I Love My Juicer

If you have a juicer you know how delicious fresh juice can be.

I just juiced some organic apples and WOW that was yummy.

If you are thinking about getting one, here is a link that will help you learn about the different types.

I have a twin gear juicer because it extracts the most nutrients and it also juices wheatgrass – which is the most beneficial superfood you can have.

Excellent health is your most valuable possession…

Cheers,

Sue

Who Gets Results?

I was thinking the other day about how and why people succeed in having better skin…

So I started thinking about my clients who have succeeded and it seems that the factors that have contributed most to their success would be commitment and communication.

People who are truly committed to the process and have the desire for improvement get results.  They have made a decision to have better skin and are willing to do the work to make it happen.  I have seen this time and time again.

Working with an Esthetician is like any relationship. Trust and communication are important. You show up and talk about what you need.  It’s my job to listen and to make sure you are getting your needs met.  And if you are not, then I need to make it easy for you to share your concerns so I can help.  I can make an adjustment in your home care, give you a different treatment, or refer you to a dermatologist who can help you…

I’ll tell you up front , “there ain’t no cream in the world that is going to erase that wrinkle – you need Botox!”

Having better skin is a process and because results take time and results vary from person to person, one has to be realistic – especially me!

Nevertheless, here’s what I can say about the people who have the best skin.

1. they protect their skin from the sun

2. they use effective products on a consistent basis

3. they find ways to reduce stress in their lives

4. they pay attention to diet by eating alkaline foods and drinking plenty of water

5. they exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle

6. they engage in positive thinking and have positive expecations

7. they get treatments every 4-6 weeks to clean, exfoliate, and balance the skin

Some people are genetically blessed with wonderful skin and know how to take care of it.  However for the rest of us, we have to work at it!

Here’s to your success,

Sue

me and my new friend Zoe

Super Ingredient Proxylane

I’ve already raved about the new cream from SkinCeuticals called AGE, and they just launched AGE Eye Complex with the same active ingredient Proxylane (another name for xylose, a sugar molecule derived from the beech wood plant).

Both these products are awesome – I’m serious – they work!

However, if you can’t spend $150 on the fantastic SkinCeuticals AGE cream or $85 on AGE Eye Complex, why not try drugstore versions?  L’Oreal Skin Genesis products contain the same active ingredients for a fraction of the price.

I am going to try:

L’Oreal Deep Action Night Complex

The difference between the SkinCeuticals and the L’Oreal Skin Genesis products is that the SkinCeuticals AGE creams contain higher concentrations of Proxylane and they use a different formulation and manufacturing process.  You might already know that L’Oreal owns SkinCeuticals, so L’Oreal owns Proxylane…

Check it out – search drugstore.com and makeupalley.com reviews, try the product and let me know how it works for you.

Cheers,

Sue

Changing Your Diet Does Help!

I’ve been recommending The Clear Skin Diet to my clients with breakouts and acne for the past few months.

And here is a recent testimonial from one of my clients about her experience with the principles outlined in the book:

I wanted to follow up and let you know that I ordered the book, read it, implemented it and my skin is SO MUCH BETTER!  I changed my diet about 6 weeks ago to exclude all dairy (except for yogurt), eliminated processed oils (no more mayo), increased my fish inktake to 2-3x a week, make greenfood shakes in the morning and am just generally eating more fruits and veggies.  I take an evening once a week to prepare foods for the week and have stopped making excuses to eat poorly/conveniently.  My energy levels are also so much more even.  Thank you so much for the recommendation!  I will keep you posted!  I’m so very excited about how much better I look and feel.

~SB

I hope these results will help motivate you to read this wonderful book!

Check it out here:

The Clear Skin Diet by Logan and Treloar

Cheers,

Sue

Words of Wisdom

Holistic Palm Beach facialist Tammy Fender recently appeared in Town and Country Magazine sharing the following information which I also believe is absolutely essential for healthy skin.  I couldn’t have said this better myself so I included the actual text from the article…

“Skin is a living organ,” Tammy explains.  “What you put into your body feeds the blood, which in turn nourishes the skin.”  We know she’s right, as who hasn’t seen their skin reflect the ups and downs of her diet, quality of sleep, stress level–in short, life?

“Healthy living is a process.  One thing at a time”

Tammy shared with Town and Country how step into beautiful skin…

1.  Start Fresh: “First thing in the morning, have a cup of room temperature water with about a quarter of an organic lemon squeezed into it.  Lemon stimulates the digestive system and detoxifies the skin, which is an eliminating organ.”

2.  Drink Juice: “When you drink fresh juice, the fruit and vegetable enzymes, also know to improve digestion, reach your bloodstream quickly.  Try this cleansing blend:  lemon, cucumber, and celery with apple, which sweetens the mix.  Work toward two eight-ounce juices a day; you will start to feel healthier and look more radiant.”

3.  Get Moving: “Circulation brings oxygen to your cells and is the key to cell renewal, so it’s important to exercise every day.  Yoga, Pilates, running–whatever movement feels right to you.  The amount of time will vary from person to person, but as you develop a healthier lifestyle, you’ll naturally crave more.”

4.  Cultivate Peace: “Skin is affected by the nervous system.  Breakouts, shingles, and rashes like eczema and psoriasis can flare up because of stress, which really stems from fear about the future.  Daily meditation quiets the mind.  You don’t need to be in a certain position or a certain place (to meditate).  Whatever you’re doing, if you’re focused exactly on the task, that’s meditation.  It’s a way of being very peaceful.

Please visit tammyfender.com for more information about Tammy and her wonderful essential oil products.

Cheers,

Sue

a quiet place to relax and meditate

Safe and Effective Sunscreens

So many people ask me which is the best sunscreen.

Of course I love SkinCeuticals because they are well-formulated and effective.  However,  there’s probably no sunscreen that is 100% safe or 100% effective.

So first let’s talk about chemical vs. no chemicals…An ideal sunscreen would be free of synthetic chemicals, harmful preservatives, and PABA. Personally I don’t worry about nano particles, because they have been found to be safe. (see my blog 11-Aug-08)

The new higher SPF products contain chemicals.  And according to a small study published in Free Radical Biology & Medicine in 2006 these chemicals may actually cause damage to the skin.  If you have time, check out this excellent article from Feb 09 Allure Magazine.

If you want to avoid chemicals, terms as “organic” or ”natural” sunscreen are often misleading, so do check this link to the Skin Deep website to help you find products that are truly chemical-free or just to peruse what other products are out there!

In the meantime, I will not be compromising my outdoor activities.  I will still use sunscreen and prefer a zinc-based product.  I will continue to use Skinceuticals SPF 20 or 30 for daily use and their Sport SPF 45 when I am exercising outside.  For the body, I use and recommend the sunscreen from Trader Joes which has 10% zinc as the active ingredient and only costs $4.  I slather it on!!

outside and staying protected

Cheers,

Sue

It’s Important to Wash Your Face at Night

If you ever feel like you are in a rut, the good news is that each day you have a chance to give yourself a fresh start.

I’ve noticed lately that folks are slacking a little with their PM routine, so one thing I say: “no matter how tired you are, please wash your face before bedtime…”

It’s important.

Men, your face can get greasy during the day and do you really want to wake up the next day wearing the same SPF lotion you put on in the morning?

Women, you know it’s best to remove all the residue of products you have applied for daytime, as well as your cosmetics – especially if you wear foundation. And this is for obvious reasons.  Ladies I have been there:  years ago my skin used to be so bad I would sleep in my makeup so no one would see my zits.  I would wake up early before anyone could see me, wash and reapply my makeup to hide the spots where I picked at the breakouts – whew – think that is what motivated me to get into skin care….but that is another story!

Moreover, for everyone, at night you have an opportunity to apply product that will actually help your skin improve. For most skin types this is mandatory: oily/combo skin, acne, dry skin….

And if you just hate washing up before bed, you are not the only one who feels this way…I often feel the same way and I force myself to do it…

I cope with my PM routine by washing my face and applying product right when I get home as soon as I know I am in for the night.  Then I only have to brush my teeth before I go to sleep. Cleansing earlier in the evening means one less thing to do right before bed.

So wash up and be consistent with your products. You will notice a difference!

Cheers,
Sue

Spa Water Recipe

Having trouble adhering to your daily water intake?

Here is a tip from Fabulous Personal Trainer Hether Ludwick:

Drink “spa water”!!

Spa Water

2 litres of fresh filtered water – combine with..
1 cucumber – peeled and sliced
12 mint leaves
grated ginger to taste

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Sue

ps.. Hether is a trainer at the JCC and she can be reached directly at 510-409-7903

Kindness and Love

I am inspired!

Kindness and love toward others can be so healing and it’s wonderful to know that we can also offer kindness and love to ourselves.  It’s so important to take care of one’s own body through exercise, nutritious food, drinking plenty of fresh water daily and getting enough rest.  Now, more than ever, we also need to be able to uplift ourselves emotionally and stay focused on what is positive in our lives.

And when we take care of ourselves, we have more to offer others.

A dear friend has just started a non profit organization called Random Acts of Kindness,…

SpreadKindness.org provides tools and ideas that encourage kindness as a way of life rather than just the occasional random act.

I encourage you to check out their site here

Spread kindness and love!

Cheers,

Sue

Probiotics

I just came across this interesting article by skincare expert Pat Lam regarding Probiotics and Iwanted to share it with you:

“Probiotics are being referred to as the latest anti-aging food and recently, in the health food industry, well-known stores are allocating a large segment of their shelves to display probiotics. Also, some food manufacturers are adding prebiotics and probiotics to natural foods, such as milk and eggs, in order to meet the demands of educated consumers seeking to optimize good health. When choosing the best probiotics, check the nutrition label to ensure that there are one billion bacteria per serving from one of the recommended active strains, including lactobacillus acidophilus.”

Here is why you need Probiotics:

“Heavy medications, especially antibiotics, can destry the microflora that grows in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, particularly in the large intestines.  Clients with clogged, congested, and unhealthy complexions that can be directly attributed to improper nutrition, indigestion, and dietary intake, particularly acne and rosacea.

A more holistic approach to treating the skin needs to be taken.  Topical treatments such as facials and body services cannot alleviate certain skin conditions that are linked to deeper internal problems.”

Ok,  products and treatments are only part of the solution, so if you want to find out more about this interesting subject check this out!!

here is the link to the original article

xo

Sue