Defining Skincare

Skincare Products

Skincare includes products for the skin. This includes cleansers, exfoliants, moisturizers, acne treatments, anti-aging treatments, serums for specific skin concerns, as well as sunscreen. Find Skincare product recommendations for specific skin concerns and skincare products using organic ingredients.

Skin care includes ways to care for the skin, including facial skin, throat, decolletage, and body skin. Visit the Skin Care guide section of StyleChicks for more skin care how-to information.

Why Use an Ice Roller to Depuff Undereye Bags

September 23, 2016 · 1 Comment

We’ve all heard that ice is good for your skin. Supermodels dunk their faces in ice cold water first thing in the morning to shrink pores. A standard pimple-reduction technique is to pop two ibuprofen and ice down a pimple, and it will disappear. Ice your eyes and undereye bags will vanish.

Yeah, none of those ever worked for me.

Nonetheless, I thought I would give an Ice Roller a try, and I’m thrilled that I did. The results are impressive.

ESARORA Ice Roller

First, prep is easy. Take the roller and put it in the freezer. That’s it. It will be ready in 15 minutes, but it doesn’t hurt to keep it in the freezer when not in use, so it is always ready.

Second, using it is easy. For beauty purposes, I like to run it over my face in the morning when I’m making my coffee. It takes less than a minute to slowly roll over my entire face, eye area, and throat, and it instantly depuffs my face and especially my undereye bags. It shrinks pores and gives skin a wide awake look.

The most impressive result is on acne. I woke up Tuesday to a profoundly painful pimple on my otherwise clear skin. I figured I would try the Ice Roller on it since it was so inflamed. Beyond the pimple itself, the inflammation was nearly the size of a dime. I knew that even if I put my go-to cream on the blemish that it would have a hard time penetrating the inflammation. I rolled the Ice Roller over it for about two minutes, and not only was the peripheral redness gone, but the pimple itself shrank and was far less red. I was able to apply medicine and then easily cover it with concealer when I did my makeup. That was a quick rescue and worth the very reasonable price just for that use!

I’m not quite sure what the difference is between this device and a standard ice cube or cold pack, but I have some theories. First, the pressure of the roller is very mild. I have tried many devices that attempt to take care of puffiness by micro-vibrations, but a few of those (including a high-end one) leaves my skin irritated due to the level of pressure. Conversely, the Ice Roller is the lightest of pressure, just enough to make sure the cold penetrates the skin. Second, the metal roller isn’t meant to stay in one spot too long, so the body doesn’t adversely react like if you put an ice cube on a spot and just held it there.

I’m thrilled to have a great item like this to quickly depuff in the morning!

Skincare: Aurora Cure Ultimate 20% Vitamin C Serum

September 23, 2016 · Leave a Comment

SUMMARY: Aurora Cure Ultimate Vitamin C Serum is a Professional Grade 20% Vitamin C, paired with Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin E, Horsetail, Gotu Kola, as well as Organic Aloe Vera and Jojoba. This ingredient cocktail makes for an anti-aging, acne fighting, wrinkle sacking, dark circle reducing powerhouse. There are lots of Vitamin C Serums, but this combination of ingredients provides a terrific combination for better skin fast. Oh, and it absorbs completely without being sticky or leaving a film on the skin.

Aurora Cure Ultimate 20% Vitamin C Serum

WHO SHOULD USE A VITAMIN C SERUM?
In short, practically anybody. Vitamin C Serum addresses the source of the primary beauty-based skin complaints: increases collagen production, acne control, fading discoloration, and loss of luminance. Collagen production decreases sagging and wrinkles and restores a dewy glow to the skin. It also addresses deep skin layer scarring and age spots. Daily use of Vitamin C Serum can result in much younger, softer, even-tone skin within weeks.

CAN PEOPLE WITH SENSITIVE SKIN USE A PROFESSIONAL GRADE VITAMIN C SERUM?
Some with very sensitive skin find Vitamin C Serum too drying or too irritating. If you have sensitive skin, you might shy away from a Professional Strength product. Those with sensitive skin can still use Vitamin C Serums as long as they select a serum that includes balancing ingredients such as those found in Aurora Cure Ultimate Vitamin C Serum.

WHAT SETS AURORA CURE ULTIMATE VITAMIN C SERUM APART FROM OTHER SERUMS FOR USE BY BOTH SENSITIVE AND TYPICAL SKIN

Aurora Cure Ultimate Vitamin C Serum is a full Professional Strength 20% Vitamin C potency, but it also contains several supporting ingredients to enable sensitive and regular skin types to tolerate the treatment.

Aurora Cure Ultimate Vitamin C Serum has several supporting ingredients that soothe skin and allow it to tolerate the serum including Organic Aloe Vera and Organic Jojoba. Both Aloe Vera and Jojoba enhance the ability to tolerate the drying effects of Vitamin C without impairing the absorption of it within the skin. Witch Hazel is a topical anti-inflammatory, reducing any irritation and redness associated with Vitamin C Serum use. These ingredients help sensitive and non-sensitive skins make the most of an anti-aging Vitamin C serum routine.

Aurora Cure Ultimate 20% Vitamin C Serum

IMPROVING SKIN: WHAT AND HOW AURORA CURE ULTIMATE VITAMIN C SERUM’S PROFESSIONAL STRENGTH INGREDIENTS ACCOMPLISH MAKING BETTER SKIN

I swear by Vitamin C Serum use, but it is the active ingredients paired with it that make all the difference when it comes to treating problems like aging, discoloration, sagging, wrinkles and dark circles.

20% Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a building block to build collagen, the cement that holds together the build blocks of the skin. Less collagen means weaker skin, loss of tone and radiance, wrinkles and sagging. More collagen means the prevention and partial reversal of these problems.

Other active ingredients include Hyaluronic Acid, Gotu Kola, Vitamin E, and Horsetail.

HYALURONIC ACID
Hyaluronic Acid is my favorite ingredient to pair with Vitamin C. First; it holds TONS of moisture. It just sucks moisture into your skin, plumping skin to temporarily but immediately fill out small wrinkles and crinkles, and smoothing sagging skin to dewy and plump skin. The second thing Hyaluronic Acid does is pull the active ingredients deeper into the skin, meaning Vitamin C reaches deeper layers of the skin with Hyaluronic Acid than it ever could without it, it is like a ticket to the VIP lounge of dermal layers. Vitamin C reaching deeper layers means increased collagen production within supportive skin layers and treatment deeper wrinkles, sagging, discoloration, old scars, and even dark circles can improve due to the powerful Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid duo. Aurora Cure Vitamin C contains a whopping 11% Hyaluronic Acid, which is very generous for the price of the bottle.

GOTU KOLA
Gotu Kola is new to anti-aging skin care but has long been used for wound healing because of its’ ability to promote collagen production. Gotu Kola in a Vitamin C Serum is great as it calls the body to action to make collagen, and the Vitamin C provides the building blocks for collagen production. What a team!

VITAMIN E
Vitamin E paired with Vitamin C it gives skin softness and pliability. Much of the rougher texture of some skin patches improves.

HORSETAIL
Horsetail makes for more flexible skin, especially in connective skin layers and tissue. Wrinkles and sagging are not just the results of skin surface aging, but laxity in supportive structure ligaments, muscles and connective layers that hold up facial skin. Horsetail adds strength to these connective layers to keep the skin structure as pliable yet taut as possible. Horsetail is also benefited by the inclusion of the Hyaluronic Acid to reach deeper skin layers. As a side benefit, Horsetail also lightens discoloration, particularly the dark shadow area of wrinkles.

Aurora Cure Ultimate 20% Vitamin C Serum

APPLICATION
There is no unpleasant scent, and the serum is not sticky, it dries down well. It is more of a thick watery liquid than a gel or serum texture, so there is no residue or stickiness. I apply my moisturizer and my eye cream directly over the serum after about 5 minutes.

Use daily for best results. Many people pair a Vitamin C serum during the day with a Retinol at night, but twice a day use of a Vitamin C Serum will fade discoloration and acne scarring faster.

Aurora Cure Ultimate 20% Vitamin C Serum

TIP: It is imperative to moisturize when using Vitamin C Serum. Aurora Care Ultimate Vitamin C Serum works synergistically with their Hyaluronic Acid Serum. And bonus, skin looks and feels fantastic when this duo is used together! So plump, dewy, smooth and youthful looking!

RESULTS
These ingredients together hit all the bases when seeking a high-quality Vitamin C Serum: ingredients to soothe and nourish, increase tolerance to strong ingredients, ingredients that cause immediate improvement, some that support collagen production and skin structure, and some that fade existing scars and brown spots. But the real question is – how long do you use a Vitamin C to see results?

With daily use, acne control happens quickly; you’ll see improvement within the week. The fading of scarring and age spots is generally within a few weeks, and collagen production shows within about four – six weeks time when sagging and wrinkles significantly diminish. The Hyaluronic Acid, Jojoba and Aloe and Vitamin E give a softer look to skin immediately upon application.

CONCLUSION: I am very pleased to have tried this Serum, it has a powerhouse of ingredients that are not often seen in tandem but together they provide an excellent Vitamin C Serum that applies quickly, dries down completely, and skin looks dewy and plump while it is worn. Highly recommended!

Find this amazing serum at Aurora Cure.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtF1_r5ecPc[/embedyt]

I received this product in exchange for my unbiased review and received compensation for my time and effort. However, my experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.

Aurora Cure Ultimate 20% Vitamin C Serum

September 23, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Aurora Cure Ultimate 20% Vitamin C Serum

WHO SHOULD USE A VITAMIN C SERUM?

In short, practically anybody. Vitamin C Serum addresses the source of the primary beauty-based skin complaints: increases collagen production, acne control, fading discoloration, and loss of luminance. Collagen production decreases sagging and wrinkles and restores a dewy glow to the skin. It also addresses deep skin layer scarring and age spots. Daily use of Vitamin C Serum can result in much younger, softer, even-tone skin within weeks.

CAN PEOPLE WITH SENSITIVE SKIN USE A PROFESSIONAL GRADE VITAMIN C SERUM?

Some with very sensitive skin find Vitamin C Serum too drying or too irritating. If you have sensitive skin, you might shy away from a Professional Strength product. Those with sensitive skin can still use Vitamin C Serums as long as they select a serum that includes balancing ingredients such as those found in Aurora Cure Ultimate Vitamin C Serum.

WHAT SETS AURORA CURE ULTIMATE VITAMIN C SERUM APART FROM OTHER SERUMS?

Aurora Cure Ultimate 20% Vitamin C Serum

IMPROVING SKIN: WHAT AND HOW AURORA CURE ULTIMATE VITAMIN C SERUM’S PROFESSIONAL STRENGTH INGREDIENTS ACCOMPLISH MAKING BETTER SKIN

20% Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a building block to build collagen, the cement that holds together the build blocks of the skin. Less collagen means weaker skin, loss of tone and radiance, wrinkles and sagging. More collagen means the prevention and partial reversal of these problems.

Other active ingredients include Hyaluronic Acid, Gotu Kola, Vitamin E, and Horsetail.

HYALURONIC ACID

Hyaluronic Acid is my favorite ingredient to pair with Vitamin C. First; it holds TONS of moisture. It just sucks moisture into your skin, plumping skin to temporarily but immediately fill out small wrinkles and crinkles, and smoothing sagging skin to dewy and plump skin.

The second thing Hyaluronic Acid does is pull the active ingredients deeper into the skin, meaning Vitamin C reaches deeper layers of the skin with Hyaluronic Acid than it ever could without it, it is like a ticket to the VIP lounge of dermal layers. Vitamin C reaching deeper layers means increased collagen production within supportive skin layers and treatment deeper wrinkles, sagging, discoloration, old scars, and even dark circles can improve due to the powerful Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid duo.

Aurora Cure Vitamin C contains a whopping 11% Hyaluronic Acid, which is very generous for the price of the bottle.

GOTU KOLA

Gotu Kola is new to anti-aging skin care but has long been used for wound healing because of its’ ability to promote collagen production. Gotu Kola in a Vitamin C Serum is great as it calls the body to action to make collagen, and the Vitamin C provides the building blocks for collagen production. What a team!

VITAMIN E

Vitamin E paired with Vitamin C it gives skin softness and pliability. Much of the rougher texture of some skin patches improves.

HORSETAIL

Horsetail makes for more flexible skin, especially in connective skin layers and tissue. Wrinkles and sagging are not just the results of skin surface aging, but laxity in supportive structure ligaments, muscles and connective layers that hold up facial skin. Horsetail adds strength to these connective layers to keep the skin structure as pliable yet taut as possible. Horsetail is also benefited by the inclusion of the Hyaluronic Acid to reach deeper skin layers. As a side benefit, Horsetail also lightens discoloration, particularly the dark shadow area of wrinkles.

Aurora Cure Ultimate 20% Vitamin C Serum

Use daily for best results. Many people pair a Vitamin C serum during the day with a Retinol at night, but twice a day use of a Vitamin C Serum will fade discoloration and acne scarring faster.

Aurora Cure Ultimate 20% Vitamin C Serum

RESULTS

These ingredients together hit all the bases when seeking a high-quality Vitamin C Serum: ingredients to soothe and nourish, increase tolerance to strong ingredients, ingredients that cause immediate improvement, some that support collagen production and skin structure, and some that fade existing scars and brown spots. But the real question is – how long do you use a Vitamin C to see results?

CONCLUSION

I am very pleased to have tried this Serum, it has a powerhouse of ingredients that are not often seen in tandem but together they provide an excellent Vitamin C Serum that applies quickly, dries down completely, and skin looks dewy and plump while it is worn. Highly recommended!

Find this amazing serum at Aurora Cure.

How to Treat Stretch Marks Best Ingredients

September 22, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Stretch marks are easy to get but tough to get rid of. Stretch marks are notoriously acquired during pregnancy and weight gain, but they can also occur during weight loss, rapid muscle mass growth through exercise and even rapid growth spurts can lead to stretch marks. How to treat stretch marks naturally.

How to Treat Stretch Marks

The best way to deal with stretch marks is to pre-emptively treating the skin while the stretching is occurring and, secondly, to nourish the skin that has already been stretched to repair as much as possible and improve the appearance of existing stretch marks, notably the discoloration.

Part of why so many stretch mark treatments fail is they simply can’t un-stretch skin that has already been over-stretched.

Like an elastic banding that has lost its resilience, there is not much that can be done to tighten the skin into its’ former state.

There can, however, be improvements in the condition of the texture, the discoloration of the skin, and surface improvements to how taut the excess skin lies over the surface of other skin layers.

Stretch Mark Home Remedies

Many traditional home remedies do have some truth in them as to what will improve some of these features, but to see real improvement, a cocktail of ingredients is needed to target the multiple issues at work.

Phytopia Clinical Collection Stretch Marks Remover

Best Ingredients to Treat Stretch Marks

When it comes to stretch marks, the two main issues are discoloration and texture. Phytopia contains several ingredients to protect from stretching and to treat already stretched, discolored skin.

Cocoa Butter is a traditional remedy for stretch marks to keep skin as pliable as possible when it is subject to stretching.

Some people have success treating rougher dry texture with Shea Butter

Olive Oil also keeps the skin flexible, while providing nourishment.

Evening Primrose is another skin treatment ingredient, typically geared toward aging skin, it contains helpful fatty acids and reduces inflammation. It serves as a topical inflammation reducer to help alieve some of the pressure on the skin that is being stretched.

These collectively provide the pre-emptive component of stretch mark prevention. But to treat existing stretch marks especially the bright pink/purple discoloration, more is needed.

Discoloration can be addressed with Vitamin C agents and supporting ingredients.

Rosa Canina Whole, better known as Organic Rose Hips, is a highly concentrated form of Vitamin C. When applied topically, Vitamin C builds more collagen, the supporting structure of the skin.

More collagen means less initial skin breakdown, and more reparative work to already damaged skin. Vitamin C fixes discoloration by fading existing damage and replacing those cells with new cells over time.

The second form of Vitamin C in this oil is Citrus Aurantifolia Leaf Oil. This oil is used for general skin tone and fighting the formation of cellulite.

To me, lightening the discoloration of a stretch mark is a significant component of why I would use a stretch mark treatment oil, and these ingredients are very effective in lightening stretch marks and general scarring when I have used them on my upper legs and arms.

No matter how old your stretch marks are, this discoloration can be improved, which makes this stretch mark oil’s combination of ingredients a powerful tool again stretch marks.

Phytopia Clinical Collection Stretch Marks Remover

RESULTS

I don’t have any current deep discoloration of the pink/purple stretch marks that occurs with a new stretch mark, but I do have that sort of silvery darker surface skin look to skin that is no longer matching the skin tone, and being able to take care of silver-colored stretch marks is impressive.

The Oil has improved the surface of this skin, and lightening the discoloration, creating a smoother look. The stretch mark surface has fewer criss-cross patterned lines within the stretch mark itself, making the skin appear more normal. The conditioning elements are highly emollient.

How to USE it

A few drops will do it, spread between your palms and rub on the affected skin areas twice a day. The oil is not greasy; it absorbs within a few minutes. Not much is needed, if you are too greasy after use, you have used too much oil.

PACKAGING
A lovely gift for a Mom-to-be or new Mom, this comes in a gift box with an inner gift card with instructions, and a quality patterned drawstring re-usable bag to hold the oil.

CONCLUSION: A powerful combination of ingredients to combat future stretch marks and deal with existing one, no matter how old a stretch mark is, there is room for nourishing and improving the skin to remove discoloration and improve the surface appearance of the damage. Nothing works overnight when it comes to damaged skin, but this works well. A lovely gift for a Mom-to-be or a new Mom.

Find it at Amazon.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfQs_RnGWew[/embedyt]

I received this product for testing and review purposes. 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!