At-Home Pumpkin Masque

Did you know that this season's most popular ingredient can actually benefit your skin? 

Pumpkin is a rich source of nutrients and antioxidants that can help your skin achieve a healthy glow throughout the season and a number of cosmetics and skincare lines actually offer beauty products that contain pumpkin enzymes as a leading ingredient. Pumpkin treatments can be enjoyed on a regular basis at the spa or at home using masques, body wraps and essential oil blends of pumpkin and spice.

Pumpkin facials utilize the pumpkin enzyme which can soothe and protect your skin while body wraps and massages that use pumpkin ingredients can hydrate and brighten up your skin giving you just the boost you need to nourish your tired and dry fall skin. Pumpkin peels can help with breakouts and acne problems helping to soothe and reduce inflammation naturally - Ready to indulge in a calorie-free pumpkin treat? 

Here's how to make your own pumpkin facial masque at home...

1) Mix together into a paste:
2  teaspoons canned or fresh pumpkin
1/2  teaspoon honey
1/2  teaspoon whole milk
1/4  teaspoon cinnamon spice

2) Brush paste onto freshly cleansed skin

3) Let masque dry for about 15-20 minutes

4) Rinse with warm water and cleanse skin with heated towel

5) Enjoy your natural fall glow!

Salicylic > Benzoyl Peroxide

There are two primary ingredients we use in skin care to get rid of acne - Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acid. In some cases you may have encountered products that use both however many people do not know the benefits of Salicylic Acid or the drawbacks of Benzoyl Peroxide.

The truth about Benzoyl Peroxide is that is dries out your skin. And if you're fighting acne this may sound like a good thing but it leads to irritation. When your skin becomes overly dry it produces more oil to compensate for the dryness and when combined with the dead skin cells on the surface of your skin it can clog pores and actually create more breakouts! An additional issue with Benzoyl Peroxide is that it can cause skin irritations that then increase redness and flaking on your skin and a number of studies have actually linked BP with the creation of free radicals and increased instances of sun damage.

Many skin care professionals believe that the best acne products use Salicylic Acid instead of Benzoyl Peroxide. Acne is not just caused by oil that needs to be dried up on your skin it is also caused by the build up of dead skin cells on the skin's surface - Those dead skin cells then combine with surface oil to clog pores and cause the bacteria that creates acne to multiply.  Instead of treating acne by drying your skin up Salicylic Acid helps to shed the dead skin cells from within the pores themselves before dead skin cells can clog pores ensuring that you have clear pores that can’t be clogged.

Salicylic Acid can take up to four weeks to purge and cleanse your pores so you will want to be patient with the results however in the long term it will keep your skin clear without over drying, irritating and ultimately leading to signs of premature aging.

Cystic Acne

Cystic Acne is the most dreaded form of breakout and can often be very painful. This type of acne usually appears on the cheek, jaw, neck, chest and back and may vary from a tiny sized sore-like cyst formation to a very painful few inches deep within a pore. Once Cystic Acne formations break out the bacteria spreads easily to other pores and areas of the skin causing more infection. They take much longer to heal than the common acne and can often leave unsightly pockmarks and blemishes. Experts have found that heredity plays a crucial factor in a person's chances of developing Cystic Acne however there are other possible causes of this type of acne including Bacteria, Excessive sebum production and grime. Cystic Acne is not easily cured by over-the-counter products and most often requires a visit to the dermatologist for some prescription acne medications and medical extractions.  Light Therapy can be a helpful part of your treatment as well as regular facials, and aftercare with a skin care therapist is also very important for Cystic Acne to prevent scaring and hyperpigmentation.

Cellulite & Breakouts

Cellulite & Acne Breakouts have two things in common - 1. They are among our most popular treatment requests and 2. They are both negative effects caused by chronic blockages of Lymph.

All things in nature have a natural progression and when this motion is inhibited or jammed up concerns arise. When this occurs in your Lymph System you feel it quickly! Think of a river - A healthy river runs clean and clear but a brackish river chugs along, thick with soot and silt that can get snagged pocketing pollution along the way. Eventually the sluggish river can become a breeding ground for bacteria and disease and the same is true for the lymph in your body.

Because lymph cleanses nearly every cell in your body symptoms of chronic lymph blockage can include various skin breakouts, acne and cellulite in addition to other health problems like allergies and infections, loss of appetite and gastrointestinal issues, muscle cramping, breast tenderness, mood irregularities, fatigue and more. In general you may feel tired and toxic with heaviness in your abdomen.

Stagnant lymph can also interfere with the system's ability to cleanse pore potentially hazardous concerns like cancerous cells from organ tissue, bacteria or other diseases - These infections move through the lymph fluid where they are targeted and destroyed in the lymph nodes when the system is adequate to the task.

Rejuvenating your Lymph System  through Lymphatic Massage, regular detoxes, and other health precautions like physical exercise, deep breathing, adequate water intake, healthy diet, etc. can actually reduce your susceptibility to skin breakouts, acne and even cellulite!

If have concerns about Cellulite or Breakouts and would like to get more information about Lymphatic Massage please call the spa today to schedule an appointment with one of our trained professionals.

ACNEGENIC

The word "Acnegenic" refers to products that produce or aggravate lesions of acne and is often used interchangeably with the word "Comedogenic" which refers more specifically to a type of a acne breakout called Comedones aka Blackheads. 

Basically if your skin is prone to breakouts you will want to avoid using all products that contain acnegenic ingredients. These common ingredients can be hiding within even some of the best products on the market including acne treatment products, which result in an ineffective treatment for your breakouts. When in doubt about a product's acnegenic or comedogenic potential always consult with your Esthetician or Dermatologist!

The Top-4 Ingredients to watch out for are...


1. Lanolin - Fatty substance derived from Sheep's Wool is a known emollient with moisturizing properties that can have skin clogging capabilities that trigger the cycle of breakouts.

2. Mineral Oil - Used in many products and has been shown to cause/aggravate acne by physically blocking water loss in the Stratum Corneum.

3. D & C Pigments - Dyes and Coal Tar derivatives have exhibited highly comedogenic and acnegenic properties.

4. Fragrance - Artificial fragrances can increase acne infections, sun sensitivity and sensitization.

The Truth About Sugar

The truth simply put is that Sugar causes you to look older! 

Most people don't know this but one of the easiest ways to look healthier and younger instantly is to cut back on your sugar intake. Sugar (and High-Glycemic Carbohydrates) causes your skin to look dull and it can also lead to Wrinkles and other health problems like Obesity & Diabetes, Migraines, Gum Disease, Eczema and even Acne. 

Although Acne has various contributing factors such as overactive oil glands and hormone levels it can also occur from inflammation in your skin resulting from a rapid rise in blood sugar. Large quantities of sugar can compromise your immune function and result in a rapid increase in insulin production which also increases oil production and inflammation throughout the whole body.

Glycation is a natural process that occurs in the body when sugar enters the bloodstream and attaches itself to proteins to form new molecules. These sugar coated protein molecules are called AGEs for short (Advanced Glycation End-products) and they increase with the amount of sugar you eat, which is damaging to the Collagen and Elastin fibers needed to keep your skin firm, wrinkle free and youthful. As the Collagen in your skin weakens and becomes less resilient the AGE molecules are actually deactivating your body's natural antioxidants - Which means your skin is more prone to Sun Damage, Stress, Bacteria and other harmful free-radicals which in the worst-case-scenario can actually cause Cancer too as we have seen in so many cases with smokers.

Below are a few easy to follow tips to help you get started with healthier looking young skin 

Tip #1  Cut back on the sweet things in your diet - Increase your fruits and vegetables which will provide you with natural carbs your body can use. They are more gradually absorbed and result in much less sugar coating of your body's essential proteins needed for healthy skin. Sugar can be tough to kick so don't be surprised if you find this difficult at first but don't be discouraged - Remember that it's about making progress not achieving perfection, and cutting back your sugar intake is better than doing nothing at all.

Tip #2  Eat more protein - This will help curb your cravings and control your blood sugar and insulin. As your blood sugar stabilizes and the cravings start to go away you should notice your skin becoming firmer as well.

Tip #3  Drink plenty of water - This is an essential step in any detox. You all know the drill, so drink 8 glasses a day because that's what they say ☺

Tip #4  Watch out for Hidden Sugars - Fast food and pre-packaged foods like Coca-Cola, crackers, cans of soup, bags of chips, etc often contain a lot of sugar disguised with clever names like Corn Syrup, Dextrose, Juice Concentrate or Malt and they even lurk in Salad Dressings! These sweeteners can be hard to identify so be aware and read the labels whenever you're buying packaged foods. Fructose Corn Syrup is the worst of all - It's a sweetener made with altered cornstarch and it produces more AGE molecules than any other type of sugar.

The good news is it's never too late - Let beauty be your inspiration and put these simple tricks to use to protect your health from sugar and get gorgeous looking skin all the time. Blue Diamond Spa loves you so don't forget to love yourself too! XOXO

Fall Microderm Treatments

As we move into the Autumn Season we begin to notice the harsh effects that summertime heat and tanning had on our skin and we can see how the weather has physically taken a toll on our complexion. Autumn is an optimum time for a skin resurfacing treatment because the sunlight and other environmental factors are just right to nuture our skin while it sheds off dead cells and rebuilds new vibrant layers.

The results of Microderm Abrasion skin resurfacing are really nothing short of amazing and have been well received by the medical community at large. Microderm Abrasion is typcially used to treat a variety of superficial skin imperfections including:  Skin Discoloration, Fine Lines & Wrinkles, Acne Scars, Age Spots, Stretch Marks, Small Scars, Enlarged Pores, Dull Skin and Sun Damage. The procedure is simple, straight forward, non-invasive and revitalizing. Tiny crystals are vacuumed across the surface of the skin to remove dead cells and resurface the skin's top layer - It's more powerful and less risky than many surgical proceedures and chemical peels, and rejuvenates the skin to restore its natural glow. Over time clients can expect to see a general refinement of the texture and appearance of their skin. Microderm Abrasion is most commonly used on the face however it is also effective on other parts of the body including the hands, back, and upper chest.

Most clients have reported the feeling of a "tingling sensation" during the procedure but the treatment is painless and you can do it on your lunch break. The skin does usually look slightly reddened and sensitized in the first 24-hours after the procedure so it is more important than ever to use sun protection including a full spectrum sunscreen. For best results from your Microderm Abrasion skin resurfacing treatments come into the spa for regularly scheduled procedures over a period of time - We recommend a minimum of five procedures spaced about two weeks apart though some clients will want more treatments.

Microderm Abrasion is one of the most popular non-surgical skin resurfacing procedures in the world but one thing you cannot ignore is your medical history - If you are taking any medications that may affect your autoimmune system or circulation, or if you are have been on Accutane recently or in the past it is important to consult with your doctor first to get everything cleared before you show up to your first appointment at the spa. Accutane increases skin sensitivity which is why you should wait 6-12 months before having any skin resurfacing technique. Pregnant or Nursing women and Teens may be contraindicated for this treatment as well - It is best to wait until your hormones settle down before having Microderm Abrasion because hormones can inhibit the effectiveness of your treatment. Microderm Abrasion Skin Resurfacing is also contraindicated for people with Active Rosacea, Diabetes, Lupus, Eczema, Psoriasis, Herpes, Malignant Skin Tumors and Undiagnosed Lesions.

If you would like to book a Microderm Abrasion Skin Resurfacing treatment series with us please call (310) 577-2211 to arrange your first appointment with one of our trained professionals at Blue Diamond Spa.