State of the art skincare!

What else would I rather do than go to a class on skin care on my day off? Not much. Well, maybe... a day at the beach could win out now and again. But honestly I had a fantastic day Monday at the Grand Sierra Resort learning about all the newest, most innovative, natural and cutting edge products on the market as of December 2012! Yes! Brand new and nothing else in skin care like it anywhere! I would like to highlight just a few of the magnificent ingredients that will now, be the only things I will be putting on my face.

• Mastiha is an ancient arabic gum that is antibacterial, anti-fungal and contains antioxidants. It is not hard to imagine why having such an amazing product in your skin care line would be beneficial. 
• Collodial Gold and Silver are minerals that are highly beneficial to the skin. They stabilize the collagen, stimulates the glands, are anti-bacteral, kill viruses and speed up healing. 
• Copper is a mineral that strengthens the blood circulation, improves elasticity and is also anti-microbibial. 
• Teprenone is an anti-aging ingredient that it designed to keep your telomeres from shortening. Telomeres are the end of the strands of DNA for your skin. (imagine that little plastic end of your shoelace that protects them from fraying). Those are what telomeres are to your skin. 
• Plant Stem cells are primary cells from which life is born. Stem cells have the capacity of self-renewal and producing identical cells.
• Progeline and Cyclopeptide-5 are the newest peptides on the market. These peptides communicate directly with the cell and slow the aging down by reducing the toxic protein Progerin. 

If you are a person that enjoys using quality products on your skin and you enjoy products you can't get at Walmart you need to look into this line. The price point is very comparable to anything you will get at the high end stores but the ingredients are far superior and clinically prescriptive. So at the end of the day I have to say that I feel incredibly lucky. Lira Clinical has some amazing products that I am taking back to the studio with confidence that I am doing the absolute best thing I can with the technology available at the this time for my clients skin. 

If you have any questions or would like to hear more about this amazing new skin care line please just drop me a line and I will hook you up with free samples. 

The product will sell itself to you! It is amazing!
Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Sincerely,
Michon :)

Raw Beauty

One of my favorite things about this time of year are the Farmer’s Markets that crop up all over! With the plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables abounding it is the perfect time to clean up my diet and start eating healthier. Eating raw is getting more and more popular. I am seeing green smoothies on Pinterest daily now! Besides whittling away at your waistline, eating raw also has some big benefits for your skin that you may not have known about.

• Orange and Yellow fruits are high in beta-carotene an ingredient in Vitamin A which is good for your skin and your eyes. They are also rich in Vitamin C, zeaxanthin, lycopene and other antioxidants that fight the aging process in our skin. 
• Spinach and other green leafy vegetables are rich sources of iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium as well as vitamins A, C, E, K and many of the B vitamins. The high fiber content helps the body eliminate toxins and carcinogens. Elimination is by in far one of the most important things for clear skin. 
• Red fruits and vegetables are rich in in lycopene which is a carotene that protects from ovarian and prostate cancer as well as heart disease. Lycopene has also been shown to reduce sun-related skin damage. 
• Purple fruits and vegetables are know for their flavanois which is a class of anti-oxidants. These have a postitive effect on the skin structure and protect against UV rays. Flavanois are also known to improve elasticity by increasing collagen production. 
• Kale if you haven’t heard, is the new wonder veggie. Yes, I know it is green but I am giving it it’s own category as it is being hailed the “new super food”.  This super food helps to detoxify enzymes in the liver that play an important part in neutralizing carcinogenic substances. Another key element in kale is isothiocyanates. These have been linked to inhibit carcinogenesis that cause cancer cells to actually shrink. Kale also ranks highest among all vegetables in its concentration of carotenoids, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Want to read more? Here is a fascinating page I found on all the bennies of kale. 

I know without a doubt when I am being good and I fill my plate with 75% fruits and veggies and leave only 25% or less for the meat and carbs... I lose weight. But now upon further examination, the fact that they all benefit your skin so much is just an added bonus!

Here is a link to the best farmer’s markets here in Reno. I am not sure why they are not including the one at the Summit Mall,  I beleive that one is on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9am to 3pm weekly. I for one, am excited to start eating fresh and enjoying the abundance of my own garden as well as the farmers market. It is nice to see so many joining the gardening movement.  I have a ton to learn but it is a fun process, especially since my kids do most of the work.
haha ;)
And yes we are planting kale!
Please feel free to share any markets that may not be on the list. Or share your favorite, fresh recipe. I will be sharing more recipes this summer as well. So stay tuned!
Thanks for stopping by,
Michon :)

Daylight Savings & Beauty Sleep

The only part of this "Spring Forward" thing I like is that we are one step closer to summer and longer days! Yeah! :D
But the lack of sleep that most of us will be suffering this week, trying to catch up with that hour loss can take a toll on your looks. The fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty may not be too far off from the truth when it comes to some of the secrets of beauty. In a recent study done in Sweden, photographs of volunteers after eight hours of sleep and then again after being kept awake for 31 hours where shown to participants that rated them on how they looked. The sleep deprived participants were scored as less healthy looking and less attractive. Upon further research, I also found studies linked to weight gain and sleep depravation. So with all of us trying to get our internal clocks back into step, let’s talk about what you can do to get a more restful nights sleep.

1. Create a ritual. Best practice says we should create a routine to sooth ourselves into an comfort zone right before bed. Whether that includes and warm bath, a good book and nice shower some sleepy time tea or whatever it takes to help you wind-down, try to get in the habit of doing the same wind-down routine every night. 
2. Avoid these things. We all know these things but I can’t complete an article like this without including them. So here is the short list. Avoid, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, spicy foods and exercise right before bed.
3. Stick to a schedule. Going to sleep at different times every night can confuse your brain and make it difficult to go to sleep when you want to. Try and hit the hay at the same time every night. Your body likes having a schedule and sticking to it. You will sleep more peacefully if you can manage this habit.
4. Include exercise. Exercise in any form will help you feel physically more tired allowing you to sleep more restfully. Now that it is staying light a good hour after dinner, consider taking a walk and burn off a few of those extra calories. It will help you crash when your head finally hits the pillow! 
5. Ditch the stress. The last thing you want to do before bed is read or look at the news, have a conflictive, discuss or think about the crap from work. Try to keep your mind clear of anything stressful before bed. Keep it light and uplifting. Keep your thoughts/prayers before bed on the side of gratitude. In other words count your blessings before you sleep. :)
6. Eliminate distractions from sleep. Electrical interference in your bedroom can disrupt your sleep. Charge your phones in a room other than your bedroom.  Also, animals can be very disruptive to a peaceful nights sleep. If there is any way you can possibly arrange it, allowing your animals to sleep in a kennel or in another room and it could help to get those extra Zzzz’s you are needing. 

Let’s try our best to keep the world a more beautiful place by getting our restful regime in place. 

Do you have a trick or tip that always helps you to get to sleep and stay to sleep? We would love to hear all about it. Please leave a note in the space below so we can all learn from your tip. Know a friend that needs to hear this message. Please feel free to share or forward this information to them. 

Thank you for stopping by my blog, 

Hope you have a fantastic week and make the most of your week. 

Take Care, 

Michon :)

Sources:

web-md, help-guide, Mayo clinic, Huffington Post Article, beauty sleep, green guide, science daily

The Red Carpet Facial

Remember watching the Oscars a few weeks ago and thinking how beautiful all of the movie stars looked? With their glowing flawless skin and perfect makeup?  They prep for these events like nothing else. And one the most sought after procedures is the microcurrent facial.  What is a microcurrent facial and how is it different? 

1.   It improves circulation.
2.  Boosts the natural production of collagen and elastin.
3.  Increases the production of amino acids and ATP, accelerating cell repair and renewal.
4. Improves muscle tone, providing lifted facial contours giving a youthful look. 
5.  Detoxifies and improves texture and clarity.
6.  Diminishes lines, wrinkles, and revitalizes skin with increased hydration. 

This technology is probably one of the best leading technologies in the industry of skincare for the 20th century. The current is a low level, completely painless, electrical current that mimics the body’s own electrical current. Unlike the galvanic facials of old with uncomfortable pulses, this current is barely noticeable.  Microcurrent increases the oxygen, blood supply, and the ATP to the skin, which is accomplished by use of metal probes or silver threaded gloves (my preferred method) for a facial massage, so to speak. There are several studies on the technology of microcurrent. This one speaks to the increase of the ATP and the oxygen to the skin and cells. This one gives examples of cutting edge technology involving healing of wounds because of the oxygen that microcurrent delivers to the site of a wound. This is also what it delivers to healthy skin, thus producing well fed skin cells, and smoother, finer, and better looking skin!
So now you know one of their many beauty secrets! And you can say you heard it here! Thanks for stopping by my blog. If you have any questions about microcurrent or any type of facial for that matter, please leave a question or comment in the space below! Have a great week! 
Michon :)



Sources: Jowl Lift, Red carpet, Wound initiative, Cheng report, Clareblend Inc

Dry Shampoo Review.

I am cracking up here over the new video that  Matt Damon put out about clean water and his going on strike. Good luck with that Matt! It is awesome if you haven’t seen it here is a link. I agree with him clean water is important and conservation is key. His organization offers many ways to get involved if you are interested.
Here is a way we could help and conserving water - skip a shampoo or even two! Not only is shampooing your hair everyday not the best thing, it strips the cuticle of the natural oils and nutrients that it needs to be strong and healthy. It also dries it out beacuse the more you shampoo the more styling you have to do which is harder on your hair. Try giving your hair a rest with  a dry shampoo.
What is dry shampoo?
Dry shampoo is a powdery substance that is applied at the roots of your hair to absorb excess oil. It extends the length of your blowout or is very handy when water is in short supply or not assessable.
These would be my top recommendations for dry shampoo or root hiding opportunities on the market at this time.

AG has a fairly decent dry shampoo you spray in. Adds volume and softness. Absorbs oils and restores life to your style! 
Use: Shake well before using. Spray throughout hair and work in with fingers allow a few minutes and then brush or pick through. Style as normal.
Downside: is that it can feel sticky and makes it harder to brush out your hair, plus it’s an aerosol.
Cost: approx $19

Bumble and Bumble powder/dry shampoo has color!! It is awesome that it can cover grey re-growth and volumize all at once! I would highly recommend this product to anyone wanting to cover their roots between visits to the hairdresser and anyone wanting to extend the life of their style by not shampooing on any given day. 
Downside: This product will get on your pillowcase, sheets and your clothing, so prepare accordingly. There are a couple of videos out on YouTube that are helpful and will give you the warnings I mentioned above. Here is a positive one and a negative one. And the cost is a little higher than average
Cost: approx. $33 - $35

Keratin Complex is one of those amazing products that you just have to use to understand. With these three colors you are close enough to most colors that you can at least soak up the oils and have a some root color coverage to boot! Huge upside to this product is that it will make your hair “look thicker” simply because it will disguise that pink scalp! :)
Downside: Again you are using color so you will lose color on your clothes and pillowcases if you are not careful. Here is a video that will help you use this product properly. Just a heads up, the lady being interviewed is VERY animated. ;)

Cost: approx. $23 - $30

Schwarzkopf OSIS Dust it is a powder that gives a soft matt effect with natural movement to your hair. It is also touted to adding volume to fine hair. 
Downside: Doesn’t come with a brush to apply. Hand application is difficult to control. 

Cost: approx. $16

Redken Powder Refresh absorbs oil, freshens up your style and extends the life of your blowout. Comes in a neutral shade that works well for all hair colors, even those with a darker base. It has a nice refreshing mint smell that really does refresh your hair for an extra day or two, 

Downside: It does not have a brush so that again and it’s an aerosol.

Cost: approx. $10 

Baby powder absorbs oil. I have been using this since I was a teenager. When you apply it to your roots with a brush you will want to wait a few minutes for the talcum powder to do it’s magic. Then simply brush through. This product is great and inexpensive and works well for blondes and lighter shades of hair.

Downside: I would not recommend this for those of you with darker hues. It will look like you have grey roots coming in. 

Cost: approx. $3-$4

So this is my short list. You will find a huge list if you are interested in more options, here are 58 dry shampoos!  

Hope you enjoyed this review! If you have a product that you love that works as well or better than any of my suggestions here I would love to hear about them! Leave me a comment in the space below! Forward this to your teenager! Let’s all do our part to conserve our precious resources and look beautiful while doing it! 

Michon :)

Letter to Dr.Oz

I am very disappointed with your recent show on gel manicures.

It looked to me like you were only showing “chop shop” manicure salons.  Where were the high end salons and spas?  I think the public would have been much better served by showing the difference between a high end salon that is running their business by the State Cosmetology Boards rules and regulations and then compare that to the salons that you actually went to. We all know what goes on in those shops, but you made it appear as if all salons are the same.  This is simply not true. It is sensationalism.  I am so disappointed.  You did a HUGE disservice to my fellow hard working ethical, law abiding nail techs and manicurists.

Did you contact the New York State Board of Cosmetology?  Where were the statistics?  Are gel manicures worse than any other type of manicure?  Are acrylic’s okay?  How many manicures are done a year and how many of these infections occur?  What are my chances of having a problem, really?  Where are the statistics? I am not sure when you taped this show, but I found this article last month and I wonder if you would consider taking some time to read THIS.

Manufacturer instructions say 10 secs for base coat, 2 minutes per color (usually 4) and 2 minutes top coat. So a total of 6 minutes10 seconds per hand every 2-3 weeks. Should I really be terrified of this amount of exposure? Again, I am going to call this sensationalism. Especially when you are using an oversized metal rod and shove it into a giant fake finger.  Manufacturer’s directions tell you to “GENTLY SCRAP THE LOOSENED GEL OFF WORKING AWAY FROM THE CUTICLES TO THE TIP”  It is unfair to an entire industry and many many law abiding, hard working people trying to make a living.  I think I may feel differently about this whole show if the professionals who are working under the scope of the law had been there to talk about the things to look for when you go into a salon. It was touched on briefly at the beginning but very briefly. And when you talk about infections and allergic reactions... just about everything in life can cause that. A trip to the grocery store touching an infected cart, showering at the gym... the list goes on.

This whole episode just makes me so sad that you would call out an entire industry of hard working individuals instead of calling it what it really was... STAY away from the chop shops that are being repeatedly cited by the State Board.  Do your homework before getting a manicure or a pedicure.  Make sure the implements used are sanitary.  Ask questions.   Maybe it would have been better that you made a call to action for every inspector visit.  Perhaps the checklist from the board should be posted in the front of the salon for all who enter to see what violations are being written up time after time?

I am not sure what the answer is, but I will definitely be looking at your future episodes with a much more skeptical eye.  I no longer believe.

A Disappointed viewer,
Michon Kessler
cosmetologist of 30 years in the industry

Beautifully Sweet, NOT!

This weeks beauty tip will not only help you with your weight loss resolution but will help your skin look and feel younger! I came across this amazing study from the British Journal of Dermatology about sugar and the effects on the skin. Did you know that sugar actually attacks the elastin and collagen in your skin? Sadly it is true. I love sugar! So this is going to be especially challenging for me. But I have to say after researching and surfing the web over the last few days looking for details on this subject I am going to be watching my sugar intake much more carefully. Originally I was only looking for evidence on the effects it had on skin but after much digging I am more concerned with my overall health. Here is a video I watched that surprised me.
But to the reason you are really here... The beauty part.
Here are five reasons you want to stay away from sugar as much as possible!

• Sugar speeds the degradation of elastin and collagen. Collagen and elastin are both key proteins that your skin needs. 
• Sugar triggers a process in the body called glycation. The molecules bind to your protein fibers and make them brittle rather than elastic. 
• Glycation causes your proteins to mutate, creating new molecules that are harmful and cause inflammation and damage. 
• Sugar has been linked to cataracts. We all know those are not pretty! 
• Sugar has been linked to arthritis. Again not a pretty look. 

There are a number of things that we can do to combat the sugars that are bound to get in there. Sugar is hidden in almost every thing you can imagine. Check this link out to see what I mean. 

To fight the sugar war in your body try these tips.

1. Don’t drink your calories. Most drinks are full of sugar check this link to see what I mean.
2. Avoid condiments. Try using vinegar and oil or make your own dressings.
3. Avoid processed, prepared and packaged foods.  
4. Take vitamin B1 and B6 to help combat the effects of sugar on your system. 
5. Green Tea and white tea are good antioxidants that will help to neutralize the sugars in your system. 
6. Eat omega-3 fatty foods such as salmon, walnuts and flaxseed. 
7. Take a daily DHA tablet; fish oil or krill oil. 

At the end of the day I have no intention of passing up an occasional cupcake or drinking my favorite red wine. But I will have to say this has had an eye opening effect on the way I will be feeding myself and my family from now on. We will still be celebrating on occasion. But maybe I just need to find less reasons to celebrate with food and drink and more reasons to celebrate with a outing to the lake or a hike on the trails. 

Since we can’t use all that sugar up for eating let’s make a quick and easy body scrub of it? 

Lemon Green Tea Scrub

1 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of coconut oil

1 cup of strong green tea, cooled

one fresh lemon

Brew two green tea bags in hot water. Remove bags and place aside for future use*. Add coconut oil to warm tea. Stir until coconut oil is dissolved. Allow tea to cool to almost room temp.

Add zest from one lemon to tea and begin to add sugar 2 Tablespoons at a time. Stir in entire sugar a couple spoonfuls at a time to ensure complete absorption. Voila!

Not the prettiest presentation but it is just for me. I will have to
work on some labels and make it pretty to sale someday.

Put jar in your shower and use at least twice a week to slough off that dead winter skin on your legs and feet and entire body. *Place the teabags in baggie and save up to three days in the refrigerator to use as a toner after cleansing to close pores and add antioxidants to your skin or use under eyes for bags!

One of the tricks that I loved as I was searching the net for all the amazing body scrubs out there was found on this blog. I loved her suggestion of mixing them together in the container you are going to be using rather than transferring them after it was all mixed.

Thanks for stopping in and please feel free to share any ideas or tips in the comments below on what you strategies are for eliminating sugar from your diet are if you have any! I would love to hear what has worked for you or not worked for you in the past.

Sources: science daily, kitchen daily, mail online, dr. brandt, discovery fit, prevention

Beauty Resolutions

New year resolutions are not the easiest to keep. In fact many of the friends and clients I have spoken to claim they didn’t even bother with it this year. I decided to keep it simple and start with my face first. I have had problem skin my entire life so this comes from my heart. This isn’t just for the ladies. Gentlemen, listen up as all the tips below are just as important for you and your skin. So here is my short list of tips to better, more beautiful skin for the new year. Good, New Year resolutions for anyone.

1. Wash your face before bed. Even if you are not a make-up wearer it is a good practice to wash your face before retiring. The pollution, oil production, sweat and bacteria from the day is sitting there, waiting to turn to acne on your face while you sleep. Best practice is to wash with a gentle cleanser, tone and then apply an active serum to do some overtime work and a moisturizer. Your skin will have the evening to repair itself from the wear and tear of the day. 
2. Exfoliate once a week. The process of exfoliation will rid your face of dry, dull skin by removing dead skin cells from the surface. This ritual helps to keep pores from becoming clogged and leaves the skin refreshed. Exfoliation reduces the size of pores and speeds up the skin renewal process, allowing healthier more radiant skin to take its place. This week’s recipe is a homemade exfoliating mask you can whip up at home to enjoy. Check it out! 
3. Apply SPF every morning. It is important to protect your face from the constant amount of UV that it is getting daily. Remember to choose one that has at least a 30 SPF, is non greasy, and free from parabens. The one I use also has antioxidants including photosomes, roxisomes and ultrasomes that protect against free radicals and enhance DNA repair. (Fancy, huh?) :)
4. Take your vitamins, Vitamin D3 oil specifically. This fat soluble vitamin is an essential nutrient for skin cell growth and replacement. Vitamin D helps your skin form a barrier that locks in moisture and helps keep your skin soft and supple among other things. I found a fascinating article on the web while doing research for this article. Read more at this link.
5. Eat more raw foods. Raw fruits and vegetables are full of water which is what our skin needs the most of. Eating a diet centered around fresh, plant based foods gives your skin elasticity. Raw plants are also high in antioxidants. Think of your plate as a clock, ideally 45 minutes of your plate should be filled with raw fruits and veggies. 
6. Get more sleep. Your skin, eyes and body will feel better and look better when you are adequately rested. Sleep deprivation shows up on your face. A study published in the British Medial Journal, participants rated photos of sleep-deprived faces as less attractive, less healthy and more tired. 

Pretty easy stuff eh? 

Keeping it simple but with things that we will get a big benefit from in the end. If we all do this over the next year we should be looking and feeling 10 years younger by 2014 right? :)

Share this with your friends, and leave me a comment below with your favorite tip for the new year and your beauty resolutions. I would love to hear what you are doing to make positive changes. 

Cheers to a beautiful new year and a beautiful new you! 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Michon :)

Rise and Shine Face Scrub
1 TSP of heavy cream
1 TSP of honey
1 TSP of brown sugar
1 TSP of finely ground coffee

Clean face with regular cleanser to remove any makeup.
Mix ingredients in a small bowl.
Steam pores open with a HOT towel.
Apply mixture to face with a soft wide paint brush. Allow it to penetrate for 5 minutes.
Gently scrub in circular motions over entire face. Be careful not to get too vigorous with the scrubbing or you could aggravate or complicate any skin condition.
Remove with warm wash cloth.
Apply cool clean washcloth to finish and close pores.