What NOT to put on your face!

Lately, I've been talking about the virtues of retinol, vitamin C and fruit acids, given extensive skincare regimes, and chatted about lash enhancing Latisse. 


How about what you should NOT be putting on your face? Many people are probably not as anal retentive about their facial skin, and tend to just slap it on and go. The purpose of this blog is to let you know about things that are better left for other places on your body and no where near your face! 


BAR SOAP & BODY WASH --> Many bar soaps & body washes contain dehydrating ingredients, like glycerin, as well as perfumes and artificial colors that can cause irritation. Skin can feel tight or become flaky after soaping, which can lead to an increase of oil production thus the possibility of congestion and acne. 


APRICOT SCRUB --> Hey! Use it on your bod, but not on your face! Most people over exfoliate with physical exfoliants like apricot etc that can cause skin irritation and even more serious problems like dermatitis. It microscopically tears delicate facial skin and leaves it irritated and broken which is a free invitation for bacteria to get in and cause inflammation. 


ALCOHOL--> Products containing SD-40, isopropyl alcohol, is a common ingredient that can be an irritant for acne-prone and senstive skin types, that leads to redness, dryness, and in some cases, brown spots and premature aging.

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New Ask the Expert

Q)   Hi, I'm a 32 year old male. I have good skin and only a have a slight wrinkle at the eyes, but I do have bags under my eyes. A hereditary trait I think. What can I use to keep looking young and to reduce the bags under my eyes?


Read the article HERE!

New June Newsletter!

The Beauty Nook - JUNE Newsletter
Great Information, Better Specials!

Don't hold your breath, but I think summer is finally here. You know what that means? You need a wax!

WAXING 101 -->

Wax on. A warm wax mixture is spread over hair in the direction of its growth and a paper or cloth strip is then placed on top of soft wax. Hard wax doesn't require a strip because it cools solid enough, and becomes a strip in itself. The Beauty Nook uses both Hard and Soft waxes of the highest quality!

Wax off. Once wax has slightly cooled or has grasped enough to the hair, it’s pulled off in the opposite direction of hair growth. The entire hair follicle should is then removed at the root.

The Benefits:

It is done quickly, cleanly and as painless as possible!

Temporary results can turn into permanent. Over time, frequent waxing can cause the hair follicle to become damaged, and stop growing hair!

No more razor burn!

New Ask the Expert

Check out my "Ask the Expert" Q n A of the week: 


"could you enlighten me on the magic concoction w/ Retinol?"


read at:  http://www.beauty-nook.com/ask-the-expert.php

Sugar, Sugar

Emily introduces the Sugaring Hair Removal Technique, and discusses the benefits with a demo clip.

Top 8 reasons to sugar: 

1. 
   
   Pure and Natural Ingredients:
   completely natural - made from sugar, lemon and guar gum. It's so pure it's safe enough to eat, and is even safe to use on sensitive skin. --wax contains resins, bees wax and other chemicals.
2. 
   
   More Sanitary:
   hypoallergenic and noncomedogenic: sugar paste is applied with a gloved hand, and a fresh ball of sugar paste is used for each client, meaning no risk of cross contamination. --wax: bacteria easily breeds in the wax pot. A wood spatula is repeatedly dipped in the same wax pot that is used from client to client.
3. 
   
   Less Painful:
   sugar will not stick to live skin cells, only the dead skin cells are removed, so there is less risk of abrasions/tearing and generally less redness than waxing. --wax: adheres to live skin cells and when removed it will pull the skin increasing the risk of tearing and redness.
4. 
   
   Not Hot:
   sugar paste is lukewarm when it is applied, so there ís no risk of burning the skin. -wax: resin waxes are heated to high temperatures to keep them fluid, so burning is a risk.
5. 
   
   Better Technique:
   sugar paste is applied against the natural direction of hair growth, then removed in the direction of growth... resulting in less painful hair removal and less hair breakage. --wax: applied in the direction of hair growth and removed against the natural direction of hair growth. Frequently results in breakage of hair at the follicle, which can lead to ingrown hairs and unsightly bumps.
6. 
   
   Extract Very Short Hairs:
   hair growth need only be 1/8 inch long to be removed (about 7 days growth). --wax: need at least 2-3 weeks growth before the hair can be removed.
7. 
   
   Sugaring is Gentle:
   sugaring is so gentle it can be used to remove the vellus hair that grows on some women's faces (something that cannot be done with waxing).
8. 
   
   Easy Clean Up:
   sugar paste dissolves easily in water and there's no sticky residue left on your skin. --wax: requires the use of chemical solvents to remove.

The Lowdown on Latisse

Want the longest lashes? Plenty of women are turning to Latisse to make their eyelashes surreal. I've seen it in action, and it is pretty amazing. Here are some before and after shots from the Latisse website: 

These images are not retouched, and the models are not wearing mascara. The women that I know who use this have had similar results, and I am so impressed with the results. 

Keep in mind that you will have to get a prescription, and I do recommend actually seeing a doctor, opposed to just going into a dermatologists office and picking it up. Certain types of skin can react differently and be sure to read all the side effects throughly to understand the risks. Here's an article in the New York Times explaining the risks, and sharing the story of one woman who dealt with the side effects. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/health/02latisse.html?hpw

So go and get those lashes long, but know what you're getting into! 

Hot Wax on your Lady Parts? Where did that come from?

Brazilian wax often called a Full Bikini wax is a technique where most or all of the hair is removed from the bikini area. This waxing technique developed as result of the reduction in size of swim wear. The following is a brief historical time line of how the Brazilian Wax came into being:-

• 1920s - Athletic Tank Suits - Fashion pundits were left reeling with some of the newer all revealing figure hugging swimsuits that revealed the body limbs more clearly than had ever been seen in public before.
  
• 1930s - Feminine cotton printed bathing suits often with little over skirts to hide the thighs gradually replaced the ugly 20's fashion. The 20's suit which sometimes sported cutout sections in the midriff panel disappeared as it evolved into a two piece garment.
  
• 1940s - Corsetry was losing popularity, but the new more revealing swim suits really needed experts to design garments that hid faults in a woman's shape. They achieved this by adding stretch tummy control panels to hold in the stomach. Manufacturers also used bra cups and boning to give bust support. Costume could then be worn either strapless or with small straps that buttoned onto the inside. The modern bikini was patented by Louis Reard in 1946. His design was more akin to the skimpy string 1970's bikinis. Bikinis made news then and as versions have become skimpier they have always attracted attention. When the Bikini was named its impact was likened to an atomic explosion.
  
• 1950s - Corset based costumes continued to gain popularity as women became more liberated. People started wearing two piece costumes and the bikini was worn openly.
  
• 1960s - Corset type full costumes were still the standard norm but the bikini gained imense popularity. By the mid 1960s, fabrics were mainly nylon or Lycra or a mix of the two materials. The all important factor was stretch and pull on like a pair of panties. By the late sixties swimsuits had revealing side mesh net panels or cut out midriffs filled in with see through plastic rings.
  
• 1970s - Bikinis become skimpier and narrower! The G string or Brazilian Tanga become the newer or more risque version of the bikini!
  
• 1980s - The G-string or even more revealing - the thong also called the Brazilian tanga gains in popularity. The tanga was worn more and more often in Europe and America in the 1980s and became very usual by the 1990s among the young. With it came a boon in pubic waxing and the Brazilian wax. The Brazilian wax concept was bought to New York in 1987 by seven Brazilian sisters, Jocely, Jonice, Joyce, Janea, Jussara, Juracy, and Judseia Padilha. These seven pioneering women opened J. Sisters International Salon in midtown Manhattan. Women's bikini lines were changed forever!
  
• 1990s - The thong and the tanga are accepted universally and the Brazilian Wax and the Sphinx Wax gain massive popularity not only as a swim wear accessory but as a fashion statement and health adjunct.
  
• 2000s - The Brazillian Wax is common place across the whole world and is a complete industry all in itself along with a pot pouri of waxes, intimate shavers, depilatories, lasers and other hair removal systems.

For the full article go to: Brazilian Waxing, Everything You Need To Know