Posted by Tricia Utley on February 14th, 2012, under Skincare
Suffering with dry itchy winter skin? It is very common in the northeast to experience tight flaky skin this time of year.
Many factors contribute to these uncomfortable skin conditions. Environmental factors like lack of humidity in the air and harsh cold wind, home heating, extreme temperatures and very hot showers can wreak havoc on your skin. Especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors.
Your skin has a natural balance that can also be disrupted by using products products that are not ideal. Products that are not pH balanced can make your skin more alkaline and combined with environmental factors can be the perfect recipe for dry itchy or even chapped skin.
If your skin is out of balance you lose components of it’s natural moisturizing factor allowing water loss and resulting in irritated flaky dry skin.
Prevent or treat this condition by:
- Using a humidifier in your home
- Taking luke-warm baths or showers (baths are better for moisture)
- Use a pH balanced body gel (not a soap bar) and enzyme body scrub
- Pat dry with a towel
- Spray your face and body with a humectant toner(sodium pca is a great humectant)
- Moisturize with a lipid based moisturizer on damp skin
- Before going out in extreme weather use an occlusive block to protect your skin from damage.
If your skin is chapped dry or itchy use ingredients containing:
- Oatmeal
- Red hogweed
- Ginger
- Lavender
- Evening primrose
- Raspberry
- Aloe
- Red algea
Posted by Salon Bogar on February 4th, 2012, under Hair
Posted by Salon Bogar on October 27th, 2011, under Boutique
Look what we found on one of our buying trips…
Royal Apothic Eau de Parfum has arrived! Light and fresh, these glam perfume atomizers are a must have.
The fragrances of the collection are inspired by the social clubs of England’s Victorian Age.
There’s sure to be one that you’ll love…
Posted by Larry Watson on October 23rd, 2011, under Musings
Ever since the total salon renovation got underway last week, I started thinking about how we have become a nation of “do it yourselfers”. I remember as a child my parents calling someone in to hang a picture so I certainly would never have found them hanging drywall. Growing up it seemed to me like the only people that knew how do handyman jobs were, not coincidentally, handymen. So why now is it commonplace to find your retired mother tiling the backsplash in her kitchen? Who do we credit with this remarkable shift in remodeling behavior? I have a theory, and it’s not something you would most likely consider getting people off the couch and inspired…television.
Have you ever lost hours of your weekend to HGTV? I have been sucked into that black hole on several Sunday’s and while that pile of laundry didn’t move, I walked away with a few practical and affordable ideas to execute the following weekend (assuming there wasn’t a House Hunters marathon on). Until 1994 when HGTV first entered our channel lineups, they only notable home improvement shows on TV were Bob Vila’s Home Again and Tim Allen’s 90’s sitcom. Martha Stewart was on the scene then, and while serving root vegetable soup in a hollowed pumpkin is a great way to impress guests, it isn’t something you would call empowering.
What HGTV featured that these programs did not was program lineup in which the design and execution was done by women. A market that hadn’t been tapped and in most cases hadn’t been educated in the ways of home improvement. A little TV inspiration can go a long way in the life of someone who is sick and tired of her avocado green counter tops. Do you remember a little show that aired in the early 00’s called Trading Spaces on TLC? $1000 and 2 days to renovate a room in your neighbor’s home and hopefully remain on speaking terms after the big reveal. For it’s time, this show more than any other demonstrated how two average people could make major changes in a home with some imagination and a limited budget. Most recently Extreme Home Makeover on ABC showcases a community of volunteers (along with trained professionals) building an entire home in seven days for deserving families. If that doesn’t inspire you to at least plant a few mums in your front yard you should check your pulse.
While most of us will never pour a concrete foundation in our lives, we probably will change out that bathroom faucet or take down that old wood paneling (please, take it down, call me I’ll help). Times and technology have changed but one thing remains constant and that is the pride that people want to feel about the place they call home. With the advent of On-Demand programming and Youtube there is an endless 24 hour how-to library at our hands to help us tackle the toughest home project. What are you waiting for, that shag carpet isn’t going to take itself out.
Posted by Tricia Utley on October 16th, 2011, under Skincare
We’ve all been there. One minute your skin is clear and bright and the next there is a volcano brewing just under the surface of your skin. It’s human nature to want to pick and try to get rid of the invader as soon as possible. This scenario leads you to a horrible red lesion that can lead to scarring and cause you to feel horrible about your appearance.
The big picture: 66 million Americans have active acne. Though there are many triggers and 4 different types, chances are that either you or someone you know may be suffering with this condition. Acne typically is a hereditary disease and can happen to a person whether there skin is oily or not. For someone with acne the skin on the epidermis sheds more slowly while new dead cells are being created much more rapidly in a process called retention hyperkeratosis. This process keeps the cells from shedding and mixes with sebum which creates a plug. The plug is what is commonly called a blackhead. A blackhead is also known as an open comedone. Congestion in the skin can also be characterized by a bumpy texture, but no opening in the pore. These bumps are called closed comedones. A good home care regimen and regular trips to your skin therapist for customized treatments and gentle extraction can prevent further progression of this condition.
Open and closed comedones combined with triggers like: Stress, cosmetics containing comedogenic ingredients, environmental factors like seasons or work environment as well as nutrition, medications, hormones, friction from synthetic fibers or repetitive rubbing against the skin can lead to enflamed papules and pustules if left untreated. One factor that can contribute to the development of these pustules is the presence of propionibacterium (p. acne bacteria) This bacteria loves life without oxygen which is why is thrives in pores that are congested. A bi-product of this bacteria loving life in our plugged pores is that it creates glycerol and fatty acids which lead to irritation in the pore walls.
At that point our body’s immune response kicks in and sends white blood cells to kill those bacteria. The introduction of white blood cells stretches the pore until it can hold anymore. At this point you will see a white or yellow tip on the top of your pore. The pore keeps swelling and can actually rupture into the dermis ( the live skin under the epidermis which contains important tissue, nerves and immune cells). Picking or squeezing the lesion could make the situation worse because the infection can inadvertently be pushed further down into the tissue as well. Bacteria under the fingernails can also be introduced. The white blood cells from your bodies immune response do a great job killing bacteria, but don’t know the difference between bacteria which are bad and good things like collagen and other beneficial tissue. The result can lead to red scarring from our pigment cells which is an immune response as well and pitting from the collagen and tissue breaking down.
So with all of this information what is the best way to handle an inflamed lesion you ask? The best thing to do is avoid picking and scratching. Probably easier said than done. What is the alternative? Using ingredients that bring down inflammation and kill bacteria. Salycilic acid is the best tool in this situation. It loves oil and can penetrate down into the poor and kill bacteria while being an anti-inflammatory ingredient. Benzoyl peroxide used sparingly will kill bacteria on an infected lesion. For sensitive skin try tea tree as it acts like Benzoyl Peroxide, but is much more gently. Oat extract, licorice and green tea are all great anti-inflammatory ingredients as well. You can also try icing a lesion 15 minutes at a time. A good rule of thumb is when you see red is to reach for one of those ingredients and try to calm your skin down before it gets out of control. Not sure where to start? A good resource is your skin therapist. They can guide you on what ingredients will work best on your skin and safely remove non-inflamed plugs before they cause a problem for you.
Posted by Salon Bogar on September 13th, 2011, under Makeup
The new Jane Iredale Fall Collection has arrived!
It’s called Naturally Confident and it includes goWarm Eye Steppes®, Mania Lip Fixation® and Complete In Touch Highlighter.
Here’s how to achieve this fabulous look:
Face
• With the Handi™ Brush, apply PurePressed® Base in your favorite shade using light, downward strokes.*
• Using the Camouflage Brush, apply Active Light® in your favorite shade to the under-eye area for a brightening effect. For home use, apply directly to the skin and blend using fingertip.*
Eyes
• Using the Eye Shader Brush, apply Steamy from the goWarm Eye Steppes to the entire lid, blending into the crease and to the lower lash line, using the Smudge Brush.
• Apply Beach from the goWarm Eye Steppes to the brow bone and inner corner of the eye using the Mini-Dome Brush.
• Apply Dark Topaz Mystikol® to the upper lash line, blending with the Smudge Brush.
• Apply PureLash™ Extender & Conditioner to the upper and lower lashes followed by Black Ice Longest Lash Thickening and Lengthening Mascara.
• Use the Blonde PureBrow™ Gel to define and enhance brows.
Cheeks
• Combine your Eye Steppes and My SteppesTM in a snap! Using the White Fan Brush, apply Whisper PurePressed® Blush from the Cool My Steppes to the apples of cheeks blending upwards towards the temple.
• Apply Complete In Touch highlighter to the top of cheek bone, blending up with fingers.
Lips
• Mania Lip Fixation on lips.
* The model shown here is wearing Warm Silk PurePressed® Base and Active Light® No.1.
