Keys to Good Exfoliation or ‘How To Get to Fresher Skin’ – Part I

Dear Friend,

Exfoliation can be done manually or chemically. Either method thins the top layer of our skin which is composed entirely of dead skin cells. These cells have migrated upward from the deepest layer of our skin, called the dermis.

As each cell travels toward the surface it naturally loses moisture. A cross section of skin shows these dead cells, collectively called the ‘horny’ layer, look like microscopic overlapping fish scales. Their purpose to trap moisture in the lower layers of our skin as well as protect them from the environmental effects. We should never try to remove all of the horny layer at one time. Doing that would leave our face raw and open to bacterial infection to say nothing of the additional sun damage we’d suffer.

Manual exfoliation usually involves using an abrasive product like a scrub or specially designed brushes. When using scrubs, you should avoid any product that contains nutshells. No matter how small the shell pieces are there will still be sharp edges that can make microscopic cuts in your skin allowing airborne bacteria to enter and possibly cause infection and irritation.

Plastic beads are another ingredient to avoid in scrubs. This is a cheap ingredient that simply rolls over the skin’s surface without removing any skin cells.

The best scrubs contain ingredients like oatmeal, flax seed, rice hulls, or corn flour. These natural items swell when wet so they don’t get ‘stuck’ in your pores. Additionally, when wet any sharp edges are softened so they won’t cause any scrapes or cuts in your skin.

You can easily make your own inexpensive scrub. While it may not be as effective as some commercial products it won’t over exfoliate either. The first ingredient is old-fashioned oatmeal processed in a blender or food processor until it becomes a flour. You can add a little of this flour to your second cleansing up to three times a week.

For more aggressive exfoliation action, mix the oat flour in equal parts with dark brown sugar. Pour a little of this mixture into the palm of your hand, add a few drops of a good quality oil like extra virgin olive, grapeseed, or almond oil. Rub this mixture gently on your face especially where you have congestion (blackheads). Cleanse again afterward to remove all the oil.

Please don’t ever scrub over pimples or pustules! The abrasive action of the scrub may burst the pimple and allow scrub ingredients to get trapped in the open pore. You’ll only be making a bad situation worse!

Next time I’ll discuss exfoliation brushes, the 2nd method of manual exfoliation.

Hugs,

Carolyn Johnson

HELP MY SKIN LOOKS LIKE DEATH VALLEY!

Dear Friend,

If you are like most of us this time of year, your skin is dry, flakey, dull and lifeless. Don’t panic, this condition is repairable and reversible.

This dryness is due to reduced moisture in both outdoor and indoor air; switching between hot to cold temperatures; and our body’s natural protection against the harsh elements of Winter.

Usually to combat this increased dryness, we pile on more and richer lotions which improve our skin’s appearance for a short period but actually cause additional problems like clogged pores leading to blackheads and pimples.

The real remedy for winter skin is a 3-step process:

Step 1: Thinning, or exfoliating, the dead skin cell layer that naturally builds up over time.

Step 2: Adding moisture to the cells uncovered following exfoliation.

Step 3: Trapping that moisture so it can’t escape into the environment

Good, safe exfoliation not only will improve your skin’s appearance immediately but when done regularly, your skin will begin to produce more new cells in the deepest layer, called the dermis, and start them on their trip to the surface of our skin.

This generation and migration process is called the ‘cell turnover rate’. Turnover rate is affected by age as well as our general health including diet, exercise and hydration. A faster turnover rate results in moister, younger looking skin on a daily basis.

Next time I’ll discuss how manual scrubs and how they can give you skin that looks, feels and behaves better!

Hugs,

Carolyn Johnson

DOUBLE CLEANSE: How Dirty Do You Think My Face Is Anyway!

Dear Friend:

Of the hundreds of facials I’ve given, less than a dozen clients were aware that the most effective cleansing procedure includes washing your face twice (one right after another with warm NOT HOT water) then blotting your face dry with a clean towel. This routine should be done in the morning and again in the evening.

The two separate cleansings are not done simply to remove environmental dirt that has accumulated on your face (unless you work in a coal mine).

The first cleanse removes makeup, oils and dirt as well as lowering the number of bacteria on the surface of your face. NOTE: All your makeup should be gone after this cleanse. If there’s makeup remaining on your face, your using a product that’s clogging your pores and creating blackheads and pimples. But that’s a discussion for another day!

Here’s the Secret! The 2nd cleanse weakens the chemical bond our body manufactures to hold the protective layer of dead skin cells on the surface of your face. This chemical bond, called the ‘acid mantel’, is comprised of perspiration, hormones and the residue of everything we eat or drink. It is slightly acidic, like our skin.

While we need some of these dead cells to protect our skin from the environment, we tend to accumulate too many as we age. Over retention of these dead cells is the major cause of the dull dryness in mature clients and clogged pores in acne clients.

Babies replace the dead skin layer every 17 days. This process slows to 28 days by the time we reach our 20’s. Thereafter, the replacement rate keeps pace with our age in decades so that when you reach your 60’s, as I have, that layer would remain in place for 60 days if nothing was done to slough off the build up.

Since moisture depleted cells are continuously pushing up from the lower layers of our skin, this entire dead cell layer can thicken to a depth of 25 cells which is a little like wearing a microscopic layer of plastic wrap.

As proof of this, closely examine a piece of dead skin that peels off after a sunburn. You’ll see that this dead skin is slightly grey and grainy. Dead skin looks the same way while on the surface of your face. Thinning the dead cell layer, called the ‘horny’ layer, also sends a message to the deepest layer of our skin to generate new cells and start them on their way to the surface. Accelerating this process leads to moister, younger looking skin as well as better behaving skin, on a daily basis.

The key to speeding up this cell turnover process is exfoliation.

Next time, I’ll discuss exfoliation methods.


Hugs,

Carolyn Johnson

IS HOT WATER AGING YOUR FACE?

Yesterday I discussed the importance of hand washing when cleaning your face.

Today I want to alert you to the part hot water plays in robbing your skin of its natural moisture as well as aggravating skin conditions.

As recently as our mothers' time, it was believed that hot water aided the cleansing process because the warmth opened pores for more effective cleaning. Then, it was said, cold water should be used to rinse the cleaning agent away. The cold was supposed to shrink pores and tighten skin.

Now we know that extreme changes in temperature actually harms our skin due to the stress on the thread-like capillaries just under the surface in addition to robbing naturally produced moisture in our skin. The longer our skin is dry, the more vulnerable it is to bacterial attack since the 'acid mantel' that holds the protective cell layer in place is our first line of defense against air-borne bacteria.

In addition, although this stress is not thought to be the root cause of a condition called Rosacea, is certainly causes flare ups and severely aggravates the permanent redness and network of visible spiderweb-like veins usually seen in this syndrome.

NEVER, NEVER use anything but warm water for both applying cleanser and rinsing it off afterward.

You face should never feel tight or sensitive after cleansing. If it does you are stressing your skin which could lead to early signs of aging.

In an upcoming post I’ll discuss how to choose a cleanser that matches your skin type as well as some recommendations for products I’ve found to be effective both for myself and for my clients.

Take care and hugs,

Carolyn

HOW IMPORTANT IS HAND WASHING TO A CLEAN FACE?

Dear Friend,

How many of us are sure that our face is clean...really clean... without damaging the underlying layers of skin?

For example, do you know that you should wash you hands before cleansing your face? This step lowers the number of bacteria on your hands. Why would you want to put more bacteria on your face?

This step is especially important if you have acne since bacteria is a major contributor to your condition. Naturally, you want to lessen the number of germs on your face, not add more!

Medical experts have found that washing your hands for 20 seconds can seriously reduce the germs on our hands. Twenty seconds is the amount of time it takes to sing, "Happy Birthday" through once.

PS...stay tuned for regular tips on improving your skin care routine.

PPS...soon you'll be able to claim your free copy of the "Basic Skin Care Users' Guide" which will include recipes for skincare products you can make in your own kitchen!

NEW LINKS!

Today I've added the first two links to vendors who I feel would be beneficial for my new friends.

The first, Derma Doctor, offers a variety of good quality skin care products at reasonable prices. These are products I would use myself and recommend
to my clients.

The second, Spa Finder, lists spas in your area that accept their gift certificates for spa services. I added this link
to make your holiday shopping easier especially if you are buying gifts
for someone living in another city or town. What a wonderful gift that
will last beyond the holiday!

I sincerely hope that these sites provide you with great products, service and prices. If they don't please let me know and I'll contact the advertisers directly.

Take care and HUGS!

Carolyn

BIG NEWS FOR CAREER CHANGERS

Have you ever considered a career in skin care therapy (esthetics)? Giving facials all day in a serene spa setting seems like not working at all, doesn't it?

I have just published a book for all those looking for a new career that seems more like a dream than a job. In my book, "Are You A Career Changer?" I describe expectations, negatives, positives, and the hurdles to choosing a career in esthetics. I also include lists of questions to ask prospective beauty schools and prospective employers. I have included all the information I wish I had before I enrolled in beauty school at the age of 53 as well as the knowledge I've gained over the past 5 1/2 years working in the field.

Reading "Are You a Career Changer?" will present a balanced view of preparing for and starting a career in skin care and will arm the reader with the information so they can avoid the pitfalls that derail so many others.

To purchase either a paperback or electronic version of "Are You A Career Changer?" go to www.lulu.com/content/1357269.