DermaQuest and IMAGE Sunscreens Featured in Skin Inc. Magazine!

Two of our absolute favorite (non-mineral) sunscreens were featured in Skin Inc Magazine’s top 12 sunscreens!!!!

Number one on their list is DermaQuest’s SPF 30 ZinClear:

“ZinClear SPF 30 physical sunscreen from DermaQuest Skin Therapy is formulated with zinc oxide that absorbs quickly without leaving a white residue on the skin. Broad-spectrum coverage protects the skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays while antioxidants provide the skin with further protection. Ideal for sensitive skin types and for use during a professional treatment series.”

Coming in at third place is IMAGE skincare’s Ultimate Preventative Moisturizer SPF 35:

“Ultimate Preventative Moisturizer SPF 35 from Image Skincare is a purely physical broad-spectrum UVA/UVB moisturizer that provides skin with protection and prevention. Grapeseed-derived stem cells extend the longevity of skin cells, as well as resveratrol that reduces the risk of free radical damage caused by the sun.”

To learn more about proper sun care or to purchase, call for your free consultaion:

720.314.1965

Top Skin Care Ingredients of 2010

In a recent article by Sam Dhatt, M.S., M.B.A, the latest developments and discoveries in skin care ingredients are highlighted and explained. Some of these ingredients are tried-and-true favorites of the aesthetic community, while others are brand new and hot on the lips of those in the know.

Dhatt begins (and rightly so) with some of the essentials of skin care, all chalked up to #1. His tried-and-tue favorites are: hyalauronic acid, vitamin C, and alpha hydroxy acids. Each of these ingredients run the gamut of skin care products and each are essential in anti-aging, cell turnover, and even acne treatment.

Next up, he shines the light on zinc, an easily forgotten yet highly important mineral- especially when it comes to sun protection. Many people seem to forget that sun damage is wounded skin, and wounded skin is aging skin. Protecting your skin from the sun is of utmost importance and zinc is the knight in shining armor of sun protection. Recently, huge developments have been made regarding the application of zinc. Gone are the days of old when zinc meant a big white streak across your nose. Now, with new micronized formulations, zinc can be formulated into a lotion that is completely clear on the skin.

Photosomes are next on Dhatt’s list. Photosomes are plankton extracts which, when exposed to extreme UV rays actually use the energy from said sunight (or, UV rays) to repair existing ultraviolet damage. They can be found in sun care products from sunscreens to moisturizers. In essence, they almost negate being in the sun in the first place!

As Dhatt himself says, no top-10 list would be complete without an antioxidants category. His antioxidants of choice are vitamins A and E, green tea, and vitamin C. Again, each of these ingredients plays a crucial role in the anti-aging process. But remember: apply your vitamin C in the AM and your vitamin A in the PM.

Following antioxidants on Dhatt’s list is an ingredient that may sound a bit foreign to some. Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) has been touted as the “universal antioxidant” because it fights free-radicals on the outside and inside of the cell membrane, as well as the inside of the cell itself. Further, once it crosses the cell membrane, it is broken down into an even more powerful free-radical neutralizer: dihydrolipoic acid (DHA). However, it’s next super power is one we hold near and dear to our hearts. Have you ever forgotten to screw the cap all the way back on your vitamin C, E, or co-Q 10? ALA has the power to actually regenerate these formulas once they have become oxidized (used). Talk about a team player!

Next is another ingredient that you may or may not have heard of. Idebenone has been called the “king of the next generation of antioxidants” due to its ability to both repair and protect the skin from sun damage. If you aren’t yet familiar with idebenone, you may know its close relative, coenzyme Q10, a powerful antioxidant that has long been used in skin care. But look for your favorite products to begin replacing co-Q10 with idebenone, for idebenone has better penetrative qualities, bringing more oxygen into your cells which generates healthy cell renewal and protects fat molecules from becoming oxidized or infused with free-radicals. Think of idebenone as a cellular bodyguard.

Dhatt’s next two picks are not nearly as scientific as the former. Olive trees have been researched for centuries, from the oil to the fruit and now more than ever: the leaf. Natural olive leaf extract has been shown to protect the lipids in cell walls from oxidation. Another study showed a dramatic increase in skin elasticity- 63% on the forehead and 81% on the cheek. Look for this ingredient to become a household name! Dhatt’s other pick from the natural world is emblica, an antioxidant isolated from phyullanthus emblica, an edible fruit that is a key treatment plant is Ayurvedic medicine. In addition to being a great antioxidant, emblica is also an extremely efficient- and safe- lightening agent. Due to emblica’s vast arsenal of benefits, many skin care lines are using it to replace the popular skin-bleaching hydroquinone.

Rounding out Dhatt’s list of favorites is one of our personal favorites, too.  Dhatt says, “peptides have brought anti-aging to a new level of care in both the skin care room and in home care.” Collagen, a close relative of peptides, cannot penetrate the epidermis due to its large molecular size. Fortunately, peptides have been reengineered from amino acid chains to penetrate the skin with ease. Within the peptide family, there are many varieties.

Palitoyl pentapeptide-3, more commonly known as Matrixyl is an incredibly impressive antioxidant that also carries the power to stimulate new collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the dermal layer of skin as no other topical ingredient has. It’s not an overnight cure, but have patience and you will reap the amazing benefits of Matrixyl over time.

Acetyl hexapeptide-3, also known as Argireline is a six-amino-acid chain that actually works similar to BOTOX because it keeps the signal protein (catecholamine) from connecting to the cell to trigger a muscle contraction– but without the paralysis that BOTOX causes. Hexapeptides are one of the most sought after ingredients today- look for it in an array of products from eye creams to moisturizers.

Lastly, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-3 has shown breakthroughs in improving microcirculation, increasing the oxygen supply to tissues and strengthening and protecting the integrity of the collagen and elastin in the skin. And like any good antioxidant, tetrapeptides minimize free-radical damage and reduce inflammation. All of this results in a reduction of puffiness and dark circles around the eyes and a noticeable reduction in wrinkles and fine lines. Look for peptides in at-home products as well as treatments in the spa or from your aesthetician for noticeably more youthful skin.

 

To learn more about any of these ingredients, or to set up a personal skin care consultation, call:

720.314.1965

or email:

refreshlaser@comcast.net

And stay tuned: we have very exciting news to announce within the next few days!!!!

 

Protect Your Skin from the Sun the Refresh Way!

Preventing sun damage and skin cancer is very serious business, especially for us folk living so near to the sun here in Colorado.

As we have said before, and will again: There is an 8-10% increase in UV intensity for every 1,000 feet gained in altitude.

Here’s a great way to visually see what variables effect UV intensity:

Now, before we even get into the great ways to protect yourself from the sun’s UVA and UVB rays, let’s lay down some serious (and frightening!) facts about Skin Cancer:

• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More that one million skin cancers are diagnosed annually.
• Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of breast, prostate, lung and colon.
• One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.
• Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer; about one million of the cases diagnosed annually are basal cell carcinomas. Basal cell carcinomas are rarely fatal, but can be highly disfiguring.
• Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer. More than 250,000 cases are diagnosed each year, resulting in approximately 2,500 deaths.
• Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the two major forms of non-melanona skin cancer. Between 40 and 50% of Americans who live to age 65 will have either skin cancer at least once.
• In 2004, the total direct cost associated with the treatment for non-melanoma skin cancers was more than $1 billion.
• About 90% of non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
• Up to 90% of the visible changes commonly attributed to aging are caused by the sun.
• Contrary to popular belief, 80% of a person’s lifetime sun exposure is not acquired before age 18; only about 23% of a lifetime exposure occurs by age 18.

Onto the good stuff!!!

Vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid): Vitamin C (applied topically) is truly a wonder vitamin for you skin in terms of sun care, and most importantly anti-aging. According to the American Chronicle,

“Vitamin C, being an anti-oxidant, reduces the sun damage caused on the skin by neutralizing free radicals. It thus reduces sun damage to an extent. Though it cannot be used as a sunscreen, but if formulated with sunscreens, it adds to the property of protection against sun damage. Vitamin C also stimulates collagen and elastin production in the skin. As we age, we lose collagen. We also lose collagen because of sun exposure. Vitamin C helps reduce this loss of collagen. Vitamin C topicals are therefore used to reduce age lines and sun damage. It may also protect against sunburn to a certain extent.”

In a similar article, the role of Vitamin C in photoaging is discussed,

“Vitamin C plays a potent role in diminishing the effects of free radical damage and in this role can be quite effective as a protectant from ultra violet (UV) light damage. The advantage of Vitamin C over a sunscreen is that Vitamin C can be absorbed into the cells and is generally still present about 30-36 hours after it has been applied topically to the skin. It will, therefore, still give sun protection even though the subject may have washed their skin or gone swimming. As a result of this we can expect that Vitamin C can slow down photoageing.”

Here are our favorite Vitamin C products:

• ViDerm Vitamin C 20% Serum: Contains the highest concentration of Vitamin C available, visibly and immediately tones and firms skin, leaves skin glowing, and stimulates collagen. Plus, it goes on silky smooth and absorbs immediately- no sticky or filmy residue like some Vitamin C serums. ($80 Buy it now)
• Vital Therapy’s Vitamin C with Caffeine: Ted (owner/scientist/skin care god) says, “This is probably the most important skin care product. It only protects the skin from UV damage, it also is the best anti-aging compound for the skin. The increase of collagen and elastin only takes place if Vitamin C is present in the skin! This [...] is a highly concentrated Vitamin C serum with proven antioxidant and regenerative properties to help fight and repair the signs of aging by building collagen and elastin. The ingredients in the Vitamin C serum contain active ingredients that provide a direct benefit to the skin and are not just carriers.” It also contains 20% Vitamin C. ($40-$80 Buy it now)
• C-Vit Revitalizing Facial Lotion: Reduces wrinkles and signs of aging such as spots. It can help control losses of luminosity, flaccidity and skin lacking smoothness. It prevents facial photoaging and fights free radicals. ($40 Buy it now)

Sunscreen (at least SPF 15. At least.): According to the Skin Cancer Foundation,

“Sunscreens are chemical agents that help revent the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin. Two types of ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB, damage the skin and increase your risk of skin cancer. UVB is the chief culprit behind sunburn, while UVA rays, which penetrate the skin more deeply, are associated with wrinkling, leathering, sagging, and other effects of photoaging. They also exacerbate the carcinogenic effects of UVB rays, and increasingly are being seen as a cause of skin cancer on their own. Sunscreens vary in their ability to protect against UVA and UVB.
Most sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher do an excellent job of protecting against UVB. SPF- or Sun Protection Factor- is a measure of a sunscreen’s ability to prevent UVB from damaging the skin. Here’s how it works:  If it takes 20 minutes for your unprotected skin to start turning red, using an SPF 15 sunscreen theoretically prevents reddening 15 times longer- about five hours. Another way to look at is in terms of percentages: SPF 15 blocks approximately 93% of all incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 blocks 97%, and SPF 50 blocks 98%. They may seem like negligible differences, but if you are light-sensitive, or have a history of skin cancer, those extra percentages will make a difference. And as you can see, no sunscreen can block all UV rays.
But there are problems with the SPF model: First, no sunscreen, regardless of strength, should be expected to stay effective longer than two hours without reapplication. Second, the ‘reddening’ of the skin is a reaction to UVB rays alone and tells you little about what UVA damage you may be getting. Plenty of damage can be done without the red flag of sunburn being raised.”

Here are our favorite Sunscreens:

Sunforgettable SPF 30 Retractable Brushes: The first mineral sunscreen with the Skin Cancer Foundation’s seal of approval! ColoreScience SPF rated products are full-spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays. These products are rated “very water resistant.” The key to physical sun protection is micronized titanium dioxide and micronized zinc oxide. Found naturally in minerals, neither will clog pores nor dry the skin. Both are quite remarkable in that they allow light to pass through the visible ray region (light is needed for healthy development of skin) while intercepting ultraviolet rays. Both ingredients guard against the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays ,while giving the skin a natural looking, flawless finish. Research shows that both provide a natural barrier to UVA and UVB radiation without irritating, burning, or stinging. Available in All Clear, Perfectly Clear and Almost Clear ($45 Buy it now)

Wild to Mild SPF 20 Skin Bronzer: This product truly does it all! It is a sunscreen, a bronzer, a makeup primer, a skin soother, line smoother, and an antioxidant!!!! Whew! And although it appears very bronze and café au lait in color- the nature of the minerals allow for a very sheer application that blends to any skin tone. Or, crank up the volume and get tanfastic the safe way! ($45 Buy it now)

Sunforgettable SPF 30 Eyescreen: This silicone-based powder comes in the softest shade of pink to not only protect that delicate skin around the eyes from sun damage- but also to conceal those obnoxious dark circles. It goes on like butter and really should be a necessity in any gal’s makeup bag. ($20 Buy it now)

And lastly, I think this is really useful information for us ladies who awake each morning, only to stare into the abyss that is our cosmetic bag and go, “Well- what do I do???!”

Take the Skin Cancer Foundation’s word and follow these steps:

“If you’re a regular sunscreen user who also uses cosmetics or topical medications, you’ve probably wondered what the proper order is for applying these products. Does sunscreen go on first? Last? In the middle?

“I suggest if you’re a regular sunscreen user who also uses cosmetics or topical medications, to apply them first, then suscreen,” says Bradford R. Katchen, MD, associate professor of dermatology, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York City. “If sunscreen is applied first, it might interfere with the medication’s penetration and might inactivate the active ingredient. For that reason, medication should always be the first product applied to a clean, washed face.”

“If you’re also using a moisturizer, it should go on after the medication and before the sunscreen,” adds Rosemarie Ingleton, MD, attending physician Beth Israel Medical Center and clinical instructor, Mount Sinai Medical Center. “Applying a moisturizer after the medication could actually enhance penetration of the medication,” she notes. “If the moisturizer does not contain an SPF, apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher next. Finally, apply foundation, powder, blush, and any other colored cosmetics.”

To recap, the layering process goes as follows: medication, moisturizer, sunscreen, foundation, powder, and blush.

To get any more information about skin care, preventative care, or any of the products mentioned:

Call 720.314.1965

Eye Love ColoreScience!

In July of this year, ColoreScience launched their Sunforgettable SPF 30 Eyescreen, yet another way protection is made pretty. Kimberly has been using {and swearing by} the EyeScreen since we received it. It has done wonders for not only covering the dark spotsand circles under her eyes {hyper-pigmentation}, but also reversing it!

Not that I was skeptical because I, too, swear by the entire ColoreScience line- but I thought that as a 24 year old with minimal sun damage, it would just find its way to the bottom of my makeup bag. Until about 15 minutes ago. I got myself an orb and thought I would see what a difference it would make.

And, oh my, what a difference it made!!!

Instantly, my eyes looked brighter, wider, more awake, and more evenly blended into the rest of my makeup. I initially put it on just one eye to see if I could actually tell a difference. I had to go back and put it on the other to even myself out. I looked quite strange with one radiant, bright eye and one darkish, tired looking eye.

It’s official. I’m hooked.

And truly, this product is revolutionary in its essence. For, although we do our best to wear sunglasses, hats, and sunscreen, that oh-so delicate skin around they eye really needs special attention. And with EyeScreen’s added bonus of concealing, this is honestly one of the best tools you can have in your makeup bag {or dopp bag, gentleman- you know you get dark circles, too!}.

Here at the Spa we see this damage almost daily. With the help of our new Reveal Imager, we can see underlying sun damage, and the majority of the time the pictures come out and literally, the area around they eye looks almost black because the damage is so severe.

Unfortunately, it is an easy area to neglect. We think our sunglasses have got us covered, and the last thing anyone wants is goopy sunscreen around their eyes with the chance of it getting in their eyes. Ouch!

Here’s what ColoreScience says about their amazing new product:

The light pink powder plays tricks on the eyes, camouflaging dark circles and fine lines in just a few quick magical strokes. Velvety in feel, Eyescreen brightens the eye area while concealing. Merciless sun rays are often to blame for breaking down the skin’s elasticity and natural resistance around the eyes. This leaves an already sensitive area even more prone to dreaded wrinkles and age spots. Protect, diffuse and accentuate with Sunforgettable SPF 30 Eyescreen by Colorescience.

And for only $20, this is a steal. The orb comes with its own lovely brush and is about the size of golf ball. I would guess that one orb should last at least eight months if not more. I think this is the ultimate Winter must-have. We tend to be more tired in these cold, grey days, so what could be better than perfect, bright eyes to combat the Winter doldrums?!