Cool News You Can Use!

It’s going to be 116+ this week so here’s a few tips for Summer Skin Survival!

The average skin is made up of 2 to 3 gallons of water. Your weight divided by 2 is the minimum number of oz. of water needed per day! Conversion chart; 8 oz./cup, 16 oz./pint, 32 oz./quart, 128 oz./gallon. Drink up!

Alleviate perspiration along hairline by using an Antiperspirant Gel. Apply to your fingers first and then apply to the face along hairline. Remember, with any new mask or treatment, test the product on a tiny area of skin first (try it behind the ear) to make sure it won't cause irritation.

Soak in diluted vinegar for minor sunburn pain. Pour 2-3 cups of white vinegar into a bathtub of tepid water and soak. It's very soothing. PLUS a bath is much more comfortable than a pounding shower stream on the skin. Rinse in cool water to delete vinegar smell. TIP - put a 50/50 water/vinegar solution in a spray bottle and keep in the refrigerator for a cooling mist of relief!

Aloe gel is available in a spray can now! Aloe is soothing, healing and keeps skin hydrated. TIP- keep gel or spray in frig for additional cooling comfort.

Flip-flop Dry Feet. Exfoliate first concentrating on the heels with Scosh Microderm Crème Scrub, or Scosh Cleanse mixed with a dime size of baking soda. Then apply olive oil, Vaseline or Aquaphor followed by white cotton socks or peds overnight for smooth, soft tootsies in the morning!

Don’t be too clean! OK, I know this sounds weird but, bar soap can be very drying. If you’re sunburned, stay away from highly fragrant bubble baths, soaps, colognes and perfumes - they may be too irritating to your already parched skin. And don't scrub too hard. Stick with mild gel formulas, like Scosh Cleanse.

Summer looks are soft and bold!

This season’s sheer sexy pastels and intense global brights are everywhere! Feminine yet powerful. The key to following this summer’s makeup trend is to remember that a little bit goes a long way. A good rule of thumb for all seasonal trends is to try one at a time by focusing on one feature at a time.

Sweep a sheer shadow over the lid, or line your eyes with a fabulous new liquid liner color; wing it, smudge it, glam it - liner is huge this season! If you’re going to go dramatic; gold and gilded is all the rage - think, golden goddess! Add a hint of fresh coral to the cheeks and you’re right on trend. Lipsticks are back so, polish off your new look with a pale, nude lip color.

I’ve add a few more tips, tricks and techniques to create and keep that summer-fun look. Enjoy!

Prep, treat, and prime!
In other words, flawless skin is always in so remember; cleanse, apply antioxidant serum, spf moisturizer, and foundation primer. Primers can take makeup from so-so to summer sensational! The right primer can help makeup stay all day, minimize skin flaws, reduce shine, and diminish the appearance of fine lines while refining skin texture.

Ready, set, glow!
Even out skin tone with a Mineral Tinted Moisturizer for a light, summer look with additional spf.
Flush with a Cream Blush, warmed by the fingers and blended into the apples of the cheeks.
Enhance soft, natural brows with Brow Powder instead of brow pencil for long-lasting power.
Define eyes with a sheer shadow over Scosh Shadow Magnet Primer to hold all day. If you are going to make a bold eye color choice, remember to balance the rest of the face by keeping it soft and neutral.
Pout and paint your lips with a nude Lipstick or barely-there Lip gloss. The super shiny look is oh-so last season! (Thank goodness, I always thought that people looked like they were drooling!)
- Have a lip color from last season that you just love? Mix it with a bit of lip balm for sheer texture and color.

It is summer and we are in Arizona so, if you know you’re going to get ‘dewy’, set your makeup with an Oil-blotting Powder. And if you’re a Bronzer kind of girl, try the new golden-glow bronzers, lightly applied to all the places the sun kisses - cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin.

Remember to put your Scosh Blotting Papers in your purse and you can boldly go…and have some summer fun!

To learn more makeup tricks and techniques, join me at Scosh Makeup & Skincare Studio for Scosh School Makeup Workshops, an extraordinary place for a girl’s day out! All of the products listed above and more are available at Scosh Makeup and Skincare Studio, Scottsdale.

Black or Orange Ribbon for May

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month
When I decided to do this year’s skin cancer detection/prevention article I was surprised at all the new info out there; like the ABC’s of skin cancer detection has progressed to include A thru E! And apparently we lack Vitamin D in our bodies as a result of using sunscreen. The aesthetician in me cringes at that one. So, read and learn people, your lives depend on it…

Did You Know?
The Skin Cancer Awareness ribbon is black but can share the color orange.

Beachgoers and snow bunnies should know that sand and snow reflect sunlight and can double UV exposure. UV rays can also pass through water, so don't think you're safe if you're in the pool.

UV rays pass through windows. Check the left side/driving side of your face for hyperpigmentation or brown patches.

Tanning is a form of skin damage.

Bronzers and self-tanners do not protect you from the rays.

We receive up to 85% of our sun damage before we’re 18 years old.

We have fewer oil glands on the back of our hands, under our eyes, neck and décolleté, which is why we age there first. Apply sunscreen liberally!

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancer types. More than 1 million cases of skin cancer is diagnosed every year in the US. More than prostate, breast, lung, colon, uterus, ovaries, and pancreas cancers combined.

Melanoma can appear suddenly as a new mole or it can develop slowly in or near an existing mole. Women often develop melanoma on the lower legs as well as on the torso, Melanomas in men are often found on the torso, or the head and neck area.

Outdoor rays are UVB burning, cancer rays - B for burning. Indoor ultra violet, fluorescent light rays, which travel deeper into the dermis are UVA aging, wrinkling rays - A for aging. All light rays do damage.

The A, B, C, D, and E’s of skin cancer detection -
Asymmetry: one-half is unlike the other half. Border: is irregular, scalloped, poorly defined or blurred. Color: multiple colors, not uniform, shades of tan, brown, black, sometimes white, red, or blue. Diameter: melanomas are usually greater than the size of a pencil eraser, though they can be smaller. Evolving: you have a mole or skin lesion is changing in size, shape, or color. Any new mole growth should be a concern.

The Vitamin D Dilemma…
Sunscreen can block vitamin D production.

Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin but a steroid hormone and is vital for all tissues in the body.

Some of the latest research shows that only 10 minutes of exposure to sunlight each day will be enough for Caucasians to reach the recommended level of Vitamin D. People with darker skin will need somewhat longer exposure times.

HOWEVER, and this is big - most dermatologists and cancer groups have argued strongly against this "solution," since all unprotected UV exposure contributes to cumulative skin damage, accelerating aging, and increasing our lifetime risk of skin cancer. Therefore, people, you need to balance the risks and benefits of sun exposure.

How Do We Protect Ourselves?
Cover-up! Find that inner Diva and get a great hat and a dahhling pair of sunglasses!

Use sunscreen lavishly, at least a shot glass full for the entire body every day! Apply a minimum spf 15 at least 20 minutes prior to going out.

Avoid or protect yourself from the sun's harmful rays between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm, when the sun's rays are the strongest.

Avoid tanning beds. Period.

Don’t have a dermatologist? Find a board-certified Dr. in your area at www.aad.org

Organic Skincare

I’ve gotten a few questions about Organic Skincare lately so, I thought I would do some research.

Did you know that The US Food and Drug Administration, FDA, does not require testing or certification of any beauty products? (re: last month’s blog about Mascara ads) Therefore, companies have more freedom when choosing ingredients, and those ingredients are not necessarily good for you.

Some products labeled organic by the USDA are more organic than others are. The USDA has set up different categories of organic products; a product that is made with 95% or more organic ingredients receives a USDA organic symbol, while a product made with more than 70% organic ingredients will say on the label that it is “made with organic ingredients.”

However, how many of those organic products are in your moisturizer? Not all organic products are equal. Products that claim to be organic may still contain ingredients that could cause a breakout, especially if you suffer from allergies. Think botanicals. They may smell nice but if you have allergies, buyer beware!

So when you are looking at organic skincare ask yourself organic what, organic how much?

How do Scosh products fit into all of this? Scosh Skincare is the cutting edge of cosmeceutical skin care. The effectiveness of the ingredients used depends on whether they are chirally correct. ‘kī-rul’ is Greek for hands. Every molecule found in nature is chiral. This is the delivery system. Chiral molecules are identical mirror images of each other, meaning they have a "left" and a "right" chemical orientation, much like our hands - think gloves. The skin is comprised of millions of chiral receptors, which dictate instructions to the cells. Only through receptors can the body access nutrients, drugs, and locally applied products. Applying the wrong chiral twin to the skin results in either poor response, irritation, or no effectiveness at all. For a product to be optimally effective, it must be received by a specific receptor, therefore chirally correct.

The Scosh philosophy is all about rejuvenating, repairing, and refining stressed, over-processed, dehydrated and problematic skin. Scosh Skincare has been formulated to be free from preservatives, synthetic colors, fragrances, cruelty free, and packaged in recyclable packaging.

Plastic Lashes? Yikes!

OK, so what’s the deal with all of these mascara print and TV ads lately? Do they really think we believe that those false eyelashes are mascara? It’s beyond exaggeration!

Some of the pictures are completely ridiculous. Honestly, who really wants their lashes to look like those uber theatrical plastic lashes I use to make up witches for Halloween? Even eyelash extensions don’t look this silly.

I was told many years ago, that it’s a common industry practice for advertisers, as long as they use the item they are advertising somewhere on the body. One makeup artist said the foundation she used on a models face in a foundation shoot wasn’t what was being advertised, but came from her kit instead. The advertised foundation however, was dabbed behind the ear so they could say they used it or the model was wearing it.

I did read that one mass market manufacturer was taken to task for this tactic and now must place a disclaimer in their ads.

You know I love makeup and skincare as much as the next girl but don’t even get me started on 12 year olds advertising eye cream or the hair-color-in-a-box celebrities!

How Vitamin C Works

It was 84 yesterday, and it's only February so I decided that it's time to start talking about the importance of Vitamin C and skincare. Let’s make this short and sweet!

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is one of the relatively few topical agents whose effectiveness against wrinkles and fine lines is backed by a fair amount of reliable scientific evidence. Ascorbic Acid has been proven to be photo-protective; a formidable defense against solar-induced free radicals. It plays a potent role in diminishing the effects of free radical damage and in this role can be quite effective as a protectant from ultra violet light damage.

Vitamin C as an Antioxidant: Ultraviolet radiation can generate oxygen free radicals that cause aging of the skin. Vitamin C can act as a first defense, against some of these radicals.

Vitamin C and Collagen: Collagen is a key component of most tissues. Vitamin C works as an essential factor for the normal formation, maintenance and structural stability of collagen.

Topical Vitamin C has shown to protect the skin from UV damage caused by prolonged sun exposure by reducing the amount of free radical formation and/or sunburn cells. As a result Vitamin C plays an essential part in slowing down photoageing.

So, cleanse daily with your Vibran-C Cleanser, followed by Vibran-C Mist, C Serum 20%, Vibran-C Creme with Ceramides, and your Vibran-C Day Lotion spf 15. And don’t forget to use your Vibran C Mask and Peel frequently, knowing that you are doing some good as well as feeling good!

You can find all the above Scosh goodies at, http://www.scoshskincare.com/.

My Chemical Peel Experience

A tale of do as I say, NOT as I do!

Day 1, Monday
My friend Diane, an aesthetic instructor, and I decided an anti-aging TCA Peel would be best for my skin. Perfect for hydrating my dry, sun damaged, peri-menopausal skin. This is not ‘your mother’s’ aggressive, 'under home-arrest', type peel. It is a kinder, gentler regeneration of new cells at a faster rate than what would normally occur as an adult.

First, she cleansed my skin, twice. Then prepped my skin with a lactic toner, asking if I felt any tingling on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being worst. I felt a slight sensation, maybe a 1 or 2. We waited for the toner to dry and then started with 1 layer of Ultra Peel I, again asking my sensation on a 1 to 10 scale; I felt about a 3. We waited 3 minutes and she applied another layer, same 1 to 10 scale question; I felt slightly more tingling - about a 4. Waiting 3 more minutes, we decided to go for one more layer; 1 to 10 scale came in at about a 5 and that was it. After 3 minutes, she finished the peel off with a layer of Ultra II – a retinol treatment booster, then applied sunscreen and I was finished. My face looked like I used a bronzer and felt slightly tingly and tight, although not uncomfortable. The entire process took about 20 minutes, we were finished by noon. When I left for home I made sure to let the heat out of my car before jumping in, heat can do damage to the skin as well.

This peel should be kept on for at least 5 hours to let the skin process before removing and applying a hydrating balm (only). OR you can leave it on over night. I removed it at 5 hours with Scosh Cleanse and tepid water, patted dry, and generously applied a balm - looked pretty greasy!

Day 2, Tuesday
My skin felt very tight the next morning and I looked a bit puffy. No flaking or peeling. I washed my face with Scosh Cleanse and tepid water at the sink, patted dry and generously applied a balm and sunscreen. Kept the shower spray off my face, carefully washing and rinsing my hair in a tepid shower. Do NOT put your face under the warm shower spray for 5 days post. If in fact, if you can avoid washing your hair on day 2 even better.

Had clients all day so I also applied Scosh Oil Blotting Powder to control shine.

About 5 pm Tuesday (30 hours post peel), I started to feel like I was beginning to peel/ flake around the peri-oral area. Apparently, it is normal for this part of the peel to ‘release’ first as we use our mouth and nose so much throughout the day.

I washed my face at the sink that evening with Scosh Cleanse, patted dry and noticed that I was beginning to ‘sheet’. Rather large pieces of skin were peeling from the mouth, nasal, and cheek areas. Tempting as it was I did NOT peel, tug, or pull at these areas. Hyperpigmentation may result, damaging the skin. So, I applied more balm which made my face look greasy but not ‘peely’.

Day 3, Wednesday
I was sheeting and flaking in the morning. Washed my face with Scosh Cleanse and tepid water at the sink, patted dry and noticed flakes of skin in the wash bowl. Hmmm, kinda weird but funny at the same time! Generously applied balm and sunscreen. Lots of flaking throughout the day.

Home office day, so no powder. Just balm and sunscreen.

Washed my face at the sink with Scosh Cleanse and tepid water in the evening, patted dry, applying a generous amount of balm to stay hydrated.

Day 4, Thursday
I was surprised at how much of the flaking/peeling was gone. Except for the flaking on my forehead, eyebrows, and along the hairline my skin looked clear, tight, and nice.

Did the usual Scosh Cleanse, tried a serum this morning but if felt a bit tingly so I backed off. If it feels tingly, your skin is telling you something. Applied generous amounts of balm and sunscreen.

Put some oil blotting powder on and met my friend Dawn later that afternoon. She was surprised at the clarity of my skin just 3 days post peel.

Day 5, Friday
Then this is where I got cocky, making a HUGE mistake. Pay attention here, as it’s a do as I say NOT as I do moment.

I jumped in the shower without Scosh Cleanse. I decided to use a sample gel cleanser with itty bitty scrubbies in it. I thought would be fairly benign and I really wanted to get the flaking around my hairline. Big Big BIG mistake! I got out of the shower and my face was bright red, and felt warm to the touch. Scared the living heck out of me. I was completely panic stricken calling Diane and my friend Tracy telling them what a bonehead move I had just made and what the heck happened to my skin?

I had clients that morning, so I put on lots of balm and sunscreen, and oil blotting powder and headed off to the studio still feeling warm and looking bright red.

Diane called and talked me down, telling me to look at the ingredient list. Sure enough, half way down the list there it was…Retinyl Palmitate – Retin A – Vitamin A. Under normal circumstances a great cell turnover ingredient, in this case TOO much TOO soon (Maybe I should have made myself fill out the Chemical Peel Consultation Form.). About 5 hours later my skin started to calm down and all turned out OK. My skin looks and feels great and I’m very happy with the results.

BUT this is the perfect example of why you must follow the take home instructions, and use the post-skin care kit + shea butter balm for at least 10 days, twice a day, everyday post peel. Scrubs are NOT allowed no matter how much the flaking makes you crazy. It can absolutely do damage by hyperpigmenting the skin. I know better and I still was non-compliant. Do not follow my example!

Day 6 – 13
Skin looks terrific, with the hairline flakes taking the longest to release. About day 9 I felt really dry and started to flake ever so slightly again on my cheeks and forehead. Kind of a second peel it seemed. Hydrate made it unnoticeable and it was gone by day 11 leaving my skin very soft yet firm.

Day 14
I did a fruit enzyme peel as my final 3 part peel program. My skin is glowing! I’m really happy with the results.