Posts Tagged ‘Fine Lines’

The Favorite Part of a Facial

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Perhaps every one’s favorite part of a facial, the massage often feels so nice it is hard to believe there are real improvements happening to your skin.  At Sano I have always tried to remind people that facials are one of the wonderful things in the world that have tangible health benefits and also feel so much like a luxurious treat.  Facial massage is the perfect example of why this argument is true.

Effleurage (sweeping strokes) facial massage slows down the aging process by effecting the skin in a number of ways.  Perhaps the most obvious is the relaxation of facial muscles.  This releases tension that can cause strain on the skin and lessens the appearance of wrinkles as well as preventing the formation of new ones.  Facial massage also increases circulation to the skin.  The increased blood flow brings with it more oxygen and nutrients which help keep skin soft, supple and healthy.  Additionally, facial massage works to deeply penetrate moisturizers into the skin.  All skin types can benefit from increased hydration, and when the massage is preformed after both steaming and professional exfoliation, which opened pores and removes dead skin, the moisturizer used as an emollient is worked deeply into the skin and has even greater results.

At Sano, facial treatments all include a combination of both traditional effleurage massage as well as Shiatsu (accupressure).  Shiatsu applies pressure to points on the face which work to stimulate the flow of energy along specific meridians.  Various points on the face have a profound effect on reducing tension headaches and eye strain, releasing sinus pressure or congestion and alleviating  jaw or muscle pain.

Both techniques leave people feeling highly relaxed.  This incredible feeling of relaxation was recently studied by a group at Kyushu University.  The results of the test show that facial massage has a measurable effect on the sympathetic nervous system, decreasing anxiety and lifting the spirits.

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Exfoliation

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Exfoliating is one of the most important things we can be doing for our skin.  The stratum corneum is the outer most layer of the epidermis.  It is composed of dead cells that are continually sloughed off and replaced by new cells that have risen through the layers of the skin.

In young, healthy skin this process of healthy cells rising, dying and being slough off  takes approximately 30 days.  But as we age our hormones change and this process begins to slow down.  Quality exfoliation keeps the dead skin cells sloughing off and encourages the skin to continue turning over at the optimal rate.

Exfoliation comes in two forms.  Mechanical exfoliating ingredients can often be found in treatment products or are often added into cleansers.  These include things like crushed nuts, seeds or pits, manufactured beads or finely ground sugar or salt.  By working these ingredients into the skin the dead skin cells are manually sloughed or knocked off.

Chemical exfoliants come as either an acid or an enzyme.  Acids such as alphahydroxy acids or betahydroxy acids include ingredients such as glycolic, lactic or saliycilic acids.  The acids work by loosening the bond between the cells in the stratum corneum which allows the cells to fall away from the skin.  Enzyme peels have a similar effect, but work by dissolving the actual dead skin cell.  Acid and enzyme exfoliants are available for purchase “over the counter” at a certain concentration, are available at higher concentrations in salons and spas when applied by an esthetician, and at an even higher concentration at a Dermatologists where they can be used to entirely remove the top layer of skin.

By using exfoliation to accelerate the natural turn-over in our skin it is possible to emulate the turnover rates of young, healthy skin.  It is important to be careful though, as too much exfoliation can be very damaging to the skin, causing redness, sores, irritation and pigmentation changes, and the tolerance of individual skin types will vary.  It is best to use the most gentle form on a daily basis (I recommend using a wash cloth to wipe away cleanser).  Further exfoliation can be done at home on a weekly basis (such as a scrub) and professional exfoliation can be done monthly at a spa.

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Why Eye Creams?

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Looking in the mirror the other day I noticed “them” for the first time. Although I know I will never regret all of those smiles I have cracked over the years (and I refuse to stop now), I guess it is time to invest in an eye cream.

Fine lines and wrinkles start out around you eyes because it is the area on your face with the fewest oil glands. Dry skin is the first to show signs of aging, because it is the oil on our skin that helps to hold in moisture. And it doesn’t help that the thin, delicate skin around our eyes is always moving. The elasticity of our skin is often compared to a rubber band. As it is stretched over and over again, it begins to loose it’s resilience. Additionally, the skin around our eyes is also rich with tiny capillaries, and due to the thinness of the skin they are very close to the surface. Rubbing, itching and roughly removing makeup are easy ways to damage these capillaries. They can certainly break, leaving a small red mark or line, but even just increasing the circulation to the area causes them to swell and appear darker.

There is no avoiding it…this area needs extra attention!

You are never too young to start using an eye cream as it is a great way to help ward off this first sign of maturing skin…and please don’t ever think it is too late! Creams that are designed for the eye area have many benefits, and there are a number of formulations that can address any concern or level of damage.

Eye creams most often come in two formulations, Gel or Cream. A gel eye cream works by cooling, tightening and hydrating the area around your eyes. This is a great choice for younger people, or those of you who are not yet seeing the first signs of lines. This is also an option if you are concerned specifically about dark circles. For an added treat, try keeping your eye gel in the refrigerator. The cool temperature will help constrict the micro-capillaries further reducing any dark circles or puffiness.

Eye creams tend to be a thicker, heavier weight formulation that focus more on locking in moisture. They often include ingredients that aid in plumping up and/or brightening dull, dehydrated skin, and are soothing as well as ultra-hydrating.

It is safe to say that everyone should be using a product specific for the eye area! This skin is worthy of the extra attention, and just a little bit of effort will offer noticeable results. Your makeup will glide on more smoothly, your eyes will open wide and the skin will be relaxed and radiant. There is no need for harsh chemicals or invasive treatments. Just a little everyday TLC!

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