HOW TO PICK A TONER

There are those of us who are devoted to using toners, and then there are others who think of it as just one more step they can do without.  You just have to try one to see the difference in your own face. A bottle of toner lasts for months and months and is a treatment in itself.

I can tell you personally why I like my toner:   I know it removes any residue left over from cleanser, and although my face feels clean and clear after washing, my toner makes it feel cool and calm, ultra smooth and the smell is refreshing and soothing to me personally.   (I use our Vital Hydrant, which is a light gel and has a nice moisturizing effect.  Being a gel, I don't waste any).

 Picking the right toner for your skin type or problems is important because the ingredients can add to the healing process if you are prone to breakouts, and they add to the moisturization process if you have dry skin.  I do feel you can see the difference in your skin when you wash, tone and moisturize instead of just slapping on moisturizer. It just seems to make any product you use next, work better.   You  have to experience it yourself. On hot humid days in the summer, I sometimes switch and  spray my face with Ginseng Mineral Toner for the cooling effect. A bottle of toner is inexpensive, lasts for months and months. and is a treatment in itself.  Since my products are botanical without harsh chemicals, only fatty-acid alcohols are used, which are very mild and  moisturizing.

I buy a toner for normal or mature skin, on the dry side:             Vital Hydrant Toner - $22.00

If you  have combination skin with breakouts, or oily skin, use:  Herbal Astringent - $14.00

A toner that's good for all skin types  is the  Ginseng Mineral Toner -$14.00

Look  to the right side of this blog for TONERS AND ASTRINGENTS. You'll find prices and explanations of all products.

VITAMIN C - HOME FACIAL

 

 VITAMIN C

Home Facial

 

Sensitive Skin

 Now that you're using some of these products, wouldn't it be fun to do a home facial

on yourself?  Don't have all the products?  Look under "Monthly Specials" for sales.   (You can do this facial standing in front of the mirror).

Products used:  Limu Facial Cleanser with Orange Oil (vitamin C)

                               Vital Hydrant Toner with Lemon Peel Oil  (vitamin C)

                               AHA Mint Masque with Kiwi and Grape Extract (vitamin C)

                               Complex C Serum (vitamin C)

                               Complex C Moisturizer (vitamin C)

                               Advanced Protection SPF 30

                               Retinol Night Creme (vitamin C) for anti-aging, occasional blemish, sun  

                              spots, discoloration prevention.

Retinol Night Creme was not used in this facial but is a great addition to the vitamin C formulas for added benefits.  For prevention of too much sun and too much free radical exposure, use the Vitamin C Serum and Advanced Protection SPF 30 religiously every morning! 

HERE'S HOW TO DO YOUR FACIAL:

1.  Cleanse:  Remove eye make-up with Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover.  Soak flat cotton pad and gently move across the eye, letting the liquid soak into the lash.

2.  Second Cleanse:  Apply a nickel-sized amount of Limu Facial Cleanser.  This cleanser is good to massage with a circular motion over forehead, temples, cheeks, chin, and neck area.  Completely remove with damp, warm cloth.

3.  To soothe the skin, use Vital Hydrant Toner all over the face and neck.  Remove any excess with cool cloth or cotton pad.  Let dry.

4.  Apply the Complex C Serum all over the face and the neck area. This will hydrate, calm and condition the surface of the skin.  When masque is applied, this will be the perfect layer of antioxidant vitamin C boost! Give it a chance to soak in.

5.  Apply the AHA Mint Masque all over the face and neck area and let set for 5 to 10 minutes.

     For extra hydration:  Adding a thick layer (dime in consistency) of this masque will give you more hydration. Remove with damp cloth.

     To tone and tighten:  For a tight and toned feel, apply a thin (brushed) layer. Remove with a wet sponge first to loosen the clay base, and then remove with a damp cloth.

6.  Spritz face to refresh and hydrate with Ginseng Mineral Toner.

7.  After the skin is mostly dry, apply the Complex C Serum for oily to combination skin, or Vitamin C Moisturizer for normal to dry skin types.

8.  As a last step, apply Advanced Protection SPF 30 for protection if going outside.

Remember:  Facial procedures don't replace daily skin care prevention!

 

                                           

NEW SIZE FOR LIMU CLEANSER

If you are one of those who love Limu Cleanser, you will be happy to hear that it now comes in an eight ounce size.  Limu is located under  "Cleansers" on this blog   (for pricing).  It is a very popular item containing two natural ingredients, marine algae and the inner gel of aloe vera. This creates a gentle, effective cleanser with no oils or harsh ingredients.  It has a wonderful smell from essential oils that just makes you want to get up and wash you face!  (I'm not kidding. Customers have actually told me that!).   This is a non-foaming cleanser that is excellent for sensitive skin, and makes a wonderful shaving creme for a close shave on the legs of women and on the face of men. It will leave the face properly balanced with no razor burn.  Men love that! And, even though it is very mild, it removes eye makeup wonderfully.

NEW RESEARCH - less wrinkles for SPF users!

Did you see the news release last week in The Wall Street Journal about  the study published in the  Annals of Internal Medicine showing that  people instructed to apply sunscreen every day for four years showed 24% less skin aging, as measured by lines and coarseness of the skin, than those told to use the cream as they usually do?

Dermatologists have told us this for years and now there is research to back it up.  So, with regular use you get a "two-fer", less skin cancer and less wrinkles! I truly think the threat of wrinkles is a more powerful behavior-changer than the threat of cancer. (This is especially true for young people whose sunburns may put them at risk for skin cancer decades later, but wrinkles start now!)  What a no-brainer SPF is.  We all love a bargain.  I can't think of a better one! 
    

FLUSHING - with serums, etc.

Just a word of warning to those of you trying a serum,  a masque, or a treatment product for the first time  -YOU MAY NOTICE SOME FLUSHING the first time or two.   We always can provide  samples to try, and,  a list of ingredients is available for all products.  This gives you a chance to try before you buy.  I would suggest putting the product on your neck or some inconspicuous area  to see how you react to it.

 Here's a funny story: My husband and I were on vacation, rained in, and looking for something to do. I suggested I would give him a facial since he never had had one, and he warily agreed.  When we were done he looked in the mirror and shouted, "I'm pink!"  I tried to talk him down, saying his face wasn't conditioned and it was natural and it would go away, blah, blah, blah.  The next morning he got up and was still a pretty shade of pink, and I was sweating it,  but it disappeared fairly quickly.  Although he wasn't too keen on the "pink flush", he was thrilled at how smooth and clear his skin looked, so there was some compensation for him.  Of course, a flush is one thing, an itchy rash is another. Obviously, you would discontinue use with a rash.

USE PROTECTION! (No, no - the other kind!)

What are you using on your face for sunscreen?  Most of the women I talk to say "nothing", but they are" thinking " about it or it's in their make-up. The problem is, there isn't enough in their make-up!  Take it from my ladies in Florida and try my ADVANCED PROTECTION SPF 30   which is used by dermatologists and plastic surgeons for their patients.  The Florida ladies love it because, as one of them emphatically said, "Nothing gets through that sucker!" ( I probably would have said, "It provides light moisturization, and normalizes dry parched skin while providing superior protection.")   Now is the time - try it!

My first customer for this product was a mother buying it for her 13 year old daughter who had had skin cancer removed from her arm two times!  

Sunscreens with broad spectrum protection (against UVA and UVB rays) and with sun protection factor (SPF) values of 30 are recommended.  My product , which was designed for the dermatologic market,  has you covered with the Advanced Protection SPF 30 .  (Many of my customers use it as a make-up base.) Light enough for oily skin. No fragrance. A microfine transparent zinc oxide is used that blocks both UVA and UVB radiation. Designed for face and body.  Excellent for sensitive skin. Recommended for anyone using alpha hydroxy acids or retinol products on their faces,  which makes you more sensitive to the sun!

  When using an SPF 30 sunscreen and applying it thickly on your body, you get the equivalent of 1 minute of UVB rays for each 30 minutes you spend in the sun. So, 1 hour in the sun wearing SPF 30 sunscreen is the same as spending 2 minutes totally

NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTION: MATRIX OIL

Here is a new product that will benefit  those of you that live in a very dry climate,  spend your working days outside, or for some other reason have skin that feels very parched like one of my customers who just got back from a military stay in Afghanistan. This is a treatment to bring your hydration levels back to normal.Oil is the latest product in the line up of skin care products.

New Product Introduction

Matrix Oil

with Retinol, Vitamin E and Argan Oil

This bottle of magic contains light oils that will leave your skin soft and supple without feeling greasy.

 

For an extra boost in hydration use this oil in conjunction with your recommended serum, moisturizer and/or special treatment.  Use serum first before applying this light facial oil, then apply your moisturizer or sunscreen as last step.

 

This light facial oil treatment will also benefit oily skin as it regulates oil production by controlling  “unwanted” oil and dry patches. 

    

 Directions for VERY dry skin: If you have extremely dry skin, use this oil with your moisturizer at night. In the morning add a drop or two before applying your daytime moisturizer or sunscreen. For extra hydration apply the Aloe @ Azulene Gel Masque or Soft Papaya @ Pumpkin Masque once a week.   

Directions for oily skin:  This light facial oil offers all of the benefits of regulating oil production. Apply to cleansed skin before moisturizer to control "unwanted" oil and dry patches.

 

MAY - we love it!

Spring is here and it's a great time to try something new.  If you haven't picked out a basic cleansing set for your type skin, why not now?

 Plus, let's all smell good this spring.  How about this description: "The fragrance opens with notes of mandarin, orange pomelo, tangerine and lime, and then slowly eases into White Tea Blossom, fresh melon, rose petals and night blooming jasmine."  Wow, I can almost smell it!
That would be our Citrus and White Tea Blossom Lotion and Body Polish.  Everyone loves it.  The nice thing is by the time you get to work or to where ever they don't allow you to wear fragrances, it will have mellowed to the point that it won't bother anyone.  Put some on before bed and you'll relax quickly.

It's a double-duty duo - science and nature!

Did you know, our line of products uses natural ingredients that are formulated using current trends in technology without using harsh chemicals?   Specially chosen natural herbal extracts, specialty ingredients and aromatherapy essential oils are blended with water-based emulsions to provide results.  No sensitizing fragrances are used. No dyes, no harsh chemicals, no parabens, no animal testing, etc. etc. etc. Natural herbal extracts and aromatherapy essential oils are blended with water-based emulsions to provide results. 
Isn't that what we want on our skin - a pure product that is effective?   

 Remember, if you have any sensitivities, you can request a complete list of ingredients for any of our products.  Just ask.

LUXURY BOTANICALS - ROSACEA

Somebody told me that this month is "Rosacea Awareness Month," so I'm going with it!
Half of the people I talk to have some form of Rosacea.  Sometimes it's a patch here or there and sometimes it's red cheeks or worse. I'm Irish and I don't have it, so I am lucky, because people from a Celtic background are more prone to develop Rosacea  than the rest of the population.  It's exasperating and sometimes hard to control the condition. Everyone's symptoms are different and everyone has a different type of skin, so take your time and pick the right products. Remember that my products are used by dermatologists who fight the battle of Rosacea with their clients every day. Below are some of their suggestions:

One of the most important things you can do for the condition is pick the right cleanser for you skin type. Here I can help you.  If you have Rosacea and sensitive skin, pick Borage Leaf Cleanser or Chamomile Cleansing Lotion.  You could also use Limu, which is good for everyone.    If you have Rosacea with oily skin and are prone to breakouts, pick AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser or Limu Cleanser.  Try the Herbal Astringent with it and then apply Glycolic Gel Renewal serum for protection and healing.  People with Rosacea are more affected by the sun's rays than others and it can increase their breakouts, so use our Advanced Protection SPF30, designed for the dermatology marketplace.  You'll love it.  It's considered non-oily so works for people with oily skin,  and it has no fragrance. Put it on in the morning. It could be used for a make-up base.  At times when you feel the need for a light moisturizer, try non-oily Sage and Citrus Moisturizer.

We have another great product, KEEP IT CALM RELIEF SERUM. which delivers an instant calming effect to irritated skin conditions such as Rosacea....It immediately calms redness and irritation. This irritation can come from Rosacea or special treatments such as extractions, waxing, facial peels and environmental stresses such as pollution,smoking or alcohol consumption.   Apply it to clean skin.

COMBINATION SKIN -WHAT TO USE

We like to tell you how people we know are using the products. Cindy, down in Florida, has bouts of breaking out, some spots of rosacea, and, basically, problem skin.  Her skin is reacting extremely well to Borage Leaf Cleanser, Sage and Citrus Moisturizer (non-oily) and our Advanced SPF 30, which is also non-oily.  Let's face it, living in Florida is tough on anyone's skin.  (Borage Leaf Cleanser is highly effective for combination skin. Borage leaf extract cools and soothes the skin and minimizes external inflammation and swelling.  The blend of botanical extracts of chamomile, cucumber and aloe vera calm and soothe, also, while vitamin E and cocoa butter pamper dehydrated and irritated skin. It has the faint odor of ginger and lavender.) People with oily skin often need moisturizer and Sage and Citrus Moisturizer is very light and non-oily.

Courtney, on the other hand, lives in New York City proper, walking the streets and riding the  trains daily.  Her face takes a beating and she breaks out.   She finds Dermaclenz Liquid Cleanser works best for her right now  along with Papaya Creme Enzyme Polish (light exfoliator), which she uses three or four times a week. (Dermaclenz thoroughly cleanses and removes excessive oil, environmental impurities and makeup.)  It includes a blend of meadowsweet extract , lactic acid and honey which provide excellent moisturization while increasing skin surface renewal. Lemon and rosemary extracts stimulate and tone. You'll love the fragrance of orange, geranium and eucalyptus.

She said that this routine along with Restorative Marine Moisturizer is working well . You might remember from an earlier post, Courtney was thrilled with Restorative Moisturizer because her dorm room was so dry.  She just added Glycolic Gel Renewal to her routine, which will act as a barrier to  protect her skin from the dirty air and environmental stresses of big city living and help control breakouts even more.

You will find a description of each of these products under its specific category on the right side of my blog.

Sorry, mistake!

Just so you know, when I do a posting and it is sent out immediately to people who have signed up for updates, it arrives in your box  from Pro-Botanica Skin Care without my name on it.     I can't seem to change  this system so please enter the name Pro-Botanica Skin Care somewhere where you will remember it.

LUXURY BOTANICALS - Tired of cucumbers?

The other day I saw a doctor on TV talking about how wonderful it was to be able to go into your kitchen and use whatever was at hand for a wonderful home -made facial.  It's fun once, maybe twice.  Then you want to grab a bottle of something that requires no thinking, planning, shopping, etc. - something that works quickly without any fuss or mess, something
you can depend on and you can use it day after day.  Cucumbers are nice for puffy eyes,  but we like our Refreshing Anti-Puff Eye Gel. 

Puffy eyes result from excessive fluid in the soft tissues surrounding the eye. Common causes include smoke, dust, crying, alcohol,  lack of sleep, allergic reactions and medications. Using this product can relieve the impact of these triggers. The cold temperature from  the steel roller ball in our Refreshing Anti-Puff Eye Gel constricts blood vessels, preventing the flow of fluid to the tissues, which in turn diminishes puffiness.  In addition, peptides and essential oils also cool, reduce swelling and help reduce dark circles.  COQ10 and peptides increase firmness and elasticity of the skin surrounding the eye.  Essential oils used include mint, lemon peel oil, cucumber, lavender, and Japanese Green Tea, among others.  Apply it to your cheekbone area and puffy eyes as needed.   You can use it under your moisturizer or special serum before applying makeup.  Now you can throw those cucumbers back into the fridge.

LUXURY BOTANICALS - facing aging

I don't know about you, but I  do want to "age."  (After all, the alternative is pretty final!).  But I don't want to age today while I'm having fun, looking good and having lots of energy!  If only we could put it off until later, much later.   Most of us would be happy looking ten to fifteen years younger than our age.  I can live with that!  I think that would still fit in the category of looking "age appropriate,"  (as long as my body doesn't out-age my face)!  I think the few minutes per day I spend on my face is directly proportionate to the payoff in slowing down the years, just as going to the gym keeps my body healthy (and hopefully in tandem with the age of my face)!

LUXURY BOTANICALS - Me and the Peptides!

A few of you wrote in and asked what products I personally use.  For the past five months I've used the following for my mature skin  (no blemishes, but on the dry side with fine lines that seemed to get deeper every month).  Limu Cleanser (good for all skin types, leaves my skin feeling refreshed, and I like the smell).  I use Vital Hydrant Toner all over my face and neck.  It is a gel, so I don't waste any of it. It not only removes soap residue but  makes your skin more receptive to whatever else you are going to use. It's very refreshing.  (Don't short yourself, use a toner). After that dries, I use Luminous Peptide Serum. Just a drop or two.  This serum makes your face look brighter and clearer right away. and removes brown spots. I never used a serum before this and in the five months I have used it, my sun spots on the side of my face

OILY/COMBO - TEENAGERS - WHAT TO USE?

Blemishes and breakouts.  People with these problems need to be diligent about their daily cleansing routine.  The hardest group to teach this to is teenagers. It's just so hard to remember to take care of your face before bed (or anytime). In the long run, a little effort at this juncture will pay off in high dividends. Take Joe. He is 17 and has very problem skin at times. He is heavy into sports and just can't get into the low dairy - low sugar -low fat thing).  However, he is now very diligent about cleansing with a light exfoliating cleanser (AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser) and using Herbal Astringent (when he remembers).To get him to use a separate exfoliating product was impossible, so the use of an exfoliating cleanser works well. Even though he has combo skin, his skin can feel dry at times so Sage and Citrus Moisturizer does the trick. Sage and Citrus is very light and oil free. The sage, watercress and lemon bioflavonoids help to purify his skin. Boys and men tend to like the smell of this moisturizer and feel it's for "them" (but actually it's for anyone). The Roll-on Blemish Treatment stick makes it easy for quick application to his breakouts. It's transparent and rides in his pocket. So, kudos to Joe.  You're looking great!!
 (Joe:  Over-the-counter SPF can make people break out.  Try our oil-free Advanced Protection SPF 30 instead.)
Carol Zander

LUXURY BOTANICALS - FREE "MEDICINE"

It's a new year, a new me, a new you! I sorta liked the old me, but I am willing to try new things. So, this year I am going to be get better at breaking down projects into small tasks so I spend time "doing" instead of thinking about doing. I'm also going to spend more time "outside" even if it's only in small bursts like drinking a cup of tea on the porch steps in the sunshine. My grandmother used to sit in the sunshine for ten or fifteen minutes each day hoping to hasten the healing of any wound or blemish  she might have - and it worked! Let's try it!  Let me know how this works for you.