Day Spa Central

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Advice from Magazines: Fixing a Broken Compact

I read a lot of magazines.

Like A LOT of magazines.

Often I come across little blurbs that are interesting nuggets of information, but I never get to put them into use.... until NOW!

I had been flipping through the December 2012 issue of Cosmopolitan and saw this little nugget of information:

HOW TO SALVAGE A SHATTERED COMPACT

Replacing a broken powder, bronzer or shadow isn't your only option. Instead, add a few drops of rubbing alcohol to the broken bits, then stir to create a pastelike texture. Re-form it with the back of a spoon, and let it dry overnight. It'll look (and function) like a fresh palette by morning.

I was intrigued. But not intrigued enough to shatter one of my compacts. Then, a co-worker approached me and asked me when I was going to place another make-up order. Seems her husband dropped the brand new compact of foundation she got for Christmas.

This seemed like a good of time as any to give it a whirl! So I assembled some tools:

Adult Acne: On the Rise

In this month's American Spa (January 2013), they covered the topic of Adult Acne. If you have the time, the article In the Clear is definitely worth the read, but I wanted to touch over the main pieces of advice, plus some additional of my own advice, given to anyone suffering from acne as an adult.

Go see a Dermatologist
This is my add-on and I think one of the most important pieces of advice to give. Acne is a disease. I've seen a lot of self-diagnosed acne sufferers and they usually have a lot of incorrect advice on how to treat it. You don't have to use prescription pills or creams if you don't want to, but it helps for an MD to look at your skin, properly diagnose it and give you tips on how to treat it.

Use your fingers to apply gentle, non-abrasive cleansers
That means no harsh scrubs, especially if you have pustules (those mean pus-filled bumps on your face). You don't want to irritate your skin with harsh products because red, angry skin only makes acne look worse. In fact, I usually spend my first treatment with acne sufferers doing a soothing treatment. Also, fingers only - no washcloth, sponge, or (and this is going to be controversial) brush systems.

Wash twice a day and after sweating
ABSOLUTELY in the evening. You need to get all of the make-up, dirt and grime off of your face so it can repair itself while you sleep. I keep some sensitive-skin facial wipes in my nightstand and in my gym bag so if I don't have time (or forget) to cleanse before bed or after sweating, I can wipe the grime away. Yes, that is kind of breaking rule #2 above, but I'd rather use a wipe to get my make-up off instead of leaving it on.

After washing, you need to moisturize
This is another add-on of mine. The sebum (oil) your skin produces is the body's first line of defense against almost all outside stimulus. If you strip all the oil from your skin and don't replace some of that natural defense, your body goes into overdrive to create more oil. A light water based moisturizer or even an oil that closely mimics the body's sebum (jojoba oil for example) will help the skin balance itself.

Let the skin heal naturally
That means NO POPPING PIMPLES! Sorry to yell, but squeezing your pimples the wrong way can do any of the following:
(1) Spread bacteria and thus acne around the face.
(2) Damage the skin and make it harder to clear.
(3) Cause scarring that may not go away.

Stay out of the sun and tanning beds
Tanning damages the skin. Period. And I rarely say this about doctors, but if your doctor, especially a dermatologist, is telling you to go to a tanning bed or lay out... you need a new doctor. Tanning beds are now labeled as a carcinogen. Any "benefits" they give you are temporary and minuscule compared to the damage to your skin. Also, a lot of acne treatments, both prescription and over-the-counter, can make skin very sensitive to UV light and can damage it further.

Thanks for reading and here's to happy healthy skin!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Reflexology

Last week, my husband bought me a 60-minute reflexology session Groupon from local, Nine Dragons Foot Finesse.

For those that aren't familiar with reflexology, it is a type of massage localized on the hands and feet; however, it is meant to treat the entire body. It is believed that all parts of the body are mapped out on the hands and feet. Using an acupressure technique, you manipulate the areas to treat different areas of the body. For example, got problems with your sinuses? You're going to apply pressure to the area just below each toe on the top of the foot.

Now I'm no stranger to reflexology. I attended esthetics school in Hawaii and Japanese and Chinese rituals were a standard part of the curriculum. We learned the basics of foot and hand reflexology so we could integrate them into our facial services.

Make no mistake, I do not believe in reflexology to replace traditional medicine. I do think it can compliment it, but if you have an ailment, seek medical advice as soon as possible. If you enjoy Eastern Medicine, there are plenty of holistic MDs that can assist you in the treatment plan that is right for you.

Back to my visit...

Bridal Make-up Cindy: Mother of the Bride

I was at the salon doing a make-up trial for a wedding next week while another wedding was getting ready. Cindy, the mother of the bride, was interested in having her make-up done. She's got these great eyes that were just screaming to be highlighted.

Her main concern was her under-eye area. Using some concealer to even out the skin tone under her eye and sprayed it twice to give an even color that blended well into her cheeks. I also highlighted her brow bone and inner corner to bring the eye up and away from her trouble area. Finally, her brows were a little sparse, so we filled them in to finish the look.

And I made sure to highlight those cheekbones.

She was a lot of fun to work with and her skin took color beautifully.

Watching diligently was her granddaughter who was also the flower girl. Normally kids love to dig through make-up and just play. It isn't something I encourage or normally allow, but she seemed to show a genuine interest in my tools.

I liked this girl! We talked pink and purple sparkle for about 15 minutes. Then we put on some shimmer and color on her eyes for her big day, but I certainly can say she's a make-up artist & model in the making.

She was too cute!

If you’re interested in my make-up services, you can contact me at info@day-spa-central.com or at 219.789.4998. I do on-site work in the Northwest Indiana/Chicago area as well as working freelance at Salon Trisse in St. John, Indiana. You can make hair appointments and make-up applications there by calling 219.365.0814.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Product Test: Nivea Extended Moisture Daily Lotion

Part of my fantastic Sample Gift pack from Target was a sample of NIVEA Extended Moisture Daily Lotion. It is a body lotion meant for dry to very dry skin. That’s great for me because my skin is ridiculously dry. Not only am I incredibly pale, which leads to drier skin, but I’m getting older and I have a health condition that keeps my skin incredibly dry.

The overview of the product is as follows:

A luxurious, non-greasy lotion, Extended Moisture provides up to 48 hours of relief for dry, tight skin.
Infused with Pro-Vitamin B5, and NIVEA's Hydra-IQ technology, Extended Moisture lotion gives ultra long-lasting, skin nourishing moisture.
Hydra-IQ is NIVEA's exclusive technology that supports skin's own hydration network to unleash deep, non-stop moisture that lasts more than 24 hours.

So needless to say I was really excited to see if this works. It is rare I can find an over-the-counter option that is less expensive than the medical or spa products.

Test Drive: L’Oreal Magic Lumi – Light Infusing Primer

Since I primarily do make-up, I try to keep in front of new products that come out. However, I’ll admit that I stick to what I know works. Seriously, make-up in general is expensive and I hate buying something and it not work the way I want it to.

Unfortunately, you can’t really try drug store make-up and I tend to stay away from product palettes, even in fancier stores. Trust me. I’ve worked retail in a make-up/skincare environment. I can tell you that people violate those things with fingers and – gag – double dipping… even in lipsticks. Just thinking about it kinda gives me the heebie-jeebies.

So when I found a free sample in one of the gazillion magazines I read, I couldn't wait to give it a try.

Bridal Make-up – Lori: May 25, 2012

Last week, I posted some pictures of future bride, Lori. She was the one happily smiling away after getting her hair (by Lindsay) and make-up (by me) trial done. Well two days later was her wedding – a beautiful Friday that had the sun shining and the first really warm temperatures of the season in the Greater Chicagoland Area.

I wasn’t sure how many people I was going to be working on that day. I only knew for certain that I would be doing Lori’s make-up. Upon arriving at Salon Trisse, I found out I would be doing Lori’s make-up along with five bridesmaids, the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom.

The ladies at Salon Trisse were already hard at work...