We are currently experiencing a multi-step skincare craze. There are undeniable benefits to multi-stepping and skincare cocktailing. Korean beauty is testament to that. But it’s important to note that bacteria isn’t always a bad thing when it comes to healthy skin.

While facial cleansing was once considered a suds and forget about it skincare step, facial cleansers are seeing a definite surge in popularity. We’ve been taught that bacteria causes clogged pores and breakouts, and work to eradicate it from our complexion. So we double-cleanse, tone, mist, and scrub our faces into a state of uber-cleanliness. Are we overdoing it?

Those well-advertised skincare systems lead people looking to eradicate acne to believe cleaner is better. Sure, keeping skin free from dirt and debris is essential to healthy skin, but a twice daily cleanse, slough, and tone may be causing more damage (and acne flare-ups) than good.

The Human Microbiome Project, a U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative that began in 2007, has discovered some interesting facts having to do with how our microbial makeup affects the skin. Research shows that while certain types of bacteria appear to cause acne, other types may actually keep skin healthy.

You know how taking a course of antibiotics can send your digestive system into a state of upheaval? This is because the medication, which is designed to remove the bacteria that is causing your illness, also removes the “good bacteria” that is there to keep your system balanced and operating smoothly. Now scientists believe an imbalanced skin microbiome can lead to skin issues, like dryness, irritation, redness, and acne.

How Clean Should Your Skin Be?

So, what is the perfect amount of skin bacteria? And how do you get it? As we’ve said, keeping the complexion clean is essential to healthy skin. Contrary to popular belief, over-cleansing by means of too many skincare products, abrasive scrubs and pads, and skincare antibiotic use may do more harm than good. Follow these tips to balanced skin cleansing.

Use nontoxic skincare: Harsh surfactants, artificial fragrance, and synthetic preservatives strip the skin of necessary oils and cause imbalance. Use nontoxic skincare that is free from harmful cosmetic ingredients to maintain healthy skin.

Cleanse when necessary: Here’s the deal. You really only need to cleanse your face when it is actually dirty or to remove makeup. Use a facial wash if you have especially oily skin, just worked out, or otherwise got dirty, or need to cleanse before bed. You may be fine with a simple splash of warm water in the morning. And exfoliating should be done no more than one to two times weekly to avoid irritation, inflammation, and breakouts.

Use a cleanser suited to your skin type: Always take the gentlest approach to skincare. If you need a foaming face wash, fine. Those with sensitive or dry skin may do better with a milk or cream cleanser. And the best way to remove makeup from skin is with an oil or balm cleanser.

Utilize probiotic skincare: Probiotics are helpful in balancing gut flora and are good for the skin, too. Use a plain yogurt facial mask to exfoliate, brighten, and calm the skin. Probiotic skincare products are also available. Check out Aurelia Skincare made with probiotic ingredients.

Bacteria Balancing Face Cleansers

For Normal/Combination

One Love Organics Easy Does It Cleanser is a gentle cleanser that removes makeup and leaves skin feeling fresh and clean without stripping.

For Oily/Acne Prone

Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser gently exfoliates while it cleanses and protects skin’s natural balance.

For Dry/Mature

Shiva Rose Pearl Milk Cleanser rehydrates skin with natural oils as it cleanses, leaving the complexion plumped and glowing.

For Sensitive Skin

MV Skincare Gentle Cream Cleanser leaves skin soft, smooth, and clean with no irritation, redness, or inflammation.

Probiotic

Kypris Cleanser Concentrate dissolves dirt, makeup, and debris and leaves skin clean, hydrated, and balanced.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

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You wear sunscreen every day, exfoliate regularly, and never go to sleep with your makeup on. Still seeing troubled skin? It’s true: some healthy skin habits are too much of a good thing.

Taking good care of your skin and using healthy products is key in maintaining beautiful skin. But overdoing it can damage skin, cause irritation and blemishes, and speed up aging.

Let’s take a look at the top healthy skin care habits women tend to overdo.

6 Healthy Skin Habits You May Be ODing On

1. Over-cleansing: Didn’t know you could get skin too clean? Using a foaming cleanser has definite benefits, but using this product on skin that is dry or sensitive leads to dryness, irritation, and even breakouts. Curb your sudsing by washing skin only when it actually needs it (post workout, when it feels greasy…) and use a cream or oil cleanser the rest of the time.

2. Over-exfoliating: Another skin care technique that tends to get overused is exfoliation. We’ve all heard that this step helps with acne, and keeps skin fresh and glowing. More than once per week (twice if skin is not sensitive) is overkill, and can irritate and damage skin. The best way to exfoliate the face is with non-abrasive fruit acids, which remove dead cells without abrasive granules.

3. Using the wrong healthy skincare: Yes, going nontoxic with your skincare is the healthiest choice. But if you are using skincare that is wrong for your skin type it can be causing problems. If you are experiencing dryness, zits, irritation, or excessive oiliness, chances are you are using the wrong skin care products. Choose skin care designed for your skin type.

4. Going oil-free: For those who battle oily skin, steering clear of excess oil is essential in keeping the complexion clear. But did you know drying out the skin leads to breakouts too? That dry, flaky layer traps the oil your skin creates naturally and causes pimples. Choose products made with healthy natural oils that are formulated for oily and acne prone skin types, and skip the super drying potions.

5. Sticking with your tried and true: So you’ve found the skin care products you love and they love your skin right back. Great! Do you find they don’t work quite as well some months as others? To keep skin balanced and happy year ‘round, switch up your routine for the seasons. It doesn’t have to be a drastic overhaul, but a bit more moisture in the winter and lighter products in summer make all the difference.

6. Using chemical sunscreen: Wear sunscreen daily. We’ve all heard this precaution a thousand times. And you are applying your moisturizer with SPF every day like a good girl. But if that product is made with nasty chemical sunscreens you are doing more harm than good. Opt for a safe mineral sunscreen for face. You can even use a tinted moisturizer and ditch your foundation.

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As a licensed aesthetician I always aim to help my clients achieve their healthiest skin possible, even when expensive skin care treatments don’t fit into the budget.

There are services and skin care treatments that should only be performed by a licensed aesthetician, while there are others that, with proper instruction and under the care of a licensed professional, consumers can do on themselves.

With the technology advancements today, consumers are given lots of choices to use gadgets at home that are highly effective and very safe. Keep up with your regular professional treatments, this is where you get the deep cleansing and exfoliation that you can’t–and shouldn’t–do at home. My suggestions below are to help maintain your skin in between the professional treatments, and also help stretch them out a little longer for those who don’t have the spare cash laying around for a recommended monthly treatment.

1. Gadgets

For my acne clients, I recommend a high frequency device to help keep their breakouts under control in between treatments. High frequency devices use argon gas to emit oxygen, killing the bacteria below the skin. Technology is now very safe and effective for home use with proper instruction and usage. And they are also very inexpensive, you can purchase one for as little at $35.

For my clients concerned with anti-aging, I recommend a Red LED, Microcurrent, and/or Microneedling. You get maximum benefits if you’re doing these treatments more frequently at home and they also increase the effectiveness of your professional treatments.  You’re not going to get results unless you use these devices on a regular and frequent basis, so if you purchase it, commit to it!  Use these devices 3-5 times a week to see noticeable results.

• LED therapy stands for Light emitting diode (LED). The device emits specific wavelengths of light that provide a safe method of cell renewal. Infrared or red light is great for boosting collagen. Ideal for those who want to treat wrinkles as well as rosacea, scars, eczema, burns and psoriasis.
• Microcurrent uses a very low level of current that mirrors the body’s own natural electrical pulses.  It works by mimicking the way the brain relays messages to the muscles and is used mainly for stimulating facial muscles to firm and tone. Microcurrent is best for aging or sagging skin to rebuilds and restore the natural curves of the face.
• Microneedling with a .2mm or less is pain free and a highly effective at home procedure with no downtime and results are seen instantly. I developed my own Microneedling treatment program that stimulates collagen and significantly increases product absorption of active ingredients. Perfect for plumping, smoothing and hydrating skin while restoring collagen levels.  For needles larger than .25mm, I always recommend a professional.

2. Cleansers & Moisturizers

You don’t need to spend a lot of money on expensive cleansers and moisturizers, save it for home care treatments and devices.

Cleansers

Purchase a cleanser that is pH balanced and has the right ingredients for your skin type. Avalon Organics Facial Cleansing Gel, Lavender Luminosity is a good inexpensive plant-based cleanser option for all skin types.  For those with more oily/acne prone skin, a cleanser with salicylic acid will help combat your oil production as well as kill the bacteria. My favorite is ClarityMD. I love this product, it’s super effective, results are seen in days, it doesn’t dry out your skin. $50 for a 6oz cleanser and a 2oz treatment gel.

Moisturizers

Moisturizers are intended to occlude and protect your skin, they don’t really penetrate the epidermis. Save your money on expensive moisturizers and buy serums that have active ingredients for change you can really see and feel. Alba Botanica Hawaiian Moisture Cream with contains jojoba and other oils for intense moisture and jasmine and vitamin E for UV protection. A great moisturizer and even better deal at 3oz for $11!

Acne prone skin needs moisture too, if you skip this essential step, it will make your acne worse. If you dry your skin out too much, your skin will think it needs to produce more oil, only compounding your acne issues. Stick with a light water-based moisturizer and your skin will thank you. My recommendation is PCASkin Clearskin.  This moisturizer paired with the ClarityMD system mentioned above is the perfect combination of acne and oily skin types as it kills the bacteria and reduces inflammation while still hydrating the skin properly.

3. Exfoliation

Shaving your face is great for exfoliation, brightening, collagen stimulation, deeper product penetration, and smoother makeup application.  It instantly smoothes and brightens your complexion. It’s a quick, safe and easy to do at home with Tinkle women’s face shavers. After shaving, be sure to apply your serum of choice, I recommend my unique product: StackedSkincare EGF Activating Serum to boost collagen production post shave. Don’t forget to moisturize and apply SPF if you’re headed out for the day.

Shaving how to:  After cleansing, your face should be completely dry for optimal results.  Take the Tinkle face shaver and use small strokes to remove the dead skin and baby hair. I start at the bottom of my face and work in an upward direction. Note: Be careful around your eyebrows!

Anti aging tip: shave the back of your hands! Do this in the shower a couple of times a week and apply moisturizer to smooth out lines and hydrate. Don’t forget SPF if you’re headed out for the afternoon!

Kerry Benjamin is an esthetician and skincare expert renowned for transforming troubled skin. Kerry’s advanced techniques allow her to develop individually tailored skincare regimens for her clients. She is also known for her signature treatment called StackedSkincare™, which she performs exclusively at her private oasis, Spa Benjamin in Santa Monica, California. For information on skincare and other tips visit www.kerrybenjamin.com.

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How to use your razor to score younger-looking skin.

We all love a new spin on an old favorite – especially when that new spin can help us score younger-looking skin. Ladies, I’d like to re-introduce you to… your razor.

That’s right, the handy little gizmo that keeps your legs looking so fresh and so clean is also one of your best anti-aging crime fighters. The backs of your hands, neck, and décolletage are some of the most noticeable places we age, and by shaving these areas twice a week in the shower, you’re not only exfoliating your skin, but stimulating collagen production, says Kerry Benjamin, aesthetician and owner of Kerry Benjamin Skincare.

I know, it sounds strange, but according to Benjamin it leads to a domino effect of goodness: Your beauty products will penetrate better, your makeup will go on smoother, and your skin will appear brighter and dewier. Cha. Ching. “It’s a fantastic way to exfoliate your skin,” says Benjamin. “It’s inexpensive, quick and effective.”

And if you’re feeling particularly adventurous: Shave your face too! “It’ll instantly brighten you up once all the baby hairs are removed and your makeup will go on smoothly,” says Benjamin. It’s basically an at-home version of a professional dermaplane procedure, which uses an itty bitty sharp tool to scrape away the peach fuzz and slough off dead skin cells, leaving you with softer, younger-looking skin.

Contrary to popular belief, shaving won’t (I repeat, won’t) make your hair grow back thicker and darker, so you don’t have to worry about someone eventually asking you, “Aren’t you on Duck Dynasty?” The reason the belief in this myth is so strong is because when your hair grows out naturally, it tapers off to a sharp point, making the hair look thinner. When you shave it, the blunt cut of the re-growth seems coarser and thicker when it first starts growing out. “After a day or two, it goes back to exactly the way it was before you shaved,” says Benjamin.

When shaving your hands, neck and décolletage…

You can use the same razor you’re already using for your legs, such as the Preserve Triple Razor (making sure to change it regularly, of course). All you have to do is gently swipe the backs of your hands, neck, and decolletage as part of your beauty routine in the shower, following up with a quality moisturizer and SPF.

When shaving your face…

“I start at the top of my ear and shave down, going down to my jawline and in toward my nose to get the whole cheek, jawline, chin and upper lip,” says Benjamin. “Then, the sides of my face by my eyes, followed by my forehead, using downward strokes from the top of my hairline toward my brows. Lastly, I’ll stroke my neck downward from my jawline.”

Very little pressure’s needed, since you’re just exfoliating the dead outer layer of skin and removing the fine baby hairs. Make sure you use a fresh razor on your face and apply a creamy cleanser before shaving.

If you’re looking to achieve a dermaplane-esque treatment at home, they’re typically done with the skin dry, followed up with a peel, serums and moisturizer. “I recommend using a face shaver on dry skin, followed by an enzyme peel for a deeper exfoliation, then apply your serums and moisturizer,” says Benjamin. (Only, wait to do this until you’ve shaved your face several times and your skin’s adjusted to the regime.)

How often you should do this for younger-looking skin is up to you: It’ll vary depending on your hair growth and your desired look for your skin. “Twice a month should be ample to keep your skin smooth and free of peach fuzz,” says Benjamin.

For the ultimate dermaplane effect at home, Benjamin recommends taking one of these facial razors for a spin:

• FT Shiseido Facial Razor
• Remington Dual Blade Facial Trimmer
• Panasonic Pivoting Facial Trimmer

What do you think about this new path to younger-looking skin?

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Summer heat getting you down? It sounds like you’re in need of a refreshing facial mist. 

It’s so hot outside you feel like you’re melting… and your makeup literally has. What’s a girl to do? Maintain your summer glow by choosing a facial mist as your partner in crime: Not only will it instantly cool your face, it will help hydrate your skin and set your makeup for hours. Go from looking tired and “blah” to bright and dewy with just one spritz.

Here are our top facial mist picks so you can go back to enjoying your summer:

1. Organic Rosewater Facial Mist

Organic Rosewater Facial Mist is a hydrating spray that will leave your skin balanced and refreshed. It’s made of natural rose water, which helps maintain your pH balance while reducing fine lines, wrinkles and skin inflammation. It also helps soothe breakouts and sunburns.

2. Cucumber Mist Organic Facial Toner

This all-natural moisturizing facial mist is infused with pure cucumber hydrosol and organic aloe vera. Cucumbers are known for their soothing and anti-inflammatory effects on the skin – the Cucumber Mist Organic Facial Toner provides your skin with a refreshing pick-me-up while its pure scent will help soothe your mind.

3. Fresh Face Replenishing Spritz

The Fresh Face Replenishing Spritz by bodylish is made with a nourishing pure essential oil blend formulated to encourage new skin cell growth while hydrating and balancing your skin. After a long day, all it’ll take is one spritz to feel like a brand new you!

4. Miracle Mist Hydrate & Set

Miracle Mist Hydrate & Set by Pur Minerals contains more than 70 essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids that moisturize, soothe and refresh your skin. Best of all, you can also use it to set your makeup to keep it looking vibrant all day long.

5. Arctic Face Mist

If your face is showing signs of neglect, Arctic Face Mist by Skyn Iceland will help relieve your skin and protect against future damage. It’s been formulated to balance irritated, tired skin while combatting free radicals and environmental stress – and not to brag, but it’s 100 percent vegan and cruelty-free.

6. Balancing Facial Tonic

Boscia’s Balancing Facial Tonic works hard to protect your skin from impurities while guarding against dehydration. It soothes, refreshes, and purifies. It works for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

7. Citrus Face Mister + Pillow Spray

This facial mist is a Jill of all trades: Not only does it balance and replenish your skin without ruining your makeup, you can also use it as an aromatherapy pillow spray. Michael Todd True Organics’ Citrus Face Mister + Pillow Spray is made with soothing organic aloe vera with no added water, alcohol, parabens, sulfates, artificial color or synthetic fragrance.

Check out and shop all of the face mists here: 

Is there a facial mist you can’t live without?

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Here’s what beauty companies aren’t telling you about vitamin C serum – and what to do about it.

Vitamin C is a big deal in skin care products: Among its many benefits, it enhances collagen production below the skin’s surface, helping to prevent and soften wrinkles and fine lines. It also brightens skin, prevents sun spots and fights free radicals. For these reasons and more, vitamin C serum has become an uber-important staple in our daily beauty routine – it’s practically a Jill of all trades… right?

Wrong. While it’s true vitamin C does all of these wonderful things for your skin, your vitamin C serum isn’t doing you any justice – either it contains too little of the active ingredient to be effective, or the vitamin C oxidizes and loses its potency. In other words, don’t waste your money.

Vitamin C comes in many forms, the most popular for skin care being L-Ascorbic Acid because of its potent anti-aging effects on the skin. The problem is, LAA is highly unstable: Once it comes in contact with water, it oxidizes in the presence of air and light (you know, like Superman to Kryptonite). This is why beauty companies charge so much for vitamin C serum, as if they’ve created some magical unicorn formula to prevent LAA from being rendered useless the second you open the bottle.

Yeah. Right.

“I don’t believe in vitamin C serums,” says Jean Seo of Evolue Beverly Hills. “Even if the serum itself is airtight, after you do the first pump and air gets into the bottle, the serum’s pretty much ruined.”

So what’s a girl to do? Seo recommends making your own vitamin C serum. Not only will it be a big reward for your skin, you’ll save oodles of money. Simply purchase a container of Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid in powder/crystal form from your local grocery store and mix it with oil. Seo suggests fish oil, and I’ve also read that coconut oil is quite popular. Use it as an exfoliant or a mask.

The final step: Preparing yourself for all the complements you’re going to receive about your skin. You know, no pressure.

For more information on the beauty benefits of vitamin C, check out the video below by Seo and Tony Vargas of Tilth Beauty:

How do you feel about Vitamin C serum?

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The post The Shocking Truth About Vitamin C Serum (and the DIY You Should Use Instead) appeared first on EcoSalon.