The Lantern Skin Studio | Murfreesboro, TN 37128

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Have You Been Duped by “Natural” Skin Care?

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Shedding light on the claims of natural, organic, and chemical free skin care.

Natural skin care is nearing a 2-billion-dollar industry. Yes – BILLION.

If you have done any skin care shopping in the last decade, you would be hard-pressed to have missed the (endless) products that seek to convince you of their preferability (and “safety”) with words and phrases like organic, natural, all-natural (because just plain natural isn’t good enough), green, eco-friendly, plant-based, plant-derived, derived from nature, and so on.

These terms sound fabulous on the surface, but the truth is that they hold no real weight. There is no governing of these claims, and often these terms are used to evoke positive feelings about a product that is subpar.

Example:
A formulator could put together an exfoliating face cream. Perhaps  this formulator chooses sand as their physical exfoliant, pig lard as a conditioning  base, and a  touch of lavender to make it smell nice. Next, they put this product in a lovely biodegradable piece of packaging, cover the label and write the product description with words like “all-natural”, “derived from nature”, “free of chemicals”, etc. and then give the biodegradable packaging a nice mention somewhere on  the label as well. They then charge you a premium for this product despite its extremely basic (and cheap) ingredients. The price has nothing to do with the contents, it is solely based on your perception of the value of products labeled as natural. The Natural Tax is very real. Along with paying an inflated price, that biodegradable packaging you are happy to have? It may very well be compromised by what is in the packaging – meaning it may very well degrade because of what has been put in it and there is no telling what is leaching out from your biodegradable container into your overpriced “natural” product. Sand and pig lard are a stretch, and you’ll likely not be seeing these on the shelves anywhere. My point is to highlight just how misleading labels can be.

There is no telling what is leaching out from your biodegradable container into your overpriced “natural” product

Another way shoppers pay more for less is in buying (literally) into the notion that because it came from a plant it is better than a synthetic counterpart. Not accurate. We have been told by marketers that “synthetic” always means bad. This is not based in factual science. The truth: Your body does not care how or where an ingredient is produced so long as the chemical structure is identical. That is a fact.  Your skin (and body) will react identically to glycolic acid whether it came from a lab or from a sugarcane plant. You will pay more for the glycolic acid from sugarcane, especially when your product touts “all natural”, “plant-derived”, etc.

Your body does not care how or where an ingredient is produced so long as the chemical structure is identical.

Here is where things get funky. You know the whole “environmentally friendly” push. We want to do great things for the environment, stop killing the planet and all this, right? Did you know that we are often doing great harm, environmentally speaking, to produce and  harvest plants for “all natural” skin care products? This is not the case for all plants – but there do exist endangered and exploited plants (including the Argan tree for its popular oil), endangered animals, and endangered people (used to harvest and often process the desirable plants). In the market’s push for feel-good “natural” products, the shopper is being sold a bunch of hype that not only leads to inflated pricing and subpar skin outcomes – but also stresses the environment all in the name of “natural”.

Argan Tree – an overly exploited plant species

If the above is not enough to demonstrate the con that is the “natural” skin care industry, consider this:

Plenty of natural things can kill you – dead – 100%. Plenty of things created in a lab – cannot kill you. Further, there are plenty of natural things that will not kill you, but sure aren’t pleasant.
Cow dung is all-natural, but I cannot think of a single client who would purchase a cow poop mask if I sold one. Cyanide is natural. I do not advise consuming it.

Applesauce is natural, but smearing applesauce on your face is never going to provide enough malic acid (found in apples and great for skin) to benefit your complexion. It just is not in the right form, and you would need a whole lot of apples, time, and processing to get enough usable malic acid from apples as opposed to a lab. The end result? More cost to you and the environment –  and no additional benefit to your skin.

As long as an ingredient is bio-identical, your body does not care where it was produced.

Further, if you have bought in to marketing that “chemicals” are bad and that anything that isn’t organic or all-natural is free of chemicals, let me just clarify that nearly everything in our environment is a chemical or is comprised of chemical elements. Water is a chemical. Anything made of atoms is technically a chemical. What we should really be concerned with are dangerous chemicals, not chemicals. No skin care product exists that is “chemical free”. Period.

“But my face cream says it is free of harsh chemicals,  that’s good right?”
My answer: What is a harsh chemical? Bleach? Absolutely, and it should not be in your face cream anyway. There is no need to pay extra for being told things aren’t in your skin care that shouldn’t be there in the first place. Now, a formulator may say “SLS free”. That is perfectly fine – some people don’t react well to SLS and look for products without it. Conversely, millions of people use SLS products daily with zero issues, so whether SLS is a “harsh” ingredient really comes down to the user. You should not be paying extra for SLS-free.

No skin care product exists that is “chemical free”. Period.

Once we have figured out the marketing system and come to understand that much of what is being promoted in the natural skin care arena is not much more than the creative (and often misleading) use of words to elevate the value of skin care products, what is it we should be looking for in skin care?

The following are my guidelines for what constitutes a great product:

Safe Ingredients – Whether it was grown in a field or produced in a laboratory, is it safe? If it is not safe, it doesn’t belong in the bottle, and this is the case whether it came from a lemon or a lab.

Planet Friendly –  Are we causing irreparable damage to the earth and its inhabitants (both human and animal) with our products? Whether it is from unethical farming practices that exploit human workers, using plant species that are endangered (sandalwood and wild yam fall into this category), destroying plants that are most needed by animals as food, or using ingredients that do not dissolve in nature and pollute our waterways (like aluminum oxide crystals), our goal should be do no harm.

Effective – We want products that have a positive impact on the skin. Whether that is in balanced cleansing that does not impede the skin barrier or serums that work hard to improve the skin’s clarity, texture, and appearance – we want effective products.

That’s it. Effective, friendly to our world, and safe. None of the label claims we have discussed here ensure a single one of these. It is up to you to determine if such label claims are worth paying extra for.

How do products labels that state these trendy terms affect you? Do you automatically feel as if something marketed as natural is better? I would love to hear how these marketing terms impact your decision making!

Aquaphor: Keep it on Hand

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The many beauty uses of Aquaphor – and why this esthetician thinks it’s a must-have.

There’s one product I’m always recommending to my clientele that elicits surprised reactions almost every time: plain ole over-the-counter Aquaphor (or a generic knock-off which is even cheaper). Yes, I know: As an esthetician, I am supposed to market nothing but high-dollar skin care potions and consider anything over-the-counter as sub-par garbage unworthy of my or my guests’ attention. There’s plenty of over-the-counter garbage out there, there’s also a good bit of “professional” garbage too – but the renegade esthetician in me will not disqualify a product simply because it’s found on a shelf at Wal-Mart. There are always a handful of hidden gems on big-box store shelves and Aquaphor just happens to be one of them. Think I’m crazy? Talk to just about any surgeon and  they’ll say it’s fabulous stuff as well.

So here’s the thing – when you read the list of ingredients on Aquaphor (Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Bisabol) there is nothing all too magical going on with the list. Yet, I do find the product pretty magical. Granted, you’ll not get coated in unicorn dust when you open the unassuming tube or tub – but use it in the ways I’m about to describe to you, and you’ll see some benefits that are pretty fantastic – AND – you’ll find these benefits come to you at a heck of a better price point than $100 night creams, over-priced cuticle creams, fancy foot creams, boutique lash conditioners, and a slew of other over-priced and over-rated products.

Now, I know when some folks read this post, there will be some bulging eyes because I am recommending a product that contains mineral oil and petrolatum. Just as an FYI – if you’ve read the fear mongering around petrolatum and mineral oil, please go do a little new research. The old and ridiculous “studies” that gave these  two substances a bad name have been disproven and have also been shown to be politically motivated (yes, all going back to issues with the oil industry and politics). In reality, petrolatum and mineral oil are chemically inert and cannot chemically interact with the skin – they are also large in molecular size making them too large to penetrate into the pore (this means NO they cannot clog  your pores). So in case you’ve read the fear-mongering chaos on the “Interwebs”: No, mineral oil and petrolatum are not unsafe, no they will not clog pores, no they do not suck vitamins out of your skin (geesh – the fear mongering is severe), no they will not cause acne (anyone who says that has zero idea about the formation of acne), no they will not “make you get oily skin”, and no they won’t ruin your life in any way. In fact, these two simple little ingredients that are not respected enough (in my opinion) could go a long way to improving some things many of us are aggravated by: skin irritations, dry and flaking skin, skin that cannot stay adequately hydrated, dry and funky looking feet, cuticles, and hands, brittle eyelashes, rough and scaly body skin, and more.

Alright, so now maybe you’re willing to give it a shot. Here’s some ways I consistently use Aquaphor:

  • To amp up a daytime moisturizer and make it function like a $100 night cream: mix a bit of your daytime (non-spf) moisturizer with a little touch of Aquaphor and avoid having to buy a “night-time” cream. This doesn’t replace your active skin care serums – I’m talking about creams. Most creams sit on the skin and condition as well as create a protective barrier to prevent water loss in the skin. Moisturizers and serums are very different, and it is my opinion that 85% of the moisturizers marketed as night creams are over priced and under-quality. I don’t care to pay $95 for a pretty little jar of night cream when I can take my quality day moisturizer that runs me about $35 and add a hint of Aquaphor to it and end up with something on my face that performs far better than the stuff in the fancy $95 jar. If you’re wearing corrective serums overnight, this mixture would go on top. [Lightest to heaviest is general rule of thumb for product application.]
  • Use a q-tip and apply Aquaphor to your eyelashes overnight. Yep, just a thin layer of Aquaphor consistently applied to your lashes overnight will condition them and reduce lash breakage. Many a model uses this little trick to keep nice, pretty lashes. If you’re a contact lens wearer, do NOT do this while your contacts are in – you’ll end up with a film on your contacts that will make light look rather trippy; take lenses out first, then apply. Of course, if you’re wearing artificial lash extensions, you’re left out here – the Aquaphor will dissolve your adhesive, so skip this trick if you’re doing the lash extension thing.
  • Hands, feet, cuticles: Aquaphor will transform dry and rough hands, cuticles and feet almost overnight. No, it can’t rid you of thickened layers of dry skin (see this post for getting rid of excessive dead layers of skin), but it can help with softening, smoothing, and soothing and it can do it fast. What you need to do: hydrate your skin well with water (this is best done via a bath or shower). While your skin is still damp, apply a thin layer of Aquaphor and work it in to your heels, cuticles, toes, whatever part of your feet need the help – work it in; do the same for your hands and fingers (even elbows while you’re at it). The trick is having hydrated skin. In chemistry, oil sits on top of water, so applying Aquaphor over well-hydrated/damp skin means the Aquaphor will sit on top of the water and create a protective barrier. This locks the water in and decreases evaporation. To make this point even more clear, I usually have remaining water droplets on my skin when I apply. I am not completely toweling dry and then applying. I’m patting off “excess”, leaving a little water on, Aquaphor goes on top – mixes around a bit – warms up, melts in, and boom – skin feels amazing. Doing this regularly is where you’re going to see crazy improvements, and don’t forget: don’t let your skin go totally wonkers before you start… Just make this part of your routine. You’ve probably read suggestions of putting a thick layer of Vaseline on your feet and wearing thick socks to bed. Well, I can’t stand sleeping in socks, and I hate having a thick layer of greasy stuff all over me. You can avoid those things if you’re like me – by just regularly applying a tiny amount of Aquaphor to your damp feet. While I’m thinking about it, it also makes natural nails look healthy and with a beautiful sheen. So, if you’ve got dull nails, this will also help them!
  • Post-treatment flaking and dryness: Say bye-bye to over-priced post-peel balms and use Aquaphor. This is what I recommend to all my clients who receive chemical peels to get through days of dry and flaking skin. Throw on a thin layer at night, or use to spot treat areas that peel excessively (like smile lines, dip of chin, etc.).
  • Help dry, scaly, itchy body skin: Body skin always dry and scaly and sometimes itchy? Go up to the directions for hands/feet/cuticles. Use Aquaphor over damp skin… THIN layer… You do NOT need to be overly greasy. It seriously doesn’t require a thick coating of this stuff to reap benefits. Thin, thin, thin layer – over damp skin. Can I say that enough? This is also a good time to mention that Aquaphor now comes in a SPRAY application!!! It’s marvelous for legs, arms, shoulders, and back. Use it exactly as described above – on damp skin, and thin layer.
  • Face, Eye and Lip mask: Give a little life back to your face, eyes and lips with Aquaphor. Use your favorite hydrating gel or spray to dampen the area (if you use an eye serum, you can use that first) then apply a nice layer of Aquaphor to your entire face or just underneath  your eyes and to your lips. Leave this on 10-15 minutes then gently remove excess. When removing, just use a gentle damp cloth  – no need to wash it all off, just remove excess and let the residue stay to continue conditioning and protecting your skin. Tip: I love to use rosewater underneath Aquaphor. I spritz my face with it or tap a bit under my eyes then apply the Aquaphor.
  • Calm irritated skin: There are a lot of pricey products out there for various skin conditions, and Aquaphor certainly won’t answer every concern, but before investing in extremely expensive products for chapped skin, eczema, dermatitis, etc. – try Aquaphor. It really amazes me at how often this particular product out-performs very pricey options when it comes to irritated skin.
  • Protect and sooth wounds and lesions: Did you pick a bit too much at that pimple you felt coming on? Been there, done that. I know it’s hard to leave them alone. Obviously, try not to – BUT when you inevitably do pick and realize you’ve just created a wound – dab it with Aquaphor here and there until it heals. The skin will be much happier, will heal better and more quickly, generally leaving less of a mark behind. There’s a reason doctors recommend Aquaphor after many cosmetic treatments and surgeries, it really is an amazing skin protectant.

There you have it – my long spill on why just about everyone should keep Aquaphor on hand. It’s worth mentioning that the generic formulas are just as good. Just check the label to make sure it reads the same as the brandname Aquaphor. I commonly buy the Walgreens version. There is zero difference except in price. When referring to Aquaphor, I am discussing the original “Healing Ointment”. They have a few different varieties now, including a baby version – but I always just use the standard formula.

Have you tried Aquaphor? Do you have any great tips of your own that I should add here? If so, just leave a comment and let me know!

 

Blackheads? Maybe Not.

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Those little dark dots on your nose may not be blackheads. Let’s take a look!

More than lines and wrinkles, more than spots and poor texture – more than dry, oily, sensitive and any combination of complaints I may hear, “I have blackheads” is THE number 1 complaint I hear in the studio. It seems we human beings, despite whatever other skin care concerns we may have, are plagued with these pesky dark dots that like to appear, most commonly, on our noses and chins, and very inner cheeks. These little dark dots may be less or more severe depending on  the individual, but for most us, they’re there.

Now, as a skin therapist, I don’t care how my guests refer to these – clogged pores, blackheads, “stuff in my pores”, junk, whatever. I hear it all. What I do mind, though, is the mass  market that sells to the notion of “blackheads” when often these are not blackheads at all, but instead “sebaceous filaments”. Most of the products out there that claim to resolve blackheads would never even begin to impede the existence of a true blackhead, and half  the time will do very little for sebaceous filaments either.

So, let’s look at a real blackhead so I can show you why all those products that claim to get rid of blackheads – don’t.

Used with permission. DermNetNZ ©Professor Suhonen.

See those dark plugs in the skin? THOSE are blackheads. They are large, solid masses that have formed inside a follicle. The mixture here is of skin cell protein (keratin), and oil (sebum). These are sizable impactions that come out as a solid plug, or what I often call a “kernel” as that is what they look like when extracted. True blackheads may squeeze out with pressure when extracted, but they often need assistance from tweezers to pull out the entire mass. The top of the blackhead will be the size you see at the skin’s surface, while the bottom end will be thin, light in color, and not hardened like the top. The darkness on top is the result of melanin-filled skin cells and sebum that  have been oxidized by air – not dirt.

Let’s say all those magical blackhead-removing products cleansed the tops off these blackheads (they won’t) – but what’s the chances they’re capable of literally pushing them up and out of the skin, freely and clearly?

They can’t. The takeaway here is that what are marketed as blackhead removing products are really marketing to clogged pores/sebaceous filaments.

Unless you have large, hard masses in your skin that resemble the above, you likely do not have true blackheads.

Now, let’s take a look at what is probably more the case.

Used with permission. © DermNetNZ

See the tiny specks on this particular nose? These are sebaceous filaments. Feel free to call them whatever you like, but when you’ve got out that 50x beauty mirror, don’t let it lie and tell you that you have the world’s worst case of blackheads. You don’t. Promise.

This nose is classic for what I see on a day to day basis. Heck, I even have sebaceous filaments on MY nose, and let me tell you – they’re there, they are never going to permanently go away, and all  these trendy tools for ridding your nose of them may do more harm than good.

What’s a sebaceous filament? Well, these little “holes” in our skin that we most often call pores are actually tiny, tiny hair follicles. At the bottom of that hair follicle is an oil gland. Inside that hair follicle are skin cells that shed on a daily basis. Within that tiny follicle, there’s a miniscule little hair that you’re unlikely to ever be able to see. That virtually invisible little hair acts as a wick to deliver all the aforementioned “stuff” up to the surface. What creates the darkened effect at the surface is pretty much the same as with blackhead – it’s just cells and fats that have become oxidized. It’s not dirt. It’s not that you don’t wash your face, and there’s nothing you’ll do to stop these from forming forever. In fact, in dermatology, sebaceous filaments are considered a standard, normal feature of human skin.

Now that we’ve discovered what those pesky dark specks in our pores really are, we’ll go over what to do – and even more importantly – what not to do about them.

Don’t:

  • Rely on pore strips. Though these can occasionally rip off the tops of little plugs in the pores, they do nothing to further purify or clarify the pores and can cause damage to your skin and leave behind more visible capillaries.
  • Buy into those trendy rip-off masks that are circulating social media. The same downsides to pore strips apply to  these painful masks.
  • Obsess over washing your face. AM/PM cleansing is all that is necessary for almost all skin.
  • Over exfoliate. Over exfoliation is one of the biggest problems in all aspects of healthy skin. Check with your esthetician on the appropriate form of exfoliation for your precious skin and the proper frequency of use.
  • Fall victim to the beauty mirror. The magnified beauty mirrors are great tools for applying makeup, but please for the love of good skin – don’t post up in front of that thing and start digging, prodding, poking and picking. A) NO ONE is looking at your skin that close unless it’s your esthetician, and B) If you start looking in those mirrors for imperfections, you’ll literally never see the end of them. Walk away!
  • Perform self-extractions. The problem here is that most of us just can’t stop. If you are red, swollen, inflamed, and standing there for more than 2 or 3 minutes – it’s too much. Angle and technique are huge for extractions, and it’s extremely difficult to do them properly on yourself.

Do:

  • Cleanse your skin AM/PM with a cleanser appropriate for your skin. [Tip: That may not always mean a foamy cleanser!]
  • Exfoliate according to your skin care professional’s recommendations. This varies by the individual. From type of exfoliant to frequency of use, it’s super important you have a personalized exfoliation routine. Dropping countless bucks down the drain at counters on products that look pretty but aren’t ideal for your skin – just a waste of time and dollars.
  • Get regular professional treatments. Professional extractions, done properly, do not damage skin. A well-trained skin therapist has the proper technique, preparation products and tools to perform safe extractions and knows when enough is enough.
  • Be consistent. A facial twice a year will never be enough to keep pores refined and clarified. If clarified skin is truly what you want, consistency is key.
  • Keep in mind that everyone’s skin does not follow the same timeline. In general, it is typical to expect visible plugged pores to return within about 30 days. For some, this timeline will be even shorter. This is one of the reasons we suggest monthly skin care services.
  • Avoid pore clogging ingredients and especially coconut oil on your face. Coconut oil has become such a popular oil and is touted as a miracle cure for just about everything. Unfortunately, as healthy as it is for some to eat, it’s a 4 on a 5 point scale for being pore-clogging.

Professional Treatments for Sebaceous Filaments

My go-to treatment for cleaning out pores are Ultrasonic Facials. These are painless, non-invasive services that use ultrasonic frequency to pressure wash the skin and force debris out the of pores without causing damage.

Next, skin peels. Light peels can really work to dissolve the contents of the pores and also superficially tighten the pore’s surface. This combination can be a fabulous one for reducing pore visibility and increasing clarity. It does not require super strong peels to accomplish this, so just about anyone can receive a mild peel for clarifying purposes.

What About Real Blackheads?

Although we all will likely have a true blackhead at some point or another (even if not on the face), blackheads are more associated with acneic skin conditions and must be softened and removed from the skin through a series of professional extraction services and proper home care. If you’re struggling with blackheads as a result of acne, please check out the Acne Clearing Program.

In Conclusion

I see new products hitting the social media feeds each day that promise to remove every last “blackhead” from a person’s complexion. In reality, blackheads are an entirely different skin condition, and the sebaceous filaments that consumers actually are looking to get rid of are a perfectly normal aspect of human skin. It is possible to dramatically improve the appearance of the pores, but no product will permanently remove them or tighten pores to a non-existent state. Customized home care and consistency with targeted professional services are the best way to achieve clarified skin.

Gelatin for Better Skin

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Learn How Gelatin Can Improve Your Skin

Gelatin for Better Skin

Although most of us think of jiggly, colorful bowls of sugary Jello when we think of gelatin, after reading this article, you’ll have an entirely new outlook on gelatin and why you may want to supplement with it for healthier, more vibrant skin.

Gelatin is type of protein that is derived from collagen. This collagen comes from animal parts that are no longer commonly consumed in the American diet. You see, we live in different times. Historically, mankind did not have the luxury of being overly choosy about which parts of the animal would be eaten. This meant that bones were used for creating broths, soups, and stews, while other parts of the animal from organs, to skin,  to cuts of meat containing large amounts of cartilage and sinew would be cooked in any number of ways – and consumed. It just so happens, that in our taste for “good” cuts of meat, we’re throwing away some of the healthiest parts of the meat we eat: the collagen rich parts. Unfortunately, this tossing aside of the collagen-rich portions of food means we get far less collagen naturally in our diets and this affects everything from our joint health, to our digestive health, to our skin health (and more).

You see, there are (at least) 16 types of collagen found in the human body. Yes, there are actually different types of collagen! It isn’t all just the stuff that makes your skin look plump and youthful (although I know we beauty enthusiasts are primarily concerned with that type of collagen). Collagen, in its various forms, is the predominant protein of the human body and is found in muscle, tendons, skin and even bones! As we age, collagen production decreases. This decrease begins around the age of 40 and becomes much more dramatic post-menopause. A decrease in collagen production results in compromised integrity of our skin’s structural systems and leads to all the common signs of aging: lines, wrinkles, hollowness beneath the eyes, reduced skin hydration, and laxity. In truth, there are far worse problems that may occur in the body when collagen is decreased (like poor joint health), but since this article is about gelatin and your skin, we’ll focus on the important relationship between your skin and your collagen intake.

Our bodies construct themselves from the foods and drinks we consume. This is as true for your skin as any other organ. With the slowing down of collagen production mentioned earlier, one way we can continue to provide our bodies with the building blocks for healthy skin is through consuming foods rich in those nutrients which are integral to healthy, firm skin. Gelatin is a key player in this arena, as it is full of just the right amino acids for producing long term structural improvements in your skin and other body tissues. Have you ever cooked up a pot of soup or made a stew and noticed that overnight some strange jelly-like substance formed in the pot? That’s gelatin. That’s collagen. That weird gelatinous stuff makes for healthy skin (and joints, and bones). Adding gelatin to your diet (we’ll talk about how to do this next) can create substantial improvements in the health of your skin over time. To be clear, this is not a magic potion that will mysteriously make your skin look 20 years younger after a few days to a week (those don’t exist in reality). Instead, it is a longer term plan for providing your body with the raw materials  it needs in order to produce healthy skin tissue over the course of your life.

A decrease in collagen production results in compromised integrity of our skin’s structural systems and leads to all the common signs of aging: lines, wrinkles, hollowness beneath the eyes, reduced skin hydration, and laxity.

When a person begins supplementing with gelatin, she may notice some changes rather quickly; others may think is happening at all. Because we see ourselves every day, we don’t always notice those small improvements the way someone who only sees us occasionally will. Conversely, if we have a significant problem that a certain nutrient really hits hard very quickly – we’ll be more apt to notice changes sooner than expected. Then, there is the fact that for people who begin caring for their skin early on – they may never witness marked “improvements” because there was never much to improve. Rather, the skin is healthier overall, ages less quickly, and retains more youthful qualities over a longer span of time.

Gelatin and Skin

Adding gelatin to your diet can lessen the appearance of wrinkles, slow down the early onset of sagging skin, maintain and improve skin firmness, increases skin hydration levels, and aid in maintaining and restoring vibrancy and vitality to your complexion. Problems in any of these areas are often related to both damaged collagen fibers and a slowing down of collagen production. Daily gelatin consumption can improve these conditions – along with creating benefits for your hair, nails, joints, and bones.

The tricky thing about supplementing with gelatin is that gelatin – gels. Certain more processed forms of gelatin are both hot and cold water soluble, but the standard form of gelatin is only soluble in hot water. For this reason, many people will mix a few teaspoons to 1 tablespoon in a hot cup of coffee or tea. Interestingly, it really has no taste, so although I was skeptical about mixing gelatin into coffee, I can tell you – it’s completely tolerable! Another way of getting gelatin into your daily food plan is by mixing it into smoothies that will be well blended. Again, gelatin gels, so you have to watch how much you’re adding. A tablespoon of gelatin mixed with cold liquids will turn into a giant glob of unappealing goop. This is where the blender comes in. Blend a smoothie like crazy to distribute the gelatin. Gelatin can also be added to warm breakfast cereals like oatmeal, hot soups, stews, and broths, and can even be tossed in to other recipes you might make. I read about one lady who randomly adds gelatin to all sorts of recipes – from meatloaf to chili. Because it dissolves in hot liquids, it can be added to any number of dishes where it will never be noticed.

The type of gelatin I use is a bulk Unflavored Gelatin. I am an Amazon Prime member, so I just have it shipped in as needed. This particular gelatin is used widely in both  the culinary world and by people who supplement with gelatin. There is no flavor, it is basically colorless and odorless. I began supplementing with gelatin at about 1 tablespoon per day, but am now taking 2 tablespoons daily. I divide this amount between morning and evening – or frankly, whenever I find it convenient.


While discussing gelatin as a form of collagen supplement, you’re likely to wonder if topical collagen products work. Here’s the problem: collagen is  a big, fat, protein molecule. It doesn’t do so well, being so large, at penetrating the very tight network that is the surface of your skin. Remember, your skin’s surface is a network of keratin filled skin cells which are surrounded by a matrix of lipids (fats) and  other goodies that are meant to keep bad stuff out and good stuff in. So, although some ingredients and nutrients do very well at penetrating this barrier, big molecules do not. Collagen on the skin’s surface works more like a (very) temporary patch. There is no long term improvement to the deeper layers of your skin when applying collagen topically. That said, it can make it feel nice and look better – so a collagen mask before an event is never a bad idea. Just remember, in the case of collagen, you really need to be getting it in your body, not just on it!

If you decide to begin supplementing with collagen, I’d love to know! For those who already do, I’d love it if you’d share in the comments how you use it, what you mix it with, and how it’s improved your skin (or anything else).

The Best Foot File – Ever!

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Get better feet – fast.

We’re quickly moving towards the spring season, and I know some of you will be ready to get a jump start on spring-ready feet. If you have spent a bazillion dollars on every crazy gadget that promises to give you softer paws, life will change for you after this post. It takes some elbow work, there’s no battery operated magic here, and you’ll want to sit on the edge of your tub to use this, but let me introduce you to the last foot file you’ll ever need…

Swedish Clover Foot File by Flowery

Folks, this is THE foot file. I mean, really – it is the one you need to have, and the one you will cherish above all foot files. Toss away those garbage Ped Eggs, ridiculously expensive rotating foot sanders like Amope, and flimsy files that lose quality within one use or the adhesive sanding paper is coming off within a month. Trust me. Do it.

The Swedish Clover Foot File has two sides – one with a coarse  grit and one with a very fine grit. The key to falling in love with this file is using it properly. Lots of people use these things dry, and you’ll get covered with a funky dead skin cell powder within minutes. You’ll be breathing in the old dead cells from your feet and the stuff goes everywhere. So, please – don’t use it dry. It is MUCH more effective damp (not wet).

Here’s THE BEST way to use it:

With dry feet, sit on the side of your tub (faucet turned off and no standing water in tub). Turn your faucet on to where you have a tiny dribble of water that won’t get near your feet. Take your file, pass it once through the water, turn off the water, and give the file a shake it to get rid of excess.  Now, and only now, do you start filing your feet. Best place to begin is the bottom of your heels – usually the toughest part – give it some decent pressure, and get that arm to moving. Once you’re doing it properly, you’re going to see dead skin start to roll up and off your feet. At this point, you keep going until you’re seeing the skin come off as dry – once that happens, re-dip the file in the same way you did in the beginning – again not saturating your feet or overly wetting the file. Continue on all areas of your feet that need to be softened – avoid tops of your feet, tops of toes, or coming up too far on the sides of your feet – stick with areas that are tougher.

This file means business, so don’t use it on delicate skin or normal body skin.

You can use the coarse or fine side – depending on the state of your feet. If you’ve got Flintstone feet like many of us get during the winter – start with coarse, remove excess buildup and finish with the fine side. If your paws don’t need a major overhaul, go with the fine side. The fine side also works really well if you get extremely dry palms or callouses on the sides of your fingers. The important part is the water balance – we want enough moisture to keep  the dead skin cells from being a dust – but not so much that everything is saturated to the point you can’t get a good polish. If you have a bunch of gray, funky looking rolled up skin cell blobs in the bottom of your tub – you’ve done well. Rinse your feet – pat dry – lotion up. Clean off your file – and go stare at the transformation of your paws.  You won’t need to replace this file for months upon months – if then. I replaced my last one after about a year – not because it didn’t work any longer, but just because I figured I could use a fresh surface.

These awesome files can be purchased at a ton of places online and are also available at your local Sally’s. They’re under $10 bucks, but I would literally pay $30 for this foot file if it was the cost. It’s that good.

P.S. If you struggle with finding something, anything, that will actually moisturize your feet and repair cracks, you’ll want to check out my article The Quickest Fix for Dry, Cracked Hands and Feet.

 

 

The Quickest Fix for Dry, Cracked Hands and Feet

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Learn how to quickly repair severely dry and cracked hands and feet with this simple, affordable product.

I have been blessed with pretty good skin – on my face. But like many others, I struggle with maintaining healthy, hydrated skin on my hands and feet. Due to the nature of my work, I wash my hands an extraordinary number of times a day – and with extremely strong soaps. Although I wear gloves (as all estheticians should) during every service I perform, I still must wash my hands before setting up for every service, before working on any client, after completing any service, after cleaning up post-service, and all the other times that one must wash hands during any given day. Over time, and without special attention given to them, my hands literally crack at every little line. It is terribly painful and even lotions and creams that normally work beautifully will burn my skin when they are that dry. Fortunately, I don’t have to wash my feet so frequently! But, even so, I struggle with dry feet, and if I fail to keep up with them – especially in the winter – I am subject to painful cracks at worst, and rough funky feeling skin at best. Naturally, I have tried every lotion, potion, cream, and balm known to mankind with much disappointment along the way.

I have used tons of cheap over the counter products from plain Vaseline to Eucerin. I’ve invested in extremely expensive and luxury brands as well. Some smell great. Some feel great. Some even seem  a bit promising, but generally don’t repair my dry, chapped skin the way I, as a skin therapist, expect in order to consider a product worthy of investing in or promoting.

One very cold winter day last year, I left my studio with my hands feeling like they were on fire due to tiny cracks all along the insides of my palms and fingers – and with a painful crack in my heel to boot! After getting home, I applied multiple lotions  to my hands only to be in absolute discomfort as the lotions penetrated the micro-cracks in my hands and caused immense, firey, burning. Of course,  these lotions did nothing for my heel either. While digging through a drawer in my vanity, I happened across a tube of Desitin. Yes, Desitin. Diaper cream. I don’t know how it got there, when I bought it, or even why, but I am glad I discovered it as this event ended my long search for the final answer as to what on this green earth would ever help my poor hands and feet when they get so dry!

Diaper creams are typically very high in zinc. Zinc plays a critical role in our bodies in so many ways that I don’t even have time to touch the surface of just how important it is to the human body. But to give a little glimpse, just know that it is of critical importance to the health of skin tissues, our ability to heal, and our immune function. It is anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant in nature, and also has antiviral and antibacterial properties. 20% of your body’s zinc is stored in your skin, so it makes sense that topically applied zinc would be beneficial and healing. Combine the healing and repairative effects of zinc with the conditioning and protective qualities of the other primary ingredients in diaper cream (I prefer Desitin brand due to its high zinc content), and you have a winning product for helping dry, cracked hands and feet. Oh, and then there’s the price point. GREAT skin care products usually are not cheap. In this case, however, there is not a single high dollar hand or foot cream I would even consider suggesting to anyone, as I am not convinced a better product for this particular problem exists than zinc-rich diaper cream.

How I Use it:

For Feet – Hydrate feet by gently rinsing in warm (not hot) water for a few minutes. Pat dry. Apply a good layer of Desitin and work it in well. Pay particular attention to areas of extreme dryness or cracks. Throw on a pair of thick socks and head to bed. Your feet will feel entirely different by morning. Repeat this as often as needed, but once you get your feet back in a decent state of softness, you’ll likely only need to do this for maintenance. Just remember, it’s best to not let them get to the point of cracking before begining to treat them!

For Hands – The only downside to using diaper cream for hands and feet is that it is especially thick. This makes it not so functional for application on hands during the day when you have to touch things all day long. Desitin covered fingers do not lend to nice looking smartphone screens, window, door knobs, etc. I find that I get a good amount of the product worked into my hands when applying to my feet.  I will then use warm water to wash away the excess (plenty will remain), then blot with a towel to absorb any surface moisture. If I am in need of a serious hand-repair treatment, I will apply a thick layer of the cream, throw on loose disposable glove, allow the cream to penetrate 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse and blot as outlined above.

So, there you have it! An affordable hand and foot repair cream option that is readily available and really works! I hope this discovery will help you end the torture of painful hands and feet due to severe skin dryness and would love to hear your feedback once you’ve tried it!