Friday, May 25, 2012

Spray Tanning Vs The Sun?

Choose Spray Tanning over the Sun

 Did you know that if you suffered sunburn 3 or more times during your lifetime, you double the chance of skin cancer? Quite scary. And did you know that UVA rays in tanning beds penetrate much deeper than UVB rays from the sun? The result is that tanning beds do damage to your skin on much deeper level. There is quite a lot of evidence that tanning beds also greatly increase the risk of skin cancer.

 When you look closely at different tanning methods, spray tan prices becomes truly affordable. Spray tanning not only saves you real dollars, but also helps you to maintain beautiful skin your whole life.

If you spray tan regularly, your skin gets accustomed to the solution, and holds the tan much longer. To get to this stage, you will need about 3 sessions 5 days apart. From then on you can spray tan every 2 weeks, provided that you learn how to use tan extending products properly.

Preparing for a Spray Tan is critical to a long lasting effect. If your skin is properly prepared by removing as much of the loose, dead skin layer as you can - especially in places like knees, ankles and elbows, the solution will adhere evenly to your whole body. You will look great and not only that, your tan will last a whole lot longer.

Exfoliate: Use exfoliating products that do not contain any oils, otherwise the oily barrier can stop the spray tanning solution getting through. Don’t wear any deodorant, moisturizer or makeup.Wear loose clothing.  Shave or wax one or two days before a spray tan.

Caring for spray tan involves moisturizing like crazy. Moisturizer that includes DHA for extending your tan, are worth investing in.

Use gentle shower products:  gentle body wash will be much better for your spray tanned skin.Avoid things that will exfoliate your skin excessively. How about hot, luxurious bath after your spray on tan? I don’t think so! That will make your skin exfoliate faster, as will rolling in the sand on the beach. A short swim in the sea will not take much off however, but a swim in the chlorinated pool will. (Chlorine will not exfoliate the tan, it will bleach it).

Enjoy good health and a great tan - choose spray tan by a professional.  Call me and check HERE for more details - Rhaina Butler 530 305 3908 - Auburn, CA

Thursday, May 17, 2012

What is a Paraffin Wax Treatment?

What is Paraffin Wax?
Paraffin wax is a softer wax because of the paraffin oil component. Because it is a soft wax, it melts at a lower than normal temperature. This means that the skin can be submerged in the wax without causing burning or blistering. Spa specialists melt blocks of paraffin wax in special vats. During paraffin wax treatments, beauticians have their clients dip their hands or feet into the melted wax one or more times to coat the skin in a generous layer. The hands or feet are then wrapped in plastic, or some other non-absorbent material and left to "soak" in the layer of wax for up to half an hour.

What is a Paraffin Wax Treatment?
Paraffin wax treatments are luxurious spa treatments that are intended to moisturize and soften the skin. Paraffin wax treatments are most often applied to the hands and feet as components of manicures and pedicures respectively. Paraffin wax is unlike more common spa wax that is used for hair removal on the face and body. That type of wax is much more viscous and bonds to the skin.

What happens during a Paraffin Wax Treatment?
Paraffin wax treatments are particular popular in the winter because they are warming and because they help moisturize dry and cracked skin. During paraffin wax treatments, the skin is bathed in warmth, which helps the pores to open and the skin to soften. Because the treatments are meant to be soothing, calming oils are often added to the wax in order to add a dimension of aromatherapy to the experience.

Once the skin has been allowed to soak in the wax and the layer has hardened, it can be pulled off in one solid piece. Because the wax is soft and contains oil, it does not become very stiff and does not adhere to the skin. Rather, after a paraffin wax treatment, the skin is left slick and soft.

Who should have a Paraffin Wax Treatment?
People who experience seasonal dry skin often find paraffin wax treatments to be helpful and relaxing preventative measures. Dry, cracked heels and knuckles can make cold weather unbearable. One or two moisturizing paraffin wax treatments can help a great deal during snowy months. If you are interested in purchasing paraffin wax treatments for yourself or as gifts, get in touch with the spas in your area to see if they are offered.

What is Aromatherapy & Essential Oils?

What is aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is the practiced use of essential oils from various plants for healing. Although the actual term, aromatherapy, might make it sound as if the oils are inhaled, they can also be massaged into the skin or sometimes (although rarely) taken by mouth. You should never ingest essential oils by mouth without specific instruction from a trained and qualified specialist. Whether inhaled or applied on the skin, essential oils are gaining more and more attention as an alternative treatment for stress, infections, and other health problems. In many cases scientific evidence is still lacking to the exact benefits so it is best to seek advice from a trained specialist.

What are essential oils?
Essential oils are concentrated extracts taken from the roots, leaves, seeds, or blossoms of plants. Each contains a specific mix of active ingredients, and this combination determines what the oil can and should be used for. Some oils are used to promote physical healing -- for example, to treat swelling or fungal infections. Others are used for their emotional value -- they may enhance relaxation or make a room smell pleasant. Orange blossom oil, for example, contains a large amount of an active ingredient that is believed to have a calming effect.

What is the history of aromatherapy?
Essential oils have been used for therapeutic purposes for nearly 6,000 years. The ancient Chinese, Indians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans used them in cosmetics, perfumes, and drugs. Essential oils were also commonly used for spiritual, therapeutic, hygienic, and ritualistic purposes.

In modern times, Rena Maurice Gattefossa, a French chemist, noticed the healing properties of lavender oil when he applied it to a burn on his hand caused by an explosion in his laboratory. He then started to analyze the chemical properties of essential oils and how they were used to treat burns, skin infections, gangrene, and wounds in soldiers during World War I. In 1928, Gattefossa founded the science of aromatherapy. By the 1950s massage therapists, beauticians, nurses, physiotherapists, doctors, and other health care providers began using aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy did not become popular in the United States until the 1980s. Today, many lotions, candles, and beauty products are sold as "aromatherapy." However, many of these products contain synthetic fragrances that do not have the same properties as essential oils. It is important to seek true aromatherapy treatments from a trained and qualified specialist such as a esthetician.

Monday, October 10, 2011

What is microdermabrasion and how often can I have it done?

What is microdermabrasion?Microdermabrasion is a very popular, machine-assisted skin-exfoliating treatment. Microdermabrasion has advantages of low risk and rapid recovery compared to the other more invasive resurfacing methods such as dermabrasion, chemical peeling, and laser resurfacing. Since microdermabrasion produces only a very superficial depth of skin removal, it works best on improving conditions on the surface of the skin such as early photoaging (sun damage), fine lines, age spots, enlarged pores, acne, and superficial scarring. Although the face is the most common area for microdermabrasion, any skin area, including neck, chest, back, and hands, may be treated. Microdermabrasion is sometimes referred to as "microderm," lunchtime peel, Parisian Peel, and Diamond Peel.

 
How often can I have microdermabrasion?
Microdermabrasion can be done as frequently as weekly or up to every eight weeks depending on your skin's tolerance and desired cosmetic effects. Many people choose to start with weekly treatments for three sessions, then change to a monthly maintenance regimen.

Typical microderm schedule:





Week 1: first session

Week 2: second session

Week 3: third session

Monthly: fourth through twelfth sessions

Much like brushing your teeth, microdermabrasion helps to gently remove plaque and skin debris. Since human skin typically regenerates at approximately 30-day intervals, skin improvement with microdermabrasion is temporary and needs to be repeated at average intervals of two to four weeks for continued improvement. Usually, multiple treatments (six to 12 sessions) are recommended to see a significant improvement.

Call an expert for advice - Rhaina Butler - Licensed Esthetician

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Body Wraps: Natural Detox & Weight Loss

Body Wraps use food grade raw ingredients. The wrap is safe, even for children and people with various medical conditions. No salts or dehydrating clay or sea ingredients are used.

Effective: Enzyme active aloe penetrates through the protein wall that surrounds the fat cell to dissipate bulky toxins into the lymphatic system where it can be flushed away by drinking lots of water. The aloe and herb nutrients help restore elasticity and firm skin tissues close to the new body size as well as freshening your skin’s tone and texture. The product stays in the body for three days, so continued size and toxin loss will happen as the client drinks 3-4 liters of water daily.

Unlike some body wrap treatments that use elastic bandages or plastic tightly wrapped around the body to cause quick inch loss through perspiration and compression, the Set-N-Me-Free body wrap is a safe non-compression treatment. Many body wraps treatments use dehydrating salt, algae, seaweed, mud, clay, and cinnamon creams. Sometimes the client is required to exercise while wrapped to increase the compression. The Set-N-Me-Free Body Wrap Solution contains only aloe vera and herbs, and is not meant to be wrapped tightly. Come, enjoy and relax with the side effect of possible inch loss.  What more could you ask for?

Friday, July 15, 2011

SUNSCREEN is the #1 way to fight aging, and skin cancer.

Experts say the best way to stay protected from the sun is to stay out of the sun during its hottest hours (generally 11am-3pm, or when it’s directly overhead), and to re-apply sunscreen every two hours. They will tell you to look for sunscreens with the ingredients of either Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Avobenzene (parsol 1789), or Mexoryl. Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are physical blockers, while Avobenzene and Mexoryl and chemical blockers.

Q: What type of sunscreen should I use, and what ingredients should I look for?
A: There are so many types of sunscreen that selecting the right one can be quite confusing.
• Avobenzone (parsol 1789),
• Cinoxate
• Ecamsule
• Menthyl anthranilate
• Octyl methoxycinnamate
• Octyl salicylate
• Oxybenzone
• Sulisobenzone
• Titanium dioxide
• Zinc oxide           
BurnOut 18.6% Zinc Oxide Sunblock / SPF 32 for Sensitive Skin 
To get a bit technical, you want your sunscreen to protect you against UVA and UVB rays. UVA is what is responsible for aging your skin, giving you wrinkles, and skin cancer. UVB is what causes your skin to darken and burn. While all the information I read is a bit conflicting, here is a general idea of how the wavelengths of UVA and UVB breakdown:

UVB (burning) has a wavelength range (in nanometers) of:   
280-320
UVA (aging) has a wavelength range (in nanometers) of:      
320-400

To get the best sun protection, you want your sunscreen to contain ingredients that cover as wide a range as possible in the 280-400 spectrum. Here’s how a few of the best and most common sunscreen ingredients breakdown:

Zinc Oxide 290-380
Mexoryl 290-400
Avobenzene 340-375
Titanium Dioxide 290-340
Octinoxate and Octisalate 280-320
Oxybenzone 320-240

Now many sunscreens combine ingredients to cover a wider range of the spectrum. However, you can see that Zinc Oxide and Mexoryl cover the widest spectrum all by themselves, and they are photo-stable ingredients. This is extremely important, because it means your sunscreen won’t lose effectiveness an hour after you apply it like Avobenzene, for example, which is not photo-stable.  Neutrogena and some other companies use Helioplex, or other ingredients to make their Avobenzene more photostable. I haven’t experimented with these ingredients, but I doubt they are as photo-stable as Zinc Oxide or Mexoryl.
Many new sunscreen ingredients that are approved in Japan and Europe, such as Mexoryl XL, Tinosorb M, Tinosorb S, Uvinil T 150, Uvasorb HEB, and Parsol SLX, have not been approved by the FDA for use in new sunscreens in the United States.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Chemical Peels - Action and Benefits

Chemical peeling is used to improve the skin’s appearance by applying a chemical solution to the skin, causing the top layers of skin to separate and peel off. The new skin is smoother, less wrinkled, more even in color, peels can also be used to improve acne. Chemical peels can be performed at different depths, depending on the layer of correction desired. Deeper peels will cause the skin to peel for a longer period of time and provide more improvements in the skin. There are also a variety of acids and peeling agents that can be used alone or together, depending on skin conditions to be treated.

Chemical exfoliation and peels involve using destructive chemical agents to create a controlled wound. All peels (whether they are chemical or laser) create a mild burn. They improve skin by the wound healing process, new tissue is created and damaged tissue is quickly replaced. Chemical peels stimulate the fibroblasts wound healing activity, the proliferation of fibroblast activity increases collagen and elastin. The depth of the wound determines the amount and intensity of healing. The body’s response to the burn is what yields the results, a deeper peel will result in more correction.

The terms exfoliation and chemical peel are often used interchangeably, however superficial peels are technically exfoliation not a true peel. True chemical peels are generally performed under medical supervision, and penetrate into the papillary dermis.

Chemical exfoliation and peels are a way to speed up the natural migration process of skin cells. When the bonds between cells are dissolved and epidermal cells begin to shed more rapidly. The shedding skin cells send signals for more cell division, which in turn forces keratinocytes to the top of the stratum corneum. This process helps treat acne, fade skin discoloration and leave the skin with a fresh new layer of skin on the surface.

*Dark skin types are more prone to complications such as hyperpigmentation and should go to a professional that is experienced in treating dark skin. 
Call me if you have further questions 530-305-3908