Your night time skin routine wakeup call

In addition to getting a solid night’s sleep (which your entire brain, body, and spirit will collectively thank you for) one of the greatest opportunities we have to impact our skin’s health and wellness happens just before our heads hit the pillow. Why? Because according to research conducted at the University of California Irvine, new skin cells actually re-generate and grow faster while you’re sleeping. So, consider this your night time skin routine wakeup call! Be honest with yourself and consider what kind of results you’re looking for and compare that to how well you’ve been sticking to your pre-bed routine. Some of you reading may be horrific, egregious offenders. Many of you may be ready to host your own tutorial because you’re just that good. A good portion of people tend to fall somewhere in-between. We personally know many people who get it 100% right but only some of the time. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, here are some night-time practices and products that will make you want to stick to your routine each and every day because you’ll be feeling great and looking well. 
1) Never Go to Sleep Without Washing your Face and Thoroughly Removing All Makeup. Just Don’t!
Yes, we’ve all heard this a thousand times over but somehow there are still people out there who need to hear it one thousand and one times. You know who you are. STOP! Whether you just Uber’d your way home straight off of a red-eye after your Summer getaway came to an end or you’ve just finished a sixteen hour work day and are beyond exhausted, we know there are many reasons to skip that facial cleansing that may feel perfectly legitimate in the moment, but WASH YOUR FACE! Your future self will thank you. This is a non-negotiable.
You need to remove all of the makeup and debris from your face. Find your perfect cleanser here. Splashing water on your face isn’t cleansing. NO, hotel bars of soap won’t cut it. Stop with the discount drugstore goop that does more clogging than cleansing. This is your skin we’re talking about here! No matter what your skin type, IMAGE Skincare has the perfect cleanser for you whether your emphasis is anti-aging or anti-acne. Set yourself up for success! Keep a skin cleanser at home, keep one in your desk drawer at the office, and keep one in your bag so your routine goes everywhere you go. No exceptions, no excuses.
2) Relax and Enjoy a Mask At Least Once a Week
Applying a mask should be mandatory (at least on a weekly basis). This is the perfect opportunity to put your phone away, pick up a magazine and decompress. Okay. It’s also an opportunity to empty the dishwasher, balance your checkbook, do some living room yoga, or stream season four of that show you can’t stop watching. It’s also a great time to list some items for sale on your online shop, skim that report once more before the meeting, or book that hotel for the conference. It’s your time. And the best part? You get beautiful skin as a result! It’s like unwrapping a present only to find a second present. Check out our Ageless Total Resurfacing Masque which can be used in tandem with any of our aforementioned cleansers.
3) Hydrate and Repair Damage Your Skin sustained Throughout the Day
Your skin was exposed to a lot throughout the course of the day! Air pollutants, chemicals, toxins, UV rays, and more. There is no better way to end the day and hit the reset button than by nourishing your skin with our Vital C Hydrating Repair Crème. This anti-oxidant rich repair crème with nourishing Vitamins A, C, and E is great to apply in the evenings.
4 ) Eye Know, Eye Know – Eye Cream, Right?
It’s never too early to take excellent care of your eye area and find the perfect eye crème for you. Some people struggle with puffy eyes, others focus on anti-aging, and some people may not know what they’re striving to accomplish originally but will soon realize what a difference adding eye cream to your skincare regime makes.
5) 3 M’s before ZZZ: Moisture, Moisture, Moisture
Pre-bed self and skincare doesn’t just revolve around your face. Our Ormedic balancing bio peptide crème features a unique blend of green tea, aloe vera, chamomile and grape seed. In a word: yum. It’s completely relaxing. What could prepare you for sleep better than a palpable reminder that you are taking fantastic care of yourself? Lastly, regarding moisture, moisture, moisture… don’t forget to give your neck, hands, and body the attention and moisture they crave as well. You’ll sleep like a baby.

By Image Skincare

Get Your Skin Ready To Go Back To School

Get Your Skin Ready To Go Back To School--

 Where did summer go? School is approaching fast and it is time to get your face and skin ready to meet friends and teachers. After a summer of soaking in the sun it is time to restock your skincare products and reverse the environmental and UV sun damage while stopping that acne outbreak. 

The most important thing you can do is to start with a clean slate and kick off your skincare routine with a Signature HydraFacial to remove impurities and the flaky skin which is preventing the penetration of your skincare products.



 First Step is to cleanse your skin and remove all makeup, dirt, and sweat before you go to bed.

 The makeup left on your face while you sleep will clog pores and cause that pimple you dread in the morning. MEM (Midwest Esthetics and Massage in Butler MO) recommends two types of Image Skincare Cleansers which are formulated for teen and adult skin.Clear Cell Cleanser contains salicylic acid and is recommended for oily acne proned skin. Ormedic Cleanser is a gentle organic cleaner with green tea and chamomile to soothe sensitive and irritated skin. Choose the cleanser which suits your skin type. Cleanse every evening and morning.



Next Step is to Moisturize even if you have Oily or Sensitive Skin in evening and morning. 
 

 
 It is essential to replace the moisture barrier on the skin's surface after we cleanse. If we do not the skin Freaks Out and overproduces oil. Vital C serum is light enough to wear under makeup and soothe the effects of dehydrated and environmentally damaged skin by delivering anti-oxidents. The second option is Ormedic Balancing Bio-Peptide Creme. An organically blended biopeptide crème that delivers essential anti-aging nutrients and vitamins to the skin. Organic Japanese green tea, aloe vera, chamomile and grape seed restore and balance the skin. This creme works great for sensitive skin which is stressed by acne. Moisturize your skin in the evening and morning after cleansing and before putting on makeup or sunscreen.

Moisturize and Protect during the Day against Environmental Damage and Aging

 

During the day it is very important to protect your skin from environmental damage and dirt. Prevent+ Tinted Moisturizer gives light protection and coverage. The other option is a non pore clogging foundation that gives medium to full coverage for all skin types and will cover that aggravating pimple  and acne breakout.  I Conceal has the SPF protection and is available in 6 different tones to match your skin color.  You can add a talc-free face powder over the top if you want a matte look to your makeup.

 Control and Quickly Get Rid of the Acne Breakouts with Clear Cell Acne Lotion and Clay Mask.

Dont hesitate to ask questions concerning you skincare needs.  We will help you set up the skincare program which will keep your skin feeling and looking great. Book an appointment for a HydraFacial or Free Consultation at www.midwestestheticsandmassage.com or  
      Text/Call  Kristin at 660-679-1688.

 

Why Does The Skin On My Face Feel Heavy and How Can I Fix It To Look Younger?

 Heavy Skin on the Face and Neck is something that can be treated. Some individuals are more genetically predisposed to thicker skin, but all skin types need regular exfoliation to be healthy. This is a common concern I see in men and women as they age.

HydraFacialTreatments to reduce pigmentation and thin cheek and under eye buildup.

In order to heal ourselves skin cells have a life cycle of approximately 14 days. It sounds gross, but we are constantly shedding the dead skin cells in order to make room for the new ones. The skin is made of several layers and the bottom layers are the live cells which are constantly reproducing. The dead tissue rises to the surface of our skin and sheds off. Since our skin is very porous, like a sponge, we have an outer film barrier made of oil, water, and dead skin. This film protects us from the traumatic effects of UV rays, keeps bacteria from penetrating our skin, keeps out environmental  debris, and acts as a moisture barrier to keep water in our skin. If we do not have this film on our skin we would dehydrate and look like an old dried up sponge. The draw back of this barrier is that it also traps our dead skin cells and prevents them from  shedding causing our skin to feel "heavy and droopy." This barrier also harbors bacteria which feeds on the the dead skin and causes acne. We need to get rid of this barrier and than replace it with a skincare product that will nourish and protect our skin mimicking the natural barrier. If we take away the natural barrier and don't replace it, our skin will FREAK OUT and overproduce oil in a desperate attempt to recreate the barrier to protect our skin.

Exfoliation is a general term we use meaning to break down the tissue buildup and thin the skin so that we can stabilize our barrier function.There are many ways to exfoliate from a simple at home scrub to a Physician Administered Fraxel Laser Treatment. I prefer a treatment with little down time and can have similar results to a laser in a 4-6 treatment series, the HydraFacial.

What ever exfoliation method your choose, keep in mind that your skin in constantly renewing itself so you also need to exfoliate regularly. Consult your Esthetician for the best plan of action to stay looking your best.

What Makes Individual EyeLash Extensions So Popular?

Beautiful, fluttering lashes without the need for mascara or liner is seen everywhere from On Screen Actresses to crowded sidewalks. What makes this treatment so popular?

The synthetic lash is attached to the natural lash decreasing the likelihood of irritation to the skin. The lash will continue through it's growth stages (two to four weeks) and shed with the extension when it is completed. The stylist can match different lengths, curl, and diameters to create dramatic or natural looking lashes. Even colored extensions can be added to enhance eye color and skin tone.

The process will take around 2 hours of being very still. Most individuals will take a nap while the extensionists are doing their magic.
Want to try something new? Give Individual Lash Extensions a Try.

Zits, Pimples, and Acne Really Sucks

 Acne is the most frustrating and embarrassing conditions I see when visiting with teens and young adults about the types of skin issues they want to get rid of. How proned an individual will be towards Acnetic breakouts is based on two reasons. The first is if the individual is genetically predisposed to have acne and  the second is environmental stimuli. Yes, we can blame our parents for the type of skin which gets acne. 

We could get into the physiology of acne but I am not going to, instead I am going to give you a simple description. Zits and pimples, those that are filled with puss, are caused by a bacteria in the skin. Kill the bacteria and they will go away. Blackheads are open follicles or pores which have filled with dirt and debris. The only way to get rid of them is to clean them out and prevent them from filling again.

There are lots of products on the market which claim to instantly clear up pimples, which may or may not work depending on your skin type. Not all acne and skin will react in the same manner. Something that works for someone else may not work for you. These are the steps which I recommend to treat Grade 1 & 2 Acne. It is always important to consult an Esthetician to determine your skin type and the appropriate product to use so your home program will work.

1. Your at home program has to be a three product step AM-cleanse-serum-moisturize and PM-cleanse, serum, moisturize/SPF. The biggest mistake made is stripping all the oil from the skin barrier and not replacing it. Our skin is composed like a sponge and will dry out if there isn't something blocking evaporation. It has an outer barrier composed of oil, water, and dead skin cells to protect the skin from dehydration and UV damage. If we do not replace the barrier with a moisturizer it will FREAK OUT and over produce oil causing a bigger issue than just oily skin.

2. Well here is the gross part, bacteria lives in our skin. Some of that bacteria is good and some is bad. The bad bacteria feed on the dead skin cells, dirt, and debris found in the skin pores. These little boogers cause inflammation and puss to form in the pore causing a nasty pimple or zit. In order to get rid of the bacteria we need to get rid of it's food source, dead skin along with the dirt/debris. This process is called exfoliation in the form of a professional treatment, peel, scrub, or mask. It removes imbedded debris which a cleanser cannot reach.

3. Makeup, Sunscreen, Lotion, and Oils can also cause you to have an Acne Breakout. Look for make up and skincare products which are non-comodogenic. These do not contain ingredients which  will clog pores and trigger a breakout. Just because a product says it is All-Natural or Organic does not mean it won't clog pores. An Organic ingredient may be good in some products used for skin care, but in it's natural state the molecular structure may not be compatible for oily or sensitive skin. It can clog pores and cause breakouts.

4. Stick with the Program. If you wash your face every morning but don't take makeup off or wash your face at night and give your skin time to repair itself, YOU ARE DEFEATING THE PURPOSE. It takes only a few minutes to cleanse and apply products which will kill the bacteria that will give you that big, fat, pimple in the morning.

It is important to have someone help direct you in your fight against acne. An Esthetician has the knowledge to help you and set you on the right path. Don't be afraid to ask for help, we are the "Acne Police".

Hydra Facial A Favorite Beauty Treatment of the Stars

Koodos To MD Anderson Cancer Center for Videos to Educate Kids on Dangers of Skin Cancer

 Click on the Pictures or Links to View Videos

 I highly recommend this video series explaining to kids and teens the importance of protecting your skin from sun damage. As a young teen it is tough to realize that the potential for skin cancer is possible at such a young age. It is no longer just a skin disease for "old people". 

 I recently viewed a news report on CBS by Dermatologist Professionals stating that tanning beds used by individuals in their teens and early  twenties will increase an individual's chances of developing a skin cancer lesion or tumor by 75% as they age when compared to the sun's natural rays.
 

 Don't get me wrong, it is important to use sunscreen in the natural sun to protect yourself from the dangerous UVA sun rays, but it is the sudden burst of radiation you receive in the tanning beds which increase the chances of developing skin cancer with the aging process.

If you have a teen that is reluctant to use sunscreen or is contemplating going to a tanning bed, suggest they do a little research on the damages of overexposure of UVA radiation from the beds. What they do now is going to affect what they look like in 10 years.

The days of dark tans as a beauty statement is no longer the norm in the fashion industry. Take a close look at beauty and fashion magazines. Healthy, glowing skin is what photographers strive for. Spray tanning is the tool used by makeup artists and movie stars to give a glow to pale skin or to get an even, golden tan not a tanning bed or long hours laying in the sun.

Schedule an appointment with your Esthetician to get more information on skincare and how to protect you and your family from the damages of UVA Sun rays.

 If you wish to schedule an appointment for a spray tan in Butler Missouri I would love to help you.

Call
Kristin Sandborn
660-679-1688