Travel Tuesday- holiday must haves!

Tis the season for holidays, whether it's a quick weekend away or a two or three week holiday. Having been cabin crew for years and flying around the world I've learned to be a minimalist packer with items that are multi-functional. Skincare isn't any different from that! 

My holiday 5 must haves are: Dermalogica's Power Rich, Solar Defense Booster, Daily Resurfacer, Ultracalming Cleanser and Antioxidant   Hydramist- this combination is light weight and keeps my skin healthy!  

Here's an itemised run down of why I use these as my getaway essentials. 

Power Rich- this product comes in 8ml tubes which are easy to pack and they are an excellent all rounder. I use this all over my face, eye area, neck & decollate to help smooth away fine lines & maintain skin moisture. This product is great morning & night and you only need the size of a 5p so a tube lasts a whole week! 

Solar Defense Booster- this is a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 50. I use it for face and body (mixing it with my body moisturiser to make it go further). It has MAP (magnesium ascorbyl phosphate) and Tocopherol (vitamin E) to help control sun damage and keep my skin soft. 

Daily Resurfacer- these are packaged as 36 individual doses which are like little exfoliating finger puppets. They are so gentle you can use them around the eye area, but they hydrate, brighten & smooth the skin. 

Ultracalming Cleanser- this is a very gentle cleanser that can be used on wet or dry skin, removes eye makeup, and can be tissued off or removed with warm water. If you've been in the sun all day you can also use it as a masque to calm any redness or heat from over exposure. 

Antioxidant Hydramist- this is a toner that can be used traditionally after cleansing to ensure even moisturiser distribution. It also is a refreshing spray after being in the sun, a hydrating spritiz throughout the day, or can be used to help set makeup with its flash-firming properties. 

The UltraCalming Cleanser and Antioxidant Hydramist both come in travel sizes that will last a month. The Solar Defense booster is 50ml, so a great size for travelling and if used on its own as a day moisturiser it lasts 3 months. The Power Rich and Daily Resurfacer I pack as many as needed for the holiday duration. Happy Travels! 

Teen Challenge!

This month Clear Start by Dermalogica is not only extending their special offer of their FREE Clear Up GWP (gift with purchase) when you buy two products, it's also running the 'Clear Start Challenge'! 

The well-known 'selfie' is uber popular amongst the teen culture and Clear Start wants to use that love of pictures to promote clear and healthy skin! They're offering a year's supply of Clear Start products for the best selfie and this will also result on clearer skin. 

So here's how you do it! Follow these 3 simple steps:

1. Purchase the Clear Start Breakout Clearing skin kit and start using the products. (£23.50)

2. Take a selfie or a photo with their favourite Clear Start product. 

3. Upload the photo to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook (or all three!) explaining how effective Clear Start has been on their skin- and using the hashtag #heartclearstart and tag in @ClearStartUK 

The winners will be picked at random from the photos posted using the hashtag #heartclearstart. 

Treatment Thursday- Face Map our Nation

This September the Nation's biggest skin health journey begins! It is National Skin Care Awareness month. Dermalogica is pioneering the way with a big push on face mapping and introducing clients to a  prescribed skincare regime that combats their individual concerns. 

Research shows that 3 in 5 women change their skincare products at least every 3 months. That 1 in 4 make this change based on an advertisement or recommendation from a friend rather than what suits their individual needs and that 60% of adults feel ashamed about the way they look. Our goal is to introduce more clients to face mapping and to help improve their skin's health hopefully resulting in a confidence boost too! 

Face mapping is a proven concept created by Dermalogica that looks at 14 different zones of the face to objectively view the skin condition and also to highlight any underlying health issues that could affect it. This unique inch-by-inch analysis of the face enables the client to receive high standard professional treatments and product recommendations to address each client's concerns. 

Our event is being held on Tuesday, 9 September from 5.00-8.00pm. We will have two face mapping stations running together so that clients can bring a friend  to learn about their skin, try out the products, and receive a product prescription to help improve their skin. There will be a raffle on the night for a complimentary facial and each client will receive a goody bag for attending. 

 

Sunny Sunday- cracked heels

Summertime is the weather and season for sandals, flip-flops and open-toe shoes, but it wrecks havoc on your feet. The constant rubbing, walking barefoot and exposure to the elements causes feet to become dry and heels to crack. 

This can easily be combated with a little extra tender, loving, care. During the summer months it's important to keep hard skin at bay through regular exfoliation, which can be done with a pumice stone or foot file. Use it daily in the shower to slough off dead skin cells. 

Pumice bar £4.00 Australian Bodycare Hand & Foot Treatment £9.98 

Moisturizing is key to keeping feet soft and sandal worthy. Moisturise daily after bathing and reapply at night when your skin is repairing and resting. A daily dose of your body moisturiser on your feet with help prevent dryness during the day and an intense foot cream will help to repair and restore moisture loss at night. I recommend Australian Bodycare hand and foot treatment.

Healthy Start- green juice!

Good morning Saturday- healthy start... 

Green juice: 

2 satsuma a

2 white peach 

3 kiwis 

2 celery stalks 

1/2 cucumber 

Put then all through the juicer... Makes 1 pint- yum! 

Treatment Thursday- pre-holiday package!

This week I had a client who is heading off to Vietnam for three weeks backpacking. A girl has needs and having nice nails, a base tan and tinted lashes are a holiday essential, especially in the sunshine! (Obviously things like hair removal are part of the day to day necessities, so we didn't include those in the pre-holiday prep!) 

Gel nails are a great addition to your pre-holiday preparation along with having a base tan, so it's not obvious you've just arrived! Gel nails and toes are more durable in the sand, sun and sandals and they last longer than regular polish. Gel Color polish will last up to two weeks with proper aftercare and up to six weeks on your toes. The gel does grow out with your toenails, so you may need to replenish the colour to hide the growth and by reapplying a topcoat it keeps them shiny throughout the wear and tear from sand, salt and sunscreen. 

He-Shi Gradual tan (£14.50) is a great precursor to a sunny holiday because it gently builds up colour and you can take it with you to soften the contrast of the 'white bits' or bikini lines. Apply as a normal moisturiser and watch your colour gradually develop with regular use. This product does not contain sunscreen, so an SPF 30 is recommended for high coverage. 

Eyelash tinting is a wonderful way of creating a longer and more defined look. Natural lashes often have paler tips which make the lash appear shorter, so by tinting the entire lash it enhances length and definition. A tint test must be performed 24-48 hours in advance to check for allergies. Eyelash tinting lasts 4-6 weeks and it's advisable to wear sunglasses to prevent the tint from fading (just like what happens to the natural lightening of your hair in the sun). 

Holiday pamper packages are customized to suit each individual's needs and are developed during a consultation with our expert. 

Waxing Wednesday- Anytime Balm

Today's Spotlight is our new Australian Bodycare Anytime Balm. 

Anytime Balm 30ml pot for £13.50 

This emollient balm is for all skin types and can be used in various ways.  There are several key ingredients that make this formula unique and effective.

Tea Tree Oil- it contains 1% which gives it antiseptic and antibacterial properties. 

Macademia Ternifolia Seed Oil- a medium weight oil, with a chemical make up similar to the skin's natural sebum.  It absorbs easily and has a calming soothing action that leaves a slight film over the skin to help prevent moisture loss.

Glycine Soja Sterols- this ingredient is from the soy plant. It's an extremely lubricating emollient that helps condition the skin and is anti-inflammatory. Soja Sterols are known to be 3-4 times more active than shea butter. 

Ways to use: 

🔹bug bites 

🔹scrapes or abrasions 

🔹cuticle cream 

🔹lip balm 

🔹nappy rash 

🔹intensive hand or foot cream

For smaller areas use a pinhead amount and apply to lips, bugs bites, cuticles etc working the product into the area. For larger areas use a 5p amount of balm and warm between the fingers or palms to soften then apply to any area that needs an intensive moisture infusion.