There are now effective topical alternatives to costly injections! You may want to relax the expression lines that you see on your forehead and around your eyes but you are not sure about a needle and botulinum toxin type A (the active ingredient in Botox).

How does Botox work?
Your facial muscles contract and relax based upon signals received from nerves. The muscles and nerves are connected by a neuromuscular junction. When the nerves send signals to the muscles, neurotransmitters are released and bind to receptors on the junction. This causes a chemical reaction, which makes the muscles contract. Botox inhibits the receptors in the muscles that identify the presence of these neurotransmitters and prevents the chemical reaction that causes muscle contractions. By paralyzing the underlying muscle, Botox doesn’t allow the wrinkle to develop.

How do Botox alternatives work?
Topical alternatives to Botox work in a similar way by blocking the receptors and preventing the muscle from contracting. The active ingredient in these type of products are peptides. Peptides are short chains of amino acids. Amino acids are the basic building blocks of proteins and many other different types of organic molecules. Peptides are frequently created by the digestion of proteins in the body, and many types of peptides are readily and rapidly absorbed by the bloodstream. For this reason, peptides are particularly effective as skin care ingredients.

Though the effect won’t be as strong, and you need to keep using the product to keep the effect, peptide products are a viable alternative that is less expensive with no known side effects.

Interested in knowing more about peptides and what facial products contain them?
Schedule your complimentary consultation today! Book online or leave a message 707.937-9977.

BOTOX® is a registered trademark of Allergan, Inc

Along with the crisp mornings and turning leaves, you may have also noticed your skin feeling a little chapped and dry. When the season changes, so does your skin. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of the colder weather and ease your skin into the winter months gracefully. Here are a few beauty tips and skincare suggestions to come through the seasonal the transition with beautiful skin.

Please call or email me for a personalized consultation!
707-937-9977, amy@mendocinobeauty.com

• Schedule a series of facial peels
  Chemical exfoliation helps remove sun damage and dry patches, revealing soft new skin. Harmful UV rays have retreated a bit and now is the time to get the results you want.

• Switch to a creamy skin cleanser
  Turning up the heater inside can dry the air and dry your skin. A creamy cleanser emulsifies dirt and makeup and rinses off clean. Your skin will still be soft and hydrated, not “squeaky” clean. (Try Image Vital C Hydrating Cleanser)

• Glove treatment for dry hands
  Chapped, dry hands? Put a rich lotion on and then thin cotton gloves. Sleep with them on if possible. You will be amazed at the difference.

• Oil in your bath
  Try a little Sesame, Jojoba, or even Olive Oil in your next hot bath.
  After you are finished just pat dry for a silky texture all over.

• A richer moisturizer
  Now is the time to seal in the hydration. A rich moisturizer will help dispell any redness and will keep your skin from feeling tight and dry.
  (Try Le Mieux Bio Cell Rejuvenating Cream)

• Lip balm, not licking!
  When our lips are chapped it is tempting to lick them. Instead, try a lip balm than will seal in moisture and keep the elements away.
  (Try Image Ormedic Lip Enhancing Treatment)

• Keep drinking water
  This advice just doesn’t go away! You know it’s good for you, but if you have trouble getting the recommended amounts, try an herbal tea instead.

• Smile
  You are BEAUTIFUL!

  

Are you looking for glowing, radiant and blemish free skin?
The food you enjoy is the very material used to create your skin. The three elements of beautiful skin are elasticity, which helps the skin to spring back from a lovely smile; cleansing, which allows toxins to be excreted without a glitch; and moisture, which keeps the skin smooth and supple. Combine these three elements on your dinner plate and you have a recipe for beautiful skin.

A beautiful skin diet
For elasticity think fresh fruits and vegetables with vibrant colors for vitamin C and bioflavonoids. Strawberries in season and tomatoes right off the vine are high in vitamin C, which is important in forming collagen, the connective tissue in your skin. Vitamin C degrades quickly so Florida oranges in September are not your best bet. Dark berries and the skin of citrus fruit are high in bioflavonoids, which help vitamin C make your skin elastic and don’t degrade with time. While fresh berries are seasonal and vitamin C degrades quickly, you can enjoy bioflavonoids from the white inside pith of an orange peel year ’round. The skin of berries and citrus help protect the fruit from the sun and can do the same for your skin.

For moist, supple skin you need a balance of good fat in the diet. Enjoy a variety of nuts and seeds for healthy oils and antioxidants. Think of Brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, hemp, chia and flax seeds. Beneficial oils are very fragile, so purchase your nuts and seeds fresh and store them refrigerated. Healthy animals are also high in good fat; wild salmon, sardines and grass fed beef contain Omega 3 fat, which helps to reduce inflammation and may prevent dry skin. Don’t be afraid of the fat in nuts, seeds and healthy animals. These good fats can improve skin and even help with weight loss.

For blemish free skin, clean the body from the inside with green leafy vegetables and fiber foods that eliminate toxins. Enjoy a salad with added dark leafy greens, like kale and cabbage, and add high fiber foods like broccoli, flax seeds, legumes and whole grains. In addition, Brazil nuts are high in selenium, a great skin antioxidant. These foods work like a broom, gently sweeping away excess toxins so they don’t clog up your skin.

You are literally made of the food you eat, so eating the right food can dramatically improve elasticity, cleansing and moisture of the skin. Those foods can also be tasty and satisfying, leaving you with a full belly and a smile on your beautiful skin. You have the power to choose foods that support or degrade the skin and any other organ of the body. Which foods are best for your body?

Anna Rathbun is a Certified Nutrition Consultant in Mendocino, California. She helps people enjoy delicious “skin food” that supports their health. MendoDiet.com

See Amazing Results with the Image Skincare Products
We are carrying the hydrating Vital C line which soothes and protects sensitive or irritated skin; the organic Ormedic line with its powerful anti-oxidants and pure, chemical, acid and paraben free ingredients and the Ageless The Max line for prevention and treatment of aging skin as new retail products.

We are also offering the amazing Image Signature 4-Layer Face Lift skin treatment, as well as the full array of Image peels. I received an advance Chemical peeling Certification from Image Skincare and also experienced a peel. The results were what convinced me to bring this line in! I had 4 days of light sloughing of dead skin and when I was done my skin was clear, radiant and rosy! Imagine what a series of 4 could do!

Ready to experience clear radiant skin? Book online or leave a message for an appointment 937-9977. Have a wonderful day.

Image Skincare Vital C hydrating repair creme

]]> http://www.mendocinobeauty.com/skincare-tips/our-newest-product-image-skin-care/feed/ 1 http://www.mendocinobeauty.com/skincare-tips/new-depilar-hair-removal-system/ http://www.mendocinobeauty.com/skincare-tips/new-depilar-hair-removal-system/#comments Fri, 17 Sep 2010 20:29:53 +0000 Amy Wall http://www.mendocinobeauty.com/?p=741 We are now offering the Depilar^tm permanent hair reduction system with salon waxing. You can expect complete hair removal, depending on the individual, in between 4-12 months. This is the perfect treatment for those with stubborn lip or chin hair!

BEAUTY TIP: Day and night routines can differ but, in general, face skincare products are applied in the order of their viscosity.

Today we’ll review a skin treatment regime for someone with aging, dry skin:

1. Cleanse: Use a small amount as professional products are concentrated.
   Nighttime option: A creamy, emulsifying cleanser to help take off makeup.
2. Tone – Your “Second Cleanse”: This removes residues left over from the cleanser and helps prep the skin for your serum.
3. Treat – Serum: The most powerful part of your regimen! Concentrated, active ingredients that are made to correct and treat a variety of skin conditions.
   Nighttime option: Any serums containing Retinol or Alpha Hydroxy Acids.
4. Treat (Optional) Eye Cream: Pat around the orbital bone, never tugging or rubbing. The tissue here is extremely delicate so treat with care.
5. Nourish: This is where you are sealing in and conditioning your beautiful face with a high quality moisturizer. Look for ingredients like Peptides, Hyaluronic Acid and Ceramides. Smooth the product evenly around your face and down your neck and all the way across your chest. If you must combine this with a sunscreen, be sure it’s at least a 30 and, if you are in direct sun, reapply.
   Nighttime option: Use a cream with a richer texture, no sunscreen.
6. Protect – Sunscreen: I prefer a physical “block” rather than a chemical “screen.” Make sure to apply a generous amount. Get the tops of your ears and back of your neck, too!
7. Exfoliation and Masks: Exfoliate 3 times a week to help your skin turn over faster and remove dead, dull skin. A mask suited to your skin type would be perfect to do after this step. After rinsing, proceed with steps 2-5.

*Consult your Skin Care Professional for the best products for your skin type and conditions.

We sell exclusive lines of carefully selected facial creams and skincare products at Mendocino Beauty. I am available for phone or email consultation if you have any questions!
amy@mendocinobeauty.com or 707-937-9977

In the tradition of some of the larger makeup lines at department stores, we are offering an easy, convenient way to keep your brows looking in top shape right at our Mendocino Beauty Makeup Counter.

Licensed Esthetician and Makeup Artist, Danielle Frey is available to shape and groom your brows on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11-4 in our Makeup Room. $15

While you are there, ask to be color matched with one of our fabulous foundation formulas. We have loose, liquid and pressed Mineral Makeup lines, and we can help you find one to soothe and protect your skin while looking great.

Especially wonderful for calming freshly waxed skin!

Make an appointment online, or just stop by.

Walk-ins are welcomed and encouraged!

Tips and Tricks For Maintaining Your Own Beautiful Brows….

Our brows are the frame to our face and out of all of our features, are one of the most expressive and revealing.

Think of some  famous brows like the full, thick frame of Brooke Shields or the provocative arch of Marlene Dietrich and you can see that trends in brow shapes change radically and can become a real signature of style.

Use the following tips and tricks, and refer to the diagram below, to create the brow shape that is best for you.

1. Always seek a licensed Professional if in doubt! Eyebrow hair can be stubborn and vigorous, but it can also stop growing where we consistently tweeze or wax. Make sure you are removing in areas that you really want bare.
2. Use a mild tonic like Witch Hazel or Le Mieux’s Iso Cell Recovery Complex, before and after tweezing. This helps keep bacteria at bay and also calms and sooths the skin. Tweezing can cause pinpoint bleeding and open skin can get infected very easily.
3. Keep your tweezers clean. Store them in a closed container and clean with alcohol after every use.
4. Invest in some good tools. Having a great pair of tweezers, small scissors, spoolie brush and angled eye brush is invaluable.
5. Step back from the close up mirror often and look at yourself from a distance. It is hard to see ourselves objectively when we are staring close up for a concentrated amount of time.
6. They are Sisters, not Twins! Do not concentrate on keeping them completely even with each other. Of course we are aiming for symmetry, but each side of our face is a little different so go for proportion not identicalness.
7. Don’t be afraid to put some color on them. Use a pencil or powder (with stiff, angled eye brush) anytime you want to extend the line of your brow, fill in sparse areas or camoflauge an area you are growing in.
8. After using a pencil or powder always go over the color with your spoolie brush. This helps move the color into the brows and takes away any traces of brush or pencil marks. You will be amazed at how natural it looks.
9. Always do eyebrow makeup when you do a dramatic makeup look. This sometimes get forgotten and it really pulls the whole look together.
10. Create your own spoolie brush out of an old mascara wand! You need a new mascara every 3 months so this is a renewable resource. Just throw away the tube and wash the wand thoroughly with soap and water. Run through dishwasher to completely sanitize and you have a great new tool!  I also sell them at Mendocino Beauty if you prefer a longer handle or just like a beautiful brush!

I ask a series of questions that have to do with your climate and lifestyle and then specifics about what you are experiencing and what I see on your skin.

Some of the potentials conditions could be:
-pigmentation
-dry scaly texture
-broken capillaries
-sallow tone
-acne
-tightness
-excessive oil

Once I know these answers I can make  recommendations for you based on the best active ingredients to target and treat each challenge. I will recommend a combination of products ranging from cleansers, toners, serums and creams, depending on the severity of the condition and the priority you give it for correcting.

There is always room for improvement and it’s gratifying to see the skin improve. After a while you will start thinking of your skin the same way!

My Best,
Amy