butter to address issues like wrinkles, sunburns, scalp itchiness, acne, stretch marks, and insect bites. It can also be used as a shaving cream, for frost bite, and for cracked skin on the feet.

The protective barrier nature of Shea butter can be used for soothing chemotherapy burns. In this case, it is especially important to use an only a high grade, uncontaminated Shea. Other protective barrier uses include soothing psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.

Shea Butter also soothes sore joints and is useful to apply before exercising and useful for those with arthritis. Shea is also used to moisturize hair and treat scalp disorders and is recommended for hair loss due to scalp conditions.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH USING SMOOTHLY SHEA UNREFINED SHEA BUTTER

Only small amounts are needed to rub between the palms to melt it (like coconut oil) and apply. It smells slightly nutty. As seen in the video, it takes a bit longer than lotion to apply, but less time than commercial product butter I have gotten at the mall. The color of Premium Shea is different than I expected, a golden-ivory, and the feel is completely different, it is not a hard waxy feel that is difficult to rub onto the skin, it melts on contact and is soothing when applied.

MY SHEA TEST CASE: My feet are dry and cracked after a long hard winter, and it only took only a tiny amount to cover my feet AND hands. I have only used it a few times, but my dry cracked hands and feet look younger and feel much softer. It dries down to a non-greasy protective layer that you can feel and it visually leaves the skin appearing dewy but not fake-looking, just healthy. It lasted through several hand-washings during the day and my hands were still soft, which is unusual for me. There is a slightly remaining nutty scent that is a bit more fragrance than I tend to wear, but I think it would be acceptable for a scent-free office.

Want to see the testing results for yourself? Smoothly Shea will make their ASBI premium “Grade-A” certification lab testing reports findings available upon request.

THE PRODUCT SIZE

I expected unrefined Shea to come in some large, messy plastic tubs where the Shea seems to have a waxy, lumpy cream cheese type consistency because that is what I have seen available for sale. So at first, I was surprised at an 8-ounce jar for the price. While it is an unrefined butter, it is firm, dense, and solid. This is not whipped or combined with any other ingredients. There are no additives or fillers, it is just the Shea. This is better to me than the larger tubs since I have no means of removing the impurities that come in these larger unrefined Shea tubs, I am happy to find a product from a vendor that removes all the gunk for me and sells me only the pure product: it is like a refined unrefined Shea  all the goodness of the bioactives in the unrefined with none of the unwanted risks.

CONCLUSION:

Most commercially available products from well-known brands such as LâOccitane and Sephora will use refined Shea. When I used these products, my skin and hair were softer but nothing special, not the fuss one hears about online about pure unrefined Shea Butter. And some Shea Butter products have given me acne and all my Shea Butters felt waxy after application, this one does not, it is soft and there no absolutely no waxy feel.

Even with daily use, This jar will last me a while, but I would not hesitate to re-order it and I only plan on buying Shea Butter that displays a Grade A certification from now on. It is a smaller container than some Shea Butters which come in a larger vat but Smoothly Shea is pure and a little bit goes a long way. I prefer knowing it is the safety of a regulated product with all the goodness and quality of a natural and pure Shea.

I am very pleased to have found this product and to know I should be selective in future my Shea purchases.

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