helpin' people out

My first client today walked in with a big smile on her face. I noticed that her moderate to severe acne was going away. Yahoo! The blemishes I treated in our last session ( 2 weeks ago) were fading and her skin was starting to heal...dramatically. She's been using a cleanser with salicylic acid to kill bacteria and break down the oil, a "cocktail" of volcanic ash mud, zinc creme and a mineral rich tonic. The key ingredient to the cocktail is MSM. It's organic sulfur. Folks with joint problems take it internally because it has serious anti inflammatory benefits. Topically, it is a miracle. I have seen more results with MSM for a variety of skin conditions than any other ingredient. That's why I use it on just about everybody. See the link for more details...
Another client - peaches and cream. Look closely and you see those sweet little rosy cheeks. Guess what... inflammation. So I mix up my little cocktail again. Instant gratification! Redness gone. She was feeling dry but had an oily t-zone. When clients come to me with this challenge, my first question is, "how are you exfoliating?" If the answer is, "HUH?" I have to pull out
the scrub. Exfoliation is key in moisture retention. How can your skin accept any moisture if
it has a buildup of cellular debris? It can't. My favorite scrub is made of dead sea salts, MSM
(of course) and a variety of trace minerals infused with lightweight oils. Scrub off the dead cells then emulsify with water to create a mineral rich emulsion that pushes nutrients into the skin. I follow with a thorough washing. I get the blood moving, allowing it to do it's job: deliver oxygen to the tissues and carry away toxins. Feels so fresh. Now, your skin can accept moisture. But you don't have to use a traditional moisturizer to achieve this. Try using a hydrating water or a "hydrosol". Push the moisture into your skin. Spraying feels nice and all but I like to massage that yumminess in. Yeah... If someone is "oil dry", (if they don't produce enough oil), then we add some moisturizer but really a cream or lotion should be used to seal the moisture in. If you have an oily t-zone, you probably have enough oil. Exfoliate. It will help.
Another scenerio- I have a client who has been using the new vitamin c serum(Phloretin CF) for about a month. She has seen awesome results with a decrease in capillary damage and overall smoothness. However, she was out at the lake all weekend and came home with a whole bunch of redness and clogged pores. She was being a good girl , using her most intense zinc oxide sunscreen and staying in the shade. I came to the conclusion that the heat aggravated the capillaries and the heavy sunscreen clogged up her pores. The remedy: Oatmeal. I massaged an oatmeal mask into her skin infused with, you guessed it... MSM and watched as the redness disappeared. I cleaned out every pore and sent her home with my favorite waterproof sunscreen from Skinceuticals. It has the zinc but it's micronized so it's not so heavy. Still, it's important to deep cleanse after wearing a waterproof product. Mondays are great for deep cleansing facials after being in the elements all weekend!. Hint Hint...
All in all, it was a very productive day. Cleaned some pores out, massaged some stress away and came home with the satisfaction of knowing that I helped some folks out. I love my job. Thanks to my loyal clients.
Fave products of the day:
Skinceuticals Clarifying Cleanser
Skinceuticals Phloretin CF
Inventive Organics Elemental Mineral Splash
Inventive Organics Volcanic Ash
Inventive Organics Citrus Dermabrasion Scrub
Inventive Organics Soothing Oat Mask